Everyone knows that it is good practice to use a domain or service account to run the SQL service. I’m sure you do too! However, once you do the right thing and change the SQL Service account, you may start getting the following error message when attempting to connect to the sql server:

“The target principal name is incorrect.  Cannot generate SSPI context.”

The explanation, as given by Microsoft in this KB article

    If you run the SQL Server service under the LocalSystem account, the SPN is automatically registered and Kerberos authentication interacts successfully with the computer that is running SQL Server. However, if you run the SQL Server service under a domain account or under a local account, the attempt to create the SPN will fail in most cases because the domain account and the local account do not have the right to set their own SPNs. When the SPN creation is not successful, this means that no SPN is set up for the computer that is running SQL Server. If you test by using a domain administrator account as the SQL Server service account, the SPN is successfully created because the domain administrator-level credentials that you must have to create an SPN are present.

There are 3 ways to fix the problem:

    - Revert to using the Network Service or Local System account (NOT RECOMMENDED)
    - Assign the domain account to the Domain Admins group (NOT IDEAL – due to the elevated permissions)
    - Fix the problem by giving the domain account just the appropriate permissions in Active Directory. Permissions required are
        >> ServicePrincipalName: Read
        >> ServicePrincipalName: Write

We will use the 3rd option to fix the error. First, it is good practice to verify that the problem is actually due to permission issues. Log in to the server where you SQL Instance is running. Go to the error logs and look for the last time that the SQL service was restarted. You should find an error message similar to this:

Date                   10/17/2013 9:29:50 AM
Log                    SQL Server (Archive #1 - 10/17/2013 10:53:00 AM)
Source                Server
Message
The SQL Server Network Interface library could not register the Service Principal Name (SPN) [ MSSQLSvc/servername.domainname.net:1433 ] for the SQL Server service. Windows return code: 0x2098, state: 15. Failure to register a SPN might cause integrated authentication to use NTLM instead of Kerberos. This is an informational message. Further action is only required if Kerberos authentication is required by authentication policies and if the SPN has not been manually registered.

This is great. At least now we have verified that the problem is related to the SPN and we are ready to apply the fix.

Log in to the server running your Active Directory service and execute the following steps:

    - Run Adsiedit.msc
    - In the ADSI Edit snap-in, expand Domain [YourDomainName], expand DC= RootDomainName, expand CN=Users, right-click CN= [YourAccountName, and then click Properties.
    - In the CN= AccountName Properties dialog box, click the Security tab.
    - On the Security tab, click Advanced.
    - In the Advanced Security Settings dialog box, select one (any) of "SELF"'s row
    - Click Edit, Open Permission Entry dialog box.
    - Make sure Pricipal is "SELF", Type is "Allow" and "Applied to" is "This Object Only", in Properties section, select the properties below:
        >> Read servicePrincipalName
        >> Write servicePrincipalName

Click OK to apply all changes and exit the ADSI Edit snap-in

Finally, you need to restart the SQL Service(s) that use the account in question.

You can verify that the SPN has been registered successfully upon the restart by going to the SQL Server logs. You should now see an entry similar to this:

Date                   10/17/2013 10:53:58 AM
Log                    SQL Server (Current - 10/17/2013 10:54:00 AM)
Source                Server
Message
The SQL Server Network Interface library successfully registered the Service Principal Name (SPN) [ MSSQLSvc/servername.domainname.net:1433 ] for the SQL Server service.

Connections to SQL Server should now succeed.

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To read error logs in SQL Server using T-SQL you can use extended stored procedure xp_ReadErrorLog to read SQL Server and SQL Server Agent error logs. xp_ReadErrorLog has seven parameters that can be used to filter error logs.

Syntax for xp_ReadErrorLog:

EXEC xp_ReadErrorLog   <LogNumber>, <LogType>,

<SearchTerm1>, <SearchTerm2>,

<StartDate>, <EndDate>, <SortOrder>

The parameter values can be as follows:

You can use the stored procedure as:

EXEC xp_ReadErrorLog

– Reads current SQL Server error log

Below are some more examples of xp_ReadErrorLog:

EXEC xp_ReadErrorLog 1
– Reads SQL Server error log from ERRORLOG.1 file

EXEC xp_ReadErrorLog 0, 1
– Reads current SQL Server error log

EXEC xp_ReadErrorLog 0, 2
– Reads current SQL Server Agent error log

EXEC xp_ReadErrorLog 0, 1, 'Failed'
– Reads current SQL Server error log with text 'Failed'

EXEC xp_ReadErrorLog 0, 1, 'Failed', 'Login'
– Reads current SQL Server error log with text ‘Failed’ AND 'Login'

EXEC xp_ReadErrorLog 0, 1, 'Failed', 'Login', '20121101', NULL
– Reads current SQL Server error log with text ‘Failed’ AND ‘Login’ from 01-Nov-2012

EXEC xp_ReadErrorLog 0, 1, 'Failed', 'Login', '20121101', '20121130'
– Reads current SQL Server error log with text ‘Failed’ AND ‘Login’ between 01-Nov-2012 and 30-Nov-2012

EXEC xp_ReadErrorLog 0, 1, NULL, NULL, '20121101', '20121130'
– Reads current SQL Server error between 01-Nov-2012 and 30-Nov-2012

EXEC xp_ReadErrorLog 0, 1, NULL, NULL, '20121101', '20121130', 'DESC'
– Reads current SQL Server error log between 01-Nov-2012 and 30-Nov-2012 and sorts in descending order

Hope This Helps!

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The out parameters in SQL Server, when used in Stored Procedures, allow developers to pass a value in the database to the front-end controls like label. They are most commonly used in web application development.
Let us discuss how to create and use them in ASP.Net with a practical example. First we will design our database.

• Create a database in SQL Server.
• Let us create a table with three columns, say username, password and confirmation password.

Create table logintable(username varchar(max),password varchar(max),confirmpassword varchar(max))

• Let us create our Stored Procedure.

Here we have created a Stored Procedure named usplogintable with username, password and confirmpassword as input parameters. The next variable that I have created is the @error variable of varchar type. You can see the keyword "out" near the varchar. Yes, your guess is correct, the keyword "out" stands for the output parameter in SQL Server.

We will execute this Stored Procedure as a batch so we have begins and ends. Then, "set nocount on" avoids returning the number of rows affected.
The if condition checks whether the username exists in a database and if the answer for it is yes, the @error variable is set with the username already taken or it inserts the values into the table and sets the @error variable as the username inserted.

Executing the Stored Procedure also requres a different style. First you need to declare a variable, you need to specify the output parameter on execution and you need to write a select query at the end to make it execute. Here is my sample for the preceding sp.

I have inserted the table with the values markus, mark and confirm password as mark.

• I can guess what you are thinking. “How can I use it in my server-side code?”. Yeah, I am an ASP.Net developer and I have the solution for this. Here are the ways.

Additionally, you must also open your Visual Studio or press Ctrl+r and type devenv.
Create an ASP.Net web application with the framework being above 2.0. First create a form in ASP.Net with three labels and three textboxes with names as username.password and confirmpassword as shown in the screen below.

Okay. Let me take you through a tour of the server-side code on it. I will use ADO.Net here for the database connectivity. I will add my logic on my button click. Add using statements for the namespaces System.data and System.Data.SqlClient since these are not the default namespaces in .Net.

Add the following code by double-clicking the submit button.

• Here I have created the connection string in my fashion and you can use your own style in your application as usual.
• Thats it. We are done. Press Ctrl+F5.
• If you provide the inserted usename.
• And if you provide a new username, yuppy, it is inserted.

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Automatic SQL Server Backup Utility using Sqlserver Agent

It is a sample C# (Visual Studio) application for Automatic Sql server Backup Utility using sqlserveragent. I have used SQL-DMO dll. This article will show you how to create a automatic backup in Sql server.
This code should work on any PC use VB.NET and installed SQL Server(any edition or Client Components for SQL Server.
SQLDMO (Which installed always bt MS SQL Serveror MS SQL Server Client Tools
To do:

• First enter your SQL Server username and password on corresponding Text Box.
• Set backup Start date & Backup Time
• After Finishing this then please check manually it will working or not
• Manual working procedure:
  • Run Sql sever enterprise Manager
  • Select management Option
  • Open Sql server agent
  • Open Jobs window
  • Check whether job item exist or not
  • Right click on newly created job item then, we will get one
  • Popup menu, then select start job
  • After finish the job then check folder "D:\backup" bkp file created or not

Add reference to SQL-DMO dll

You can do this by right clicking the project in Solution Explorer, then selecting 'Add Reference', COM components and the latest version of "Microsoft SQLDMO Object Library".

Available Server

public void dIsplayServerList(ComboBox cboListName)
{
    try
    {
        SQLDMO.Application oSQLServerDMOApp = new SQLDMO.Application();
        Info.informationLayer info = new Info.informationLayer();           
        SQLDMO.NameList oNameList;
        oNameList = oSQLServerDMOApp.ListAvailableSQLServers();
        for (int intIndex = 0; intIndex <= oNameList.Count - 1; intIndex++)
        {
            if (oNameList.Item(intIndex as object) != null)
            {
                cboListName.Items.Add(oNameList.Item(intIndex).ToString());
            }
        }
        if (cboListName.Items.Count > 0) cboListName.SelectedIndex = 0;
        else cboListName.Text = "(Local)";
        }
    catch
    {
}
}

Available databases

public void dIsplayDatabases(ComboBox cboDatabase,Info.informationLayer info)
{
    try
    {
        SQLDMO._SQLServer SQLServer = new SQLDMO.SQLServerClass();
        cboDatabase.Items.Clear();
        SQLServer.Connect(info.strServerName,info.strLoginName,info.strPwd);
        foreach (SQLDMO.Database db in SQLServer.Databases)
        {
            if (db.Name != null)
                cboDatabase.Items.Add(db.Name);
        }
        cboDatabase.Sorted = true;
        if (cboDatabase.Items.Count == 0)cboDatabase.Text = "<No databases found>";
    }
    catch (Exception err)
    {
       info.ErrorMessageDataLayer = err.Message;
    }
}
Create Job on Server Agent:
public void CreateJob_Sql(Info.informationLayer info)
{
    try
    {
        SQLDMO._SQLServer SQLServer = new SQLDMO.SQLServerClass();
        SQLDMO.Job SQLJob = new SQLDMO.Job();
        SQLDMO.JobSchedule SQLSchedule = new SQLDMO.JobSchedule();
        SQLServer.Connect(info.strServerName, info.strLoginName, info.strPwd);
        switch (SQLServer.JobServer.Status)
        {
            case SQLDMO_SVCSTATUS_TYPE.SQLDMOSvc_Stopped:
            SQLServer.JobServer.Start();
            SQLServer.JobServer.AutoStart = true;
            break;
        }
        SQLJob.Name = info.strDatabaseName;
        SQLJob.Description = "Check and Backup" + info.strDatabaseName;
        SQLServer.JobServer.Jobs.Add(SQLJob);
        SQLJob.Category = "Database Maintenance";
        SQLDMO.JobStep aJobStep = new SQLDMO.JobStep();
        aJobStep.Name = "Step 2: Backup the Database";
        aJobStep.StepID = 1;
        aJobStep.DatabaseName = info.strDatabaseName;
        aJobStep.SubSystem = "TSQL";
        //------>>> If BackUp Folder is Not Found then create BackUp Folder                
        string   DirectoryName = "D:\\BackUp";
        if (Directory.Exists(DirectoryName)==false)
        {
            System.IO.Directory.CreateDirectory(DirectoryName);
        }
        //------>>>
        string sExt;
        sExt="EXEC master.dbo.xp_sqlmaint '-S " + info.strServerName + " -U " + info.strLoginName + " -P " + info.strPwd + "  -D " + info.strDatabaseName + " -CkDB -CkAl -CkCat -BkUpMedia DISK -BkUpDB D:\\Backup  -BkExt BAK -DelBkUps 2weeks -BkUpOnlyIfClean -Rpt D:\\Backup\\BackDB_Checks.txt'";
        aJobStep.Command = sExt;
        aJobStep.OnSuccessAction = SQLDMO_JOBSTEPACTION_TYPE.SQLDMOJobStepAction_QuitWithSuccess;
        aJobStep.OnFailAction = SQLDMO_JOBSTEPACTION_TYPE.SQLDMOJobStepAction_QuitWithFailure;
        SQLJob.JobSteps.Add(aJobStep);
        SQLJob.ApplyToTargetServer(info.strServerName);
        aJobStep.DoAlter();
        SQLJob.Refresh();
        aJobStep.Refresh();
    }
    catch (Exception Err)
    {
        info.ErrorMessageDataLayer = Err.Message;
    }
}

Create Job shedule on  server Agent:

public void CreateShedule_Sql(Info.informationLayer info)
{
    try
    {
        //it will take bkp every week 2 day
        SQLDMO.Job SQLJob = new SQLDMO.Job();
        SQLDMO._SQLServer SQLServer = new SQLDMO.SQLServerClass();
        SQLDMO.JobSchedule SQLSchedule = new SQLDMO.JobSchedule();
        SQLServer.Connect(info.strServerName, info.strLoginName, info.strPwd);
        SQLJob = SQLServer.JobServer.Jobs.Item(info.strDatabaseName);
        // create a new JobSchedule object
        SQLSchedule.Name = "Weekly Backup";
        SQLSchedule.Schedule.FrequencyType = SQLDMO.SQLDMO_FREQUENCY_TYPE.SQLDMOFreq_Weekly;
        SQLSchedule.Schedule.FrequencyInterval = 2;
        SQLSchedule.Schedule.FrequencyRecurrenceFactor = 2;
        // // start on Mar22, 2015 - at 12.55
        SQLSchedule.Schedule.ActiveStartDate = info.intStartDate;
        SQLSchedule.Schedule.ActiveStartTimeOfDay = info.intStartTime;
        ////  this schedule has no end time or end date
        SQLSchedule.Schedule.ActiveEndDate = 99991231;
        SQLSchedule.Schedule.ActiveEndTimeOfDay = 235959;
        ////  add the schedule to the Job
        SQLJob.BeginAlter();
        SQLJob.JobSchedules.Add(SQLSchedule);
        SQLJob.DoAlter();
        //SQLJob.JobSchedules.Refresh();
        info.ErrorMessageDataLayer = "New Sql Job [Databasename= " + info.strDatabaseName + " ]Sucessfully Created.  ";
    }
    catch (Exception err)
    {
        info.ErrorMessageDataLayer = err.Message;
    }
}

Syntax (SQL Server)

xp_sqlmaint 'switch_string'
[
    [-S server_name[\instance_name]]
    [-U login_ID [-P password]]
    {
        [ -D database_name | -PlanName name | -PlanID guid ]
        [-Rpt text_file]
        [-To operator_name]
        [-HtmlRpt html_file [-DelHtmlRpt <time_period>] ]
        [-RmUnusedSpace threshold_percent free_percent]
        [-CkDB | -CkDBNoIdx]
        [-CkAl | -CkAlNoIdx]
        [-CkCat]
        [-UpdOptiStats sample_percent]
        [-RebldIdx free_space]
        [-WriteHistory]
        [
            {-BkUpDB [backup_path] | -BkUpLog [backup_path] }
            {-BkUpMedia
                {DISK [    [-DelBkUps <time_period>]
                            [-CrBkSubDir ] [ -UseDefDir ]
                         ]
                | TAPE
                }
            }
            [-BkUpOnlyIfClean]
            [-VrfyBackup]
        ]
    }
]
time_period
number[minutes | hours | days | weeks | months]

Syntax (SQL Server)

sqlmaint
[-?] |
[
    [-S server]
    [-U login_ID [-P password]]
    {
        [ -D database_name | -PlanName name | -PlanID guid ]
        [-Rpt text_file [-DelTxtRpt <time_period>] ]
        [-To operator_name]
        [-HtmlRpt html_file [-DelHtmlRpt <time_period>] ]
        [-RmUnusedSpace threshold_percent free_percent]
        [-CkDB | -CkDBNoIdx]
        [-CkAl | -CkAlNoIdx]
        [-CkTxtAl]
        [-CkCat]
        [-UpdSts]
        [-UpdOptiStats sample_percent]
        [-RebldIdx free_space]
        [-WriteHistory]
        [
            {-BkUpDB [backup_path] | -BkUpLog [backup_path] }
            {-BkUpMedia
                {DISK [    [-DelBkUps <time_period>]
                            [-CrBkSubDir ] [ -UseDefDir ]
                         ]
                | TAPE
                }
            }
            [-BkUpOnlyIfClean]
            [-VrfyBackup]
        ]
    }
]

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PowerShell is Microsoft’s new command-line shell and scripting language that promises to simplify automation and integration across different Microsoft applications and components. Database professionals can leverage PowerShell by utilizing its numerous built-in cmdlets, or using any of the readily available .NET classes, to automate database tasks, simplify integration, or just discover new ways to accomplish the job at hand.

Windows PowerShell commands can be a valuable addition to your SQL Server management tools. PowerShell is going to replace SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) anytime soon, it can be used for a wide range of scripted management tasks. PowerShell can run T-SQL commands and also work with objects outside of the SQL Server database. You can use the SQL Server PowerShell Provider to navigate and manage SQL Server database objects, and PowerShell scripts can be run by SQL Agent.

Here is a working Windows PowerShell script to perform a FULL database backup against the Northwind database, storing the backup file in your file system.

[System.Reflection.Assembly]::LoadWithPartialName('Microsoft.SqlServer.SMO') | out-null
$s = New-Object ('Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.Server') "LOCALHOST\SQL2005_1"

#Create a Backup object instance with the Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.Backup namespace
$dbBackup = new-object ("Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.Backup")

#Set the Database property to Northwind
$dbBackup.Database = "Northwind"

#Add the backup file to the Devices collection and specify File as the backup type
$dbBackup.Devices.AddDevice("D:\PSScripts\backups\NWind_FULL.bak", "File")

#Specify the Action property to generate a FULL backup
$dbBackup.Action="Database"

#Call the SqlBackup method to generate the backup
$dbBackup.SqlBackup($s)

Since you won't be performing backups of just a single database, it would be better if we loop the entire script in a For-Each cmdlet iterating thru the Databases collection of the Server object.

[System.Reflection.Assembly]::LoadWithPartialName("Microsoft.SqlServer.SMO") | out-null
$s = new-object ("Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.Server") $instance

$bkdir = "D:\PSScripts\backups" #We define the folder path as a variable
$dbs = $s.Databases
foreach ($db in $dbs)
{
     if($db.Name -ne "tempdb") #We don't want to backup the tempdb database
     {
     $dbname = $db.Name
     $dt = get-date -format yyyyMMddHHmm #We use this to create a file name based on the timestamp
     $dbBackup = new-object ("Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.Backup")
     $dbBackup.Action = "Database"
     $dbBackup.Database = $dbname
     $dbBackup.Devices.AddDevice($bkdir + "\" + $dbname + "_db_" + $dt + ".bak", "File")
     $dbBackup.SqlBackup($s)
     }
}

There are a lot of different reasons why we need to restore databases, so there are a lot more options with restores than there are with backups. The easiest way to demonstrate a restore is to simply restore a database from a full backup, setting the option to overwrite the existing database.

Restore-SqlDatabase -ServerInstance TESTSQL -Database Northwind`
-BackupFile "E:\Backup\Northwind_db_20130420153024.bak" -ReplaceDatabase

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If you are receiving following error:

TITLE: Connect to Server
Cannot connect to Database Server.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
An error has occurred while establishing a connection to the server.  When connecting to SQL Server 2008, this failure may be caused by the fact that under the default settings SQL Server does not allow remote connections. (provider: Named Pipes Provider, error: 40 – Could not open a connection to SQL Server) (Microsoft SQL Server, Error: 1326)

Now if SQL Server can be connected perfectly from local system but can not be connected from remote system, in that case firewall of the server where SQL Server is installed can be issue.

Follow instructions of this article to fix the issue.

Go to control panel >> Firewall Settings >> Add SQL Server’s Port to Exception List.

Click Add Port and fill this :

Now try to connect to SQL Server again. It will allow you to connect to server successfully.

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