Problem connecting to local server databases.

[StevenK]

I have a curious problem working with SQL Server databases. I have developed an application (using Delphi 5) that works through an ODBC connection to connect to a SQL server database. On start-up of the application I am making a connection to the 'master' database (on the SQL server database as pointed to in the ODBC connection) and listing the available databases to make a connection to (reading entries from the [sysdatabases] table).
Over the weekend a client found a problem using my application. When they fired up the application they were unable to connect to the [master] database on the local server (albeit that the ODBC connection was pointed appropriately). The only way they could get the application to operate was to dial into the office and gain the connection that way. It's as if the 'sa' log-in (the ODBC connection and the application log-in using the 'sa' user profile) is requiring authorisation from the server in the office ?
I'm unsure if the local database was copied from the server in the office - would this also take the security log-in profiles with it ?
Can anyone shed any light on this for me ?

Thanks in advance.
Steve

 

[StevenK]

I should also add that following the dial into the office and the connection to the [master] database and the connection to the intended database to work against - the dial-up can be disconnected and the data on the local server can be processed successfully.