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How to Resolve SIMATIC Information Server Failure 'IS Failure on Not Existing Subscription'

How to Resolve SIMATIC Information Server Failure 'IS Failure on Not Existing Subscription'

To resolve the SIMATIC Information Server (IS) error 'IS failure on not existing subscription', engineers must reconcile orphaned report subscription triggers between the Information Server database, Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS), and Windows Task Scheduler. This fault occurs when an automated, scheduled report subscription is deleted or modified in the Information Server web interface, but the underlying SSRS execution schedule or SQL Server Agent job retains a reference to the deleted subscription GUID. The resolution requires opening SQL Server Management Studio on the Information Server, inspecting the ReportServer and InformationServer database subscription tables to purge orphaned GUID records, verifying that the SQL Server Agent service is running, and restarting the Information Server web applications.

Table of Contents

Architecture of Information Server Report Subscriptions

SIMATIC Information Server (IS) provides web-based reporting, automated dashboards, and scheduled analytics by querying process values and alarms stored in SIMATIC Process Historian or WinCC OS Servers.

The scheduling architecture relies on a multi-tiered execution pipeline:
1. Information Server Web Application: Users define report templates, parameters, distribution lists, and cyclic execution intervals (daily, weekly, shift-based).
2. Internal Subscription Engine: IS registers a subscription record containing a unique Global Unique Identifier (GUID) in the InformationServer database.
3. Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS): IS creates an associated reporting schedule inside the SSRS catalog (ReportServer database).
4. SQL Server Agent / Windows Task Scheduler: Triggers the report generation job at the scheduled timestamp, invoking SSRS to compile data and transmit PDF/Excel reports via SMTP email or file share.

Root Causes Behind 'Not Existing Subscription' Errors

When the Information Server event log or web interface displays the error 'IS failure on not existing subscription', it indicates an execution mismatch across the scheduling pipeline:

  1. Orphaned Scheduled Jobs: A user deleted a scheduled report in the web UI. While the web interface removed its local entry, the deletion call to SSRS timed out or failed, leaving the SQL Server Agent job firing against a deleted subscription GUID.
  2. Corrupted Subscription ID Mapping: Database reorganization, project migration, or a Process Historian disconnect desynchronized the GUID mapping between InformationServer.dbo.Subscriptions and ReportServer.dbo.Subscriptions.
  3. Time Synchronization Inconsistencies: Significant clock drift between the Information Server and the domain controller or SQL Server causing subscription execution schedules to trigger out-of-order.
  4. Insufficient SQL Agent Service Privileges: The SQL Server Agent service account lacks permissions to delete or update jobs in the msdb system database.

Inspecting SSRS and Information Server Database Subscriptions

To identify the specific orphaned subscription causing the recurring failure:

  1. On the Information Server machine, launch Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) as Administrator.
  2. Connect to the local SQL Server instance hosting the INFSERVER / ReportServer databases.
  3. Query the active SSRS subscriptions:
    sql USE ReportServer; SELECT SubscriptionID, Report_OID, Description, LastStatus, LastRunTime FROM Subscriptions;
  4. Query the Information Server subscription records:
    sql USE InformationServer; SELECT Id, Name, TemplateName, ScheduleType, IsActive FROM Subscriptions;
  5. Compare the resulting GUIDs. Any SubscriptionID present in ReportServer.dbo.Subscriptions or msdb.dbo.sysjobs that does not exist in InformationServer.dbo.Subscriptions is an orphaned trigger.

Step-by-Step Resolution: Purging Orphaned Schedules and Resetting Services

Follow this procedure to eliminate orphaned subscription triggers and stabilize Information Server:

Step 1: Remove Orphaned SSRS Subscriptions

  1. In SSMS, if an orphaned subscription GUID is identified, remove it from SSRS using:
    sql USE ReportServer; DELETE FROM Subscriptions WHERE SubscriptionID = '<Orphaned_GUID>';
  2. Open SQL Server Agent -> Jobs. Locate any scheduled job whose name matches the orphaned subscription GUID and delete the job.

Step 2: Verify SQL Server Agent Status

  1. Open Windows Services (services.msc).
  2. Verify that SQL Server Agent (INFSERVER) is set to Automatic and is currently Running.
  3. Ensure its logon identity has appropriate database privileges (sysadmin or SQLAgentUserRole).

Step 3: Reconfigure Subscriptions via Information Server Web Portal

  1. Open Internet Explorer or the supported browser and navigate to the Information Server web portal:
    https://<ServerName>/InformationServer
  2. Log in as an administrative user.
  3. Navigate to Administration -> Subscriptions.
  4. Review all listed subscriptions; disable or delete any invalid or outdated subscriptions.
  5. Recreate the desired report schedule cleanly. Information Server will generate a synchronized GUID across all database tables.

Step 4: Restart Information Server Services

  1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
  2. Execute an IIS reset:
    cmd iisreset
  3. Restart the SQL Server Reporting Services service to reload subscription cache tables.

Information Server Service and Diagnostic Reference Matrix

The following table outlines the services, databases, and logs involved in Information Server subscription execution:

Service / ComponentExecutable / DatabasePrimary ResponsibilityError Indicator / ActionIS Web ApplicationIIS / w3wp.exeWeb UI, template definition, user access'IS failure on not existing subscription'IS DatabaseInformationServer DBStores application metadata & schedulesMismatched GUIDs; verify table integritySSRS EngineReportingServicesService.exeRenders report data into PDF/ExcelReport compilation errors; check SSRS logSSRS DatabaseReportServer DBCatalogs active subscriptions and schedulesOrphaned subscription records; delete in SSMSSQL Server AgentSQLAgent.exeTriggers scheduled batch jobsService stopped; reports fail to generate

Maintaining synchronized database records ensures automated plant reports execute reliably on schedule.

Verification

To verify that the subscription failure is resolved:
1. Open the Information Server web dashboard; confirm that the error 'IS failure on not existing subscription' no longer appears in the system alerts.
2. Under Administration -> Subscriptions, select an active report subscription and click Execute Now.
3. Confirm that the report generates successfully and is delivered to the designated email or file share repository.
4. Check the SSRS log files (C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\...\Reporting Services\LogFiles\) to verify clean execution with zero SQL exceptions.

Limitations and Operational Precautions

  • Always take a full database backup of ReportServer, ReportServerTempDB, and InformationServer before executing manual SQL delete statements.
  • Never modify core Information Server schema tables without specific guidance from Siemens Technical Support.
  • Ensure SMTP server settings (port 25/587, authentication, TLS) are properly configured if reports are dispatched via email.
  • Keep the Information Server version and hotfix level synchronized with the Process Historian release.

Engineer FAQ

What causes an orphaned subscription in Information Server?

Orphaned subscriptions typically occur when a user deletes a schedule while the SQL Server Agent or Reporting Services is temporarily stopped or experiencing database deadlocks, preventing clean cascading deletion.

Can I delete all subscriptions in Information Server and start fresh?

Yes. Deleting subscriptions from the web interface is the recommended approach. If the UI is corrupted, recreating schedules after purging orphaned records in SSMS completely clears legacy faults.

Where are the Information Server web diagnostic logs located?

Web application logs are stored in C:\ProgramData\Siemens\Automation\Logfiles\InformationServer and the IIS log directory (C:\inetpub\logs\LogFiles).

Technical References

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Related Tags

  • Information Server
  • SSRS Subscriptions
  • SQL Server Agent
  • Process Historian
  • Report Generation
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