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Configuring a SQL staging server to a Veeam Explorer gives “error: 25”

KB ID: 2118
Product: Veeam Backup & Replication
Published: 2016-03-30
Last Modified: 2025-08-12
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Challenge

When configuring a staging SQL server for Veeam Explorers, the following error appears when a malformed server name is provided:

A network-related or instance-specific error occurred
while establishing a connection to SQL Server.
The server was not found or was not accessible. Verify that the instance name
is correct and that SQL Server is configured to allow remote connections.
(provider: SQL Network Interfaces, error: 25 – Connection string is not valid)
The parameter is incorrect
Screenshot of error containing the error text.

Cause

This error occurs when the staging SQL Server name has been specified using a UNC path, as shown in this example:
Example showing the SQL Server name as \\SQL\SQLInstance with the error from the previous section shown in pop-up.
Example SQL Server name: \\SQL\SQLInstance

Solution

To resolve this, update the SQL Server name value to specify the SQL Server's hostname or IP and the instance name.

Hint: Use the same formatting you would use to connect Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio to the SQL Instance.

Screenshot showing the server name now without the double backslashes.

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