Connecting to an Existing Enterprise Database

If your organization has already created an enterprise database on Oracle or SQL Server and you have an active user account, you can use an enterprise database connection file (*.rserp) to connect with the database. You can create this file yourself or use a file that has been created by someone else.

Creating a Connection File

To create a connection file, choose File > New > Enterprise Database Connection File.

Tip: If you need to be able to create a connection file without using a ReliaSoft desktop application (i.e., without taking up one of the available license seats), you can access this same feature from the ReliaSoft Admin tool.

This command creates an enterprise database connection file (*.rserp) that is stored locally on your computer; the file contains all of the necessary information for connecting to the enterprise database.

Enter a name for the connection file, then choose the database type and version.

  • For a SQL Server database:
    • Select Encrypt communication if you want to encrypt the connection between the application and the database. When using this option, your IT group must also install an SSL certificate on the SQL Server and turn on the encrypted communication protocol for the instance where the database is installed. If an SSL certificate is not available, then you must clear this option.
    • Select Trust server certificate if the server has a self-signed certificate.

    IMPORTANT: A self-signed certificate used in this configuration is less secure and allows for the possibility of man-in-the-middle attacks or identity spoofing. This is not a recommended setting for production systems.

    • Select Use impersonation if you want the connection file to impersonate a Windows user account with a SQL Server login that can be shared by multiple users. This connection file can then be distributed to any user who does not have his/her own individual SQL Server login and is not part of a Microsoft Active Directory® group that has a login. (See SQL Server Logins or Using Windows Impersonation.) Using this option provides tighter, more secure control of the database access permissions.
  • For an Oracle database, enter the port, host and service identifiers, the database schema and the password for the enterprise database schema.
    • If you are including special characters in the password, you must include quotes around each special character when entering the password.

Note: If you want to encrypt the connection for an Oracle implementation, you must set the encryption type to either "requested" or "required" for the Oracle database. For more information, please consult the Oracle documentation (e.g., https://docs.oracle.com/cd/B19306_01/network.102/b14268/asoconfg.htm#i1007808).

Using an *.rserp File to Connect to an Enterprise Database

If you have used the connection file recently, choose File > Recent and then select the file in the Recent Databases list.

Otherwise, choose File > Open Database and then browse for the *.rserp file.

If you are unable to connect to an enterprise database, you may be encountering one of the following issues:

  • Account configuration problems. Your account in the database may be nonexistent, not active or not assigned to at least one security group. You will need assistance from someone who can create and update user accounts (see Managing User Accounts).
  • Cannot connect to the server or login failed. Server-related issues may occur for several reasons, and you may see various messages pertaining to the situation. Common issues are:
    • You do not have a network connection or you may have entered the incorrect database name or server name in the connection file.
    • The SQL Server database resides in a different domain than the one you have used to log in to Windows and your network cannot recognize the domain name you have entered. Depending on your network configuration, you may be able to connect using either the "fully qualified domain name" (FQDN) or the IP address for the server.
    • In SQL Server databases, a login issue may occur if your username is not associated with a SQL Server Login. (See SQL Server Logins or Using Windows Impersonation.)
    • The server is not configured to allow remote connections, has certain firewall settings or is experiencing other issues.

Note: If you get an "error occurred when reading the connection file" message, the connection file may be corrupted or is using old encryption. You can create a new connection file by choosing File > New > Enterprise Database Connection File.

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