Heat and ITSM LDAP Search Size Errors

This issue use to raise it's head quite often with the introduction of the HEAT to LDAP connector however it's starting to become more applicable to the ITSM link as well.
LDAP search size limit exceeded errors

LDAP search size limit exceeded errors can appear in the HLL log file, usually due to this reason: the total number of records you say you want to import (as determined by the Base DN you selected) exceeds the number of records the LDAP server can permit you to read. The default limit for Windows 2000 is 1000 users, while for iPlanet Directory Server is 2000 users. For example, if you were importing from Windows 2000 and selected a Base DN that contained 1500 users, then only the first 1000 will be imported, and an LDAP search size limit exceeded error will appear in the log right after the Starting Profile Updates message.

To resolve the issue the fix must be done via an Active Directory admin.
Active Directory properties, including those of its LDAP Server component, are controlled using the Ntdsutil.exe. Documentation can be found here: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;q315071

The changes below are to allow the downloading of at least 15,000 records. New values are in parenthesis; the rest are defaults.
Policy Current(New)
MaxPoolThreads 4
MaxDatagramRecv 1024
MaxReceiveBuffer 10485760
InitRecvTimeout 120
MaxConnections 5000
MaxConnIdleTime 900
MaxActiveQueries 20
MaxPageSize 1000(15000)
MaxQueryDuration 120
MaxTempTableSize 10000
MaxResultSetSize 262144(6000000)
MaxNotificationPerConn 5
The two settings that appear to be an issue are:
MaxPageSize - Maximum page size that is supported for LDAP responses (default: 1,000 records).
MaxResultSetSize - Maximum size in bytes of the LDAP Result Set (default: 262144 bytes).

Heat Self Service (HSS) and IIS 6

I had an issue with HSS under IIS today that is easily rectified but not necessarily identified.

After resolving a regular issue of 'Error 8002802b Element not found: Global.asa line 16'

• Stopping the WWW Service
• Delete the .HFW file from the C:\Program Files\HEAT
• Delete LD, SC, WD from HKEY_Local_Machine\Software\Frontrange Solutions\HEAT Self Service
• Start WWW Service

I received an issue of ASP 115. This is basically caused by the reliance of the HSS system on the IIS 5 frame work. Below are the steps on how to adjust IIS 6.0

• Open Internet Information Services Manager.
• Browse to Web Server Extensions.
• Highlight Active Server Pages, then click Allow.
• Browse to Web Site.
• Right-Click on Web Site, then click Properties
• Select the Service tab
• Check the Run WWW service in IIS 5.0 isolation mode option under the Isolation Mode section.
• Browse to the HSS virtual directory
• Right-click, then select Properties
• In the Application Settings section of the Virtual Directory tab, Click Configuration.
• Select the Options tab
• Check Enable Parent Paths option.
• Click OK.

Goldmine to rise from the ashes of BDE

Yes it finally looks like it will happen, Goldmine will rid itself of the BDE and Dbase restraints that have been tying it to the database technologies of the 80s...

Frontrange have made the move to migrate all versions of it's CRM software to Relational SQL databases in the next version.

The standard architecture that relied heavily on easily corruptable Dbase tables has been replaced by ADO connections. For those systems that used to rely completely on Dbase to run, they have decided on using the OpenSource Firebird SQL as the Database Solution.

Firebird is a relational database offering many ANSI SQL-99 features that runs on Linux, Windows, and a variety of Unix platforms. Firebird offers excellent concurrency, high performance, and powerful language support for stored procedures and triggers. It has been used in production systems, under a variety of names since 1981.
Firebird is a commercially independent project of C and C++ programmers, technical advisors and supporters developing and enhancing a multi-platform relational database management system based on the source code released by Inprise Corp (now known as Borland Software Corp) on 25 July, 2000 under the InterBase Public License v.1.0.

Although they haven't moved completely away from Borland family opting for a SQL database based on Borland source, it's a long awaited step to a reliable and administerable database solution.

New Scenery, New Direction

After a long stint (about 6 years) with my last employer I've made a move in a slightly different direction. Unfortunately this means there will be a little less emphasis on Microsoft CRM than there was previously.

I'm now largely working with in the realm of IT service management. The new product I'm working with is Frontrange's ITSM based on the ITIL Model.

The IT Infrastructure Library, ITIL (®), is a series of documents that are
used to aid the implementation of a framework for IT Service Management (ITSM).
This framework defines how Service Management is applied within specific
organisations. Being a framework, it is completely customisable for application
within any type of business or organisation that has a reliance on IT
infrastructure.

It's a step into an area I used to deal with a few years ago now with a much more powerful and flexible tool.

I'll still keep posting any useful CRM stuff as I find it but it will largely be dedicated to ITSM.