Problem connecting to Alias defined in SQL Network Utility

  • Here's what I got:

    1. Web server (2003 Standard 64-bit -- sp1, all hotfixes) on DMZ

    2. SQL 2000(sp4)Default Instance, running on 2003 Standard 64-bit sp1, all hotfixes --in Internal Network

    3. Firewall allows port 1433 from web serer to SQL box (for now I'm keeping 1433 -- I'll change port once I get this method down).

    Here is what happens.

    1. If I use Query Analyzer and simply connect to the IP address of the SQL box, it works just fine.

    2. However, if I use the alias I defined in the Network Client Utility, it does NOT work.

    I don't know what is wrong.

    This is how I've got the alias in network Client utility set up:

    * General Tab -- Enabled IP

    * Alias tab, in Server Name, I put the IP address of the SQL server.

    In Server Alias, I put the name I wanted e.g. "SQLBOX".

    In Network Libraries, I chose TCP/IP. I "unchecked" dynamic port and simply typed in 1433 (Like I said before, I'll change the port # later, but right now want to get this working).

    The error I get when using QA to connect to the alias name is this:

    "MS ODBC Server Driver DBNETLIB SQL Server does not exist or access denied."

    Any ideas would be welcome. This process seems so straightforward, I just don't understand what I'm doing wrong.

  • It sounds like you have the SQL EM installed on the web servers. If so, did you apply SP4 + hotfixes?

  • I just recently applied the Sp4 for SQL, but to no avail. I'm playing with the "shared memory protocol" now to see if that is any help. Just baffling right now.

  • Can you map a drive/ping the IP from the web server? Sometimes there's some translation occurring.

    Shared memory won't work. That's for local connections only.

  • It's in the DMZ, so it's locked down good. They've only got port 1433 open at the moment. If I Query Anal. directly to the IP address, that's all it needs to connect.

    The firewall is locked down so I can't ping the SQL server, nor can I do name resolution. But I thought that is what the Network Utility was for. Am i wrong? Do I need more?

  • Steve, you are a genius! Because of what you mentioned, I began to think....maybe it needs to do the name resolution first, before it goes to the info. in the Client Network Utility. So I added the host IP and name to the LMHOSTS and HOST file. Bingo...we got connection.

    Thanks.

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