Background: Win 2003, SharePoint 2007 service pack 1, all parts of sharepoint proper running on this one machine, with a sql server 2005 database housing the data. We see, around the 7-8 pm time period usually, though not always, events generated around database issues. Here's one of last night's events. Event Type: Error Event Source: Office Server Search Event Category: Gatherer Event ID: 10036 Date: 2/9/2012 Time: 7:23:01 PM User: N/A Computer: NTSRV45 Description: A database error occurred. Source: Microsoft OLE DB Provider for SQL Server Code: 0 occurred 1 time(s) Description: Timeout expired For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp. The database people report that in _their_ logs, sharepoint attemptted to access the server with a user of ''. I have checked the timer jobs and none of the daily jobs run during that time period. The hourly and minutely timer jobs all work throughout the day, so it doesn't seem like one of them would be running without a user. The 12hive logs have all sorts of things in them during that time period - but this appears relevant. I see a string of these messages: 02/09/2012 19:23:01.78 mssearch.exe (0x07F4) 0x1998 Search Server Common Exceptions 0 Monitorable <Exception><HR>0x800700ce</HR><eip>6004DC11</eip><module>d:\office\source\search\common\pkmutild\lmstr.cxx</module><line>340</line></Exception> Then I see a message like this 02/09/2012 19:23:02.01 w3wp.exe (0x24E0) 0x07FC Windows SharePoint Services General 72la Critical #50071: Unable to connect to the database SharePoint_WWW_Content_1 on PRODSQL. Check the database connection information and make sure that the database server is running. and a few log entries later a message like this 02/09/2012 19:23:01.17 w3wp.exe (0x24E0) 0x1A00 Search Server Common UtilCommon 0 Monitorable Dumping error record [0]: Source: Microsoft OLE DB Provider for SQL Server HRESULT: 0x80004005 Code: 0 Description: Timeout expired - File:d:\office\source\search\common\pkmutild\atldbext.cxx Line:1250 Eventually the sequence of msgs repeats itself serveral times. On the sql server side, it reports something on sharepoint trying to access sql with a user of ''. However, this only happens during short periods of time, and none of the timer jobs run during that hour of the day. Does any of this seem familar to you? I am just trying to figure out what is having the problem and more importantly what it takes to fix it.

You can try to create a SQL profiler when the issue is present in order to go deeper with your research. http://www.databasejournal.com/features/mssql/article.php/3750161/Introduction-to-SQL-2005-Profiler-Part-1.htm What type of authentication are you using in your environment? NTLM, Kerberos, FBA? MCITP|MCTS SharePoint| SharePoint Performance blog

You can try to create a SQL profiler when the issue is present in order to go deeper with your research. http://www.databasejournal.com/features/mssql/article.php/3750161/Introduction-to-SQL-2005-Profiler-Part-1.htm What type of authentication are you using in your environment? NTLM, Kerberos, FBA? MCITP|MCTS SharePoint| SharePoint Performance blog

We are using windows authentication. Thank you for the pointer. I will have to see if there is something we can do - the problem happens "randomly" for a very short period of time so i dont know how much profiling i will be able to do

We are using windows authentication. Thank you for the pointer. I will have to see if there is something we can do - the problem happens "randomly" for a very short period of time so i dont know how much profiling i will be able to do

Hi, One place you may want to look is the time your SQL backups run? -IvanIvan Sanders My LinkedIn Profile, My Blog, @iasanders.

Hi, One place you may want to look is the time your SQL backups run? -IvanIvan Sanders My LinkedIn Profile, My Blog, @iasanders.

Hi, One place you may want to look is the time your SQL backups run? -IvanIvan Sanders My LinkedIn Profile, My Blog, @iasanders.

I checked and the sql backups are not running at the time of the problem - they run about 6 hours later