SMS Setup Requires SQL Server Named Pipes Network Support

• Microsoft Systems Management Server, versions 1.0, 1.1, and 1.2

SYMPTOMS

SQL Server Named Pipes network support is required for Systems Management Server Setup to communicate with the SQL Server that stores the Systems Management Server database. Systems Management Server utilities and services use Named Pipes by default, and may have problems connecting to the Systems Management Server database if SQL Server is configured incorrectly. For example, if Named Pipes network support is not loaded, the Systems Management Server Administrator program may fail to start up, and produce the error message, "Unable to Connect to SQL Server."

You can change the SQL Server network support option by running SQL Server Setup, selecting Change Network Support, and then selecting Named Pipes as an installed network.

If you use multiple SQL Server networks, it is recommended that you set Named Pipes as the default network. You can configure this on the Net Library Settings tab of the SQL Server Client Configuration Utility.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Systems Management Server version 1.2. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.