SharePoint Products Configuration Wizard Failed to Connect to the Database Server.

Problem:
SharePoint sites crashed suddenly! Found event id 5586 “The target principal name is incorrect. Cannot generate SSPI context.” logged in SharePoint servers.

Tried running SharePoint 2013 Products configuration wizard. Received error message:
“Failed to connect to the database server. Ensure the database server exists, is a SQL server, and that your have the appropriate permissions to access the server.”

Failed to connect to the database server. Ensure the database server exists, is a Sql server, and that your have the appropriate permissions to access the server.

Troubleshooting:

  • Verified the Network connectivity, Port open in the database server (Netstat -a -n -o)
  • Made sure the Firewall is disabled. TCP/IP, Named Pipe protocols are enabled in SQL Server.
  • Verified the SQL Server service is up and running
  • Verified all required permissions to connect with SQL Server. Made sure no service account is locked. Tried restarting the services and server.
  • But when tried establishing a connection to SQL Server as in How to Check SQL Server Connectivity from SharePoint?, it failed!

The Final solution worked for me:

  • Go to your Active Directory >> Under Computer node, select your SQL Server >> Right Click >> Properties
  • Click on “Attribute Editor” tab, Edit “ServicePrincipalName” attribute
  • Remove these two highlighted entries which starts with “MSSQLSvc” 
  • Restart your database server.

Salaudeen Rajack

Salaudeen Rajack - Information Technology Expert with Two decades of hands-on experience, specializing in SharePoint, PowerShell, Microsoft 365, and related products. Passionate about sharing the deep technical knowledge and experience to help others, through the real-world articles!

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