Help with MS SQL Server 2008 Configuration

[wa6ilt]

We're getting ready to set up a new vCenter and plan to use MS SQL Server 2008 R2 for the data base.  Looking at the DB install docs there are a number of Windows service accounts that have to be set up.  Anybody have suggestions as to how to set these up?  For example, the doc says to use a "minimally-privileged" domain account if the service is going to interact with network services.  What privileges have people given this account?

Thanks.

David

[AWo]

Welcome to the forums!

Just do a standard installation of MS SQL and for vSphere stick to that documentation: http://pubs.vmware.com/vsphere-50/topic/com.vmware.vsphere.install.doc_50/GUID-36B92A8C-074A-4657-99...

There are scripts in that documentation which will do the work for you.

AWo

[wa6ilt]

I've started running through the install procedure and I can't get past setting up the ODBC DSN connection. I'm getting:

Connection failed

SQL State 28000

SQL Server Error 18456

Whick is a login failed error.  I've verified the user name and password on the SQL Server.  The 1433 port is open because the server is advertising itself and I can choose it from the drop down box set up dialog.  There's nothing I can see that should keep the connection from going through.  Searches for the error have not returned anything helpful.  Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

David

[GreatWhiteTec]

Go to SQL server configuration Manager and make sure that TCP/IP and named pipes are enabled as protocols.

[wa6ilt]

We've fought our way through 90%+ of the SQL Server setup prior to installing the vCenter server.  Can anybody help me out with the syntax for creating the ODBC DSN in the vCenter server database?

Thanks very much.

David

[GreatWhiteTec]

Procedure

1	On your vCenter Server system, select Settings > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Data Sources (ODBC).
2	Click the System DSN tab and do one of the following. ■ To modify an existing SQL Server ODBC connection, select the connection from the System Data Source list and click Configure. ■ To create a new SQL Server ODBC connection, click Add, select SQL Native Client, and click Finish.
3	Type an ODBC datastore name (DSN) in the Name text box. For example, VMware vCenter Server.
4	(Optional) Type an ODBC DSN description in the Description text box.
5	Select the server name from the Server drop-down menu. Type the SQL Server host name in the text box if it is not in the drop-down menu.
6	Select one of the authentication methods. ■ Integrate Windows authentication. Optionally, enter the Service Principal Name (SPN). ■ SQL Server authentication. Type your SQL Server login name and password.
7	Select the database created for the vCenter Server system from the Change the default database to menu.
8	Click Finish.
9	For SQL Server 2005 and SQL Server 2008 editions, test the data source by selecting Test Data Source and clicking OK from the ODBC Microsoft SQL Server Setup menu.
10	Verify that the SQL Agent is running on your database server.

http://pubs.vmware.com/vsphere-50/index.jsp?topic=%2Fcom.vmware.vsphere.install.doc_50%2FGUID-36B92A...