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Dwight BaerFlag for Canada

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Solar Winds can't see SQL Server Express

I'm trying to install an evaluation instance of Solar Winds to monitor my network.  I put SQL Server Express on a separate machine, in the same domain as the Solar Winds machine.  I installed SQL Server Express with the Basic installation, using all the defaults.

But now when I'm trying to configure Solar Winds, it can't see my SQL Server instance.  What am I missing?

Both machines are on the same subnet and belong to the same domain.  DNS is working.

Screen snaps are attached.SQL-Server-screen-snaps.pdf
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gheist
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localhost needs TCP
\\.\SQLEXPRESS uses local pipe
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Vitor Montalvão
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Sorry I'm an absolute beginner with SQL Server:

Neither the SQL Server Agent nor the SQL Server Browser are running.

See the last page on the attached.

SQL-Server-screen-snaps-more.pdf
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Sorry gheist ... I didn't understand your answer.  

Are you saying that I need to install TCP - Is there something not installed in my server  environment?  If so ... In Server Manager, how would I install TCP?
Vitor ... I did manage to start the SQL Server Browser.  Then, in my Solar Winds VM, I cancelled out of the SolarWinds configuration Wizard and re-started it, in order to refresh it.  But it still doesn't see my SQL Server.
Sorry, I just realized that you attached a set of screenshots and not a single one. You can use the "Insert Image" option to post a screenshot. It will be more easier for us to see the images.

Anyway, did you try to type the SQL Server instance name instead of expecting it to appear in the list?
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OK, progress:  I turned off the firewall on my SQL Server VM (SQL-VM), and now the Solar Winds VM (SW-VM) can see my instance of SQL Server.  Yeah!  But I don't know what user to use ... I don't remember setting up a user in the SQL Server Express "Basics - just the defaults" installation.

Sorry ... "Insert an image" needs a .jpg image I think, it doesn't access a screen-snap from my clipboard.  I've attached another pdf file.

No-SQL-User-error.pdf
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I've tried sa ... admin ... administrator ... sql-vm\administrator (which is what the "Success" screen said was the name of the SQL administrator.

I think I'm going to go ahead and install SQL Server Express on the same VM as where Solar Winds is.  Not ideal, but I'm sure I'll learn something.  I'll take a snapshot first.
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I'm installing Solar Winds in the SQL Server machine.  Then off for the weekend.  Thanks for the help.  I'll let you know next week how it went.
Dwight, any feedback for us?
So sorry.

The problem was, SQL Server Express has to be installed on the same machine.  Once I put everything on the same machine, everything worked.  Thanks a lot for your help.
The problem was, SQL Server Express has to be installed on the same machine.
Looks like Solar Winds is trying to connect to local instance then. Will be good to know if this is the default behavior and if it can be changed by some kind of configuration set.
Anyway, you can close this question by selecting your last comment as solution.
Thanks a lot!