Project Server - Projects are not published

[David Clement]

We recently started experiencing publishing issues. For example, if a
project schedule is updated via MS Project 2003 and published via
Collaborate Publish All Information, the changes (new tasks) do not show up
in PWA Projects.

After researching the issue, I have discovered (via task manager) the
VWNOTIFY.EXE process appears to be locked and is hogging 25%. A reboot only
temporarily fixes the problem meaning the updates do show up in PWA, but only
the changes implemented prior to the reboot.

My DBA sent me the following information regarding the action he took after
the reboot.

Here's the follow up:

I ended one process in SQL.

Database : ProjectServer
SPID : 54
User Name : MSProjectServer
HostName : PRJAPP01
Transaction Start Time : 11-28-05 7:35 AM
Run Time : 774
Input Buffer : MSP_WEB_SP_QRY_ViewTasks_DeleteViewTable2;1

This proceeding process was blocking another process.

Blocked Process
SPID : 60
User Name : ads\sqltestadmin
Host Name : PRJAPP01
Program : SQLDMO_1
Command : DBCC
Database : ProjectServer
CPU : 9266
Block by : 54 (602.8 min)
Lock Type : Schema Modification Table
Lock On : MSP_VIEW_PROJ_TASKS_CF

The block was removed after I ended the first process.

Additionally, we are having issues building an OLAP cube, but I am not sure
if this is relevant. Currently, the publishing issue is more critical.

Any assistance or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

David Clement
(e-mail address removed)

 

[Mike]

Both publishing and cube build are controlled by the Project Server
Views Notification Service. When you publish a plan or initiate a cube
build xml files are dropped in the Viewdrop folder where they are
eventually processed by this service. So any disruption to the service
will impact both. If the service stops and you delete the xml files in
the viewdrop folder, any affected plans have to be republished.

Hope this helps

Mike

 

[Anthony]

I am also having the same problem. Is there some server or hardware
settings/upgrades that can be made to fix this? It makes absolutely no sense
that the proccess needs to be killed and restarted (per KB Article#899482)
everytime this happens. I was trying to publish a single change in a task
date for a 700 task project. I find that some of the XML files sit in queue
for a 10 + minutes and that the CPU usage is around 25%. We expected almost
instantaneous publishing times....but the times are varying now and its all
having to do with VWnotify. The CPU's overall usuage isnt that high, so I
dont understand why more resources arent allocated to the process to get the
items in queue completed faster.

thanks

 

[Gary L. Chefetz [MVP]]

Anthony:

There comes a point that the resources don't matter. The VW notify process
is slow because it's single processor, single threaded. It helps when the
process is running on the same box as SQL server, and it also helps to have
a dual processor machine.