A description of inbox folders and how they are used in Systems Management Server (871161)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Systems Management Server 2.0
  • Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003

SUMMARY

You can monitor inbox folders on a Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS) 2.0 or SMS 2003 site to help troubleshoot problems with different components. This article lists the SMS inbox folders and provides the following information about each folder:
  • The SMS component that uses the folder.
  • The type of file that is stored in the folder.
  • Possible problems that may occur when a backlog of files accumulates.
  • The log file that you can use to gather more information about the component.

MORE INFORMATION

We recommend that you periodically examine the SMS inbox folders for a backlog of files that wait to be processed. The inbox folders temporarily store files before they are processed to the SMS site database or are transferred to another site or site component. A backlog of files can indicate that a component is not running or is experiencing a problem. For example, when the Microsoft SQL database runs out of space, a backlog of files occurs until the files are processed to the SMS site database. (This problem may occur on either a fixed size SQL Server 6.5 database or on a SQL Server 7.0 database without automatic growth.)

The primary site for SMS 2.0 and the original released version of SMS 2003 contains the following SMS inbox folders:
  • \Ccr.box - This folder stores client configuration requests (.ccr files) that are copied from client access points (CAPs) after clients create a .ccr file on the CAP. The SMS Client Configuration Manager (CCM) processes the files in this folder to push the SMS client software to Microsoft Windows NT-based client computers. By default, CCM processes 10 .ccr files at the same time. A temporary backlog can occur after a Network Discovery event if the Windows NT Remote Client Installation method is turned on. Examine status messages for the CCM for possible problems. You can also examine the Ccm.log file for errors or additional information.
  • \Ccrretry.box - This folder stores .ccr files that either could not be processed or that are in process and must be verified at the next process interval. For example, a .ccr file may not be processed because of permissions problems on the Windows NT client. A backlog of files in the \Ccrretry.box folder may indicate that the CCM cannot connect to the Admin$ share on the Windows NT client computer by using the SMS client remote installation account or the SMS service account. Examine status messages for the Client Configuration Manager for possible problems. You can also examine the Ccm.log file for errors or additional information.
  • \Compsumm.box - This folder contains component status summary messages from child sites. A backlog of files may indicate that the SMS Component Status Summarizer cannot process the volume of messages. Examine status messages for the Component Status Summarizer for possible problems. You can also examine the Compsumm.log file for errors or additional information.
  • \Dataldr.box - This folder stores .mif files that represent hardware inventory data for SMS client computers. This folder also stores IDMIF files for custom architectures. A backlog of files may indicate problems accessing the SMS database. Examine status messages for the SMS Inventory Data Loader for possible problems. You can also examine the Dataldr.log file for errors or additional information.
  • \Dataldr.box\Badmifs - This folder stores corrupted .mif files for hardware inventory or custom IDMIF files. A backlog of files may indicate a bad custom MIF file or that a client computer cannot transfer the file correctly. SMS automatically deletes all files in the \Badmifs folder that are older than 14 days. Examine status messages for the Inventory Data Loader for possible problems. You can also examine the Dataldr.log file for errors or additional information.
  • \Ddm.box - This folder temporarily stores discovery data records (.ddr files) after a client or server agent generates a discovery record. A backlog of files may indicate that too many SMS sites share a single domain and that each site has Windows Networking Logon Discovery turned on. Examine status messages for the SMS Discovery Data Manager (DDM) for possible problems. You can also examine the Ddm.log file for errors or additional information.
  • \Ddm.box\BAD_DDRS - This folder stores .ddr files that are corrupted. A backlog of files may indicate a network corruption problem or a problem with the DDM. SMS automatically deletes .ddr files that are older than 25 hours. Examine status messages for the DDM for possible problems. You can also examine the Ddm.log file for errors or additional information.
  • \Despoolr.box\Receive - This folder stores the data that is received from a child SMS site or a parent SMS site. Typically, files are processed and moved as soon as SMS receives the instruction file (.ins file). Examine status messages for the SMS despooler for possible problems. You can also examine the Despool.log file for errors or additional information.
  • \Inventry.box - This folder temporarily stores hardware inventory files from CAPs after clients transfer their hardware inventory to the CAP. The Inventory Processor converts the .nhm file to a binary .mif file and then moves the file to the \Dataldr.box folder. Examine status messages for the SMS Inventory Processor for possible problems. You can also examine the Invproc.log file for errors or additional information.
  • \OfferSum.box - This folder receives summarization messages (.sum files) for advertisements from child sites and processes the files to the SMS site database. A backlog of files may indicate a performance problem that is caused by lots of messages. Examine status messages for the SMS Offer Status Summarizer for possible problems. You can also examine the Offersum.log file for errors or additional information.
  • \Replmgr.box\Incoming - This folder receives files from the SMS despooler after processing files from other SMS sites. The SMS Replication Manager determines whether the file is transaction-oriented and then verifies that the serial numbers are correct. If the file is not transaction-oriented, no additional verification is performed. The Replication Manager transfers the file to the recipient component for final processing. Examine status messages for the Replication Manager for possible problems. You can also examine the Replmgr.log file for errors or additional information.
  • \Replmgr.box\Outbound - This folder temporarily stores files that are destined for another SMS site. This folder also contains three outbox subfolders that correspond to the priority of the files. For example, this folder may contain \High, \Low, and \Normal folders. When the Replication Manager detects files in one of the outbound directories, the Replication Manager waits for additional files before moving the files to the \Process subfolder and then to the \Ready subfolder. Examine status messages for the Replication Manager for possible problems. You can also examine the Replmgr.log file for errors or additional information.
  • \Replmgr.box\Ready - This folder stores files that are compressed for transmission to remote SMS sites. The files are moved to the SMS Scheduler for transmission. A backlog of files may indicate that the Scheduler is backlogged or is already processing files of the same priority. In this scenario, the Scheduler has to wait for the transmission to complete. Examine status messages for the Replication Manager for possible problems. You can also examine the Replmgr.log file for errors or additional information.
  • \Schedule.box - This folder stores mini-job files (.job files) that were created by the Replication Manager. The Scheduler turns the .job files into SMS Sender jobs. A backlog of files may indicate that the Sender cannot connect to or cannot transfer data to another SMS site. A backlog can also indicate that the Scheduler cannot process the mini-job files because files are missing from the \Schedule.box\Uid folder. Examine status messages for the Scheduler for possible problems. You can also examine the Sched.log file for errors or additional information.
  • \Schedule.box\Outboxes - This folder contains the outbox folders for each installed sender. In the sender's outbox folder, you may find send request files (.srq files) or send request status files (.srs files). A backlog of .srq files indicates that the sender cannot process the number of jobs scheduled for that sender or that the sender cannot connect to or transfer data to another site. Examine status messages for the Scheduler for possible problems. You can also examine the Sched.log file for errors or additional information. Also examine the sender log file (Sender.log) for any errors when it tries to communicate to the remote site.
  • \Schedule.box\Requests - This folder stores the initial send request files before the Scheduler transfers the files to a sender. This folder also stores send request files that are returned when the sender cannot connect to the target site. Examine status messages for the Scheduler for possible problems. You can also examine the Sched.log file for errors or additional information. Also examine the sender log file (Sender.log) for any errors when it tries to communicate to the remote site.
  • \Schedule.box\Tosend - This folder stores package and instruction files before they are transferred to another SMS site. Package and instruction files start with .p00 and .i00 file name extensions, and the file name extensions increment numerically. The files are removed after the sender has copied the files to the remote site. A backlog of files may indicate that many send requests are not completed or that the Scheduler has not yet deleted the files. Examine status messages for the Scheduler for possible problems. You can also examine the Sched.log file for errors or additional information. Also examine the sender log file (Sender.log) for any errors when it tries to communicate to the remote site.
  • \Sinv.box - This folder stores client software inventory files (.sic and .sid files) that are copied from the CAP. A backlog of files may indicate that the Software Inventory Processor cannot connect to the SMS database or that too many files were received. Examine status messages for the Software Inventory Processor for possible problems. You can also examine the Sinvproc.log file for errors or additional information.
  • \Sinv.box\BadSinv - This folder stores corrupted software inventory files. A backlog of files may indicate problems with specific clients, with CAPs, or with the network that could cause data corruption. Make sure that there is not a backlog of zero-byte files in this folder. If zero-byte files exist, manually delete them. Examine status messages for the Software Inventory Processor for possible problems. You can also examine the Sinvproc.log file for errors or additional information.
  • \SiteStat.Box - This folder receives summarization messages (.sum files) for site system status from child sites before the files are processed to the SMS site database. A backlog of files may indicate a performance problem. Examine status messages for the SMS Site System Status Summarizer for possible problems. You can also examine the Sitestat.log file for errors or additional information.
  • \Statmgr.box\Futureq - This folder stores status messages (.svf files) from remote systems (clients or site systems) if the date and time of the message is in the future compared to the site server's clock. The SMS Status Manager does not process these messages until the computer clock matches the date and time when the status message was created. The date and time when the status message was created may be different from the date and time stamp of the file. A backlog of files may indicate that some site systems' clocks are not synchronized with the site server. Examine status messages for the Status Manager for possible problems. You can also examine the Statmgr.log file for errors or additional information.
  • \Statmgr.box\Queue - This folder receives status messages from SMS Executive components on the site server if the in-memory queue is not available. A backlog of files may indicate a problem with the Status Manager or that the component is trying to process too many messages. Examine status messages for the Status Manager for possible problems. You can also examine the Statmgr.log file for errors or additional information.
  • \Statmgr.box\Retry - This folder stores status messages that could not be processed to the site database. A backlog of files may indicate problems with the connection to the computer that is running SQL Server. Examine status messages for the Status Manager for possible problems. You can also examine the Statmgr.log file for errors or additional information.
  • \Statmgr.box\Statmsgs - This folder stores status messages from SMS site systems and from SMS clients before the messages are processed by the Status Manager. A backlog of files may indicate a problem with the Status Manager or that the Status Manager is trying to process too many messages. Examine status messages for the Status Manager for possible problems. You can also examine the Statmgr.log file for errors or additional information.
We recommend that you also monitor the inbox folders on remote SMS site systems to make sure that client data is transferred to the site server. Most site system inbox folders are on CAPs because CAPs are the SMS client computer's primary contact point for data transfer. However, the following inbox folder is created on domain controllers after you turn on Windows Networking Logon Discovery and Windows Networking Client Installation:
  • \Smslogon\Ddr.box - This folder is located on an SMS 2.0 logon point computer. This folder stores discovery data records (.ddr files) that are created during logon discovery. The .ddr file is created by running the Smsls.bat file or the Smsman.exe file as part of the logon script. A backlog of files may indicate that the logon point cannot connect to the site server to transfer the data. The logon point uses the SMS Server Connection account to transfer the .ddr files to the site server. By default, the Server Connection account is SMSServer_xxx, where xxx is the site code of your SMS site. Make sure that the account is not locked out. Examine the \Smslogon\Logs\Ntlgdsca.log file for errors or additional information.
The following inbox folders are located on the SMS 2.0 and SMS 2003 CAP. A backlog of files in any one of the following inboxes may indicate network problems or problems with the Server Connection account.
  • \ccr.box - This folder stores configuration requests (.ccr files) when the logged on user of a Windows NT client computer is not an administrative user and does not have sufficient permissions to install and start services. Examine status messages for the SMS Inbox Manager Assistant that is running on the CAP for possible problems. You can also examine the Sms\Logs\Inboxast.log file on the site server for errors or additional information.
  • \ddr.box - This folder stores SMS client heartbeat discovery data records (.ddr files). Examine status messages for the Inbox Manager Assistant that is running on the CAP for possible problems. You can also examine the Sms\Logs\Inboxast.log file on the site server for errors or additional information.
  • \inventry.box - This folder stores hardware inventory files that are created by SMS clients. Typically, these files are .nhm files for 32-bit clients and .raw files for 16-bit clients. You may also see .nhm files if IDMIF files are included in the hardware inventory. Examine status messages for the Inbox Manager Assistant that is running on the CAP for possible problems. You can also examine the Sms\Logs\Inboxast.log file on the site server for errors or additional information.
  • \sinv.box - This folder stores software inventory files that are created by SMS clients. These files are either .sic or .sid files, depending on if they are full or delta inventory files. Examine status messages for the Inbox Manager Assistant that is running on the CAP for possible problems. You can also examine the Sms\Logs\Inboxast.log file on the site server for errors or additional information.
  • \statmsgs.box - This folder stores status messages (.svf files) that are created by SMS clients. Examine status messages for the Inbox Manager Assistant that is running on the CAP for possible problems. You can also examine the Sms\Logs\Inboxast.log file on the site server for errors or additional information.
SMS 2003 with Service Pack 1 (SP1) uses new inbox folders. The following inbox folders are new in SMS 2003 SP1:
  • \auth - This folder and its subfolders are used by SMS 2003 SP1 sites, management points, and clients. SMS 2003 SP1 uses these folders to temporarily store hardware, software, and discovery data records (.ddr files).
  • \auth\dataldr.box - This folder stores .mif files that represent hardware inventory data for SMS client computers. This folder also stores IDMIF files for custom architectures. A backlog of files may indicate problems accessing the SMS database. Examine the status messages for the SMS Inventory Data Loader for possible problems. You can also examine the Dataldr.log file for errors or additional information.
  • \auth\dataldr.box\process - This folder stores .mif files that are in process. A backlog of files may indicate problems accessing the SMS database. Examine the status messages for the SMS Inventory Data Loader for possible problems. You can also examine the Dataldr.log file for errors or additional information.
  • \auth\ddm.box - This folder temporarily stores .ddr filesafter a client or server agent generates a discovery record. A backlog of files may indicate that too many SMS sites share a single domain and that each site has Windows Networking Logon Discovery turned on. Examine the status messages for the SMS Discovery Data Manager (DDM) for possible problems. You can also examine the Ddm.log file for errors or additional information.
  • \auth\ddm.box\BAD_DDRS - This folder stores .ddr files that are corrupted. A backlog of files may indicate a network corruption problem or a problem with the DDM. SMS automatically deletes .ddr files that are older than 25 hours. Examine the status messages for the Discover Data Manager component for possible problems. You can also examine the Ddm.log file for errors or additional information.
  • \auth\sinv.box - This folder stores client software inventory files (.sic and .sid files) that are copied from the CAP. A backlog of files may indicate that the Software Inventory Processor cannot connect to the SMS database or that too many files were received. Examine the status messages for the Software Inventory Processor for possible problems. You can also examine the Sinvproc.log file for errors or additional information.
  • \auth\sinv.box\Orphans - This folder stores hardware and software inventory that cannot be processed. Inventory files that are moved to this folder are retried later. A backlog of files may indicate problems with specific clients, with CAPs, or with the network that could cause data corruption. Examine status messages for the Software Inventory Processor for possible problems. You can also examine the Sinvproc.log file for errors or additional information.
  • \policypv.box - This folder temporarily stores policy changes for the SMS components. Whenever the policy of SMS components change, a notification file appears in this inbox, causing the policy provider to regenerate the policies. A backlog of files in the policypv.box folder indicates that the policy provider component is not running. The policy provider component may not be able to read the site control file, or the component cannot write to the database. You can examine the Policypv.log in the \SMS\Logs folder on the site server for errors or additional information.
  • \swmproc.box - This folder and subfolders are used to temporarily store software metering information from SMS clients. A backlog of .sum and .sur files may indicate that the Software Metering Processor component cannot connect to the SMS database. Examine the status messages for the Software Metering Processor component for possible problems. You can also examine the Swmproc.log file for errors or additional information.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:7/8/2005
Keywords:kbCAP kbServer kbScheduler kbReplMgr kbInboxMgr kbHMan kbDespooler KbClientServer kbClient kbSMSSLP kbSMSSender kbtshoot kbInventory kbHardware kbSoftwareDist kbSecurity kbDiscovery kbinfo KB871161 kbAudITPRO
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