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SELECTserver - Data Update Service and Connection Errors.

From time to time the following example error will appear in either your SELECTServer Message Center on the Administration Site Page or get delivered by the Notification Server to the administrator

Data Update Service - ERROR with status code -10026 - service start time: 12/7/2010 12:00:09 AM - Could not update the support path information.

It is an error but I want to take a moment to explain some SELECTserver truths that will really clarify the point

The SELECTserver application in a very loose definition is the device used for managing your license usage to your client machines. As we all know by now Bentley Systems invokes what we call a TRUST Licensing scheme. This loosely means that there is a level of TRUST between the clients and servers and a “constant” connection between the two is not required. The main point of this blog is that statement, “a constant connection is not required”. A simplified explanation of this from top to bottom is as follows.

The clients communicate (check in) with the server on a periodic basis (daily).
The purpose of this is to update any usage information to Bentley and download any server updates or necessary maintenance information to the SELECTserver. This is covered in your SELECT agreement.
“Any” failure to communicate regardless of the cause detracts from a counter.
In the Bentley TRUST LICENSING scheme the counter period covers thirty (30) days.
Every client is “trusted” to communicate at least “once” every thirty (30) days.
“Any” actual communication update (Resets) the thirty (30) day counter.
Thirty consecutive failures will place the client is a DISCONNECTED MODE which is a very limited mode of operation until communication is reestablished.
Once communication is reestablished the counter is (Reset) and normal operations continue.

This boils down to a couple of very interesting facts.

A failure to communicate does not instantly stop the client from functioning
After a failure occurs and communications are reestablish any information not processed from prior failures are updated and corrected.

Now of course you are saying “what does this have to do with the Data update Service Errors I am seeing”? In short the SELECTserver application itself is a “Client” to the main Bentley servers. Therefore it is subject to the same rules discussed above as needing to periodically update to its main server. A Data Update Service error is nothing more than a failure in that communication. A single failure is nothing to worry about. If it failed on Monday but communicated on Tuesday, Monday’s update information has been included with the current process and all is well. It does not matter if the failure lasts a week or 28 days, the next time it connects and communicates the counters are RESETS and normal operation continues. The general rule of thumb is as follows.

Update Errors are usually connection errors. Unless they are consistent over a 4 -7 day period it should be a minimal concern.

If you are seeing this or any other connection issues for a period of 4-7 days please contact Bentley Technical Support. We will assist in investigating the issue and coming to a conclusion of what if any action should be taken.