Answer

PROBLEM

When trying to add a new Microsoft SQL Server Archive Store using the Archive Store wizard, the following error message is returned:

'Could not connect to server' 

ENVIRONMENT

• GFI Archiver 
• Microsoft SQL Server
• All Supported Environments

SOLUTION

As the error implies, GFI Archiver is unable to connect to the Microsoft SQL Server in question. The following procedure will test the connectivity between the GFI Archiver server and the Microsoft SQL Server:

1. Logon the GFI Archiver Server
2. Right click on the desktop and select 'New' > 'Text Document'
3. Name the document 'test.udl'
   
   Note: It is important to change the extension of the document from TXT to UDL in order to create a connection string file
4. Open the newly created test.udl file
5. Click on the 'Provider' tab and select 'SQL Native Client''
6. Click on the 'Connection' tab and enter the following details:
   • Data Source: The IP address of the Microsoft SQL Server you are trying to connect to from the GFI Archiver server
   • User name: Enter the username required to connect to the Microsoft SQL Server. It is recommended to use the 'sa' account
   • Password: Enter the appropriate password
7. Click on the 'Test Connection' button. You should receive a 'Test connection succeeded' popup

Possible Errors:

Login timeout expired: This error message indicates that the GFI Archiver server received no response from the Microsoft SQL Server. Ensure that the GFI Archiver server can reach the Microsoft SQL Server on the network and that no firewall is blocking the connection from the GFI Archiver to the Microsoft SQL Server.

Login failed for user 'USERNAME': The user provided does not exist on the Microsoft SQL Server.

Should the UDL test performed above succeed and the issue persist, this issue may also occur when the Microsoft SQL Server loses its own server registration in the list of servers, which could happen when performing either of the following:

• An upgrade of Microsoft SQL Server
• Moving the Microsoft SQL Server installation onto another machine
• Change the name of the Microsoft SQL Server

Perform the following procedure to re register the Microsoft SQL Server:

1. Open Microsoft SQL Management Studio
2. Right click on the SQL Server node and select 'New Query'
3. In the new query window, enter the following:
   
   SELECT @@servername
4. Click on the 'Execute' button to run the SQL Query

Should the query return a NULL value, one would need to perform the following procedure to register the Microsoft SQL Server name:

1. Open Microsoft SQL Management Studio
2. Right click on the SQL Server node and select 'New Query'
3. In the new query window, enter the following:
   
   Exec sp_dropserver 'servername'
   Exec sp_addserver @servername='servername' @local='LOCAL'
   
   NOTE: Replace the text in quotes with your actual server name, example:
   
   Exec sp_dropserver 'SQL_Server'
   Exec sp_addserver @servername='SQL_Server' @local='LOCAL'
4. Once the above has been applied, restart the Microsoft SQL Server service