HELP: Merge Agent failed - Error number: MSSQL_REPL-2147199402)

We have 50+ clients that use a pull merge subscription. There are 2
databases and each databases has only 1 publication. Each client has ONE
subscription to each of the 2 databases.
We had to set the retention to unlimited to avoid the following error:
The Merge Agent failed after detecting that retention-based metadata cleanup
has deleted metadata at the Publisher for changes not yet sent to the
Subscriber. You must reinitialize the subscription (without upload).
(Source: MSSQL_REPL, Error number: MSSQL_REPL-2147199402)
Get help: http://help/MSSQL_REPL-2147199402
The article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/919929/kb/919929 has a hotfix
BUT it says that it is if a Subscriber subscribes to two publications in the
same Subscriber database. This is not the case.
We had a ticket open with Miscrosoft but they were unable to find the
solution for it after 4 or 5 weeks.
The clients use their subscription databases directly and they are synced to
the server every 30 minutes.
Anybody have any idea what is causing this and how to solve this problem.
The LDF's are getting quite large and we need to find a solution soon.
Thanks in advance!
I fail to understand how the ldf's fit in here. It sounds like there are
some long running transactions which transcend the log dump boundaries. Have
you investigated what these open transactions are? Are they replication
related?
Hilary Cotter
Looking for a SQL Server replication book?
http://www.nwsu.com/0974973602.html
Looking for a FAQ on Indexing Services/SQL FTS
http://www.indexserverfaq.com
"RichardD" <RichardD@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:B0445940-5C26-403B-8589-692458B82098@.microsoft.com...
> We have 50+ clients that use a pull merge subscription. There are 2
> databases and each databases has only 1 publication. Each client has ONE
> subscription to each of the 2 databases.
> We had to set the retention to unlimited to avoid the following error:
> The Merge Agent failed after detecting that retention-based metadata
> cleanup
> has deleted metadata at the Publisher for changes not yet sent to the
> Subscriber. You must reinitialize the subscription (without upload).
> (Source: MSSQL_REPL, Error number: MSSQL_REPL-2147199402)
> Get help: http://help/MSSQL_REPL-2147199402
> The article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/919929/kb/919929 has a hotfix
> BUT it says that it is if a Subscriber subscribes to two publications in
> the
> same Subscriber database. This is not the case.
> We had a ticket open with Miscrosoft but they were unable to find the
> solution for it after 4 or 5 weeks.
> The clients use their subscription databases directly and they are synced
> to
> the server every 30 minutes.
> Anybody have any idea what is causing this and how to solve this problem.
> The LDF's are getting quite large and we need to find a solution soon.
> Thanks in advance!
>
|||I also expect, the size of the log file has nothing to do with your
retention period.
I'm afraid I can't help on your retention period problem, but perhaps
your ldfs are growing because of a combination of the recovery model
your database is using, and your backup strategy.
Have a look at the following articles, perhaps they will help:
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms175987.aspx
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms175495.aspx
Tim Hill
On Feb 23, 6:24 pm, "Hilary Cotter" <hilary.cot...@.gmail.com> wrote:[vbcol=seagreen]
> I fail to understand how the ldf's fit in here. It sounds like there are
> some long running transactions which transcend the log dump boundaries. Have
> you investigated what these open transactions are? Are they replication
> related?
> --
> Hilary Cotter
> Looking for a SQL Server replication book?http://www.nwsu.com/0974973602.html
> Looking for a FAQ on Indexing Services/SQL FTShttp://www.indexserverfaq.com
> "RichardD" <Richa...@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:B0445940-5C26-403B-8589-692458B82098@.microsoft.com...
>
>
>
>
|||You are right. I have already fixed the issue with the log files.
Regarding the error MSSQL_REPL-2147199402 we suspect that the subscribers
changed their computer date beyond 14 days (default retention) and it caused
this error.
One reason we suspect this is that out of 40+ subscribers to the one
publication, only a few had this problem and a couple of them had it happen
twice.
Does this sound like a possibility to you?
We are about to change their retention from unlimited back to 14 days. Is
there anything we should be aware of before doing this?
Thanks so much for your help.
|||Yes, we figured out the log file issue. Thank you anyway.
We are still looking for the solution for the Error number:
MSSQL_REPL-2147199402.
Any ideas?