SQL Express Azure VM, Can't Connect

Question

SQL Express Azure VM, Can't Connect

Jeff White 0

I have an Azure VM with SQL Express on it and cannot connect from the internet. I've done a lot of troubleshooting already including:

Checked to be sure TCP/IP was enabled in SQL Configuration
Checked to be sure the correct IP address shows in SQL Configuration
Temporarily disabled the Windows Firewall
Checked the Azure Network Security Group to be sure 1433 was open Note that I have opened other ports in the NSG and those are working
Can connect on the local machine using SMS
Checked in SMS to be sure the allow remote checkbox is checked
Using netstat, SQL is not listening on 1433
Looking in the startup logs SQL is not listening on 1433

The SQL Express Instance was INSTALLED from the installer however when the VM was setup someone (I was not involved) did add an Azure SQL VM; sadly I have no idea whether local or public was selected during provisioning.

I suspect there is some interaction between the two but I am not sure if I can remove and re-provision the SQL VM without affecting the VM I have many other items installed on. In Azure portal they do show as separate items.

I also can't see how to check/change the Azure SQL VM access that was setup when the Azure SQL VM was provisioned. Everything I have found points to provisioning. I have not found any mention of how to change it after the fact.

2 answers

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Answer 1

TP 111.4K

Hi Jeff,

Inside of the VM, using SQL Server Configuration Manager, please confirm and adjust if needed so that it matches below:

In left pane, navigate to and select SQL Server Network Configuration - Protocols for MSSQLSERVER, then in right pane double-click on TCP/IP. Check Protocol and IP Addresses tabs: qna sql express1

qna sql express2

Please Restart SQL Server service using services.msc after making and saving any changes to configuration.

Check in command prompt to see if it listening:

qna sql express3

Please click Accept Answer and upvote if above was helpful.

Thanks.

-TP

Jeff White 0 Reputation points

2024-03-17T18:22:57.0266667+00:00

As mentioned in the OP already did this, maybe 5-10 times :) but thanks.
TP 111.4K Reputation points

2024-03-17T19:13:52.65+00:00

As mentioned in the OP already did this, maybe 5-10 times :) but thanks.

Jeff, I'm aware you mentioned it in your question.

Inside of SQL Server Configuration Manager, there are multiple places where you can enable TCP/IP. One of the goals of my posting screenshot, is to have you verify that you enabled it on the correct one. Not everyone knows which one is correct.

In your OP, you mentioned that you "Checked to be sure the correct IP address shows in SQL Configuration". Notice in my screenshot there is no IP address shown. One goal of my posting the screenshot is to have you set it to listen on all IP addresses since attempting to have it listen on a specific one is another area where people can go wrong. Perhaps you meant something different, but I can't assume that.

If for some reason you want it to only bind to a specific IP you need to make sure it is the correct private IP and this needs to be set as static on the Azure ip configuration of the interface.

In your case you know sql server isn't listening for incoming TCP/IP on 1433 so that is why your attempts to connect to it over the internet are failing. For this reason my response to you focused on issues that would prevent sql server from listening on TCP/IP and verifying that you have configuration correct.
TP 111.4K Reputation points

2024-03-17T20:01:22.1966667+00:00

I did quick test by deploying fresh SQL Express VM via portal. For SQL connectivity i selected Local (inside VM only). Once VM was created, I checked and SQL Server was listening on port 1433.

All I needed to do to be able to connect to it from the Internet was to create Inbound rule in Windows Firewall with Advanced Security (wf.msc) and inbound rule in the NSG.

In your case it isn't listening on port 1433, but I wanted to demonstrate what steps would be needed if VM was originally provisioned as local only as you suspected.

NOTE: Another difference is you said SQL Server Express was installed from installer (I'm assuming manually), whereas what I describe above is using Marketplace image.

Answer 2

LiHongMSFT-4306 31,311

Hi @Jeff White

This article provides some steps to help you troubleshoot these connect errors, which are provided in order of the issues from simple to complex.

Best regards,

Cosmog Hong

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SQL Express Azure VM, Can't Connect

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