SQL Replication 'The process could not connect to Subscriber'

Question

I have three servers, all Windows 2008 + SQL Server 2008 R2:

• Server 'A'
• Server 'B'
• Server 'Z'

A and B are publishers, Z is a subscriber to both A and B. The subscriptions are configured in 'Push' mode (i.e. From Distributor to Subscriber).

Replication from A to Z works perfectly.

Replication from B to Z fails with the message 'The process could not connect to Subscriber 'ServerZ''. This message displays in the sync status on the Distributor (Server B).

The connection is being run with SQL Logins, and I've checked all the passwords many times - and I can connect through SQL Management Studio without any issues - but when the same credentials are put into Replication, it fails...

Why? And how do I stop it?

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

Found out in the end the issue was to do with the Port numbers replication was attempting to connect on (which were non-standard).

It seems the order which you specify the ports in the SQL network configuration dictates which one it will use if one is not specified in the connection attempt.