Logon balancing error 88. Cannot connect to message server (rc=9)

Symptom

Error “Logon balancing error 88. Cannot connect to message server (rc=9)” popping up every time you logon to the SAP system.

Solution

• Check your SAP system is up and running.

• Ensure your workplace network connectivity is working fine. No network means no SAP connection!

• Check with your colleagues, are they able to login or only you just affected.

• Double check your SAPGUI connection parameter is correctly maintained ( Application Server, System Number, System ID or SAProuter (if configured)).

• If you just did changes on the SAPGUI. Please close the SAPGUI and open it again. Try to connect again. Else, restart your desktop/laptop and test the connection again.

• Go to C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc directory. Open your services file. Confirm that the entries is correctly configured. Make sure that the sapms xxxx/tcp is inside the services file. As example, sapmsPRD 3601/tcp, PRD is the SID, 36 is the port and 01 is the Central Instance number. Noted, if the entry is added at the end of the services file, please put a blank line after it.