Deadlocks when importing catalog into Microsoft Commerce Server product catalog

I'm using the CatalogContext.ImportXml() to do incremental imports of products and variants into a Microsoft Commerce Server 2009 product catalog with the TransactionMode property set to NonTransactional .

While doing this, sometimes I get deadlocks in the web shop, for example when executing a GetCatalogSearch().Search from CatalogContext, and in the code that runs the ImportXml() method.

Is it possible to use the Snapshot Isolation feature in SQL Server 2005-2008 to increase concurrency or do someone have any other tip?

Brgds Jonas

There is a Microsoft hotfix for Commerce Server 2007 and 2009 (Note: 2009 R2 includes this hotfix) that is intended to correct an issue with deadlocks caused by catalog import operations:

FIX: A deadlock error may occur when you use Commerce Server Staging or BizTalk Adapter for Commerce Server Catalog to try to import catalog data in Commerce Server 2007 or in Commerce Server 2009

The hotfix specifically references imports via the CS Biztalk adapters and CS staging. However, it is possible you are executing a similar API code path, so the hotfix may work for you too.