BizTalk Server Configuration error: is invalid because it contains one or more of the following characters: `~!@#$^*()+=[]{}|;’"<>?.

One of the first steps, while you are trying to configure BizTalk Server, is to provide the “Database server name” on the BizTalk Server <version> Configuration page. So far, nothing new. However, in one of my recent BizTalk Server installations where we were using a SQL Server that was configured with a non-default port (1433), we encountered this bizarre problem:

BTS2016LAB01, 3431 is invalid because it contains one or more of the following characters: `~!@#$^*()+=[]{}|;'”<>?.

Cause

Well, the reason is obvious to everyone, but in this case, it’s a little stupid, given the current day. Of course, we all understand that special characters are not allowed and cannot be used.

But it was not our case, we are not using any special characters in the Database server name, and if you check carefully, we caught the error while configuring the Group, which means that we already were able to create the SSO database in the SQL Server, so the database name was valid/correct.

And if there were really special characters in the Database server name, then the configuration wizard should be smart enough to validate on the BizTalk Server <version> Configuration page and not to continue with the configuration.

I personally consider this a bug in the BizTalk Server Configuration Wizard tool because, in our case, the real problem and the cause of this error was that we had provided the database name with a space between the server and the port: BTS2016LAB01, 3431.

Solution

The solution to this problem is simple, first of all, and obviously, you cannot use any of the following special characters: `~!@#$^*()+=[]{}|;'”<>?. under the Database Server Name.

In our case, the solution was simple; we just needed to remove the empty space on the Database Server Name: BTS2016LAB01,3431.

Author: Sandro Pereira

Sandro Pereira lives in Portugal and works as a consultant at DevScope. In the past years, he has been working on implementing Integration scenarios both on-premises and cloud for various clients, each with different scenarios from a technical point of view, size, and criticality, using Microsoft Azure, Microsoft BizTalk Server and different technologies like AS2, EDI, RosettaNet, SAP, TIBCO etc. He is a regular blogger, international speaker, and technical reviewer of several BizTalk books all focused on Integration. He is also the author of the book “BizTalk Mapping Patterns & Best Practices”. He has been awarded MVP since 2011 for his contributions to the integration community. View all posts by Sandro Pereira