Spotlight cannot connect to the Playback database (4337148)

After installing Spotlight GUI, diagnostic server, statistics repository, and playback database, Spotlight generates an error saying "Spotlight cannot connect to the playback database".

Spotlight Today indicates the following alarm messages under diagnostic server:

"Spotlight cannot connect to the playback database <databasename> as the Diagnostic Server user. The TCP/IP connection to the host has failed. java.net.ConnectException: Connection refused: connect"
or

"Spotlight cannot connect to the playback database <databasename> as the Diagnostic Server user. QUERY connection not available for playback data."

The SQL Server instance where the playback database is installed is not permitting remote connections or the diagnostic user does not have privilege to connect remotely. There may also be a DNS issue in the customer's environment.

When connecting to the playback database diagnostic server uses Java classes which relay on TCP/IP protocol

1. Ensure that the "SQL Server Browser" service is running

2. TCP/IP SQL Server protocol must be enabled.
            a. Open SQL Server Configuration Manager
            b. Expand the option SQL Server 2005 Network Configuration, highlight "Protocols for MSSQLSERVER". Double click "TCP/IP" to view
            the properties window.  Ensure "Enabled" is set to "Yes", change if not. Select tab "IP Addresses", ensure that the correct TCP port
            used by SQL Server is indicated
            c. Click "Apply" and restart the MSSQLSERVER service

3. Named Pipes SQL Server Protocol must be enabled.
          a. Open SQL Server Configuration Manager
          b. Expand the option SQL Server 2005 Network Configuration, highlight "Protocols for MSSQLSERVER". Double click "Named Pipes" to view
          the properties window. Ensure "Enabled" is set to "Yes", change if not.
           c. Click "Apply" and restart the MSSQLSERVER service

4. From the diagnostic server (DS) machine, check if the DS user indicated when creating the playback database can connect remotely via TCP.
          Open command prompt and run:

            sqlcmd -U <username> -P <password> -S <SQL_instance>,<TCP_port>

            e.g.
            sqlcmd -U sa -P sa -S SQLSERVER,1433

5. Restart the diagnostic server service

6. Try using the IP address of the SQL Server instance hosting the Spotlight playback database.