Cannot add Network Service as User/Login

Question

I want to setup ProGet on a 2016 server with SQL Express and IIS.

Both the service and IIS web runs under the Network Service user. None seem to be able to access the Database on a local SQL Express instance.

The IIS website tells me that the login WORKGROUP\PACKAGE$ (where PACKAGE is the servers name) cannot access the database:

I understand that I need to add the Network Service (which IIS uses to actually authenticate with SQL Express) as a login/user to the database.

When I tried adding the NT-Authority\Network Service as a login/user to the database, I get an error that tells me that Windows cannot find any authentication for the Network Service.

How can this be? Why can't SQL Express find the Network Service?

Answer 1

It can be a bit misleading, when working with the German version of SQL Server and/or a Windows Client/Server OS.

When you select the <HOSTNAME>\Network Service from the Active Directory pop-up in the SQL Server Login dialog, then SQL Server automatically displays the login (when closing all the dialogues with OK) as:

 <HOSTNAME>\Network Service

This is actually wrong.

German Solution

If you enter the following German string then it will resolve correctly:

NT-Autorität\Netzwerkdienst

English Solution

If you were to use an English Windows / SQL Serer installation then you would have to enter:

NT-Authority\NetworkService

If you click on OK, then the SQL Server Login will be created.