In a Microsoft\u00ae System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager multiple-site hierarchy, data is transferred\u00a0between sites to allow for centralized administration and reporting. Understanding how data transfer\u00a0works helps you monitor the data flow in your Configuration Manager hierarchy and troubleshoot\u00a0replication issues.
\nConfiguration Manager 2012 uses database replication and file-based transfer to transfer data between\u00a0sites. The data transfer method that Configuration Manager 2012 uses depends on the type of data it is\u00a0transferring.\u00a0Configuration Manager 2012 relies on the distribution point infrastructure to provide content\u00a0management functionality.<\/p>\n
Configuration Manager 2012 data that is transferred between sites is categorized in three data types: \u00a0global data, site data, and content. Depending on its type, some data is copied to all sites; other data is\u00a0copied to only some sites in the hierarchy. By understanding each data type\u2014where it is created, how it is\u00a0transferred, and where it is used\u2014you can monitor and troubleshoot Configuration Manager inter-site\u00a0communication efficiently.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Data Types in Configuration Manager 2012<\/strong> Types of Site Data<\/strong> Content Types<\/strong> Intersite Communication in Configuration Manager 2012<\/strong> Data Destination<\/strong> How Site Data Is Replicated in a Hierarchy<\/strong> In a Microsoft\u00ae System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager multiple-site hierarchy, data is transferred\u00a0between sites to allow for centralized administration and reporting. Understanding how data transfer\u00a0works helps you monitor the data flow in your Configuration Manager hierarchy and troubleshoot\u00a0replication issues.… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-752","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-david-papkin"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/davidpapkin.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/752","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/davidpapkin.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/davidpapkin.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/davidpapkin.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/davidpapkin.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=752"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/davidpapkin.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/752\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/davidpapkin.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=752"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/davidpapkin.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=752"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/davidpapkin.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=752"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nSystem Center 2012 Configuration Manager uses site-to-site communications to transfer
\nthe following types of data between sites:
\n\u2022 Global data, which consists of objects that an administrator creates at the central
\nadministration site or at primary sites.
\n\u2022 Site data, which is operational information\u00a0that site systems in a primary site and the
\nclients assigned to them generate automatically.
\n\u2022 Content, such as packages, application files, \u00a0and software updates that deployments use.
\nDepending on its type, data can be used in the local site only or can be replicated to other sites in the hierarchy. The administrator determines where content is transferred by configuring content distribution. Configuration Manager 2012 uses different replication methods, depending on the data type being replicated.<\/p>\n
\nSite data is operational information that Configuration Manager sites and clients generate
\nautomatically. After site data is generated at the originating primary site or secondary site, it
\nreplicates to the central administration site but not to other primary or secondary sites.
\nFor example, primary sites use collection rules to determine collection membership, resulting in the list of members. The list of members is an example of site data. The list contains clients assigned to a primary site, and clients that meet the collection\u2019s membership criteria.
\nAnother example of site data is client inventory. Clients generate hardware and software inventory, which is then added to each primary site\u2019s database, which in turn replicates to the central administration<\/p>\n
\nConfiguration Manager administrators create content at the central administration site or at
\nprimary sites. Content is transferred down the\u00a0hierarchy to site servers and distribution points
\naccording to distribution settings that administrators configure.
\nConfiguration Manager 2012 uses the same Server Message Block\u2013based (SMB-based), file-based replication mechanism as Configuration Manager 2007 to transfer content, such as packages, between sites.<\/p>\n
\nWithin a hierarchy, the sites communicate with each other by exchanging data. The
\ncommunications occur by using either\u00a0database replication or file-based replication.
\nDatabase Replication<\/strong>
\nConfiguration Manager 2012 database replication is a custom replication method. Configuration Manager 2012 does not use the older replication methods included in Microsoft SQL Server\u00ae, such as transactional replication. You do not need to install SQL Server\u2013based replication components.\u00a0Configuration Manager database replication uses SQL Server Service Broker to transfer data between SQL Server databases installed in different sites in a hierarchy.
\nBy default, the Configuration Manager database replication mechanism uses the following ports to transfer data:
\n\u2022 Port 1433 for the SQL Server instance
\n\u2022 Port 4022 for the SQL Server Service Broker
\nIf you have configured the SQL Server instance to use different ports, the SQL Server Service port will be detected automatically and you will have to specify a non-default SQL Server Service Broker port.
\nFile-Based Replication<\/strong>
\nFile-based replication between Configuration Manager 2012 sites uses the same mechanism as
\nConfiguration Manager 2007 replication. This mechanism is based on senders and the SMB protocol. \u00a0The SMB protocol uses TCP port 445.
\nNote:<\/strong> A sender is the communication mechanism implemented in Configuration Manager
\nto transmit data between sites and control bandwidth usage. The sender uses SMB as the
\nunderlying communication protocol. Unlike Configuration Manager 2007, Configuration
\nManager 2012 supports only a single type of sender.
\nConfiguration Manager 2012 secondary sites use file-based replication to transfer site data to their parent primary site. File-based replication is also used to transfer fallback status point state messages to the assigned site when a client\u2019s assigned site does not have a fallback status point. In addition, the initial transfer of discovery data records to the assigned site requires the use of file-based replication.
\nData Destination<\/strong>
\nPackage files used by deployments\u00a0Sent to distribution points located in primary and secondary sites.\u00a0Secondary site data Sent to the parent primary site of the secondary site.
\nFallback status point state\u00a0messages\u00a0Forwarded to the assigned site when only a single fallback status \u00a0point is in use in a hierarchy.<\/p>\n
\nDiscovery data records Forwarded to the assigned site when clients are not assigned to
\nthe site that discovered them. The discovery data record is
\nprocessed locally at the assigned site and the information is
\nreplicated to other sites in the hierarchy by using database
\nreplication.
\nData collected from clients at \u00a0secondary sites
\nTransferred to the parent primary site by using file-based replication.
\nHow Global Data Is Replicated in a Hierarchy
\nGlobal data consists of configuration information
\nthat administrators create. Global data is
\nreplicated to all sites in the hierarchy.
\nCreation of Global Data<\/strong>
\nAdministrators can create global data by using the
\nConfiguration Manager console connected at the
\ncentral administration site or at any primary site.
\nThe types of global data that an administrator can
\ncreate depend on the security roles assigned to
\nthat administrator:
\n\u2022 Typically, the hierarchy administrator can
\ncreate global data in any site in the hierarchy.
\n\u2022 Security scopes usually limit the primary site administrators\u2019 permissions. This allows primary site
\nadministrators to manage objects from only their primary site. Any objects that they create are global
\ndata and will be replicated to the central administration site and all other primary sites.
\nReplication of Global Data<\/strong>
\nGlobal data is replicated to the central administration site and all primary sites in the hierarchy by using
\ndatabase replication. A subset of global data is replicated to secondary sites by using database replication.
\nFor example, consider a Configuration Manager hierarchy that consists of a central administration site and
\ntwo primary sites, Site A and Site B. An administrator creates a collection in primary Site A. The collection
\ndefinition, which includes membership rules, is replicated to the central administration site and to primary
\nSite B. The collection membership rules are evaluated at both primary sites; both Site A and Site B
\ndetermine the list of collection members for their respective sites based on collection membership rules.
\nCollection membership, however, is site data.
\nMultiple Edits of Global Data
\nDifferent administrators who are in different locations can attempt to edit the same global object at the
\nsame time. To prevent multiple administrators from editing the same data, when the first administrator
\nopens an object for editing, this action places a lock on the object. When other administrators attempt to
\nopen the object, they will receive a message indicating that the object is in use and is available as readonly. After the first administrator closes the object, other administrators can edit the object.<\/p>\n
\nSite data is generated automatically as a result of site activity. Configuration Manager
\nadministrators can review and delete site data, but depending on how it was created, it may
\nbe generated again.
\nCreation of Site Data<\/strong>
\nBoth Configuration Manager clients and site systems in each site can generate site data. For
\nexample:
\n\u2022 A site server can generate an alert if the replication between sites is not functioning
\ncorrectly.
\n\u2022 A client collects hardware and software inventory and sends it to its assigned primary site.
\n\u2022 A client sends status messages related to a deployment to the primary site.
\nReplication of Site Data<\/strong>
\nSite data is located at the originating primary site and is replicated to only the central administration site by using database replication. Secondary sites use file-based replication to transfer site data to their parent primary site.
\nAccessing Site Data<\/strong>
\nSite data is available in the Configuration Manager console and through reports. When using reports, administrators can access site data from a primary site or from the entire hierarchy, depending on the location from which the reports are run. Hierarchy administrators can access site data from all sites in the hierarchy by connecting the Configuration Manager console to the central administration site or by running reports on a reporting services point in the central administration site. Administrators who connect the Configuration Manager console to a primary site or run reports from a reporting point in a primary site generate reports that contain site data from only the local site.For example, consider a hierarchy that contains a central administration site, primary sites named Site A and Site B, and a secondary site, Site C, which is a child of Site B. In this scenario, the site administrator from Site A can access site data from only Site A and the site administrator from Site B can access site data from only primary Site B and its secondary Site C. The administrator from the central administration site
\ncan access site data from all the sites in the hierarchy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"