INF: Connecting to SQL Server from NetWare Clients

ID: Q107494

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft SQL Server version 4.2x

SUMMARY

Microsoft SQL Server ships with all the SQL components necessary to connect from an MS-DOS, Windows, Windows for Workgroups, OS/2, or Windows NT client running on a Novell network. You do not need to have a NetWare requester or redirector on the SQL Server computer. The IPX/SPX client-side network library will usually be used, although a Windows NT client can also connect using the named pipes network library.


MORE INFORMATION

Instructions for Server-side Setup:

  1. Ensure the NWLink protocol is enabled according to the instructions in your Windows NT documentation. In brief, this consists of using the Windows NT Control Panel network applet to install and configure the Microsoft NWLink IPX/SPX transport protocol. This protocol by itself does not allow Windows NT to connect as a network client to a Novell file server. However, it does allow the Windows NT computer to function as a SQL application server on a Novell network.


  2. Install SQL Server according to the instructions in the SQL Server Configuration Guide.


  3. Either during or after server installation, use the SQL Server Setup program and select the Change Network Support option. If this option is greyed out, you may have the Desktop version of SQL Server, which does not support networked connections. Another possible cause of the Change Network Support option being greyed out is if you use full integrated security, which does not allow the use of IPC (Interprocess Communications) techniques other than named pipes.


  4. In the Install/Uninstall Networks dialog, select the NWLink IPX/SPX checkbox. You do not need to use the Client Configuration Utility on SQL Server to select a different default network.


Instructions for Client-side Setup:

  1. For MS-DOS, Windows, and OS/2 clients, you must first ensure that the Novell client networking software is correctly installed according to Novell's instructions. Make sure you use the latest versions of Novell's client network software, which is usually available on their CompuServe forum or directly from Novell. Windows NT and Windows for Workgroups 3.11 clients do not require Novell networking software to connect as a SQL client to a SQL Server application server, but can use the built-in NWLink IPX/SPX compatible transport.


  2. Install the SQL Server client setup disk for the client operating system you have. This will allow connection to SQL Server over IPX/SPX. There are separate client utilities setup disks for MS-DOS, Windows, and OS/2. NT clients use the SQL Server Setup disk #1. MS-DOS, Windows, Windows for Workgroups, and OS/2 clients using Novell networking software cannot use Novell's named pipes implementation to connect to SQL Server.


  3. MS-DOS, Windows, and OS/2 clients use the SQL IPX/SPX network library on top of Novell's client networking software to connect to SQL Server. Windows for Workgroups 3.11 clients can connect to SQL Server via IPX/SPX in two different ways. One way is to use the built-in Windows for Workgroups "IPX/SPX Compatible Transport with NetBIOS" (often called NWLink), which you can select in the Windows Setup program. See your Windows for Workgroups documentation for more specific information. In this case, use the SQL Server Windows Client Utilities disk, run Setup, and select "named pipes" as your default network. You can also use the "default network" part of the SQL Client Configuration Utility to select the named pipes network library. Do not select "Novell IPX/SPX", as this uses the wrong network library. Selecting "named pipes" causes the named pipes network library to be used over the built-in IPX/SPX compatible transport. See also the SQL Server 4.21 readme file for more information. It is recommended that the named pipes network library be used, because features such as integrated security and adjustable packet size are available only with named pipes.


  4. The other way to connect from a Windows for Workgroups 3.11 client to SQL Server via IPX/SPX is to use Novell's networking software and the Novell IPX protocol (IPXODI). You must obtain this from Novell, and install it according to your Windows for Workgroups documentation. Afterward, use the SQL Server Windows Client Utilities disk, run Setup, and select "Novell SPX" as your default network, which selects the IPX/SPX network library. You can also use the "default network" part of the SQL Client Configuration Utility to select the IPX/SPX network library. The IPX/SPX network library is used over Novell's IPX/SPX transport. See also the SQL Server version 4.21 'readme' file for more information.


  5. From a Windows for Workgroups 3.11 client, you can use both the named pipes and IPX/SPX network libraries simultaneously to connect to different servers via these different IPC (Inter-Process Communication) techniques. This might be used if you want to connect to SQL Server via IPX/SPX using the recommended named pipes network library, while also communicating to a SQL Server for OS/2 running the NetWare Integration Kit (NIK) using the IPX/SPX network library. In this case, first ensure you have both the Novell IPX/SPX network software and the Microsoft IPX/SPX compatible transport functioning correctly according the your Windows for Workgroups 3.11 documentation. Then, install the SQL Server Windows Client Utilities as above, and use the "default network" part of the SQL Client Configuration Utility to select named pipes as the default network library. Then, click the "Advanced" button, and under "Server" type the name of your SQL Server to which you want to connect using the IPX/SPX network library. Under "DLL Name", enter "dbmsspx3", then press "Add/Change", then "OK". You cannot communicate using named pipes over either the Microsoft IPX/SPX transport or Novell's IPX/SPX transport to an OS/2 SQL Server running Novell's named pipes implementation.


  6. MS-DOS clients must use the DBMSSPX.EXE terminate-and-stay-resident (TSR) program to connect to SQL Server. They cannot use the Novell DOSNP.EXE named pipes TSR or DBNMPIPE.EXE named pipes network library TSR. Run the Setup program for the DOS Client Utilities disk and follow the instructions.


  7. Windows NT clients generally use named pipes over NWLink IPX/SPX, which is the default. First, ensure the NWLink protocol is enabled according to the instructions in your Windows NT documentation. To then install the SQL NT client utilities, use the SQL Server Setup disk #1, and select the "Install Utilities Only" option.


  8. Attempt to connect from ISQL/W (Windows, Windows for Workgroups, and NT clients) or ISQL (MS-DOS and OS/2 clients). If you have a problem connecting with ISQL/W, try typing in the name of your SQL Server, rather than pressing the "List Servers" button.


Use of a IPX/SPX network library assumes the presence of a Novell NetWare file server on the network. SQL Server uses the bindery services of the file server to handle name resolution. This allows the clients to reference SQL Server by name, without manually coding a network address as is often done on TCP/IP networks.

However, it is possible to connect from a SQL client over IPX/SPX to SQL Server when no Novell file server is present. This requires manually entering the network node address of the SQL Server. Instructions for this are on page 108 of the SQL Server "Configuration Guide."

In addition, if there are any routers on the network you may want to make sure that they are not filtering SAPs (Service Advertising Packets) 62723 (0xF503) or 38404 (Ox9604). These are the SAP types that SQL Server uses to advertise itself on the network.



The above instructions are unchanged whether Windows NT or Windows NT Advanced Server is used.

Additional query words: 4.20 Windows NT

Keywords : kb3rdparty kbusage SSrvInst SSrvLAN
Version : 4.20
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type :


Last Reviewed: March 18, 1999
© 2000 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Terms of Use.