Failures starting SA16 as a service under linux/ubuntu

[former_SQLA_member1694873]

I'm runnung SA16 (16.0.0.2043) under linux (Ubuntu/trusty64) and VirtualBox as a service using the commands:

$ sudo /opt/sqlanywhere16/bin64/dbsvc -as -t network -s automatic -w demosvc -n demo -xd -x "tcpip(serverport=2600)" -oe /home/vagrant/demo/demo_errors.txt /home/vagrant/demo/demo.db
$ sudo service SA_demosvc start

That works fine, and I can successfully connect to the database service from Sybase Central.

The problem is that, sometimes, when I shutdown the machine and restart it, the service does not start up. If I try to start it manually, I see:

$ sudo service SA_demosvc start
Starting SAL Anywhere "Network" service demosvc
* Communication error

and the error file (demo_errors.txt) contains:

A Database server with that name has already started
Communication error

I've tried stopping the service - says there isn't one.
I've tried deleting the re-creating the service - problem persists.

I have found an unsatisfactory work-around that involves deleting the service and recreating it with a different server name (e.g.,, -n demo2), but that screws up the connection parameters for every client that is trying to use the database.

Has anyone else seen this? Am I missing something?

[former_SQLA_member1694873]

OOPS! that was the problem!!!!!!! Thanks Breck!! I'd up-vote you if this was an answer 😞

[Breck_Carter · Accepted solution]

Do you have a SQL Anywhere server (service or foreground) running on another computer, using that server name? There can be only one 🙂

[former_SQLA_member1694873 · Accepted solution]

Thanks for the help Breck. I didn't immediately think of that constraint, and the error message, though completely accurate, didn't jog my memory.