Update to license file to make database connection

[MollyFoley]

I have an authorized license of ArcServer running that doesn't expire until 2018.

I am attempting to make a database connection in ArcMap and I get this:

Thing is, I was able to make database connections from ArcMap about a month ago no problem, and I haven't touched the Server to upgrade or authorize or do any of that kind of thing at all over the past month. This also is only happening when I try to connect to one specific database on our SQL Server, the other ones connect no problem. When I insert the current keycodes file, the operation fails and gives me this error: 

I don't understand why it will not connect to this database. Anybody have any ideas?

Using Desktop 10.5, ArcGIS Server 10.4.1, and somehow our SDE geodatabases (the ones I can connect to) are 10.3.1 when I look at "Upgrade status" in the database properties dialogue box. 

[RebeccaStrauch__GISP]

It looks like there may be two different issues: 1) authorization, and 2) version.  We had similar issues recently and these are things I would check

1. If you had to update your license server for ArcGIS Server because it expired, maybe the SDE authorization did also (e.g. the development licenses will expire every year).  I don't know if that is the case, but I do know how to fix it the authorization issue, assuming you want/need to use the same authorization (ie the one thru  2018). Go to  C:\Program Files\ESRI\License10.5\sysgen   and find the keycodes file  and you should find the ecp code in there for "arcsdeserver"   assuming you are licensed for it.
2. We are on SQL2008 which is not supported in 10.5 so we are working on updating.  Check to see if this is the problem and check the compatibility.  I always find the help a bit tough to navigate for SDE since the system requirements and licensing are in the ArcGIS Server help
   ArcGIS Server 10.5.x system requirements—Installation Guides (10.5) | ArcGIS Enterprise    
   but the rest of the help is under Desktop - Data Management
   Database servers—Help | ArcGIS Desktop 
   there is a lot of info there, just need to dig thru it.

re: if it got updated to 10.5 before you were ready....I'm not sure if there is a way to roll it back and may need to be restored from a backup...but not sure that is your issue.  I'll let someone else comment on that.

tagging https://community.esri.com/groups/geodatabase?sr=search&searchId=088c8a32-77bb-4fcc-b0f5-e7fa2521424...‌ for more exposure

[MollyFoley]

Thanks for the tips. I actually determined the person who held this position before renamed the database I'm trying to connect to, which is a no-no. This is explains why I can connect to all the other databases but I can't connect to the server for just this one... The database I'm trying to connect to is a test database which is a copy of a production database we have. When they made a copy of the production database and "restored" it to create the new test database in SQL Management Studio, they renamed it to indicate it was the test database.

We are on a 2012 server box with MSSQL 2014 but I am very much still learning all about this ArcGIS Server/SDE stuff so I'll have a look at the links you provided. Thanks!

[MollyFoley · Accepted solution]

I answered my own question as to why this is happening only to one of our database tables. The database I'm trying to connect to is a testing database - it's a copy of our production database. This means, the person working with this data (before I came into this position) made a copy of the production database, and then "restored" the new copy where they renamed it to something to indicate it was the test database during the restoration process. You cannot rename geodatabases and have them work in ArcGIS as per documentation here:

Methods to move a geodatabase in SQL Server—Help | ArcGIS Desktop 

I determined this problem by looking in SQL Management Studio at the test database's "SDE_table_registry" table, where I found the "database_name" field contains the original name of the copied database and not the name of the test database that the table is held in.

So for example, if I copy MyDatabase and rename it to MyDatabaseTest, the SDE_table_registry table will still contain "MyDatabase" in the "database_name" field.

[Asrujit_SenGupta]

That is a good bit of research work done and excellent troubleshooting for someone who is still learning the ropes of SDE. Good job! 

[RebeccaStrauch__GISP]

ha..Yes, that all makes sense, but would have been hard for anyone to guess that diagnosis.  Glad you were able to figure it out. 

[RickGeittmann]

Also check the issue of the client connection driver loaded on your local machine

http://desktop.arcgis.com/en/arcmap/latest/manage-data/databases/database-requirements-sqlserver.htm

We had to switch over and use the ODBC connector driver to get things sorted out - running a Frankenstein until we collapse the hard server into our Hyper-V.

Have 2008R2 OS on the server, MS SQL 2014 and v10.5.1 Desktop.

Also don't forget 64bit client needs the 64 bit driver for DB connection.

[MollyFoley]

Yeah, we've got 2012 R2 OS on the server, MS SQL 2014, and 10.5.1 Desktop, so we're in a slightly better position! I already had to update the drivers when I was connecting to all the other databases as I originally encountered failure with them as well. Curious - what driver are you using, 11 or 13? 

[RickGeittmann]

Molly,

We are running 11 but I have some systems that are running the normal 64bit client driver and connect just fine - seems to be a hit and miss.

But every install where we did a upgrade in place for concurrent seats of desktop I had to go back rip it out clean things up and do a "clean" install - the stand alone installs have worked just fine.

Had 2 DB's that refused to be upgraded so had to dump them to a FGDB kill the DB in SQL and rebuild them from scratch and bring the data back in.

Good catch on the fact they had renamed a DB - that is a tough one to figure out.