Knowledge Base

Add the NETWORK SERVICE user to security policies to solve the issue

This article applies to:

• Acronis Recovery for MS SQL Server

For other Acronis products see:

• Acronis True Image Management Console Hangs When Connecting to Acronis Agent
• Acronis Recovery for Microsoft Exchange Management Console Hangs or Errors Out When Connecting to Acronis Agent

Symptoms

Acronis Recovery for MS SQL Server Management Console hangs when you are trying to connect to an Acronis Agent.

Or you are connecting to the Microsoft SQL server via Remote Desktop (RDP) and run Acronis Recovery for MS SQL Management Console in this RDP session to connect to the locally installed Acronis Agent. The connection succeeds but the Acronis Management Console hangs when you go through the Backup creation wizard on the step after providing credentials to connect to the SQL server.

Cause

Acronis Agent does not have enough privileges to allow the connection.

Solution

If the issue is not with the RDP connection, do the following:

1. On the machine where Acronis Agent is installed, depending on the operating system, do the following:
   Windows Server 2003

   1. Go to Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Local Security Policy;
   2. On the Local Security Settings screen select Local Policies -> User Rights Assignment;
   3. Make sure that the NETWORK SERVICE user is present in the following policies:

   • Adjust memory quotas for a process
   • Replace a process level token

   

   

   (!) To add the NETWORK SERVICE user you will need to do the following:

   1. Right-click on the service and select Properties;
   2. Click Add User or Group;
   3. In the new window type in NETWORK SERVICE;
   4. Click OK.

   If the machine with Microsoft SQL Server is part of a domain, then domain security policy will overwrite the local security policy. Please set the security policy accordingly:

   • If Microsoft SQL Server is running on a machine, which is part of a domain, but is not a Domain Controller, then the default domain security settings are to be changed:
     1. Go to Start -> All Programs -> Administrative Tools -> Domain Security Policy -> Security Settings -> Local Policies -> User Rights Assignment
     2. Add the NETWORK SERVICE user as described above (if the user is not already there).
   • If Microsoft SQL Server is running on a Domain Controller, then the default domain controller security settings are to be changed:
     1. Go to Start -> All Programs -> Administrative Tools -> Domain Controller Security Policy -> Security Settings -> Local Policies -> User Rights Assignment
     2. Add the NETWORK SERVICE user as described above (if the user is not already there).
   • Restart the Acronis Agent service:
     1. Click Start -> Run;
     2. Type services.msc in the command prompt and hit Enter;
     3. Right-click on the Acronis Remote Agent line and choose Restart in the pop-up menu.

   Windows 2000 Server, Windows Server 2008

   1. Go to Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Local Security Policy;
   2. On the Local Security Settings screen select Local Policies -> User Rights Assignment;
   3. Make sure that the SYSTEM user is present in the following policies:

   • Adjust memory quotas for a process (or increase quotas in Windows 2000)
   • Replace a process level token

   

   

   (!) To add the SYSTEM user you will need to do the following:

   1. Right-click on the service and select Properties;
   2. Click Add User or Group;
   3. In the new window type in SYSTEM;
   4. Click OK.

   If the machine with Microsoft SQL Server is part of a domain, then domain security policy will overwrite the local security policy. Please set the security policy accordingly:

   • If Microsoft SQL Server is running on a machine, which is part of a domain, but is not a Domain Controller, then the default domain security settings are to be changed:
     1. Go to Start -> All Programs -> Administrative Tools -> Domain Security Policy -> Security Settings -> Local Policies -> User Rights Assignment
     2. Add the SYSTEM user as described above (if the user is not already there).
   • If Microsoft SQL Server is running on a Domain Controller, then the default domain controller security settings are to be changed:
     1. Go to Start -> All Programs -> Administrative Tools -> Domain Controller Security Policy -> Security Settings -> Local Policies -> User Rights Assignment
     2. Add the SYSTEM user as described above (if the user is not already there).
   • Restart the Acronis Agent service:
     1. Click Start -> Run;
     2. Type services.msc in the command prompt and hit Enter;
     3. Right-click on the Acronis Remote Agent line and choose Restart in the pop-up menu.

If the issue is with the RDP connection, do the following:

The issue is with the authentication specifics of RDP session which affects the Acronis Recovery for MS SQL connection algorithms. The solution is to connect to the Microsoft SQL server using the mstsc -console command, i.e. run the RDP connection in console mode. After that the issue should be resolved.

More information

It is also recommended to add the NETWORK SERVICE user to the default domain security policy on the primary domain controller:

• Start -> All Programs -> Administrative Tools -> Domain Security Policy -> Security Settings -> Local Policies -> User Rights Assignment

You can also view the resulting effective policy in the following way:

• Start -> Run -> rsop.msc -> Computer Configuration -> Windows Settings -> Security Settings -> Local Policies -> User Rights Assignment