Resolving SEPM Upgrade Issues with SQL Privileges

Products

• Endpoint Protection

Issue/Introduction

Resolving SEPM upgrade failure via SMSS often involves addressing insufficient SQL privileges. Specifically, when attempting to upgrade the Symantec Endpoint Protection Manager (SEPM) using the Upgrade Wizard, the process may fail because the provided SQL user account does not possess the necessary administrative privileges on the SQL server. This issue typically manifests during the database configuration stage of the upgrade process, where elevated privileges are required.

Environment

14.3 RU8

Cause

During the installation or an upgrade of SEPM, the process requires the creation or modification of SQL logins, users, and database roles. These operations demand administrative rights to ensure that the SEPM reporting website and other components can securely interact with the database while maintaining limited permissions for regular operations. Without the appropriate level of access, the upgrade cannot proceed.

Resolution

Verify Credentials, ensure that the SQL username and password entered during the upgrade process are correct. Test the credentials by logging into the SQL server using SQL Server Management Studio or an equivalent tool.

Check User Permissions, confirm that the SQL user has the necessary administrative privileges to perform actions such as creating and modifying database roles. If the current user lacks these permissions, either modify the user's access rights or use an alternative account with sufficient privileges.

If you are unable to log in after the upgrade, or encounter errors during reconfiguration or repair processes, ensure that you are using the correct DBA credentials. These are the original username and password specified during the initial configuration of SEPM.

1. Recover DBA Credentials:

   • If you do not know the DBA password, log into SQL Server Management Studio (SMSS) using the embedded database and a Windows administrator account on the device (Windows Authentication).

   • In SMSS, set encryption as optional and enable the "trust server certificate" option:
     

   • Change the DBA password to regain access.

By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the upgrade failure and successfully complete the SEPM installation or upgrade.