Viewing database connection settings
The most common reasons for replication problems are access failures that Replication Agents encounter when attempting to connect to the Publisher or Subscriber SQL Server. The security credentials of the Replication Agents depend on the authentication mode of the Administration Service. To determine which authentication mode is actually used: Windows authentication or SQL Server authentication, view the Administration Service database connection settings.
To view connection settings in the Active Roles Console:
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In the Console tree, select Configuration > Server Configuration > Administration Services.
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In the details pane, right-click the Administration Service you want to view, and click Properties.
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In the Properties dialog, go to the Configuration Database tab.
The Configuration Database tab displays the following information:
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SQL Server: Identifies the SQL Server instance that is used by the Administration Service.
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Database: The name of the Administration Service database.
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Use Windows authentication: When this is selected, it indicates that the Administration Service uses Windows authentication mode when connecting to SQL Server.
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Use SQL Server authentication: When this is selected, it indicates that the Administration Service uses SQL Server authentication mode when connecting to SQL Server.
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Login name: The name of the SQL Server login that the Administration Service uses to access SQL Server. This only applies to the Use SQL Server authentication option.
Modifying database connection settings
You might have to modify Administration Service database connection settings if the login of the Administration Service for SQL Server authentication is no longer valid, or has the password changed. If you change the login, you also need to change it for Replication Agents, as described in Modifying Replication Agent credentials.
You can modify connection settings by using Active Roles Configuration Center.
To modify the connection settings
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Start Configuration Center on the computer running the Administration Service, or connect Configuration Center to that computer.
You can start Configuration Center by selecting Active Roles 8.1.3 Configuration Center on the Apps page or Start menu, depending upon the version of your Windows operating system. For more information, see Running Configuration Center.
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In the Configuration Center main window on the Dashboard page, in the Administration Service area, click Manage Settings.
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On the Administration Service page that opens, in the Active Roles database area, click Change.
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To view or change the login or password of the Administration Service for SQL Server authentication, use the Change Active Roles Database wizard that appears: Type the appropriate login name and password in the fields under the SQL Server authentication option on the Connection to Database page.
Changing the service account
With the Windows authentication option selected for database connection, the Administration Service uses its service account to authenticate with SQL Server. Additionally, if the Administration Service’s database server holds the Publisher role, and has a Subscriber with Windows authentication, the service account requires the appropriate permissions on the Subscriber SQL Server. For details, see the “SQL Server permissions” section in the Active Roles Quick Start Guide.
Because of the requirements of the service account, you might have to specify a different service account with sufficient SQL Server permissions. Also, you might have to change the service account’s password.
To view or change the service account by using Active Roles Configuration Center
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Start the Configuration Center on the computer running the Administration Service, or connect the Configuration Center to that computer.
You can start Configuration Center by selecting Active Roles 8.1.3 Configuration Center on the Apps page or Start menu, depending upon the version of your Windows operating system. For more information, see Running Configuration Center.
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On the Dashboard page in the Configuration Center main window, click Manage Settings in the Administration Service area.
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On the Administration Service page that opens, click Change in the Service account area.
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On the Change Service Account page that appears, type the logon name and password of the service account, and then click Change.
Changing the SQL Server Agent logon account
If the Publisher has a Subscriber that uses Windows authentication, the SQL Server Agent logon account on the Publisher SQL Server must have appropriate access permissions on the Subscriber SQL Server. For details, see the “SQL Server permissions” section in the Active Roles Quick Start Guide.
Because of these requirements of the SQL Server Agent logon account, there might be a case where you have to specify a different logon account with sufficient access permissions. You might also have to change the password of the logon account. This section provides instructions on how to change the SQL Server Agent logon account.
To specify the name and password of the SQL Server Agent logon account by using SQL Server Configuration Manager
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On the computer running the Publisher SQL Server, open SQL Server Configuration Manager.
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In the Console tree, select SQL Server Services.
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In the Details pane, right-click the SQL Server Agent to modify, and then click Properties.
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On the Log On tab, click This account, and specify the account name and password.
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Click OK.
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For the changes to take effect, click Yes in the confirmation message box.