VERITAS Backup Exec (tm) cannot connect to the SQL server to select the database after attempting to enter the Backup Exec service account credentials or the SQL service account (SA) information.

This error message could be reported in the Backup Exec Debug log:

[ SQL Error GUID: c733a8b
 SQL Error Source: Microsoft OLE DB Provider for SQL Server
 SQL Error Description: [DBNETLIB][ConnectionOpen (Connect()).]SQL Server does not exist or access denied.
 SQL Error State: 08001
 SQL Error Number: 17
 SQL DBConnect failed. ]

This issue could occur if there are communication issues between Backup Exec and the SQL server. Backup Exec, by default, uses a Virtual Device Interface (VDI) connection or it could be forced to use a Named Pipes connection to the SQL server. However, if SQL server's alias is configured to use TCP/IP and the TCP/ IP binding is failing on the port assigned to the SQL server, Backup Exec will not be able connect even if it is forced to use Named Pipes.

To resolve this issue, perform the following steps to ensure that the SQL server is set to use Named Pipes:

1. Start the SQL Client Network Utility.

2. Select the Alias tab (Figure 1).

 

3. Change the Server alias from TCP/IP to Named Pipes (Figure 2).

 

4. Click Apply, and then click OK to close.

5. Start Backup Exec, and then attach to the SQL server.