Connect to a named SQL Server 2016 instance from R - r

Question

I'm trying to connect to a SQL Server 2016 database in RStudio. I'm using RStudio on my laptop. I could remote in to the server and install RStudio there if it were absolutely necessary, but working locally has massive advantages so I would really prefer that if it were possible. Connection with the server goes through a VPN (FortiClient) that I have running on my laptop.
On this server, there are two SQL Server instances. One is a SQL Server 2012 edition, which is the default instance and hence not named - it used to be the only instance on this server. The other one is the 2016 edition. This instance was set up more recently in order to use the R integration capabilities new to SQL Server 2016. Because the server already had a default instance, this instance had to be named and it hence is called DEVR.
When I access the instances in SSMS and click 'Properties', the name of the default instance is DWH-ACC and the 2016 instance is called DWH-ACC\DEVR.
This is the code I'm running in RStudio to test my connection:
server <- "[IP-ADDRESS]\\DWH-ACC\\DEVR"
databaseName <- "Database"
user <- "user"
pwd <- "password"
sqlShareDir <- "C:\\Dir"
sqlWait <- TRUE
sqlConsoleOutput <- FALSE
sampleDataQuery <- "SELECT TOP 10 FROM [dbo].[Table]"
cc <- RxInSqlServer(server = server, databaseName = databaseName, user = user, password = pwd, shareDir = sqlShareDir, wait = sqlWait, consoleOutput = sqlConsoleOutput)
rxSetComputeContext(cc)
inDataSource <- RxSqlServerData(sqlQuery = sampleDataQuery, server=server, databaseName=databaseName, user=user, password=pwd, stringsAsFactors=TRUE, rowsPerRead=500)
rxGetVarInfo(data = inDataSource)
I've tried several options for the server specification, among which [IP-ADDRESS]\\DEVR and [IP-ADDRESS]/DEVR, which both do not work either. This is the error I get when I run the code:
[Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver][DBNETLIB]The SQL-Server does not exist or permission has been denied.
Could not open data source.
ODBC Error in SQLDisconnect
(Message translated from Dutch, by the way - this may not be the exact error text in the English version of the software)
When I try simply the IP address as my server connection string, I get a different error that seems to indicate it is able to find the instance (the 2012 one, i.e. the wrong one) but not able to process the query.
[Microsoft][ODBC-stuurprogrammabeheer] Fout in functievolgorde
I'm not sure how to translate this one, but it seems to be related to ODBC-drivers and says "error in function order". Anyway, this error is unrelated and I don't need it solved or explained, it simply goes to show that R does seem to be able to connect to the default instance but not to the newer, named one.

Answer 1

Enable Implied Authentication for Launchpad Accounts
Specifically navigate to the User Account from the Control Panel and you'll see the SQLR UserGroup with 20 accounts.
Permission these on the Server and DB Table with write access.
That should see you right. Good luck

Answer 2

You could create a ODBC connection in your local instance. A tutorial on creating ODBC connections can be found here. Background about the different types of SQL Server ODBC connections can be found here.
The ODBC connection should be able to distinguish between the the different SQL Server instances.
For me the main advantage in using ODBC connections is that I don't have to store database passwords inside/near my R scripts.
In R/Rstudio you can connect to the SQL Server instance via the ODBC channel. A tutorial on ODBC channels and RevoScaleR: link.
Other packages in R also provide possibilities to connect to ODBC connections, for instance: RODBC, dplyr.