Step by step troubleshooting of content distribution on distribution point in SCCM 2012

Hi friends

Hope this post finds you good health and spirit.This will be my second post on step by step troubleshooting series on SCCM. You can find first post here:

https://vinitpandey.wordpress.com/2017/02/07/step-by-step-troubleshooting-of-hardware-inventory-in-sccm-2012/

In this post we will discuss different steps which occur while we distribute any application / packages on DP. I will discuss all the logs involved so that you can troubleshoot easily in event of errors. So, lets start.

Creating application(not distribute)

1. Once you create package, SMS Provider WMI object is invoked. You can check SMSProv.log for the activity. The provider implements code that applies the update to the database.
2. SMS_DATABASE_NOTIFICATION_MONITOR component watches the database for changes to certain tables and creates files(<packageID>.PKN) in the inboxes of SMS_DISTRIBUTION_MANAGER component. You may validate it in smsdbmon.log.
3. SMS_DISTRIBUTION_MANAGER will find notification for the package and will start processing it. It will create snapshot of the package and will calculate its size and hash value. It will transfer the content to content library of local DP. Note here that you have not distributed the package but still its added to content library of local DP. Check distmgr.log for details.

Here is summary of sccm log flow in the context discussed above:

smsprov.log — smsdbmon.log — distmgr.log.

Distributing Application to DP ( Same site)

Once you have created your application, next you will distribute the application. If you are distributing content on DP installed on site server, content will not be transferred again (remember, content is already in content library as in note discussed above). For other local DP, content will be distributed. Process will remain as described above. SMS_DATABASE_NOTIFICATION_MONITOR(smsdbmin.log) will drop a .pkn file in the inbox of SMS_DISTRIBUTION_MANAGER (distmgr.log) component. SMS_DISTRIBUTION_MANAGER will process the content and will triggered SMS_PACKAGE_TRANSFER_MANAGER on the Site Server. It will be work of SMS_PACKAGE_TRANSFER_MANAGER to transfer content to remote DP.  You may check PkgXferMgr.log to validate.

Below is the link where you may check for details of different steps involved. You may find additional info about Pull DP in same blog.

Introducing the Pull-Distribution Points

In upcoming blog about site replication we will discuss how contents are distributed to secondary site DP.

So, that was all in this blog. I will see you soon with another blog of this troubleshooting series. Till then take care and “Happy Valentine’s day”.