NetWorker NMM Clustered SQL Server restore fails due to DNS Suffix Search List
Summary: NetWorker Module for Microsoft (NMM) Clustered SQL Server restore fails due to DNS Suffix Search List. This usually happens when there two domains, a parent DNS domain and a child DNS domain. ...
Symptoms
Typcaily errors are:
Cannot Login to Virtual SQL Server 'VirtualSQLServerName'
Cannot Login to Virtual SQL Server 'VirtualSQLServerName.mydomain.com'
The above errors appear to indicate that the backup user is unable to login to SQL Server.
Cause
This issue can occur there is a parent Domain Name Servers (DNS) Domain like mydomain.com and a child DNS domain like ad.mydomain.com,
the child domain has non-Authoritative DNS.
For example,
A SQL Server instance isinstalled in a Windows Failover Cluster and the cluster nodes are members of child dns domain - ad.mydomain.com
This domain is the Active Directory domain for Windows Failover Cluster and cluster nodes.
This domain has non-Authoritative DNS servers performing forward lookups, but has no existing reverse lookups.
For example, the DNS servers in ad.mydomain.com can resolve HostA but they cannot resolve the IP address of HostA.
The backup server operating system is Linux and is running in a parent dns domain - mydomain.com
This domain has Authoritative DNS servers with Both Forward and Reverse lookups.
For example, the DNS servers in mydomain.com can resolve HostA and they can also resolve the IP addess of HostA.
The Failover Cluster Virtual SQL Server Fully qualified Domain name (FQDN) is
Virtual_SQL_Servername.ad.mydomain.com
Resolution
To resolve this issue, check if the Client DNS Search Suffix List contains this order
ad.mydomain.com
mydomain.com
If that is the case, the order has to be changed to this order so that DNS searches will use the parnet domain first, example
mydomain.com
ad.mydomain.com
How to Change DNS Suffix Search List on WIndows
1. Run ipconfig /all
for example, you will see an output like this
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : ServerHostA
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . : mydomain.com
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : ad.mydomain.com <<< this is first in the list. >>> has to be changed
mydomain.com
2. Open Windows, Control Panel\Network and Internet\Network and Sharing Center\Change Adapter Settings
Right click the production adapter that contains the DNS server list, and edit properties of (TCP/IP v4) and then select Advanced, DNS.
Here you will the order of domains.
3. Once in properties of the production adapter that contains the DNS server list, edit properties of (TCP/IP v4) and then select Advanced, DNS,
and Move the child non-authoritative domain (ad.mydomain.com) below the partent domain (mydomain.com)