error "Service Broker needs to access the master key in the database 'database name'. Error code:32.

[JonHunt]

SQL Admin may find an issue talking about “master key encryption”. This is from SQL NSS Database and this error is appearing in SQL server.

[JonHunt · Accepted solution]

The error "Service Broker needs to access the master key in the database 'database name'. Error code:32.

Is harmless and can safely be ignored.

 The error originates from SqlDependency which we start by specifying ENCRYPTION=OFF, which means that no master key is needed for correct operation.  However for whatever reason SqlDependency still raises an error periodically, if a master key has not been set.

The error is resolved for *NEW INSTALLS* from Netbackup Self Service 8.1.2 onwards, where we generate an encryption key specifically to stop this error from happening.

For existing installs, if the error is particularly bothering people, the error can be resolved by setting a master key, with the SQL command

CREATE MASTER KEY ENCRYPTION BY PASSWORD = 'mypassword';