Microsoft distributes Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 2 (SP2) fixes as one downloadable file. Because the fixes are cumulative, each new release contains all the hotfixes and all the security updates that were included with the previous SQL Server 2008 SP2 update release.
Symptoms
When a query times out during the synchronization of a merge replication in Microsoft SQL Server 2008 or in Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2, non-convergence or data loss might occur. However, the Merge Agent finishes the merge replication successfully.
Notes
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This issue might occur in one of the following scenarios:
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You synchronize changes from the publisher to the subscriber, and the query times out on the subscriber while the subscriber downloads data from the publisher.
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You synchronize changes from the subscriber to the publisher, and the query times out on the publisher while the publisher downloads data from the subscriber.
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This issue occurs when the query time-out is caused by one of the following conditions:
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Update locks are held on rows or tables while a long time-running transaction runs.
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Another replication agent performs a data validation operation against tables.
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Another replication agent blocks rows or tables.
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The following time-out message might be logged by the Merge Agent:
The merge process failed to execute a query because the query timed out. If this failure continues, increase the query time-out for the process.
Cause
This issue occurs because the transaction that executes the merge replication on the subscriber is not committed or rolled back when the query time-out occurs.
A new transaction opens to continue the merge replication while the previous transaction is still open. When the rows or tables of the subscriber are no longer blocked, the new transaction finishes the merge replication successfully. However, the previous transaction rolls back when the merge agent finishes the merge replication and disconnects this connection. Therefore, non-convergence or data loss occurs on the subscriber.
Resolution
Cumulative update information
SQL Server 2008 R2
The fix for this issue was first released in Cumulative Update 10. For more information about how to obtain this cumulative update package for SQL Server 2008 R2, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
2591746 Cumulative Update package 10 for SQL Server 2008 R2 Note Because the builds are cumulative, each new fix release contains all the hotfixes and all the security fixes that were included with the previous SQL Server 2008 R2 fix release. We recommend that you consider applying the most recent fix release that contains this hotfix. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
981356 The SQL Server 2008 R2 builds that were released after SQL Server 2008 R2 was released
SQL Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1
The fix for this issue was first released in Cumulative Update 3 for SQL Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1. For more information about how to obtain this cumulative update package, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
2591748 Cumulative Update package 3 for SQL Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1Note Because the builds are cumulative, each new fix release contains all the hotfixes and all the security fixes that were included with the previous SQL Server 2008 R2 fix release. We recommend that you consider applying the most recent fix release that contains this hotfix. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
2567616 The SQL Server 2008 R2 builds that were released after SQL Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 was released
Cumulative update package 6 for SQL Server 2008 SP2
The fix for this issue was first released in cumulative update package 6. For more information about how to obtain this cumulative update package for SQL Server 2008 SP2, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
2582285 Cumulative update package 6 for SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 2Note Because the builds are cumulative, each new update release contains all the hotfixes and all the security updates that were included with the previous SQL Server 2008 SP2 update release. We recommend that you consider applying the most recent update release that contains this hotfix. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
2402659 The SQL Server 2008 builds that were released after SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 2 was released
Status
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.
