SMS provider is unable to connect to SQL Server (231883)

SYMPTOMS

When you are attempting to connect to the Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS) site database by using the Systems Management Server Administrator console, the connection attempt may take a long time, and then you may receive a "Connection Failed: \\server\root\sms" status in the Microsoft Management console.

The following message may appear in the Smsprov.log file on the SQL server in the Smsprov\logs folder:

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E:\OPALSP1\sdk_provider\nt\smsprov\SspObjectQuery.cpp(4177) : SQL Connection attempt timed out
SQL Error: Login incorrect.
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CAUSE

This behavior can occur if the SMSProvider_XXX account does not have permission to connect to the SQL server database.

This problem may occur when the following conditions are true:

The SMS site database is located on a SQL Server 6.5-based server that is external to the SMS site server.
The SMS provider is located on the SQL server.
The SQL Server 6.5-based server is using mixed or integrated security.
In SQL Security Manager, the Windows NT Administrators group has been removed, or is no longer mapped to the 'sa' SQL login ID. A different Windows NT group may be mapped to the 'sa' SQL login ID.

WORKAROUND

SMS requires that the following accounts belong to the local Administrators group on the SQL server:

SMSProvider_XXX, where XXX is the site code of the SMS site.
SMSSvc_XXX_0000, where XXX is the site code of the SMS site.

In addition, if you are using integrated security in SQL server, the Administrators group must be mapped to the 'sa' login ID in SQL Security Manager.

To verify or correct the issue:

Start SQL Security Manager and connect to the SQL server on which the SMS site database resides.
On the View menu, click Sa Privilege.
In the main window, verify that the Administrators group is listed.
If the Administrators group is listed, expand the selection to see the members of the group. Verify that the Domain\SMSProvider_XXX and SQLSERVER\SMSSvc_XXX_0000 accounts are listed. If they are not listed, verify that they are listed in User Manager in the Administrators group.

If the Administrators group does not appear in the Sa Privilege view:

On the Security menu, click Grant New.
On the Grant Privilege list, click Administrators, and then click Grant. You should receive a "Permission Granted to Administrators" message.
Click OK.
When you are finished, click Done.

MORE INFORMATION

When the SMS provider and SMS SQL Monitor components are installed, the SMSProvider_XXX and SMSSvc_XXX_0000 accounts are placed in the local Administrators group on the SQL server. By default, under the integrated security model, they are mapped to the 'sa' login ID, which gives the accounts access to the SQL database.

If the members of the SQL server Administrators group are not mapped to a valid SQL login ID with access to the SMS site database, they cannot connect.