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FSA: The search request was unable to connect to the Search Service (FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint)

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Applies to: FAST Search Server 2010

Issue: The search request was unable to connect to the Search Service.

Summary: If search does not work, it might be that the communication channels are not cleaned up correctly in some scenarios, the Microsoft FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint query processing services are not running, the Microsoft SharePoint Server certificate is not present on the node running query processing or SharePoint Server has not been configured to point to FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint query processing. We recommend that you work through each possible resolution in the given order.

Symptom: The search request was unable to connect to the Search Service.

Causes: This symptom can be the result of the following causes:

  • Cause 1: The communication channels are not cleaned up correctly

  • Cause 2: The FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint query processing services are not running

  • Cause 3: The SharePoint certificate is not present on one or more of the FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint query processing servers

  • Cause 4: SharePoint has not been configured to point to the FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint query processing node

If these suggestions do not resolve the problem, there may be a problem between SharePoint Server and the QRProxy, or between QRProxy and FSA. Follow the suggestions in FSA: Queries always fail on a specific query processing node (FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint).

Cause 1: The communication channels are not cleaned up correctly

Resolution: Retry the search

If searching was working previously, the problem may result from a known issue in which the communication channels are not cleaned up correctly in some scenarios. Retry the search and it should succeed.

Cause 2: The FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint query processing services are not running

Resolution: Restart FSA

For each FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint query processing server:

  1. Log onto the server and open a FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint command prompt.

  2. Run the command: nctrl status.

  3. Verify that these processes are running: samworker, qrproxy, and qrserver.

If any of these processes are not running, restart FSA. For more information, refer to Restart FSA.

Cause 3: The SharePoint certificate is not present on one or more of the FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint query processing servers

Resolution: Export the SharePoint Server certificate to the given FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint server

As part of the setup for connecting SharePoint Server to the FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint query processing node, a certificate must be copied to enable communication between the two servers. To verify that the certificate is located on the FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint server, look at the certificates in the Local Computer, Trusted People certificates. You should find a certificate named SharePoint Security Token Service and it should have a thumbprint ID that matches the certificate located on the SharePoint Server computer at Local Computer, SharePoint, SharePoint Security Token Service.

To view the certificates on a server, follow these steps.

  1. Run MMC from the Windows Start menu.

  2. Select File > Add or Remove Snapin.

  3. Select Certificates in Available snap-ins and Add.

  4. Select Computer account then Local computer. Click Finish and OK.

  5. Expand Certificates (local Computer).

  6. Expand Trusted People.

  7. Expand Certificates.

  8. Double-click SharePoint Security Token Service.

  9. On Details tab, click Thumbprint to get the thumbprint id.

If the certificate is missing on a server, refer to Enable queries from Microsoft SharePoint Server (FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint) for information about how to export the certificate.

Cause 4: SharePoint has not been configured to point to the FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint query processing node

Resolution: Configure SharePoint Server to point to the FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint query processing node.

To verify the configuration of SharePoint Server, follow these steps:

  1. Open the SharePoint ServerCentral Admininstration Web site.

  2. Go to the Application Management page and select Manage Web applications.

  3. Highlight the row of the Web site from which searches are being performed.

  4. From the ribbon under the Web Applications tab, select Service Connections.

  5. Find the name of the service application that has a Type of Search Service Application Proxy and is selected for use with the Web site where searches are performed. This name will be needed to look up the settings for communications between SharePoint Server and FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint.

  6. Close the window and go back to the Central Administration home page.

  7. Select Manage service applications under the Application Management section.

  8. Highlight the name of the service application that has the name that you previously found for the Search Service Application (step 5). Be sure to highlight the row; do not click the name link.

  9. From the ribbon under Service Applications, select Properties.

  10. Verify that the FAST Search Query radio button is set to the FAST Service Application. Verify that the Query Service Location is pointing to the FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint query processing node that you expect. The format of this field is protocol://FQDN:port, with a semicolon (;) separating multiple servers. For example:

    http://my-server.domain.com:13287;http://my-server2.domain.com:13287

    If you are unsure of the server name and port, verify it by going to the FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint query processing node. Open the file <FASTSearchFolder>\Install_Info.txt, where <FASTSearchFolder> is the path of the folder where you have installed FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint, for example C:\FASTSearch. Look for the Query Service Location HTTP setting. The other settings in the Service Applications, Properties window are important but they do not affect search. The correct values for these settings are also in the Install_Info.txt file.