During the setup of the MP on the secondary site server it gives you the option of "Use the site database" or "Use a database replica" and in this case I chose to use the replica and provided the SQL Server Name and Database Name of my Primary Site Server. This is how I setup the first secondary site (S05) and it worked fine, but not in this case, my second secondary site (S16). Both secondary site servers are domain controllers, I know, not best practice but it's all I have to work with. Now as far as the groups, since I'm working with domain controllers that means good bye local users & groups. In AD I see four groups. Two of them are for my first secondary site, the other two for this secondary site. The groups are: SMS_SiteSystemToSiteServerConnection_S05 SMS_SiteToSiteConnection_S05 SMS_SiteSystemToSiteServerConnection_S16 SMS_SiteToSiteConnection_S16 My Primary Site Server is a member of all four groups. And the secondary site servers are members of their two appropriate groups.

It seems to me that there is a possible permission problem with allowing this site (S16) to connect to the primary SQL database. I think this because on the Primary Site I open SQL Mgmt Studio and I see accounts in there for my first secondary site (S05) allowing it access, but this isn't so this time around for S16.

I let things go overnight to see if by some miracle it would have worked itself out but no such luck. Any other thoughts?

So I'm in the midst of deploying another secondary site but with more difficulty than the first. I've pushed out the install via the network and it's installed but I'm having trouble with pushing out the install of the MP, or at least I think it's in relation to the MP. Under the Site Status node I expand the new secondary site and it displays a critical X for the Site System Status node. I open that up and there are only two Roles listed and both are in the critical state: Configmgr component server & Configmgr Site Server. Neither of them actually list any errors at all. When I remote in to the secondary site server to look at the logs there are no logs for the MP setup at all. I've setup the secondary site MP to use a database replica of the primary site server. I'm thinking that the primary site server, where the SQL database is, isn't allowing the machine account to create that connection?? I'm kind of lost as to where to look now...I've been working with this the past few days to no avail.

I've setup the secondary site MP to use a database replica of the primary site server. You sorta lost me there. Not sure why you'd do that or if it's even supported. Anyway the two servers (primary and secondary) need permissions to talk to one another. Have you added them to the correct groups? John Marcum | http://myitforum.com/cs2/blogs/jmarcum/|

Have you verified that all required ports are opened between the sites? Sometimes especially with geographical boundaries, you can have firewalls blocking ports in between. Here's the list of all ports required:http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb632618.aspx