You deploy Forefront Identity Manager (FIM) 2010 in your company network. You configure Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) and a Microsoft SQL Server database as data sources for a metaverse…

When the attribute is deleted in Active Directory, the FIM metaverse object attempts to reflect this change (a null value). However, an active inbound attribute flow from the SQL Server database will then assert the non-null value from SQL back into the metaverse, overriding the deletion and preventing it from being propagated outbound to SQL.

The problem describes an issue with data flowing from the domain to SQL Server, not an outbound flow to the domain preventing null data, which is irrelevant to the scenario.

While attribute flow precedence is important, the fundamental cause here is the existence of an inbound flow from SQL Server that actively re-populates the attribute, rather than just its precedence during initial conflict resolution between multiple sources.

If the Active Directory Management Agent had higher precedence, its deletion (null value) would win in the metaverse, causing the attribute to be deleted in SQL Server, which is the desired outcome and not the cause of the problem.