SMS_POLICY_PROVIDER issues

Question

Hello,

Does anybody know any potential issues with "SMS_POLICY_PROVIDER" in configuration manager, it seems hanging permanently... A restart of the SQL Service does not clear anything , only a reboot of the SQL server itself will help for 4-5 hours maximum as it will come up again at the same blocking point...

Any idea? Configuration manager or SQL advices are welcome. I have a Case opened with Microsoft Premier (both teams Configuration Manager & SQL have joined the call) but it is on-going ... and no resolution after 2 days!!!

and the server does not show any thing abnormal...

SQL Version:

Microsoft SQL Server 2016 (SP3-CU1-GDR) (KB5015371) - 13.0.7016.1 (X64) May 21 2022 01:00:03 Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation Enterprise Edition: Core-based Licensing (64-bit) on Windows Server 2016 Standard 10.0 <X64> (Build 14393: ) (Hypervisor)

Configuration Manager version:

Configuration Manager 2303 Hotfix Rollup (KB24719670)

Operating System:

Windows Server 2016 (patching date 10/12/2023)

Thanks,

Dom

Answer 1

I think it was a good call to open a support case. I don't think it is likely that someone here in the forum will know the solution.

Coming from the SQL Server side, I don't know anything about SMS. The most likely explanation is that there is a query with a bad execution plan that runs longer that your patience allows. In this case, the SQL Server team may be looking at the MCM people and tell them to rewrite the query, and the MCM people thinks that there is nothing wrong with their query and SQL Server should get its act together. And for that matter, the MCM might be right in the sense that the issue may be something that SQL Server could do better. And, who knows, is doing better in later versions of SQL Server.

But there could be other reasons as well, like you are hitting a true bug in SQL Server. For which it is not that likely you will get a fix, since SQL 2016 is out of mainstream support.

Answer 2

Hello,

We have changed the Compatibility Level from SQL Server 2016 (130) to SQL Server 2012 (110) to fix issues related to the Imaging process using the UDI not functioning properly. The UDI (User Drive Installation) is mainly used by the Desktop team. This was recommended by Microsoft support. There is no user impact during the Change.

Thanks,
Dom