I set up a few administrative terminal servers (W2K8 R2) and installed SQL 2014 SP1 Management Studio to manage remote SQL servers. On one of these servers I suddenly had a problem when connecting to SQL servers:

- When using windows authentication, SSMS won't connect to the remote SQL server, the window (Connect to server) stays grayed out - only the Cancel button remains active. After 5-10 minutes it either connects to the remote SQL server or gives up with no message, all window elements go back to being active again

- When using windows authentication with an account which is not authorized it immediately brings up the error message that the login failed.

- When using SQL server authentication it won't connect with greyed out window (authorized account or not).

- Looking at network connections you can't see any activity from ssms.exe process when the problem occurs.

- Reinstalled management studio with no effect.

I ended up reinstalling the whole server to get it working again. Unfortunately now an other server has the same problem. Any hints what might be the culprit?

• Edited by Alex2023 Friday, August 21, 2015 6:53 AM

Is there a domain involved. You should definitely get networks analyzied may be wiresharked.

Can you please post error message you are g

This might sound daft, but are the Server names registered in DNS?  To see if it is a DNS issue; try and connect to the SQL Server with the i.p. address.

This could also be an issue with the Port Number SQL Server is listening on? Have there been any firewall ch

Did you asked domain admin about the same. This does not seems issue with SQL Server but either with AD authentication or Network. When you are conecting with Ad account it takes the token to Windows AD and seeks for authentication there. At this point there might be sme AD issue which is forcing it to wait there by timing out. As a workaround you can try below

Start SSMS but dont connect. Click on Options and that would take you to connection properties. Now as per below change connection time out to 100 seconds and try connecting

I would also be interested if the connection works with the IP address instead of the server name. I am thinking along another line though: Does the system try to connect via Named Pipes? That would introduce another layer of complexity...

Regarding connecting with IP address see above.

I deactivated Namend Pipes in Sql Server Configuration Manager for Native Client 32 and 64bit but to no avail.

Did you asked domain admin about the same. This does not seems issue with SQL Server but either with AD authentication or Network. When you are conecting with Ad account it takes the token to Windows AD and seeks for authentication there. At this point there might be sme AD issue which is forcing it to wait there by timing out. As a workaround you can try below

Start SSMS but dont connect. Click on Options and that would take you to connection properties. Now as per below change connection time out to 100 seconds and try connecting

Have you tried connecting to that server via the ODBC Administrator (Create connection and use the test button to see if it works.) I would be interested if any of the three drivers (SNAC32, SNAC64 and SQLOLEDB) works. That should give us an idea if the problem is with SSMS or your machine in general.

I only have SNAC 10 and SNAC 11 available there. Tested it 32 and 64Bit => works with both.

Btw, I opened a case at Microsoft to track the problem. If this yields a productive result I will let you know.

• Edited by Alex2023 4 minutes ago