This log reader agent worked perfectly for several months until the user referenced in the error was removed from the domain. After that time the error 'The process could not execute 'sp_replcmds' on 'SERVER'' was received with more detail 'Could not obtain information about Windows NT group/user' that referenced said user.
This user was referenced nowhere in the the log reader agent other than the Publication Access List from which it was subsequenctly removed. The agent would still not successfully start up.
The simple problem here, I believe, is that the log reader agent was created under that user and that no longer exists in the domain. Is there an 'owner' somewhere that needs to be changed?
Every other function on the database continues to execute successfully. Any other help or thought would be appreciated.
You probably just need to change the owner of the SQL Agent job which runs the replication agent. Open the replication Monitor. Select the publication in question. Select the agents tab. Double click on the Log Reader. In the new window, select the Action drop down menu then select Job Properties. Change the owner on that screen to another user, or SA. Click ok then stop and restart the agent.
The database in question was owned by the AD account that was dropped from the domain. I missed the forest for the the trees.