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SQL Connection Failure

SQL Connection Failure Errors

Symptoms:

 

You receive the following error message when attempting log in to the SI5 Client, sync data, or click the following tabs: Clients and Contacts, Orders and Accounting, or Scheduling.

logging in, sql stopped.jpg

"We cannot connect to your SQL database on the server.  Please check if your SQL service is running on the server."

You may also receive the following errors when checking projects in/out:

checking in project, sql stopped.jpg

checking out project, sql stopped.jpg

 

"A network-related or instance-specific error occurred while establishing a connection to SQL Server. The server was not found or was not accessible. Verify that the instance name is correct and that SQL Server is configured to allow remote connections. (provider: Named Pipes Provider, error: 40 - Could not open a connection to SQL Server)"
 
"A transport-level error has occurred when sending the request to the server. (provider: Shared Memory Provider, error: 0 - No process is on the other end of the pipe.)"

 

Causes:

There are five main primary reasons these errors occur. 

  1. You do not have connection to your SI5 Server.
  2. Your SI5 Client is on a different Domain/Workgroup than your SI5 Server.
  3. The “SQL Server (DTOOLSV5)” or the "SQL Server Browser" service on your SI5 Server in not started.
  4. There is an incorrect reference to the D-Tools SQL Instance in the Firewall exceptions, i.e.  MSSQL.1\MSSQL\Binn\SQLSERVR.EXE  is set as the firewall exception when the actual D-Tools databases are stored in MSSQL.2\MSSQL\Data)

Note: This should not be an issue if using 5.5 SP2 or later as Windows Firewall exceptions are automatically added as part of our install.  However, if you are using a third-party firewall, this could be a factor.

  1. Attempting a Remote connection via a VPN can sometimes result in a DNS issue resolving the correct IP address of your Server HostName.

 

Solutions:

Verify that you can ping your SI5 Server

  1. Open a command prompt and type: ping servername*

*servername = the machine name of your SI5 Server

  1. Hit Enter on your keyboard.  All four packets Sent should show as Received.

 

In the shot below, the server name is "XP-9":

File:Si5Wiki/SI5/Support_Solutions/Error_Messages/SQL_Connection_Error/ping_server.jpg

If you can not ping your SI5 Server by name, try pinging it by IP Address.

If you can not ping your SI5 Server by either name or IP Address, check your network connection.

If you can ping your SI5 server by IP Address but you can not ping it by name, you may have a DNS issue, see section below.

Verify that your SI5 Client is on the same Domain/Workgroup as your SI5 Server

You can verify this by right-clicking on "My Computer" and selecting Properties, then click the Computer Name tab (XP), or by right-clicking "Computer" and selecting Properties (Win7/Vista):

File:Si5Wiki/SI5/Support_Solutions/Error_Messages/SQL_Connection_Error/workgroup.jpg

Verify that the D-Tools Service is running on your SI5 Server

On your SI5 Server:

  1. Go to Start –> Run and type services.msc and press enter.  The Services window will open.
  2. Scroll down and find D-Tools System Integrator Services and be sure it is Started and set to Automatic.  If it is not started click on it once and press the blue Start link on the left (or right click and start the service). Also verify that the SQL Server Browser service is Started and set to Automatic.

 

start sql service.jpg

 

Add Application Exceptions to Windows Firewall or Third-Party Firewall

  1. Go to Start -> Control Panel
  2. Open the Security Center and click on the Windows Firewall icon.
  3. Click on the Exceptions tab located at the top of the dialog.
  4. Click the Add Application button.
  5. In the “Add a Program” dialog click the browse button.
  6. Browse to the install location of SI5.5 and select the DTools.Services.exe. By default, SI5.5 server is installed in C:\Program Files\D-Tools\SI 5\Server
  7. Click Open
  8. Click OK to close the Add a Program dialog
  9. Click OK to close the Windows Firewall dialog.

 

 
Note: In addition to adding the SI5.5 Server services, the following applications should also be added as application exceptions to your firewall:
 
C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\Binn\sqlservr.exe
C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Shared\sqlbrowser.exe

Add a Port Exception to Windows Firewall or Third-Party Firewall

Instead of adding an application exception you can add a port exception. This method will cover ALL programs using this port and eliminate the need to specify individual programs.

  1. Go to Start>Control Panel
  2. Open the Security Center and click on the Windows Firewall icon.
  3. Click on the Exceptions tab located at the top of the dialog.
  4. Click the Add Port button.
  5. In the “Add a Port” dialog supply a Name (ie:”D-Tools SI5.5 Server”).
  6. Add the port number you configured SI5.5 to run using. By default the port is 9000.
  7. Make sure the TCP option is selected.
  8. Click OK to save the port excepiton.
  9. You also want to add Ports 1433 UDP and 1434 TCP.
  10. Click OK to close the Windows Firewall dialog.

 

Modify the Hosts file on your SI5 Client Machine

DNS issues can be solved in many ways, and most likely need professional IT assistance.   One solution would be to make a hosts file entry forcing DNS resolution to resolve whatever IP you specify.  Details on this can be found in the “configuring the client” section of this post.

 

If you have performed these steps and continue to have the error please create an online support case (http://www.d-tools.com/support/submit-an-issue.html) and a support technician will assist you as soon as possible.

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