---
title: Azure SQL Connections Blocked/Failed | Blue Matador - Troubleshooting
description: How to troubleshoot Azure SQL Database Connections that are Blocked or Failed
image: https://www.bluematador.com/hubfs/logo-1.png
---

 Docs

# Azure SQL Connections Blocked/Failed

Blue Matador automatically monitors the **blocked_by_firewall** and **connection_failed** metrics for Azure SQL Databases to warn you when connections to your database are not succeeding.

 

## Blocked Connections

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Blocked connections are likely caused by firewall settings on your SQL server or database. Firewall settings are configured in two places: the SQL Server configuration can be used to create firewall rules for all databases in the server, and each server can also define its own firewall rules. [This blog](https://www.sqlshack.com/configuring-the-azure-sql-database-firewall/) has detailed steps on viewing and modifying firewall rules in both locations.

 

## Failed Connections

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Failed connections are connections that were not blocked by a firewall rule but were still unsuccessful. Failed connections can either be transient or persistent depending on their cause. 

For transient connection issues, Microsoft Azure recommends the following troubleshooting steps:

1. Check the [Azure Status Dashboard](https://status.azure.com/en-us/status) for any issues with Azure SQL
2. Review the [Transient errors](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/sql-database/sql-database-connectivity-issues) best practices to ensure your application is properly retrying connections
3. If your database is near its [resource limits](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/sql-database/sql-database-resource-limits-database-server#what-happens-when-database-resource-limits-are-reached) this may be the root cause of transient connection issues
4. If connection issues continue or happen several times throughout the day, [create a support ticket](https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/support/options/).

Persistent connection issues are likely an issue with one of the following:

- A firewall between the client and the SQL database
- Network configuration on the client, such as an invalid proxy configuration
- A misconfigured client: invalid connection string, ports, or low connection timeouts.

## Resources

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- [Configuring the Azure SQL Database Firewall ](https://www.sqlshack.com/configuring-the-azure-sql-database-firewall/)(SQLShack)
- [Troubleshoot connection issues to Azure SQL Database](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/sql-database/sql-database-troubleshoot-common-connection-issues) (Microsoft Azure Documentation)
- [SQL Azure - Failed Connections - But no problems?](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/16109930/sql-azure-failed-connections-but-no-problems) (StackOverflow)
- [SQL Database resource limits for Azure SQL Database server](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/sql-database/sql-database-resource-limits-database-server#what-happens-when-database-resource-limits-are-reached) (Microsoft Azure Documentation)