Configure a channel database for large data volumes

If your organization has many channel databases that are frequently updated, consider asking Microsoft support if your organization is a candidate to configure your environment for large data volumes. Candidates for using this functionality typically have over 500,000 changes per hour in their databases.

With the release of KB 3208541, Microsoft provides support for approved customers to add a configuration that optimizes change tracking across channel data groups.

To use this feature, you must install KB 320851 so that you can activate the feature and have access to the Shared change tracking staging tables. Then you need to configure shared change tracking for a distribution schedule for your large volume data groups.

You can create additional change tracking staging tables to meet your organization’s needs.

Install KB 3208541

Download and install hotfix 3208541 from Dynamics Lifecycle Services. For instructions, see Apply updates and hotfixes.

Configure shared change tracking

1. Open the Distribution schedule form (Retail > Periodic > Data distribution > Distribution schedule).

2. Right-click the form in an area in which there are no controls, and click Personalize.

3. In the Personalization form, under Layout, expand Body > DetailsContainer > DetailsHeader, and then click Add fields.

   

4. In the Select field list, expand Distribution schedule, select Shared change tracking staging table, click Add, and then close the Select field list.

5. In the Layout window, make sure that Shared change tracking staging table is selected, and then click Down, until it is after Direction of data flow under DetailsHeader.

   

6. Close the Personalization window.

7. Close and then reopen the Distribution schedule form.

8. Select a 1020 schedule. In the Shared change tracking staging table field, enter RetailCDXSharedChangeTracking_Price, and then click Save.

9. If your system is still running defaults, you will get the error “RetailGroupMemberLine subjob cannot be contained in multiple jobs.”

   Remove the RetailGroupMemberLine subjob from the 1020 schedule. This error occurs because this subjob is already included in the 1040 job.

10. Click Save.

Requirements for using shared change tracking

When this feature is enabled, customers should be aware of the following requirements that Microsoft will be enforcing.

• If a distribution schedule has shared change tracking enabled, and the schedule associates channel data group X and job Y, this schedule will be the only schedule allowed that synchronizes job Y with data group X.

  • Related sub-jobs that belong to the job linked to this schedule cannot be included in multiple jobs.

  • All channel data groups that should receive data for this job must be included in this schedule.

• If a distribution schedule has shared change tracking enabled, only one execution instance is allowed.

  Note

  If a batch job has been set up, do not click the Run now button on the Distribution schedule form. This can conflict with the batch job and cause inconsistent data issues.

• Each shared change tracking staging table can only be used by at most one distribution schedule, to avoid read/write contention.

Staging tables

Microsoft ships the following staging tables for prices and product schedule, respectively:

• RetailCDXSharedChangeTracking_Price

• RetailCDXSharedChangeTracking_Product

If you need more staging tables, you can create them by duplicating the template table: RetailCDXSharedChangeTracking_Template.

In the AOT, find RetailCDXSharedChangeTracking_Template, copy it, and rename it.