Troubleshooting: Management Reporter 2012 Connection Errors with Dynamics GP

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Encountering the frustrating “Can’t connect to the Management Reporter server” error when initiating Microsoft Management Reporter 2012? This issue can impede your financial reporting processes and disrupt workflows. This article is designed to provide comprehensive resolutions to help you overcome these connection obstacles and restore seamless operation of Management Reporter 2012 with Dynamics GP.

Symptoms¶

When launching Microsoft Management Reporter 2012 (MR 2012), you might be confronted with one of the following error messages that indicate a failure to establish a connection with the server:

A connection to the server could not be established. Check the server address and try again or contact your system administrator.

Can’t connect to the Management Reporter server. Do you want to specify a different server address?

To effectively diagnose and resolve Management Reporter connection problems, it is crucial to acknowledge the initial error message by selecting OK. Subsequently, clicking on Test Connection often reveals a more specific error message, providing deeper insights into the root cause. Furthermore, the Event Viewer serves as a valuable resource for additional error details. Navigate to Windows Logs and then Application within Event Viewer. Examine the Source column, specifically looking for entries related to Management Reporter Report Designer or Management Reporter Services. These logs can contain critical information for pinpointing the exact nature of the connection issue.

The following list outlines common error messages encountered when selecting Test Connection, along with associated errors that may be found in the Event Viewer. Identify your specific error message within this list and refer to the corresponding Cause and Resolution sections for targeted troubleshooting steps.

• Error Message: “Connection attempt failed. There is a version mismatch between the client and the server. Contact your system administrator.”

  • See Cause 1: Management Reporter’s version is different

• Error Message: “Connection attempt failed. User does not have appropriate permissions to connect to the server. Contact your system administrator.”

  • See Cause 2: User isn’t set up in Management Reporter

• Error Message: “A connection to the server could not be established. Check the server address and try again or contact your system administrator.”

  Note: “Servername” is a placeholder for your actual server name, and “4712” represents the port selected during the Management Reporter installation. If you consult the Event Viewer, you might encounter the following error messages:

  Message: System.ServiceModel.Security.SecurityNegotiationException: SOAP security negotiation with https://servername:4712/SecurityService.svc for target https://servername:4712/SecurityService.svc failed. See inner exception for more details. —> System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception: The Security Support Provider Interface (SSPI) negotiation failed.”

  • See Cause 3: Computer isn’t connected to the Management Reporter’s domain
  • See Cause 7: The computer can’t communicate or authenticate with the domain
  • See Cause 9: No SPN is created for the domain account that’s running Management Reporter services

• Error Message: “Message: System.ServiceModel.EndpointNotFoundException: There was no endpoint listening at https://servername:4712/InformationService.svc that could accept the message. This is often caused by an incorrect address or SOAP action. See InnerException, if present, for more details. —> System.Net.WebException: Unable to connect to the remote server —> System.Net.Sockets.SocketException: A connection attempt failed because the connected party did not properly respond after a period of time, or established connection failed because connected host has failed to respond.”

  • See Cause 5: Port isn’t set up as an exclusion in Firewall

• Error Message: “Message: System.ServiceModel.Security.MessageSecurityException: An unsecured or incorrectly secured fault was received from the other party. See the inner FaultException for the fault code and detail. —> System.ServiceModel.FaultException: An error occurred when verifying security for the message.”

  • See Cause 4: Wrong time on the client or server

• Error Message: “Message: System.TimeoutException: The request channel timed out attempting to send after 00:00:40. Increase the timeout value passed to the call to Request or increase the SendTimeout value on the Binding. The time allotted to this operation may have been a portion of a longer timeout. —> System.TimeoutException: The HTTP request to https://servername:4712/InformationService.svc has exceeded the allotted timeout of 00:00:39.9660000. The time allotted to this operation may have been a portion of a longer timeout. —> System.Net.WebException: The operation has timed out”

  or

  Message: System.ServiceModel.Security.MessageSecurityException: The security timestamp is invalid because its creation time (‘2024-09-15T18:08:07.177Z’) is in the future. Current time is ‘2024-09-1T18:00:34.847Z’ and allowed clock skew is ‘00:05:00’.”

  Note: The date/time indicated above is for illustrative purposes and represents an example of the actual date/time you may encounter.

  • See Cause 4: Wrong time on the client or server

• Error Message: “Message: System.Data.SqlClient.SqlException (0x80131904): A connection was successfully established with the server, but then an error occurred during the pre-login handshake. (provider: SSL Provider, error: 0 - The certificate chain was issued by an authority that is not trusted.)”

  • See Cause 6: SSL isn’t set up when Encrypt connection is enabled

• Error Message: “Message: System.ServiceModel.Security.SecurityNegotiationException: The caller was not authenticated by the service. —> System.ServiceModel.FaultException: The request for security token could not be satisfied because authentication failed.”

  • See Cause 7: The computer can’t communicate or authenticate with the domain

• Error Message: “Message: System.ServiceModel.ProtocolException: The remote server returned an unexpected response: (405) Method Not Allowed. —> System.Net.WebException: The remote returned an error: (405) Method Not Allowed.”

  • See Cause 8: WCF HTTP Activation isn’t installed on the Management Reporter server

• Error Message: “Message: Microsoft.Dynamics.Performance.Common.ReportingServerNotFoundException: The server could not be found. Make sure the server address is correct.”

  • See Cause 5: Port isn’t set up as an exclusion in Firewall

• Error Message: “Message: An error occurred while receiving the HTTP response to server_name\InformationService.svc. This could be due to the service endpoint binding not using the HTTP protocol. This could also be due to an HTTP request context being aborted by the server (possibly due to the service shutting down).”

  • See Cause 10: Named Pipes isn’t enabled on the Management Reporter server

Cause 1: Management Reporter’s Version is Different¶

A frequent reason for connection issues is a version mismatch between the Management Reporter Client installed on the user’s workstation and the Management Reporter server component. If these versions are not synchronized, communication problems and connection failures are likely to occur. Ensuring version compatibility is a fundamental step in troubleshooting connection errors.

Resolution¶

To verify and rectify a potential version discrepancy, you need to check the installed version of both the Management Reporter Client and the Management Reporter Server. Within Management Reporter, navigate to the Help menu and select About Management Reporter. This action will display the version information for the component you are currently using. Crucially, the Management Reporter Client version must be identical to the Management Reporter server version. If a version difference is detected, you will need to upgrade or downgrade either the client or the server to ensure they are perfectly aligned. Consult your system administrator or IT support team for assistance with version synchronization.

Cause 2: User Isn’t Set Up in Management Reporter¶

Another common pitfall is that the user attempting to access Management Reporter has not been properly configured as a user within the Management Reporter security settings. Management Reporter employs a security model that requires explicit user setup to grant access and permissions. If a user is not recognized within this system, connection attempts will be denied.

Resolution¶

To grant access to a user experiencing connection errors, follow these steps within Management Reporter, using an account with administrative privileges:

1. Launch Management Reporter using an account that is already designated as a Management Reporter administrator. This is essential to access the security configuration settings.
2. Within Management Reporter, navigate to the Go menu, and then select Security. This will open the security management interface.
3. In the Security window, locate the section for adding users. Add the user who is encountering the connection error. You will typically need to provide their domain username and assign appropriate roles and permissions based on their responsibilities within the reporting system. Ensure the user is granted the necessary permissions to access the required functionalities.

After adding the user and configuring their permissions, instruct them to attempt connecting to Management Reporter again. This should resolve the connection error if the user setup was the underlying issue.

Cause 3: Computer Isn’t Connected to the Management Reporter’s Domain¶

Management Reporter is designed to operate within a domain environment and relies on domain authentication for secure access. If the computer attempting to connect to Management Reporter is not joined to the same domain where Management Reporter is installed and configured, connection failures are inevitable. This is because domain membership is crucial for authentication and authorization processes.

Resolution¶

Management Reporter’s functionality is strictly dependent on a connection to the domain that was active during its installation. This requirement holds true even if all Management Reporter server components are consolidated on a single physical computer. The server machine still needs to be an integral part of the domain used during the initial setup.

Note: This domain dependency implies that Management Reporter will not function correctly on demonstration laptops or systems that are not physically connected to the domain network or connected via a Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection to the domain network. Ensure the client computer is properly joined to the correct domain and has a stable network connection to the domain controllers.

Cause 4: Wrong Time on the Client or Server¶

Time synchronization is a critical aspect of secure communication in networked environments. Significant time discrepancies between the client computer and the server hosting Management Reporter can lead to authentication failures and connection errors. Specifically, if the time difference exceeds five minutes, communication issues are likely to arise. While minor differences due to time zones are generally acceptable, substantial time skews must be avoided.

Resolution¶

To address potential time synchronization problems, meticulously verify the date and time settings on both the client computer and the Management Reporter server. Compare the displayed times and identify any discrepancies. If you find that either the client or server time is inaccurate, correct the time to reflect the current, correct time. Ensure that both systems are synchronized with a reliable time source. The time difference between the client and server must be within a five-minute window to ensure proper communication and prevent time-related authentication errors. Consider using Network Time Protocol (NTP) to automatically synchronize time across your network.

Cause 5: Port Isn’t Set Up as an Exclusion in Firewall¶

Firewall software acts as a security barrier, controlling network traffic and potentially blocking communication on specific ports. If the port utilized by Management Reporter during installation is not configured as an exception or exclusion within the firewall software, the firewall may inadvertently block connection attempts, leading to errors. This is a common cause of connectivity problems, especially if firewalls are actively used in the environment.

Resolution¶

To allow Management Reporter to communicate effectively through the firewall, you need to configure a firewall rule to permit traffic on the designated port. The specific steps will vary depending on the firewall program in use, but the general process is outlined below using Windows Firewall as an example:

1. Click Start, then select Run. Type WF.MSC in the Run dialog box, and press Enter. This command will launch the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security console.
2. In the left pane of the Windows Firewall console, select Inbound Rules, and then in the right pane, click New Rule…. This initiates the New Inbound Rule Wizard.
3. In the Rule Type step, choose Port, and then click Next. This specifies that you are creating a rule based on a port.
4. In the Protocol and Ports step, select Specific local ports, and then enter the port number used by Management Reporter. The default port is 4712. If you used a different port during installation, enter that port number here. Click Next.
5. In the Action step, select Allow the connection, and then click Next. This action ensures that connections on the specified port are permitted.
6. In the Profile step, select the network profiles to which this rule should apply. Typically, you should select Domain, Private, and Public to ensure connectivity across various network scenarios. Click Next.
7. In the Name step, provide a descriptive name for the rule, such as Management Reporter. Click Finish to create the firewall rule.

After creating this inbound rule, the firewall should no longer block communication on the specified Management Reporter port, resolving potential connection issues related to firewall restrictions.

Cause 6: SSL Isn’t Set Up When Encrypt Connection is Enabled¶

During the Management Reporter installation process, an “Encrypt connection” option may be selected. If this option is chosen, but Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is not properly configured on the server and client, connection attempts will likely fail. Encryption requires a correctly configured SSL environment with valid certificates to establish secure communication channels.

Resolution¶

The Management Reporter Install Guide provides crucial information regarding the “encrypt connection” option, emphasizing that SSL must be correctly configured on the server and valid certificates must be installed before enabling this option. For detailed guidance on configuring SSL encryption within Microsoft SQL Server, refer to the SQL Server documentation: Encrypting Connections to SQL Server.

Alternatively, if you are not intending to use SSL encryption or if configuring SSL is proving challenging, you can disable encryption by modifying the configuration files. Before making any changes, it is imperative to create backup copies of the configuration files. This precaution allows you to revert to the original settings if needed.

Follow these steps to disable encryption:

1. Open File Explorer and navigate to the Management Reporter installation directory. The default path is: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Dynamics ERP\Management Reporter\2.1.
2. Within the installation folder, locate the Application Service folder. Inside this folder, find the web.config file. Right-click on web.config and select Open with > Notepad to edit the file in Notepad.
3. In the web.config file, locate the <connectionstrings> section. Within this section, find the setting Encrypt=. Change the value from True to False.
4. Save the changes you made to the web.config file.
5. Navigate back to the main Management Reporter installation folder and open the Process Service folder. Inside, find the MRProcessService.exe.config file. Right-click on MRProcessService.exe.config and select Open with > Notepad.
6. Similarly, in the MRProcessService.exe.config file, locate the <connectionstrings> section and find the Encrypt= setting. Change the value from True to False.
7. Save the changes to the MRProcessService.exe.config file.

After modifying both configuration files and disabling encryption, restart the Management Reporter services. This should allow connections to be established without SSL encryption.

Cause 7: The Computer Can’t Communicate or Authenticate with the Domain¶

Problems related to domain communication or authentication can prevent a computer from successfully connecting to Management Reporter. These issues can stem from various network configurations or domain-related problems that disrupt the authentication process required for Management Reporter access.

Resolution¶

A common, albeit sometimes drastic, resolution for domain communication problems is to remove the affected computer from the domain and then rejoin it to the domain. This process can often resolve underlying domain profile corruption or communication issues that are hindering authentication.

Warning: Removing a computer from a domain requires administrative privileges. A local administrator account will be necessary to log on to the computer after it is removed from the domain and before it is rejoined.

Follow these steps to remove and rejoin the computer to the domain:

1. Click Start, select Run, and type sysdm.cpl in the Run dialog box. Press Enter to open the System Properties window.
2. In the System Properties window, navigate to the Computer Name tab. Click the Change… button.
3. In the Computer Name/Domain Changes dialog box, note down the Domain name that the computer is currently joined to. You will need this information to rejoin the domain later.
4. Select the Workgroup option. In the Workgroup field, type a name for the workgroup (e.g., “workgroup”). Click OK to accept the changes. You will be prompted to restart the computer. Click Restart Now.
5. After the computer restarts and you have logged in using a local administrator account, repeat step 1 to open the System Properties window again.
6. Navigate to the Computer Name tab and click the Change… button.
7. In the Computer Name/Domain Changes dialog box, select the Domain option.
8. Enter the Domain name that you noted down in step 3. Click OK to accept the changes. You will be prompted to provide domain administrator credentials to join the domain. Enter the credentials and click OK. You will then be prompted to restart the computer again. Click Restart Now.

After the second restart, the computer should be rejoined to the domain. Attempt to connect to Management Reporter again to see if the domain communication issues have been resolved.

Cause 8: WCF HTTP Activation Isn’t Installed on the Management Reporter Server¶

Management Reporter relies on Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) for communication. Specifically, HTTP Activation is a crucial component of WCF that enables communication over HTTP. If WCF HTTP Activation is not installed on the Management Reporter server, communication failures and connection errors are likely to occur.

Resolution¶

To ensure WCF HTTP Activation is enabled, you need to install it as a feature on the Management Reporter server. The process varies slightly depending on the Windows Server version. For Windows Server 2008, follow these steps:

1. Open Server Manager. You can typically find Server Manager in the Administrative Tools menu or by searching for it in the Start menu.
2. In Server Manager, navigate to the Features section in the left pane.
3. In the Features pane, click Add Features in the right pane. This will launch the Add Features Wizard.
4. In the Add Features Wizard, expand .NET Framework 3.5 Features (or a later version if applicable).
5. Expand WCF Activation.
6. Check the box next to HTTP Activation.
7. Click Next, and then click Install to begin the installation process.
8. Once the installation is complete, restart the server or the Management Reporter services.

For later versions of Windows Server, the process may involve using the Server Manager Dashboard and the “Add roles and features” wizard. Consult the Windows Server documentation for the specific steps for your server operating system. After installing WCF HTTP Activation, attempt to connect to Management Reporter again.

Cause 9: No SPN is Created for the Domain Account That’s Running Management Reporter Services¶

If the Management Reporter services are configured to run under a specific domain user account, and Service Principal Names (SPNs) are not properly configured for this account, Windows authentication may fail when using User Principal Name (UPN) authentication. SPNs are essential for Kerberos authentication, which is often used in domain environments.

Resolution¶

To resolve SPN-related authentication issues, you need to create SPNs for the domain account that is running the Management Reporter services. The Setspn tool, a command-line utility in Windows, is used to manage SPNs. You must run these commands on the Management Reporter server using an account with domain administrator privileges.

Open a Command Prompt as an administrator and execute the following commands, replacing placeholders with your actual server name and domain account details:

setspn -S HTTP/MRservername domain\\customAccountName
setspn -S HTTP/MRservername.fullyqualifieddomainname domain\\customAccountName

• Replace MRservername with the actual hostname of your Management Reporter server.
• Replace MRservername.fullyqualifieddomainname with the fully qualified domain name of your Management Reporter server.
• Replace domain\\customAccountName with the domain and username of the domain account under which the Management Reporter services are running. For example, CONTOSO\MRServiceAccount.

Error Handling:

When executing the SETSPN commands, you might encounter an error message similar to this:

Registering ServicePrincipalNames for CN=MSADynamicsGP,OU=Services,OU=Accounts,DC=contoso,DC=com
HTTP/myserver.contoso.com
Failed to assign SPN on account ‘CN=MSADynamicsGP,OU=Services,OU=Accounts,DC=contoso,DC=com’, error 0x21c7/8647 -> The operation failed because SPN value provided for addition/modification is not unique forest-wide.

This error indicates that an SPN with the same value already exists within the Active Directory forest. This can occur if the server has been moved between domains or if there are duplicate SPNs. To verify SPN uniqueness, use the command Setspn -l <servername> to list all SPNs associated with the server. If a duplicate SPN is found, you may need to investigate and resolve the conflict. Creating a unique service account and then running the SETSPN commands for that new account can also circumvent this issue.

In scenarios where domain security is tightly controlled and delegated administration is in place, you might need to run the SETSPN commands using a full domain administrator account to ensure sufficient permissions.

Verifying Group Membership:

To check the group memberships of the domain account running the Management Reporter services, use the Net user /domain <username> command in the Command Prompt. Replace <username> with the domain account username. The output will display the “Local Group memberships” and “Global Group memberships” for the account, which can be helpful in diagnosing permission-related issues.

Cause 10: Named Pipes Isn’t Enabled on the Management Reporter Server¶

Named Pipes is a communication protocol used by Windows for inter-process communication. If Named Pipes Activation is not enabled on the Management Reporter server, it can hinder communication between different components of Management Reporter and lead to connection errors.

Resolution¶

To enable Named Pipes Activation on the Management Reporter server, follow these steps:

1. On the Management Reporter server, open Server Manager.
2. In Server Manager, select Dashboard in the left pane.
3. On the right side of the Dashboard, click Add roles and features. This will launch the Add Roles and Features Wizard.
4. Click Next through the initial steps of the wizard until you reach the Features section.
5. In the Features section, expand .NET Framework 4.6 Features (or the highest available .NET Framework version listed).
6. Locate and check the box next to Named Pipes Activation.
7. Click Next and then Finish to complete the wizard and install the Named Pipes Activation feature.
8. Restart the server or the Management Reporter services after the installation is complete.

Enabling Named Pipes Activation ensures that this communication protocol is available for Management Reporter, potentially resolving connection issues related to inter-process communication.

More Information¶

If you continue to encounter error messages even after implementing the suggested resolutions, it is recommended to contact Microsoft Management Reporter support for further assistance. When reaching out to support, provide detailed information about the errors you are experiencing, including the full error messages and any relevant details from the Event Viewer application logs. This information will assist support engineers in diagnosing the issue more effectively and providing targeted guidance.

If you found these troubleshooting steps helpful, or if you have any further questions or insights regarding Management Reporter 2012 connection errors, please feel free to leave a comment below! Your feedback and shared experiences can be valuable to other users encountering similar challenges.