This week I encountered a problem when trying to run an export for the FIM Management Agent (FIM MA). The error given in the Synchronization Manager was failed-creation-via-web-services and the stack trace given:

There is an error executing a web service object modification request.
Type: System.NullReferenceException

Message: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

Stack Trace:    at MIIS.ManagementAgent.RavenMA.DoAttributeLevelExport(DataSourceObject dsObject, String objClass, UninitializedResource resource)
   at MIIS.ManagementAgent.RavenMA.ExportObjectModification(DataSourceObject dsObject, SchemaManager schemaManager)
   at MIIS.ManagementAgent.RavenMA.Export(DataSourceObject dsObject)

Inner Exception:

I had been exporting before just fine. What did change? I added a new attribute to the FIM schema and was now trying to flow some data into it. To extend the FIM schema with a new attribute I followed the following steps:

1. Add attribute to the schema (with attribute validation)
2. Add binding for that that attribute to the user object
3. Changed the following MPR’s: added the attribute to the target set of the MPR’s
   1. Administration: Administrators can read and update users
   2. Synchronization: Synchronization account controls users it synchronizes
4. Altered the filter permissions for administrators so they can use the new attribute

All I wanted to do next is flow some data from the MV to the FIM MA using the defined attribute flows on the FIM MA.

In the past the above error was shown in multiple cases:

1. Jorge de Almeida Pinto (Export to ILM “2” throws a ‘Failed-Creation-Via-Web-Services’ error): Attribute validation error: make sure the values being flowed are conform the validation regular expression (like ^(Admin|Service|Test|User)?$ will only accept Admin, Service, Test & User)
2. Jorge again: Security validation: make sure the Synchronization MPR is correctly configured
3. David Lundell (Object reference not set to an instance of an object): Using the wrong account in the FIM MA configuration or to refresh the FIM MA Schema: the FIM MA account is not the FIM Service account!

However none of the above were applicable for me. Brad Turner (FIMMA Export Error: Object reference not set to an instance of an object) solved it by restarting the FIM Synchronization Service. Didn’t work for me. As a real last resort I completely shut down my FIM environment (it’s a lab environment…): this includes both Portal/Services Nodes, the Active and Standby Sync server and the SQL server. After booting al components the export went fine… I really hope I don’t see this one again.