You experience intermittent authentication errors when you use Authorization Manager together with an Active Directory-based role store in Windows Server 2003

When you use Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Authorization Manager together with an Active Directory-based role store, you experience intermittent authentication errors. You typically experience this problem when the server is under a heavy load.

When Authorization Manager is used together with an Active Directory-based role store, Authorization Manager incorrectly creates an auditing thread for every application in the store. You expect Authorization Manager to create an auditing thread only for the application that is referenced in the AzAuthorizationStore.CreateApplication method.

If many applications are defined in a store, lots of threads may be created. Therefore, you may experience high resource usage and decreased performance when you use Authorization Manager in this situation. You experience this problem more acutely if you use Authorization Manager in a Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) application. For example, consider the following scenario:

• You have n number of applications defined in a store.
• You have m number of IIS applications that use these defined applications.

In this scenario, the number of auditing threads that Authorization Manager creates is equal to m*n.

Service pack information

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows Server 2003. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Hotfix information

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next software update that contains this hotfix.

If the hotfix is available for download, there is a "Hotfix download available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, contact Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the hotfix.

Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft Web site: Note The "Hotfix download available" form displays the languages for which the hotfix is available. If you do not see your language, it is because a hotfix is not available for that language.

Prerequisites

You must be running Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 (SP1) to apply this hotfix.

Restart requirement

Generally, you do not have to restart the computer after you apply this hotfix. However, if the Azroles.dll file is being used when you apply this hotfix, you must restart the computer.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace any other hotfixes.

File information

The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time item in Control Panel.

Windows Server 2003, x86-based 32-bit editions

Windows Server 2003, x64-based 64-bit editions

Windows Server 2003, IA64-based 64-bit editions

To work around this problem, use Authorization Manager together with an XML-based store.

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section. This problem was first corrected in Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2.

For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: