How to Hose a Server in 3 Easy Steps
Step 1: Start using a component that requires transactions.
Step 2: Try to turn on network DTC access without knowing what you're doing.
Step 3: Flush 6 hours of troubleshooting, 8 hours of waiting, 3 hours of reconfiguring, and $30 down the porcelain throne.
That is about how my Sunday/Monday went. Who knew that Network DTC us shut off by default? Surely not me. Who knew there weren't any decent tutorials on setting up a transaction system with Windows Server 2003. Surely not me. Who knew that by attempting to restart DTC after changing the service user name would get a cryptic error message pointing to a line number in the Windows Server 2003 source code? Surely not me.
At least I can salvage a 2 week spread in Builder.com about it, though. Grrr.
Needless to say, tomorrow LonghornBlogs.com and PatchDayReview.com will be down while the server is wiped and reconfigured. I can't wait to get a test network to work with all this stuff. I hate doing it live.
If you ever need help setting up DTC, give me a ring. You better believe I know how it works NOW. Time to go write some docs.