SQL Server Error “Named Pipes Provider: Could not open a connection to SQL Server [53]”

Question

I used to have a desktop application pointing to a Sybase database through an .ini file that had this connection string:

 CONNECTION_NAME = "DSN="Dna_Name";UID="User";PWD="Password""

It worked perfectly.

A few days ago the database has been migrated to SQL Server 2008 R2 and I need to update the .ini file to redirect the new production server. I updated the connection string as follow:

CONNECTION_NAME = "Provider=SQLNCLI10.1;Integrated Security=SSPI;Persist Security Info=False;Initial Catalog="CatalogName";Data Source="Production_DNS""

But I'm getting the following error:

Named Pipe Provider: Could not open a connection to SQL Server [53]

Additional notes:

• Production DNS is working perfectly in other IT areas and other apps are reaching the server without troubles.
• I'm trying to connect from dev box.
• The application is an inherited implementation with several years, that's why the *.ini file needs to be kept around.

I've some hours browsing internet for error details with almost no results.

Does the new connection string seems correct?. Any idea of what can be generating the error? Recommendations?

Thanks in advance,

Answer 1

Fortunately after digging around for several hours I have been told there is a production DNS error that was causing my issue.

I fixed the issue by providing the server name on the Data Source connection attribue as follow:

CONNECTION_NAME = "Provider=SQLNCLI10.1;Integrated Security=SSPI;Persist Security Info=False;Initial Catalog="CatalogName";Data Source="Production_Server_Name;""

Tip: to avoid errors on server name you can check it out through SQL Server Management Studio by executing the following T-SQL:

SELECT @@servername

Answer 2

You are probably pointing to the wrong server. I got same error pointing to a linux server.