SQL Server-The target principal name is incorrect. Cannot generate SSPI context

From:

https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/meer_alam/2015/05/10/the-target-principal-name-is-incorrect-cannot-generate-sspi-context/

Introducing the problem scenario

Yet another Kerberos authentication failure troubleshooting scenario. This scenario never stops paying me a visit every now and then. Same type of symptoms.

• SQL Server named instance configured to listen on a static port.
• Logged on user (in a client machine) and the SQL server machine are on two different domains.
• A domain controller has been upgraded to 2012.
• Domain trust has been the same as it was before
• SPNs exists as before, in the working scenario.

 

Yet, when the user tries to connect to SQL Server instance from SQL Server Management Studio, they get the familiar Kerberos authentication failure error message:

 

"The target principal name is incorrect.  Cannot generate SSPI context"  

 

Environment Details

User: DomainA\userA

Server: xxxxx.DomainB.com (this is a standalone SQL Server)

SQL Server Instance: xxxxx\SQLx (version 2014)

SQL Server Domain: DomainB

Current Windows Server for Domain Controllers (Windows Server 2012). This was an upgrade. This is the only change