DBServer Troubleshooting

There are many potential reasons why a user might not be able to open a DBserver project. Please check the following:

Are Active Directory users experiencing access problems?

On the MS SQL server, check if the Citavi users have permission to log on to the server. Open Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio. Then, click Security > Logins.

• If you're using MS SQL Server Express, please make sure that an entry for the group BUILTIN\Users is present. This group should be added by default during the installation (see Microsoft's documentation).

• In other MS SQL Server editions, the database administrator must define an AD group that contains all users who will be working with Citavi for DBServer.

The group should have the public server role.

Without a group entry, an AD user will be unable to log on to the SQL Server. All additional permissions are controlled by settings at the database level.

Is TCP/IP enabled and configured correctly on the server?

• Open the SQL Server Configuration Manger and navigate to SQL Server Network Configuration > Protocols for MSSQLServer/'Instance name'. If TCP/IP is disabled, click Enable.
• Open the TCP/IP Properties dialog and switch to the IP Addresses tab. Scroll down to the IP All properties. If a static TCP port has been entered, the port must also be specified when connecting to the DBServer Manager. If dynamic TCP ports are enabled, the SQL Server Browser service must be run.

Are the Firewall rules defined correctly to allow access from outside the SQL server?

To check, compare the paths for the .exe files for the SQL server services with the Firewall configured settings and add them, if necessary. Follow the steps that apply to your situation:

1. Open Services.

2. At the same time, start the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security and go to the Inbound Rules section.

A. Default instance or default installation of a named instance, which is the only running instance on the computer, and which is run with a static TCP port:

1. If you carried out the installation using the Citavi Setup, you can find a rule in Windows Firewall with Advanced Security with the name Microsoft SQL Server Express for Citavi.
1. Switch to the Services window and search for the SQL Server (Instance name) service. Right-click it and then select Properties > General. Make a note of the path to the .exe file.
2. In Windows Firewall with Advanced Security, double-click the inbound rule, and then click the Programs and Services tab. The path displayed there must be the same as the path for the .exe file that you noted in step A1.1. If it is not, correct the path in the Firewall rule.
2. If the rule is not present, add it manually:
1. Right-click Inbound rules, and then select New Rule.
2. Select the Program rule type and click Next.
3. Under This program path enter the path to the SQL Server .exe file.
4. Select the Allow the connection option.
5. Select the profiles to which the rule applies (in most cases Domain and potentially also Private).
6. Enter a name for the rule, add a description if you want, and then click Finish.

B. Named Instances when using dynamic TCP ports:

1. Check if an inbound rule for the SQL Server Browser is present.
1. Switch to the Services window and search for the SQL Server Browser service. Then, right-click it and select Properties > General. Make a note of the path to the .exe file.
2. In Windows Firewall with Advanced Security, double-click the inbound rule and then click the Programs and Services tab. The path displayed there must be the same as the path for the .exe file that you noted in step B1.1. If it is not, correct the path in the Firewall rule.
2. If the rule is not present, add it manually by following steps A2.1-2.6 above.

If you are using an alternate or additional Firewall, you will need to check the inbound rule and add it if it is not present.

Is the MS SQL server running in mixed mode?

If you have some users who are authenticated using their Windows login and some who are using an SQL user account, the SQL Server must be run in Mixed Mode.

1. Open Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio.
2. Click the server and then click Properties.
3. Click Security. Under Server authentification, make sure that the SQL Server and Windows Authentification mode is selected.

You can also change this setting in DBServer Manager:

1. Connect to the database as an administrator.
2. Click Manage users.
3. Click Change server authentication.

In both cases the SQL Server service needs to be restarted for the changes to take effect.

Is the Citavi database unavailable from the SQL server?

In SQL Server Management Studio, check if the Citavi database is currently in the "Recovering" state. This can happen if the SQL Server was unable to restore the database (after an electrical outage, for example). To fix the problem, restart the SQL Server service.