Utilize the Managed Metadata Service application tip #8 - How to resolve error "This operation cannot be completed. The term store may be unavailable."

If you add a managed metadata column to a site, you may get the following error "This operation cannot be completed. The term store may be unavailable.". The end user will have the screen like this in the screen shot.

 

After looking at this issue and I’m able to reproduce this consistently on RTM version. Here is the steps to reproduce this issue.

After looking at this issue and I’m able to reproduce this consistently on RTM version. Here is the steps to reproduce this issue.

1.       Create a site collection with URL http://<server>:<port>/sites/MMD2

2.       Add a local term on one of the lists on the site. See screen shot. This will create a local term store.

3.       Delete the site collection

4.       Recreate a site collection with SAME URL http://<server>:<port>/sites/MMD2

5.       Try to add one managed metadata column with local term store

You will get the same error. SharePoint logs is listed below.

10/24/2011 13:39:45.45 w3wp.exe (0x2738)                       0x26E4  SharePoint Foundation                 Topology                                      e5mc     Medium               WcfSendRequest: RemoteAddress: 'http://sbx01:32843/cbcfc9eb8878494b84958f40d075e575/MetadataWebService.svc' Channel: 'Microsoft.SharePoint.Taxonomy.IMetadataWebServiceApplication' Action: 'http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/taxonomy/soap/IDataAccessReadOnly/GetChanges' MessageId: 'urn:uuid:dcaf0d35-ada7-437d-90dc-83dfa6ad5869'     

   

10/24/2011 13:39:45.46 w3wp.exe (0x09E4)                       0x209C  SharePoint Foundation                 Topology                                      e5mb    Medium               WcfReceiveRequest: LocalAddress: 'http://sbx01.na.qualcomm.com:32843/cbcfc9eb8878494b84958f40d075e575/MetadataWebService.svc' Channel: 'System.ServiceModel.Channels.ServiceChannel' Action: 'http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/taxonomy/soap/IDataAccessReadOnly/GetChanges' MessageId: 'urn:uuid:dcaf0d35-ada7-437d-90dc-83dfa6ad5869'          8d6fb8d3-f669-4791-abf0-4d63bfe9a9ea

 

Please note the URL has the GUID that may be poiting to the previous site colletion. This is only happens on RTM version  and it seems to be resolved on Sp1 + June CU. Here is the defference for RTM version and SPA + JUne CU if you add managed metadata columns on the recreated site colelction with same URL.

On RTM version server sbx01, you will not be able to create new managed metadata group and the old managed metadata table EMCGroup still have the old group. It seems like RTM prevent new group created with same name.

On SP1 + June CU version sbx04, we are able to create new managed metadata group and add terms. When we check the managed metadata service table EMCGroup, you will see new group created with additional "-1" appended to previous group name as in the screen shot.

So the real problem for deleting site collection is  none of the managed metadata associated with the site collelction will be deleted. The managed metadata associated with deleted site will become orphan data. If you create another site collection with same URL on RTM version, it will fail to overwrite existing data. 

Although SP1 + June CU seems to "resolve" the issue, you will see the orphan  managed metadata still in the table after site deleted. As a result, in order to resolve the issue, you would need to delete the managed metadata columns, delete the local managed term store before deleting the site collection. This way, you have clean managed metadata table.

If you have any better solution, please share. You could refer other blog on managed metadata service.

Utilize the Managed Metadata Service application tip #1 - How to resolve "The required feature is not enabled for this column type" error 

Utilize the Managed Metadata Service application tip #2 - Metadata column not visible for users other than site collection administrators

Utilize the Managed Metadata Service application tip #3 – Impact of message “Earlier versions of client programs might not support this type of column” on Document Library

Utilize the Managed Metadata Service application tip #4 – How to workaround "Deletion of this user as a contributor failed" for local term store 

Utilize the Managed Metadata Service application tip #5 – Be aware of "Deletion of this user as a contributor failed" error on AD groups for local term store

Utilize the Managed Metadata Service application tip #6 – How to fix "The default termstore for this site cannot be identified " error

Utilize the Managed Metadata Service application tip #7 – How to read managed metadata column relationship 

Utilize the Managed Metadata Service application tip #8 - How to resolve error "This operation cannot be completed. The term store may be unavailable."