Hello.
I'm trying unsuccesfully to replicate thru computers in a VPN.

What's my CSI? ;)
I have multiple computers all over the country. All of them with no real
IPs. Only one of them has real ip. I have Kerio Router Firewall with VPN
server. It works fine. everybody can connect from each city OK. But when I
try to replicate i get multiple error messages.

Then i tried in a LAN. All computers in the same IP range. I took one and
made it the SERVER. Then i installed win2003, vpn and sql. Nothing. It
doesn't work. It says all the time "The process could not connect to
Distributor 'JUCAR-2'. The step failed." I already used Client Network
Utility to map the IP and server name but it keeps NOT WORKING.... :(

I hope you can help me. I really need to get this working.

Greetings

Jose,
if you also can't ping the server 'JUCAR-2' from the subscriber, then I
believe something is wrong with the VPN setup because the name resolution
isn't functioning correctly. You could edit the HOSTS file on the client as
a temporary solution.
Cheers,
Paul Ibison SQL Server MVP, www.replicationanswers.com
(recommended sql server 2000 replication book:
http://www.nwsu.com/0974973602p.html)

Hello Paul... well, first of all, i bought that book a couple of days ago.
But i couldnt find any answer in it about my issue.

Well... i can ping the JUCAR-2 server from the subscriber. I can even make
all the operations. I talk about import and export data... I also
registered. So, this is prove they are connected. But when I try
replication.... none. I tried the HOSTS file nothing.

I can't understand what's going on

Jose

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Hello Paul... well, first of all, i bought that book a couple of days ago.
But i couldnt find any answer in it about my issue.

Well... i can ping the JUCAR-2 server from the subscriber. I can even make
all the operations. I talk about import and export data... I also
registered. So, this is prove they are connected. But when I try
replication.... none. I tried the HOSTS file nothing.

I can't understand what's going on

Jose

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Jose,
can you post up the complete error message. If not a lot comes back, then
please enable logging and post up that. I suspect it is a logon issue, but
I'd like to see the message to confirm.
Cheers,
Paul Ibison SQL Server MVP, www.replicationanswers.com
(recommended sql server 2000 replication book:
http://www.nwsu.com/0974973602p.html)

Paul

This is step by step what I do:
1. VPN is well configured. My VPN IP is 172.27.0.1 (PUBLISHER)
2. SUBSCRIBER is 172.27.0.10
3. I already registered on PUBLISHER the SUBSCRIBER as 172.27.0.10 (i also
used the Client Network Utility on the PUBLISHER to Alias this server with
his original name)
4. I already registered on SUBSCRIBER the PUBLISHER as 172.27.0.1 (i also
used the Client Network Utility on the SUBSCRIBER to Alias this server with
his original name)
5. I added to HOSTS file the ip and name of the PUBLISHER.
6. I'm testing VPN in a 10 computers LAN. PC1 is configured as VPN SERVER
and the rest, workstation/clients. Each workstation represents a national
location. For example, PC2 is City2, PC3 is Country1, PC4 is Country2... you
follow me?
When I register the sqlservers i have to use their IPs 'cause there is not
way for them to find themselves in the VPN network. For example, when i
register a new server in my Publisher, it automatically finds all the
servers in my LAN (not thru VPN network)... so, I have to manually adds the
server IP in order to reach it thru the VPN, not the LAN. (remember i'm
testing/simulating in my LAN). I think this is giving me the conflicts. When
my subscription tries to find JUCAR-2 (my VPN SERVER and SQL PUBLISHER) it
just says "It can't connect to JUCAR-2". I think the subscriber is doing
NOTHING with the IP cause the publication apparently appears under the
ServerName, not IP.

I keep on reading the Hilary Cotter book but i can't find anything useful
for this.
These are the error messages:
The process could not connect to Distributor 'JUCAR-2'. NOTE: The step was
retried the requested number of times (10) without succeeding. The step
failed.
That's it.

WEll... i keep on trying to find out... any other suggestion?
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Jose,
I think the fact that you are using IP addresses is the problem. As far as I
can tell, you're using your LAN and simulating a VPN by avoiding the name
resolution available on your LAN and using IP addresses. I think the only
way to get this properly tested is to register the servers using server name
on the VPN. If name resolution isn't working then something is probably
wrong with the network setup and your ability to 'see' the DNS server.
Cheers,
Paul Ibison SQL Server MVP, www.replicationanswers.com
(recommended sql server 2000 replication book:
http://www.nwsu.com/0974973602p.html)

Paul.
It works. I blocked connection between LAN and FIREWALL. I set only VPN to
FIREWALL and viceversa. This way the publisher and subscriber found
themselves thru VPN.
Thanks for your time.
Very kind from you


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