Database contention during package deployment

Products

• CA Automic Workload Automation - Automation Engine

Issue/Introduction

Error Message :
N/A

When several deployments are executed at the same time database contention can occur.

To check if you are affected by this issue perform a SQL trace and look for lines similar to these:

 

175	1.075	03.10.2016 09:39:12,600	17	RPC:Completed	AE	exec sp_executesql N'select * from ablob with (NOLOCK) where ablob_ah_idnr = @P1 and ablob_key = @P2',N'@P1 int,@P2 varchar(32)',99898237,'DEPLOYMENT_DESCRIPTOR'	03.10.2016 09:39:11,520	03.10.2016 09:39:12,597	6091	0	0	175150	1.075	03.10.2016 09:39:12,600	17	RPC:Completed	AE	exec sp_executesql N'select * from ablob with (NOLOCK) where ablob_ah_idnr = @P1 and ablob_key = @P2',N'@P1 int,@P2 varchar(32)',99898237,'DEPLOYMENT_DESCRIPTOR'	03.10.2016 09:39:11,520	03.10.2016 09:39:12,597	6091	0	16	150153	1.075	03.10.2016 09:39:12,597	17	RPC:Completed	AE	exec sp_executesql N'select * from ablob with (NOLOCK) where ablob_ah_idnr = @P1 and ablob_key = @P2',N'@P1 int,@P2 varchar(32)',99898237,'DEPLOYMENT_DESCRIPTOR'	03.10.2016 09:39:11,520	03.10.2016 09:39:12,597	6091	0	0	153165	1.087	03.10.2016 09:39:12,583	17	RPC:Completed	AE	exec sp_executesql N'select * from ablob with (NOLOCK) where ablob_ah_idnr = @P1 and ablob_key = @P2',N'@P1 int,@P2 varchar(32)',99898237,'DEPLOYMENT_DESCRIPTOR'	03.10.2016 09:39:11,493	03.10.2016 09:39:12,580	6091	0	0	165128	1.068	03.10.2016 09:39:12,583	17	RPC:Completed	AE	exec sp_executesql N'select * from ablob with (NOLOCK) where ablob_ah_idnr = @P1 and ablob_key = @P2',N'@P1 int,@P2 varchar(32)',99898237,'DEPLOYMENT_DESCRIPTOR'	03.10.2016 09:39:11,510	03.10.2016 09:39:12,577	6091	0	0	128

If the deployments, and therefore these messages, exceed a certain threshold performance will suffer.

Normally it is not an issue because there is a cache implemented.  But if a large number of deployments are done in parallel, a single WP has to read, cache and recache and reread the Deployment descriptor stored in ABLOB for every deployment several times.

Environment

OS Version: N/A

Cause

Cause type:
Other
Root Cause: Cache design causes poor performance of parallel deployments.

Resolution

Update to a fix version listed below or a newer version if available.

Fix Status: Released

Fix Version(s):
Automation Engine 12.0.1 - Available
Automation Engine 10.0.8 HF4 - Available

Additional Information

Workaround :
Avoid submitting too many deployments at the same time.