ExchangePro: SQL Server (or Express) Setup (4312193)

Using Exchange Pro with SQL Express (free version) is quite different for configurations than regular SQL Server. If the customer is using SQL Express, it must have been installed with the same account that is running the Exchange Pro application on that server. By default, when you install SQL Express, only the user who installed it has access to the databases. So if the customer installed SQL express without the management tools and you are using a different login to run Exchange Pro you won’t be able to connect to SQL.

1)      Installing Correct Version of SQL Express

When installing SQL Express 2008, there is one version that has the management studio and one that doesn’t. If the client has installed it without the management studio, it might be a good idea to uninstall and re-install with the proper version.

Correct download for SQL Express:  http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=23650 

2)        Setting TCPIP Connections

SQL Express will by default not allow TCPIP connections and must be enable. If you see this error when you are trying to connect to the database server then you will need to following the steps to turn on TCPIP connectivity.

Follow these steps to provide the capability:

a. Open up the SQL Server Configuration Manager. Programs / Microsoft SQL Server 2008 / Configuration Tools / SQL Server Configuration Manager.

b. Expand the SQL Server Network Configuration node and select the Protocols for SQLEXPRESS

c. Enable TCP/IP by right-clicking and selecting Enable, then OK.

d. Click on the SQL Server Services node and in the right panel right-click SQL Server (EXPRESS) and select restart to restart the service.

3)       Turn on SQL Browsing Service

a. Open up the SQL Server Configuration Manager. Programs / Microsoft SQL Server 2008 / Configuration Tools / SQL Server Configuration Manager.

b. Click on the SQL Server Services and select SQL Server Browser

c. Enable the service by right-clicking and selecting Start, then OK.

4)      Verify Database Connectivity

To validate that the SQL Express server is available for remote TCPIP connections you need to do the following. 

a. Open up the SQL Server Management Studio. Programs / Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2/  SQL Server Management Studio.

b. From the “Connect to Server” window selected the drop-down menu for “Server name:” and choose “Browse for more…” from the available option.

c. Choose the Network Servers Tab, and expand the Database Engine options available.

d. Select “Server-Name \ SQLExpress” and choose OK

e. Set Authentication to “Windows Authentication” and click on the “Connect” button.  Verify that the database connects and you are ready to proceed with installing Exchange Pro.

5)      Setup Exchange Pro Complete for Database Connectivity