Connecting to an ArcSDE for SQL Server Express 2008 Geodatabase from a Client Machine

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01-06-2013 06:13 PM
DavidEvans2
New Contributor II
I have been trying to learn about SDE multi-user Geodatabases using two evaluation versions of ArcGIS Desktop 10.0 (Editor License) installed on two separate computers that I have set up on a local area network: a Host machine (named MyServer) running Windows Server 2008 R2, which also hosts a domain that the Client machine (running Windows 7 Pro), is a member of.

I used the the ArcSDE for Microsoft SQL Server Express 2008 setup wizard included on the ArcGIS install disk and have managed to install SQL Sever Express and create and connect (locally to) the SDE Geodatabase on the Host machine.

My problem occurs when I try to connect to this Geodatabase from the Client machine. When I try to connect to the SDE Geodatabase in Catalog using the Database Servers > Add Database Server tool and enter the address "MyServer\sqlexpress" I get the error message: "Cannot connect to the database server Failed to connect to Database Server"

I get a similar error if I try to connect through the Database Connections > Add Spatial Database Connection and enter the details as shown in the steps in the Connecting to an ArcSDE geodatabase for SQL Server Express Instructions in the ArcGIS Resource Center.

I should point out that I can, using both the methods described above, connect to, view and edit the SDE Geodatabase from Host machine it was created on and through which it is hosted. Through my efforts to trouble-shoot and identify the problem I have verified that the SQL Server Browser is running and that the TCP/IP port is open (by creating an exception in the Windows Firewall on both machines). I also installed SQL Server Express 2008 on the Client machine and have been able to connect to the Host and view the Geodatabase within the Management Studio component.

If anyone can give me a some advice on where I may be going wrong / what I have to do to successfully connect to the Geodatabase from the Client machine I would be very, very grateful.
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7 Replies
JakeSkinner
Esri Esteemed Contributor
Hi David,

Are the window's credentials you are logged in as on the Windows 7 client machine added to the SQL Server Express Instance on MyServer?  You can check this by going to SQL Server Management Studio > Security folder > Logins.

Also, take a look at the following article for some other possible solutions.
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DavidEvans2
New Contributor II
Jake,

Thank you for responding, I did confirm that the user account I was logging in to the Client machine were present in the SQL Server Express instance on the Host Server (see attached image).

[ATTACH=CONFIG]20527[/ATTACH]

I have tried logging in on the Client machine using several different user accounts including the administrator, all of which can access the geodatabase in SQL Server management studio, but not connect to it in ArcMap/Catalog. Frustrating!!

I also took a look at the knowledge base article you posted, the first three solutions/work arounds I am certain I have already configured and/or enabled. The fourth (Add the Windows domain account into the SQL Server instance) I thought I had already performed during the initial installation setup wizard (from the ArcGIS Desktop install disk), something I also surmise from the fact that most of the user accounts in the attached image have the domain name "DAVIDSDOMAIN\" infront of them. I might be wrong though,  is there any way you (or anyone readying this)could provide me with instructions on how to verify this?

Thanks in advance to anyone out there that can help me solve this one!!
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JakeSkinner
Esri Esteemed Contributor
As a test, try creating a SQL Server Authenticated user to see if you can connect using a database user rather than a windows user.  Steps for this can be found here.

Before creating the user, make sure the SQL Server Express instance is configured to accept SQL Server and Windows Authentication.  You can configure this by right-clicking on the instance in SQL Server Management Studio > Properties > Security > Server Authentication.
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DavidEvans2
New Contributor II
Hello again,

Once again thank you for your reply, I'm afraid that I still have not achieved my goal of an sde geodatabase through SQL Server Express that I can access from a client computer, but I feel that with your assistance I am at least narrowing down the reasons why it has not worked for me so far...

I followed the instructions in the link you provided to create a Server Authenticated user in SQL Server (and set the SQL Server instance to accept both SQL Server and Windows Authentication), but for some reason I cannot use this new account to log into SQL Server (through the Management Studio on both the Host and Client machine) or to set up a Database connection in ArcMap. In every case I get a Login failure message.

It's possible that I am not entering the server name and/or login name in the correct format: the server name defaults to "(local)" when I bring up the connection dialog and the login name defaults to "DAVIDSDOMAIN\Data_Editor". I have tried changing these to "MYSERVER" and "MYSERVER\SQLEXPRESS" (as the server name) and removing the "DAVIDSDOMAIN\" infront of the user name, but no combination of any of these seems to work.

I know this is probably pretty basic stuff for anyone with experience of database administration but for me it is seems to be completely mystifying why I cannot log-in using the credentials that I just created myself! Once again your input and advice is sincerely appreciated.
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DavidEvans2
New Contributor II
Okay, since my last post I restarted the SQL Server and Server Browser Services in the SQL Server Configuration Manager and as if by magic the Server Authenticated user account I created now works and I can succesfully log-in and view the geodatabase in SQL Server Management Studio on both the Host (Server) and Client machine.

While this definitely feels like a step forward I still can only establish a connection to the geodatabase in ArcMap on the Host machine, when I use the same credentials and the Database Authentication method on the Client I get an error message "Failed to connect to the specified server Failed to access the DBMS Server (x4)"

I feel I am getting very close now, any suggestions what I might need to check or change within the login credentials on the Client machine?
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JakeSkinner
Esri Esteemed Contributor
Can you send a screen shot of your connection properties from the client machine's ArcMap?
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DavidEvans2
New Contributor II
Certainly. Attached are two screen captures of the Spatial Database Connection Properties with the settings that I am using for both the Database authentication and Operating System authentication methods.

Note that when I click on the "Change" button in the lower right of the window to change the transactional version from sde.DEFAULT to dbo.DEFAULT as described in the Connecting to an ArcSDE geodatabase for SQL Server Express instructions I get the "Failure to connect to the specified server..." error message.

Also note that the Server is actually named "DAVIDSERVER" not MYSERVER (I have also tried entering the DNS Server address 127.0.0.1 in place of the name but without success).

Database authentication settings
[ATTACH=CONFIG]20617[/ATTACH]

Operating System authentication settings
[ATTACH=CONFIG]20618[/ATTACH]
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