[sims] FMS - REMOTE ACCESS VIA (CISCO) VPN

[Koldov]

Over the Summer holidays I moved our SIMS server onto a VM.

 

Somehow it seems to have worked OK and with no major issues so far...

 

Today our Bursar is working remotely has said FMS is not working (this is as far as I can tell the first time they have used it since I moved the server).

 

It used to work on the old server, but I can't remember doing anything special to 'make' it work. It's a very rare thing for it to be actually needed and if I did actually do anything it would have been years ago...

 

The error message seems to have various reasons, but I don't know how to interpret them and 'fix' any of them!

 

 

Not sure if it is a setting in the CISCO VPN (which has recently updated, causing an issue on this laptop that meant it needed reinstalling), or a setting within SQL, or maybe even with a rule on the Firewall. I just can't remember having to do anything special previously on the old server.

 

The Bursar has used the VPN login before Windows Authentication, so it should appear on the Network as though it's on site for most things, but I don't know how the VPN giving it a VPN IP address might cause issues with SIMS/FMS'...

 

Probably more likely with SQL, but as far as I can tell (no expert) 'remote connections' are enabled...

 

Obviously she needs it working... now.

[Koldov]

OK, well I think this is going to make it even more unlikely I'll get an answer... but I've just been home to test my laptop... and forgot I don't have FMS installed...

 

However, I can get on SIMS, so possibly ruling out a general SQL/Firewall/VPN issue... and narrowing it down to FMS...?

 

So, who has got a CISCO VPN and has a user on FMS remotely?

 

Nobody?

 

Just me then...?

[Chuckster]

Have you tried the following:

1. Launch SQL Server Management Studio.
   
2. In Object Explorer, right-click on your server and select Properties.
   
3. Click Connections.
   
4. Under Remote server connections, select Allow remote connections to this server.
   
5. Click OK to save the changes.
   
6. Restart any SQL services
   
7. Check your firewall is set to allow port 1433.
   

[Koldov]

Thanks I had already seen those settings on my search, but I do have a question about the SQL remote connections part...

 

I tested it with the Firewall off and I got through, so I put the Firewall back on... and still got through!

 

So I rebooted the laptop and tried again (Firewall on)... and got the error message!

 

Just to test it though I tried to log on to FMS again straight away with no other changes... and logged on!

 

Now I don't seem to be able to reproduce the error at all... although I am back at work so even going through the VPN I might be missing something.

 

If it is a timeout on the 'dbchecklogin' due to a slower remote VPN connection, is there anything I can do about that?

 

FMSCONNECT.ini already has 'CommandTimeout=100000' but I'm not sure that relates to an SQL login timeout (if there is such a thing).

[Chuckster]

Right-click on the server in SSMS --> Properties --> Connections --> Under Allow remote connections to this server increase the value.

 

I don't have access to SIMS but on an SQL server I can see it's set to 600.

[Koldov]

I wasn't sure if that's where it was going to be set as I did see that, but mine is also set to 600 seconds and that's 10 minutes isn't it?

 

It was initially failing the login within about 15-20 seconds!

[Chuckster]

https://dba.stackexchange.com/questions/150697/intermittent-login-timeout-expired-after-migrating-to-vmware-sql-server

 

Look here since you've migrated it to a VM. Shoud be applicable even if the host is Hyper-V

[Koldov]

Just for completeness - I found out this had absolutely nothing to do with being a remote user, firewall or the VPN...

 

It was just FMS (and SIMS) doing a job of installing/configuring/updating its own files!

 

https://www.edugeek.net/forums/mis-systems/234012-fms-sql-connection-general-sql-error.html#post2014585