Trialing Qlik Cloud. Can't connect to my SQL Server

[Youfah_Mizzum]

Just commenced a Qlik Cloud trial, free for 30 days.

Unfortunately it has failed at the first step - connecting to my data source in the data load editor, a SQL Server database residing on my local laptop/PC.

I 100% know that my servername\instance is correct.

I 100% know my user & password is correct.

I know the port# is correct, firewall is open for that port (1435 as it's not the default instance).  I know SQL is listening on 1435, confirmed by a SQL query.

In other words, all parameters are definitely correct, yet when I test connection I get "Connection failed: Please check the values for Username‚ Password‚ Host and other properties."

I'd like to trial this for my data but so far it is not looking too positive.

[Daniele_Purrone]

Hi @Youfah_Mizzum , are you connecting to the server via an IP address or a hostname?
If it's a hostname, is it on a public DNS?
If your laptop is inside a LAN (local address network) and it has a private IP address, is that address correctly NAT'ed outside?

[Youfah_Mizzum]

I'm using my hostname, like YOUFAH\MyInstance

I also tried using xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx\MyInstance using my external IP address.

Neither worked.

Would I need port forwarding on my router to land on my laptop for port 1435?  Fortunately I mostly work from home but when I'm in the office, the IP address would change and I wouldn't have access to any router to port forward.  If that's the issue of course!.

From your answer, do I understand that my laptop's SQL server needs to be accessible from the internet?  If so that is completely unclear from all documentation.  It should be made very explicit and any suggestions you give to me here (which work) should also be included in the documentation for the data load editor.

[Lech_Miszkiewicz]

Hi @Youfah_Mizzum 

Qlik Cloud is going to access your SQL from internet (as it is Cloud offering of course so not sure why you didn't assume that in the first place?). Where else would it be?

So regarding solutions there are really 2 options:

1. you can configure Qlik Data Gateway - little agent running on your laptop which will handle communication: https://help.qlik.com/en-US/cloud-services/Subsystems/Hub/Content/Sense_Hub/Gateways/direct-access-g... 
2. or... you will need to make sure your DB is open to internet

cheers

Lech

[Youfah_Mizzum]

Thanks Lech.

This is the sort of information which should be detailed in the Data load editor.  You may think it ought to be inherently understood based on the word "cloud" but would be good to be told that.

Anyway, I have followed the instructions on making a Direct Access Gateway.  Its running in my Services so all good there.

But in the browser Qlik Administration - Data Gateways it shows as disconnected.

I followed the instructions to the absolute letter and each step completed OK.  I've tried the Support Chat AI bot but that hasn't helped.  

I have refreshed the key but that hasn't helped.

I'd still like to try out the Qlik Cloud analytics but so far it has been quite a cumbersome effort to get going.

Any ideas why the service is running OK but the state = disconnected?

[Lech_Miszkiewicz]

There can be many reasons. I am assuming you are meeting all requirements?https://help.qlik.com/en-US/cloud-services/Subsystems/Hub/Content/Sense_Hub/Gateways/direct-access-g... The help website contains all prerequisites. 

Depending on your license you may as well experience this issue where Qlik Cloud Trial  does not support gateway: https://community.qlik.com/t5/Official-Support-Articles/Qlik-cloud-Error-while-trying-to-create-a-Di... If that is the case you would need to have publicly available database to trial your connection without gateway - sorry.

Otherwise you can still try Qlik Analytics and you don't need access to your PC database to do that. You can simply autogenerate data in the apps by using Ctrl+0+0 key shortcut to create some dummy data to play with the features or as an alternative you may connect to some publicly available data using APIs and rest connector. It all depends on what you are trying to learn from Qlik Analytics. 

cheers

Lech

[Youfah_Mizzum]

Appreciate that Lech.

So my laptop is running Windows 11.  That link says "The Direct Access gateway should be installed on a Windows Server machine behind your firewall".

Maybe the word "should" might actually mean "must"?  I don't have access to a Windows Server to test Qlik Cloud so perhaps that concludes my testing of Qlik Cloud.  Would've been good to see this in action with my own data, but that's what tests and trials are for, right?

I could potentially run up a virtual Windows Server and install Direct Access Gateway.  I think I have a personal AWS account that might give me a low powered free server that's sufficient.

[Lech_Miszkiewicz]

No problem, Check your license though. As in the link provided it says that: "Qlik Data Gateway cannot be used on a Qlik Cloud Trial tenant." so I want to spare you hassle. This was a case when we had different licensing models (Basic and Full users). I am not sure if this still applies to capacity.

[Daniele_Purrone]

Hi @Youfah_Mizzum , your hostname is quite probably not published by a DNS server on the internet.

And yes, if you are using the IP address, you will need to add reverse NAT/port forwarding.

Yes, the SQL server needs to be reachable from the internet. Otherwise Qlik Cloud won't be able to reach it.
That's a standard for any cloud solution.

The alternative, as said, would be the Data Gateway, but you'll have to follow the prerequisites. 
See also this article:
https://community.qlik.com/t5/Official-Support-Articles/Qlik-Data-Gateway-disconnected-after-install...

You can definitely keep trialing Qlik Cloud, but you'll need to make the data available somehow, or use alternative data.

[Eduardo_Monteiro]

Check your router for port forwarding:

Port Checker - Check Open Ports Online