Reposting under MSDN registered nospam alias.

I have installed SQL Server on W2k3. The cluster works fine (this is for a
SharePoint 2003 deployment). However I am unable to connect to either
machine or the cluster DB from my workstation using Enterprise Manager or
Remote Desktop. Here are the relevant facts.

1. Both machines are on a different subnet from my workstation. I can
connect using EM and Remote Desk from any machine on the same subnet.

2. Before installing SQL server, I had Terminal Server running on both
machines. I could connect from my workstation. I removed TS in order to
install SQL server, per MS instructions. I then enabled Remote Desktop
Management on each machine.

3. Now I cannot use Remote Desktop or Ent. Manager. Moreover, I cannot ping
to either machine from my subnet. Tracert shows that the packets die at the
main switch to that subnet. I can ping from any machine on the subnet.

So, the only changes to the setup of the machines was to remove TS and
enable Remote Desk, and to install SQL server. Before, I could ping,
connect, etc. Now I cannot. However, it is not the machine that is causing
the problem, but the network switch.
One further note, name resolution for the cluster virtual machine and each
individual machine works (I can nslookup each name).

Is there something I have missed?

J. C. Willard
Sr. IT Architect
Virginia Department of Transportation

Guesses inline below...

Cheers,

Rod

MVP - Windows Server - Clustering
http://www.nw-america.com - Clustering

<jwillard (AT) newsgroups (DOT) nospam> wrote

This sounds like a router/switch problem. If it works locally, its usually
not the box. Do you have a personal firewall on the mahcine?

TS or TS in Remote Administration mode? If the latter, are you still in the
allowed groups? What message do you get when you try to connect?

Hmm, no ping or access, sounds like a firewall issue to me. What hardware is
after the switch? Maybe a software firewall?

Rod:
Thanks for the ideas. Here is what I have discovered today.

You are correct that it is the switch that is causing the problem. If I do
a tracert, the returns die at that point. Any machine on the far side of the
switch can connect fine.

However, the only thing that changed between being able to connect to the
server and failing to connect from this subnet is that I disabled Terminal
Services on the target machines and installed my SQL server cluster.

My network operations folks wonder if there is something in the way that the
SQL cluster advertises its IP address and name on the network. It does not
seem to be a name resolution issue, because I cannot even ping by IP
address.

I do not know enough about switches to know if they use some sort of
protocol (analogous to RIP) to share and/or detect the IP and MAC) of the
machines they are connected to.

Any further suggestions.

John
"Rodney R. Fournier [MVP]" <rod (AT) die (DOT) spam.die.nw-america.com> wrote in
message news:uaOIQaqaEHA.2260 (AT) TK2MSFTNGP10 (DOT) phx.gbl...

One further bit of information. I can neither ping or connect to the
physical servers (active and passive) or the virtual server.

John

"Rodney R. Fournier [MVP]" <rod (AT) die (DOT) spam.die.nw-america.com> wrote in
message news:uaOIQaqaEHA.2260 (AT) TK2MSFTNGP10 (DOT) phx.gbl...

Ask your switch person if the GARP (Gratuitous ARP) is causing a problem.
When you failover or move the cluster IP addr, the new system that controls
the cluster IP addr will send out the IP addr and new MAC addr to the
network. The switch may not be handling this change well for some reason.

Cheers,

Rod

MVP - Windows Server - Clustering
http://www.nw-america.com - Clustering

<jwillard (AT) newsgroups (DOT) nospam> wrote

Rod:

Thanks for sticking with me. My switch guys are checking on that this AM.

John Willard

"Rodney R. Fournier [MVP]" <rod (AT) die (DOT) spam.die.nw-america.com> wrote in
message news:e1p4VB4aEHA.2932 (AT) TK2MSFTNGP10 (DOT) phx.gbl...