Synchronization profiles among MOSS and WSS3

Original Article

This is the BING translation:

A problem can be found working with MOSS 2007 is the synchronization between MOSS 2007 (in particular from the shared service) and the WSS content database user profiles. The reason for this problem, and the main cause of confusion is that MOSS 2007 stores user profiles information in multiple locations. In this article, we use to describe the general behavior of the user profiles on MOSS and some profiles of user between database synchronization problems.

The stage description

Let's start with WSS3. While in MOSS 2007, there are no shared services as exist in MOSS, as occurs in MOSS 2007, with WSS3 we can create one or more Web applications, so that each of the Web applications will have one or several databases of data content, on which the site collections are stored. Without deeper into these concepts (site collections, Web applications and content databases), important now is to have clear that each of the content database stores the user profile information.

This is the first point to consider, and it is very important.

We are now talking about MOSS 2007. We must not forget, MOSS 2007 extends to WSS3, on the basis of an infrastructure WSS3, MOSS 2007, incorporates and additional features.

As a result, the first thing we must be clear, is MOSS 2007 will use content WSS3 database and as a result, in the MOSS content data bases will be user profile information.

But of course, with MOSS 2007 we can configure the shared services, to import user profile information from Directory Active. Well, this is normal, but you can also import profiles from LDAP or BDC (Business Data Catalog). In this case, to import users in the shared services profile information from an external data source (Active Directory, LDAP, or BDC) the imported profile information is stored in the shared services data bases. Usually, often set up a weekly full profile import, incremental, and daily.

This second point is very important that we have found that we have two locations in which user profile information is stored in MOSS:

• In the database data content.
• On the bases of data in the shared services, when you import profiles.

To view graphically, if we enter into a MOSS 2007 site collection, we will be able to:

• Use the My Settings option to view the profile information stored in the base data content.
• Use the option to search for persons, and to display one of those included in the search result, the profile information stored in the shared services is displayed.

Now that we are clear that there are two different physical locations in which information is stored in MOSS user profiles, the question arises: <How do you synchronize user profile information between Shared Services and Content Databases ?

To perform such synchronization profiles of MOSS, are two Jobs Moss (well, there really are two Jobs by Web application) with the following name:

• Profile Synchronization. By default runs hourly, synchronizing user profiles on the bases of content data from the corresponding import profile information from the information available in the shared services.
• Quick Profile Synchronization. By default runs every minute. It is similar to the previous job, but is limited to synchronize the new user profile information.

In fact, running the command stsadm - o sync - 0 listolddatabases (eye with the scripts to copy, which sometimes are copied evil and fail commands), we can see what content databases have synchronized with the shared services, and in addition, we can also see the date of the last synchronization. The drawback of this command is instead of displaying the name of the database, sample the GUID used in MOSS to identify them (a churro of letters and numbers), so perhaps not us make very clear at a glance.

Description of problem synchronization profiles Moss

Now that we have clear scenario, it is much easier to describe the problem.

So that the synchronization of user profiles in MOSS 2007 problem (at least in the context of this article) refers to the case we configured and working properly import profiles into the shared services (for example, from Active Directory), but nevertheless not be is synchronizing the user profiles in shared services information for the database data content. As a result, information stored in the database data content, user profiles you will be running more obsolete increasingly as time goes on.

In this case, we can force synchronization of MOSS user profile information, in the following way:

• Run the following commands to force synchronization job profiles Moss (Profile Synchronization), running the following command:
  Stsadm - or sync - 0 deleteolddatabases
  Stsadm - or sync - IgnoreIsActive 1
  Stsadm - or sync - synctiming m:1
• We hope some time, so MOSS Perfiels synchronization job can run. It is sufficient to wait five minutes (at least in the cases I have known).
• We return to configure default profiles Moss (Profile Synchronization), synchronization job running the following command:
  Stsadm - or sync - synctiming h:1

This should successfully synchronize information profiles of user of the bases of data content. In fact, if we now run command stsadm - o sync - listolddatabases 0, we will have to be able to view the content data bases to successfully synchronized with the shared services.

I have only been a case that did not work. This has been when a Content database in OffLine State was set up (I mean in MOSS that we will see from the Central Administration, eye, not in SQL Server).

In some cases, when working with multiple bases of data content in a same Web application, often put all the bases of data OffLine, so when it is necessary to create a new collection sites, placed OnLine the base data content on which you want to store the information in the site collection to create (and the rest of database data contained in OffLine State) to ensure that you used the base data content desired during the creation of such a site collection.

This setting affects collateral, since the synchronization of user profiles in MOSS doesn't work with database data content in OffLine State can find us errors such as the following:

Profile synchronization for content DB Aborting 7620abb3 - 9c1a - 9125 in order - 0f19 - 957c30d8284c due to online content database

In this case, will be sufficient to make the database data content in the Online state and rerun the steps previously discussed. And with that, here peace and glory.

Related links

Finally, I wanted to take to include links to related information for those who want to investigate and deeper into this topic:

• Employee Directory using User Information List in SharePoint 2007
• MOSS User Profile Info - How the information flows
• User Account Synchonise - The User Information List and Profile Database syndrome
• User Profiles Out of Sync with AD
• Interesting nuances about SharePoint ' s (SPS-WSS) User Information list & (SPS) Profile Database
• Syncing WSS and MOSS User profile properties with Active Directory
• SharePoint 2007: All you ever wanted to know about User Profiles

[Date item: 10 23, 2009]
[Been article: closed]
[Author: GuilleSQL]