Symptoms
Refreshing SQL Server Service Instance in Smart Object Tester throws error "Execute Reader requires a valid connection".
Diagnoses
Execute Reader requires a valid connection usually means an issue with the permission to the Destination database.
Resolution
Reviewing the permissions on the destination database indicated that everything was set correctly. Refreshing other databases on the same SQl server didn't throw an error.
After running a SQL Profile trace it throws on which view the k2 service stopped reading from the table. Reviewing the view, it was using a linked server which was moved. That was why the K2 Service wasn't able to read from the moved linked server to populate the Service instance XML.
After fixing the connection to the linked server the SQL service instance was successfully refreshed.
