MS SQL Server ODBC - strange ODBC connection problems

Author

strange ODBC connection problems

Patrick Peters

2005-06-27, 1:23 pm

We have a mysterious problem connecting to a SQL database with ODBC. Here's
a little background on our environment:
- We're connecting to a named instance of SQL 2000 on a Win 2003 Server
cluter. The virtual server name and the instance name are the same (so the
nomenclature to describe the instance would be something like "FRED\FRED".
- The client is Windows XP, SP1.
- We're trying to set all this up without using WINS, so there are no WINS
resolutions for for the server cluster or any of its virtual servers.

So, we try to set up a System DSN with a connect string that looks like
"FRED.TEST.DOM\FRED" and ODBC can't connect. I can use nslookup to resolve
FRED.TEST.DOM without a problem. I can ping FRED.TEST.DOM. I can
substitute FRED's IP address in the server name field ("10.20.30.40\FRED")
and it works like a charm.

I've set up a sniffer to see what's going on. When I specify
"FRED.TEST.DOM\FRED" the client is trying its best to resolve FRED using
WINS, broadcasting for name resolution, etc. It's completely ignoring the
fact that I gave it a fully qualified domain name to work with. If I could
just beat ODBC into doing DNS resolution, I'd be in great shape.

I've looked around for examples of how to connect to a named instance using
a DNS name, but I can't find an example of this anywhere.

Does anyone have an idea?

Thanks

Pat
patrick.peters (AT) orametrix.com

Terry

2005-06-27, 1:23 pm

Xref: TK2MSFTNGP08.phx.gbl microsoft.public.sqlserver.odbc:45031

Do you have the netbios protocol installed on the SQL server? IIRC it is
required when using named pipes as a connection method.

--Terry

"Patrick Peters" <patrick.peters@orametrix.com> wrote in message
news:%23jAd6C0eFHA.1328@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> We have a mysterious problem connecting to a SQL database with ODBC.
Here's
> a little background on our environment:
> - We're connecting to a named instance of SQL 2000 on a Win 2003 Server
> cluter. The virtual server name and the instance name are the same (so
the
> nomenclature to describe the instance would be something like "FRED\FRED".
> - The client is Windows XP, SP1.
> - We're trying to set all this up without using WINS, so there are no WINS
> resolutions for for the server cluster or any of its virtual servers.
>
> So, we try to set up a System DSN with a connect string that looks like
> "FRED.TEST.DOM\FRED" and ODBC can't connect. I can use nslookup to
resolve
> FRED.TEST.DOM without a problem. I can ping FRED.TEST.DOM. I can
> substitute FRED's IP address in the server name field ("10.20.30.40\FRED")
> and it works like a charm.
>
> I've set up a sniffer to see what's going on. When I specify
> "FRED.TEST.DOM\FRED" the client is trying its best to resolve FRED using
> WINS, broadcasting for name resolution, etc. It's completely ignoring the
> fact that I gave it a fully qualified domain name to work with. If I
could

> just beat ODBC into doing DNS resolution, I'd be in great shape.
>
> I've looked around for examples of how to connect to a named instance
using

> a DNS name, but I can't find an example of this anywhere.
>
> Does anyone have an idea?
>
> Thanks
>
> Pat
> patrick.peters (AT) orametrix.com
>
>

Terry

2005-06-27, 1:23 pm

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=839269

"Terry" <ttrapp.spam.me.not@org.insurors.r3m0v3m3> wrote in message
news:7f3e9$42c0467d$
45264c04$14491@NEWSO
UTH.NET...
> Do you have the netbios protocol installed on the SQL server? IIRC it is
> required when using named pipes as a connection method.
>
> --Terry
>
> "Patrick Peters" <patrick.peters@orametrix.com> wrote in message
> news:%23jAd6C0eFHA.1328@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> Here's
> the
"FRED\FRED".[color=darkred]
WINS[color=darkred]
> resolve
("10.20.30.40\FRED")[color=darkred]
the[color=darkred]
> could
> using
>
>

Patrick Peters

2005-06-27, 8:23 pm

We're using TCP for our connection, not named pipes.

Also, I should explain why we're trying to avoid using WINS. Everything I
read says that WINS is for backward compatibility. This is a new server, so
we're trying to go in "clean" so we don't have to worry about divorcing it
from WINS someday.

Thanks

Pat

"Terry" <ttrapp.spam.me.not@org.insurors.r3m0v3m3> wrote in message
news:7f3e9$42c0467d$
45264c04$14491@NEWSO
UTH.NET...
> Do you have the netbios protocol installed on the SQL server? IIRC it is
> required when using named pipes as a connection method.
>
> --Terry
>
> "Patrick Peters" <patrick.peters@orametrix.com> wrote in message
> news:%23jAd6C0eFHA.1328@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> Here's
> the
"FRED\FRED".[color=darkred]
WINS[color=darkred]
> resolve
("10.20.30.40\FRED")[color=darkred]
the[color=darkred]
> could
> using
>
>

Patrick Peters

2005-06-27, 8:23 pm

We're running XP SP1 on the client--no firewall.

Pat

"Terry" <ttrapp.spam.me.not@org.insurors.r3m0v3m3> wrote in message
news:20e02$42c04888$
45264c04$15194@NEWSO
UTH.NET...
> http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=839269
>
> "Terry" <ttrapp.spam.me.not@org.insurors.r3m0v3m3> wrote in message
> news:7f3e9$42c0467d$
45264c04$14491@NEWSO
UTH.NET...
Server[color=darkred
]
(so[color=darkred]
> "FRED\FRED".
> WINS
like[color=darkred]
> ("10.20.30.40\FRED")
using[color=darkred]

> the
>
>

Terry

2005-06-27, 8:23 pm

Xref: TK2MSFTNGP08.phx.gbl microsoft.public.sqlserver.odbc:45036

Cluster Nodes and Windows Domains

All nodes in the cluster must be members of the same domain and able to
access a domain controller and a Domain Name System (DNS) server, as well as
a WINS server. The nodes should not be configured as domain controllers if
you are going to install SQL Server, as you may encounter some problems,
including the fact that domain controller functionality (such as Active
Directory) is not cluster aware, so all information will be local. This
impacts things such as a directory enabled program's ability to publish
under the virtual server's computer object, which does not work in a
cluster. A WINS server is still required for Windows 2000/SQL Server 2000 in
a clustered environment if name resolution of virtual resource is required.

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pr...n/failclus.mspx

"Patrick Peters" <patrick.peters@orametrix.com> wrote in message
news:OaQwBm0eFHA.596@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> We're using TCP for our connection, not named pipes.
>
> Also, I should explain why we're trying to avoid using WINS. Everything I
> read says that WINS is for backward compatibility. This is a new server,
so
> we're trying to go in "clean" so we don't have to worry about divorcing it
> from WINS someday.
>
> Thanks
>
> Pat
>
> "Terry" <ttrapp.spam.me.not@org.insurors.r3m0v3m3> wrote in message
> news:7f3e9$42c0467d$
45264c04$14491@NEWSO
UTH.NET...
Server[color=darkred
]
(so[color=darkred]
> "FRED\FRED".
> WINS
like[color=darkred]
> ("10.20.30.40\FRED")
using[color=darkred]

> the
>
>

Patrick Peters

2005-06-27, 8:23 pm

Thanks for the pointer. I had missed that part. We're using Windows Server
2003, but I suspect the issues are the same.

Guess I'm gonna have to use WINS anyway. Bummer...

Pat

"Terry" <ttrapp.spam.me.not@org.insurors.r3m0v3m3> wrote in message
news:7435b$42c053cf$
45264c04$28656@NEWSO
UTH.NET...
> Cluster Nodes and Windows Domains
>
> All nodes in the cluster must be members of the same domain and able to
> access a domain controller and a Domain Name System (DNS) server, as well
as
> a WINS server. The nodes should not be configured as domain controllers if
> you are going to install SQL Server, as you may encounter some problems,
> including the fact that domain controller functionality (such as Active
> Directory) is not cluster aware, so all information will be local. This
> impacts things such as a directory enabled program's ability to publish
> under the virtual server's computer object, which does not work in a
> cluster. A WINS server is still required for Windows 2000/SQL Server 2000
in
> a clustered environment if name resolution of virtual resource is
required.
>
>
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pr...n/failclus.mspx
>
> "Patrick Peters" <patrick.peters@orametrix.com> wrote in message
> news:OaQwBm0eFHA.596@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
I[color=darkred]
server,[color=darkre
d]
> so
it[color=darkred]
is[color=darkred]
> Server
> (so
no[color=darkred]
servers.[color=darkred]
> like
> using
ignoring[color=darkr
ed]
I[color=darkred]
instance[color=darkr
ed]
>
>

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