564 - Create and test a ConnectionStrings.config file for the AccountServer

Symptom

If migrating to new AccountServer hardware or migrating an SQL database used by the AccountServer from one machine to another, you may encounter problems configuring the ConnectionStrings.config file.

Cause

The ConnectionStrings.config file can contain information unique to the installation, and is difficult to configure correctly without testing.

The Attix5 Storage Platform installer includes a setup wizard for the Connection Strings, but this cannot be run after installation.

Solution

1. Create an empty file text with a .udl extension e.g. Test.udl.

2. Double-click on the file and open it with OLE DB Core Services (default association).

3. Configure your connection properties:

• Enter the server name and SQL instance name
• Enter the Storage Platform database name and user credentials.
• If you are using SQL authentication, check Allow saving password.

4. Test the connection and confirm that it is successful.

5. Click OK to save the connection details, and confirm that you want to save the password if prompted.

6. Right-click on the file and open it with Notepad, taking care not to change the file association. The connection string is contained within.

To use the string in the AS ConnectionStrings.config file, remove the Provider=SQLOLEDB.1 part from the beginning of the line.

Example:
;Password=Password123;Persist Security Info=True;User ID=sa;Initial Catalog=StoragePlatform;Data Source=PHDRAS\SQLEXPRESS

7. Repeat Steps 1 to 6 for the Storage Platform Reports database, and copy the connection string for this too. 

8. Stop the AccountServer and edit the ConnectionStrings.config file in the Storage Platform installation folder (by default, C:\Program Files\Attix5 Pro\Storage Platform\).

Warning: Make a copy of the ConnectionStrings.config file before editing. By default, the ConnectionStrings.config looks like this:

<connectionStrings>
<clear />
<add name="BackupServer" connectionString=";Integrated Security=SSPI;Persist Security Info=True;Data Source=PHDRAS\SQLEXPRESS;Initial Catalog=StoragePlatform2;MultipleActiveResultSets=True;Connect Timeout=30" />
<add name="ReportServer" connectionString=";Integrated Security=SSPI;Persist Security Info=True;Data Source=PHDRAS\SQLEXPRESS;Initial Catalog=StoragePlatformReports2;MultipleActiveResultSets=True;Connect Timeout=30" />
</connectionStrings>

9. Replace everything between the double-quote (") characters with the contents of your connection strings. For the Storage Platform database, edit the BackupServer line; for the Storage Platform Reports database, edit the ReportServer line.

Example: 

10. Save the file and start the AccountServer service (AS_Service).

11. The AccountServer service will connect to the SQL service using the new connection string configuration.