Microsoft Security | Intune | Configuration Manager | Deployment
Deploying software and updates using Configuration Manager
I did something and now link is active, however Child Site under Replication Status is still empty:
Configuration Manager - Database Replication Link is being configured
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(150.4, 33%, 24%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3EBZ%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Bojan Zivkovic
621
Reputation points
Hi, I am installing secondary site and current status of replication link - Link is being configured. How long does it take to complete, or something is wrong here?
Without this step completed, MP/DP roles cannot be installed on secondary site server.
Microsoft Security | Intune | Configuration Manager | Deployment
2 answers
Sort by: Most helpful
-
-
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(291.2, 38%, 38%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3EMP%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Marcin Policht 82,360 Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator2026-02-07T12:06:24.72+00:00 “Link is being configured (initializing data between the parent and child site)” is the normal phase where the database replication and file-based replication are seeded between the primary and the new secondary site. The duration varies a lot depending on database size, number of packages and applications already in the environment, SQL performance on both sides, disk I/O, latency between sites, and available bandwidth. In small or clean environments it can finish in 30–90 minutes. In medium environments it is common to see several hours. In large environments or slow WAN links it can legitimately run for 12–24+ hours during initial seeding.
It is only a concern if the status shows no progress for a long period or logs stop updating. To verify progress, on the primary site server review rcmctrl.log, sender.log, despooler.log, and distmgr.log. On the secondary site server review rcmctrl.log and sitecomp.log. In SQL Server Management Studio you can also run:
select * from vReplicationDataStatusand
exec spDiagDRSto see replication health and whether data is actively moving. If you see backlog counts decreasing or timestamps updating in logs, the process is working normally even if slow.
Also confirm there are no bottlenecks such as limited SQL memory, blocked ports (TCP 4022 for SQL Service Broker and SMB 445 for file replication), antivirus scanning the inboxes or SQL data folders, or insufficient disk I/O. Check sender queue on the primary site:
Get-CMReplicationLinkStatusIf logs show repeated errors, queues not moving for multiple hours, or spDiagDRS reports failed replication groups, then something is wrong. Otherwise, if logs are active and data is moving, waiting is expected and MP or DP role installation will remain blocked until initialization completes.
If the above response helps answer your question, remember to "Accept Answer" so that others in the community facing similar issues can easily find the solution. Your contribution is highly appreciated.
hth
Marcin
-
Bojan Zivkovic 621 Reputation points
2026-02-07T12:26:30.1333333+00:00 I see this in rcmctrl.log on secondary site server:
Site is NOT active, so not calling the DrsActivation procedures.
The current site status: ReplicationMaintenance.
Failed to get top level site code
-
Bojan Zivkovic 621 Reputation points
2026-02-07T13:45:28.2333333+00:00 Link is active now but Child Site Replication Status is empty.
-
Marcin Policht 82,360 Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
2026-02-07T14:01:15.9666667+00:00 Those messages are normal while the secondary site is still being built and the database replication is not fully activated yet. “Site is NOT active” and “ReplicationMaintenance” mean the secondary database exists but has not finished initialization from the parent, so the DRS activation procedures are intentionally skipped. “Failed to get top level site code” also appears temporarily during early replication setup and usually clears once global data replication completes. The fact that the link now shows active is a good sign that the SQL Service Broker conversation and file replication channel are established.
If the Child Site Replication Status node is empty immediately after the link becomes active, it usually just means replication groups have not fully initialized or the console has not refreshed its view of the data yet. Give it some time and monitor whether replication groups start appearing. The key thing is whether logs show ongoing activity rather than repeated failures. On both primary and secondary servers watch rcmctrl.log, hman.log, and sitecomp.log for status changes from ReplicationMaintenance to Active.
From the primary site database you can check whether replication groups are being created and initialized with:
exec spDiagDRSand
select SiteCode, IncomingDataSizeKB, OutgoingDataSizeKB, LastStatus from vReplicationLinkStatusIf spDiagDRS shows links in Active state and data sizes changing over time, replication is progressing normally even if the console looks empty for a while. If the site stays stuck in ReplicationMaintenance for multiple hours with no change in logs, or spDiagDRS shows failed initialization groups, then look for SQL connectivity issues, blocked ports 4022 or 1433, certificate or broker errors in rcmctrl.log, or SQL performance problems delaying activation.
If the above response helps answer your question, remember to "Accept Answer" so that others in the community facing similar issues can easily find the solution. Your contribution is highly appreciated.
hth
Marcin
-
-
Marcin Policht 82,360 Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
2026-02-07T14:40:16.8066667+00:00 Glad to see
If the above response helps answer your question, remember to "Accept Answer" so that others in the community facing similar issues can easily find the solution. Your contribution is highly appreciated.
hth
Marcin
Sign in to comment -