Entity Framework Timeout Expired - asp.net-mvc-3

Question

I recently publish my ASP.Net MVC 3 web application (Entity Framework 4.1 for Data Persistence) to a live server. The application is located on one web server and the database (SQL Server 2008) is located on another separate server.
The site has only been live a few days with very few hits, and because of this there are very few records contained within the database tables (10- 20 max).
I also have ELMAH (Error Logging Modules and Handlers for ASP.NET) integrated into the site and I have received a few instances of the following error already
System.Data.SqlClient.SqlException: Timeout expired. The timeout
period elapsed prior to completion of the operation or the server is
not responding.
Below shows the full details as supplied by ELMAH
System.Data.EntityException: The underlying provider failed on Open.
---> System.Data.SqlClient.SqlException: Timeout expired. The timeout period elapsed prior to completion of the operation or the server is
not responding. at
System.Data.SqlClient.SqlInternalConnection.OnError(SqlException
exception, Boolean breakConnection) at
System.Data.SqlClient.TdsParser.ThrowExceptionAndWarning() at
System.Data.SqlClient.TdsParserStateObject.ReadSniError(TdsParserStateObject
stateObj, UInt32 error) at
System.Data.SqlClient.TdsParserStateObject.ReadSni(DbAsyncResult
asyncResult, TdsParserStateObject stateObj) at
System.Data.SqlClient.TdsParserStateObject.ReadNetworkPacket() at
System.Data.SqlClient.TdsParser.ConsumePreLoginHandshake(Boolean
encrypt, Boolean trustServerCert, Boolean& marsCapable) at
System.Data.SqlClient.TdsParser.Connect(ServerInfo serverInfo,
SqlInternalConnectionTds connHandler, Boolean ignoreSniOpenTimeout,
Int64 timerExpire, Boolean encrypt, Boolean trustServerCert, Boolean
integratedSecurity) at
System.Data.SqlClient.SqlInternalConnectionTds.AttemptOneLogin(ServerInfo
serverInfo, String newPassword, Boolean ignoreSniOpenTimeout,
TimeoutTimer timeout, SqlConnection owningObject) at
System.Data.SqlClient.SqlInternalConnectionTds.LoginWithFailover(Boolean
useFailoverHost, ServerInfo primaryServerInfo, String failoverHost,
String newPassword, Boolean redirectedUserInstance, SqlConnection
owningObject, SqlConnectionString connectionOptions, TimeoutTimer
timeout) at
System.Data.SqlClient.SqlInternalConnectionTds.OpenLoginEnlist(SqlConnection
owningObject, TimeoutTimer timeout, SqlConnectionString
connectionOptions, String newPassword, Boolean redirectedUserInstance)
at
System.Data.SqlClient.SqlInternalConnectionTds..ctor(DbConnectionPoolIdentity
identity, SqlConnectionString connectionOptions, Object providerInfo,
String newPassword, SqlConnection owningObject, Boolean
redirectedUserInstance) at
System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnectionFactory.CreateConnection(DbConnectionOptions
options, Object poolGroupProviderInfo, DbConnectionPool pool,
DbConnection owningConnection) at
System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionFactory.CreatePooledConnection(DbConnection
owningConnection, DbConnectionPool pool, DbConnectionOptions options)
at System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionPool.CreateObject(DbConnection
owningObject) at
System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionPool.UserCreateRequest(DbConnection
owningObject) at
System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionPool.GetConnection(DbConnection
owningObject) at
System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionFactory.GetConnection(DbConnection
owningConnection) at
System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionClosed.OpenConnection(DbConnection
outerConnection, DbConnectionFactory connectionFactory) at
System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection.Open() at
System.Data.EntityClient.EntityConnection.OpenStoreConnectionIf(Boolean
openCondition, DbConnection storeConnectionToOpen, DbConnection
originalConnection, String exceptionCode, String attemptedOperation,
Boolean& closeStoreConnectionOnFailure) --- End of inner exception
stack trace --- at
System.Data.EntityClient.EntityConnection.OpenStoreConnectionIf(Boolean
openCondition, DbConnection storeConnectionToOpen, DbConnection
originalConnection, String exceptionCode, String attemptedOperation,
Boolean& closeStoreConnectionOnFailure) at
System.Data.EntityClient.EntityConnection.Open() at
System.Data.Objects.ObjectContext.EnsureConnection() at
System.Data.Objects.ObjectQuery1.GetResults(Nullable1
forMergeOption) at
System.Data.Objects.ObjectQuery1.System.Collections.Generic.IEnumerable<T>.GetEnumerator()
at System.Collections.Generic.List1..ctor(IEnumerable1 collection)
at System.Linq.Enumerable.ToList[TSource](IEnumerable1 source)
System.Web.Mvc.ReflectedActionDescriptor.Execute(ControllerContext
controllerContext, IDictionary2 parameters) at
System.Web.Mvc.ControllerActionInvoker.InvokeActionMethod(ControllerContext
controllerContext, ActionDescriptor actionDescriptor, IDictionary2
parameters) at
System.Web.Mvc.ControllerActionInvoker.<>c_DisplayClass15.b_12()
at
System.Web.Mvc.ControllerActionInvoker.InvokeActionMethodFilter(IActionFilter
filter, ActionExecutingContext preContext, Func1 continuation) at
System.Web.Mvc.ControllerActionInvoker.InvokeActionMethodWithFilters(ControllerContext
controllerContext, IList1 filters, ActionDescriptor actionDescriptor,
IDictionary`2 parameters) at
System.Web.Mvc.ControllerActionInvoker.InvokeAction(ControllerContext
controllerContext, String actionName)
The occasions where this error has happened have been due to SELECT queries. These select queries are very simple, ie,
Select col1, col2, col3 from table where col1 = 1
And as I have stated, there is very little data within the database, so it isn’t as if the queries are pulling back 100’s of records.
I have done some research into this using both the Internet and Stackoverflow. Some people suggest to increase the dbContext CommandTimeout Property, however, I don’t understand why I should need to do this. Yes, if I were pulling back loads of records, but as I have said, these are simple SELECT statements pulling back 1-5 records at the most.
I also know that developers need to keep an eye on the SQL generated by the Entity Framework, so, I downloaded and ran this trial version http://www.datawizard.com in order to get a look at the SQL being created for the Entity Framework SELECT queries that were causing a problem. Again, the profiler showed these queries to be very simple syntax, so I don’t think that is the problem.
I am beginning to think maybe it has something to do with my database and web application being on separate servers, however, I am out of ideas!
Please if anyone can help or advise me with this issue, it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks everyone.