Configure remote connections without sql server installation? - sql-server

We have an application called IpSwitch Whatsup and it's installed in a machine that I can connect to remotely as administrator. This is all in our intranet.
We need to connect to the sql server database being used by IpSwitch Whatsup, but this particular machine doesn't have sql server installed. On the other hand, in sql server configuration manager there is indeed a sql server installation for whatsup (the entry says SQL Server (WHATSUP)).
So, two questions:
How does one go about in connecting to this database? I'm pretty sure I know the name of the database and I already know the server name and instance, so I would like to connect to this DB from a sql server installation in another machine.
How does one configure a sql server installation to receive remote connections if it doesn't have sql server installed?
Thanks.

For the first question, you just type in (or browse) the appropriate instance name and authentication options using SSMS - which is the GUI tool used to manage sql server instances. Note - the term "sql server installation" can mean different things so it is not a useful reference.
As for the second question, review the information here. Note that any task you do in SSMS can be done via tsql - you can see the appropriate commands using the script button in the SSMS dialog windows.
And you can also (and probably should based on these questions) install SSMS on the same machine as your server instance so you can do "anything" "anywhere". Now would probably be a good time to review your disaster recovery options (and start backing up your databases regularly).

Related

Can I change the host name of a system running SQL Server?

Does the change of the host name of the server impact the functioning of Microsoft SQL Server?
Yes, there are some additional steps that you need to perform after changing the host name.
I could not find the relevant documentation for SQL Server 2012 online any more, but here is the official document for SQL Server 2016-2019:
Rename a Computer that Hosts a Stand-Alone Instance of SQL Server
In a nutshell, you need to execute
sp_dropserver <old_name\instancename>;
GO
sp_addserver <new_name\instancename>, local;
GO
to update system metadata and then restart SQL Server.
Additional steps (see the linked document above) might be necessary if you use:
a failover cluster,
replication,
Reporting Services,
database mirroring,
Windows groups containing a hard-coded reference to the computer name,
remote logins,
linked server configurations or
named pipes.
Obviously, the connection strings of any clients connecting to your server will need to be updated as well.

(LocalDb)\MSSQLLocalDB as Server Name for Report Server Configuration Manager

I'm doing the SSRS setup in my DEV environment. I've been using (LocalDb)\MSSQLLocalDB for some of my databases. Now that I want to start using SSRS, can I use (LocalDb)\MSSQLLocalDB as a data source for SSRS? I already tried, but I'm not able to connect it. However, if I use the server name (name of my computer) it works.
Do I have to use the actual server name? Is local database (LocalDb)\MSSQLLocalDB a wrong way of doing it? I'm assuming that the actual server name will be the best practice.
If I have to use the server name, that means that I will need to migrate my databases from (LocalDb)\MSSQLLocalDB to the instance of the server name.
What do you recommend?
LocalDb instances run in your desktop session, and are meant for desktop applications (particularly Visual Studio). So no. You should migrate your databases to a service-based SQL Server instance for SSRS (which runs as a Windows Service) to access them.

Deploying Windows application with SQL Server database

I have a WPF project and I will use SQL Server database. The instance of SQL Server IT created for me is SQL Server 13 (2016 standard version) on a remove server. When I’m deploying the application on a client’s computers, what version I need to install there as a prerequisite? Can I deploy SQL Server Express 2016 on a client’s computer and access the remove SQL Server Standard edition? I am looking for a simple solution and for a lighter version I need to install on the user’s computers. I cannot install a full SQL Server on each user.
I have searched the net and a similar question has been asked many times, but I didn’t find a clear answer before. Many people started their SQL Server experience using local type databases, like SQL Server CE or LocalDB. In this case specific DLLs and redistributables must be added with the installation program. It is hard to understand at the beginning, but when an instance of SQL Server is on a remote server, this is a different story. Everything is happening on this remote server. There is no need of any SQL Server instances on a client’s machine. Just a connection string must be added. The adapter or Entity Framework will take care of everything else.

Microsoft SQL Server Management studio, can't find local servers

This is my first time using it, I come from a PHP/MYSQL background and a client is asking me to assist with his MSSQL database and he gave me a file which is the exported database, it doesn't have an extension though.
I downloaded and installed Microsoft SQL Server Management studio but I'm not sure what to do, the tutorials online seem to be able to connect to the local server, on my end when I browse for a Server name I can't find anything under "Local server".
If it helps, the client have informed me that his previous developer (the one who seems to have had a conflict with the client and left) was using the same application with the server type set to "Database engine" and the Authentication set to "Windows Authentication", that's all the information I have.
Please help. Thanks.
If you installed a default instance of SQL Server with Management Studio, use the server name "localhost". If you only installed SQL Server Management Studio, you will need to at least download SQL Express: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/server-cloud/products/sql-server-editions/sql-server-express.aspx
Also, note that if you develop in the latest version of SQL Server, you will not be able to back up and restore to the client's database if the client uses an older version. You will need to ensure all changes are scripted or use dacpacs (which you probably won't use).

SQL Server 2005 setup issue

I have two issues both related to (I believe) my SQL Server setup. I have installed SQL Server (the full thing) from MSDN downloads of the x64 version on my Vista 64 Home Premium box. After running into multiple issues I finally got it working. This is a new box so I ported over a database that I need to work on from another server. That also worked fine. My first issue however came when I tried to open a database in SQL Server Management Studio:
"Unable to find the requested .Net Framework Data Provider. It may not be installed. (System.Data)"
The box itself isn't new and definitely has .NET installed (version 3 I believe). I found that someone posted this as a bug but as the team (SQL Server team) could not reproduce it, they removed it. I've tried installing the recommended SP3 patch to no avail. It's only when I try to open a table for viewing the data (right-click and "Open Table"). I can even execute queries and retrieve results (from inside management studio). I'll follow pretty much any suggestion to try and get this working.
My second issue is that I cannot connect to the server. I thought I could just work around it (with queries), but I did not find that it added any ODBC connections on the box, just the drivers. Management Studio can access the DB just fine, but the machine itself doesn't appear to recognize that anything is running on it, at least on the default port (1433) and no, I do not have a named instance. When trying to manually add the server to the DSN or any datasources it cannot find the SQL server (under Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Data Sources (ODBC). Under SQL Server Management Studio it appears as a registered database server (I think this is because it connects on port 1434 from what I hear? not sure). This is my primary problem, and even if I can't open the tables (the first issue) I absolutely NEED to be able to set it up so that I can connect to it. The language source I am connecting from is ColdFusion which is set up as a stand-alone server (IIS not installed, not using it right now).
As for connecting to it, make sure all the services are running. SQL Server Agent in particular.
Also, check in the SQL Server 2005 Surface Area configuration for Services and Connections. Check under "Remote Connections" to see if "local and remote" connections are on. It might be set to "local only".
CF versions 6+ do not use the OS's ODBC connections. They use JDBC over IP to connect. You need to make sure you have allowed TCP/IP connections to the DB using the SQL Server Configuration Studio. Then, use the Data Sources page in the CF Administrator page (usually localhost:port/cfide/administrator, replacing "port" with the port you're using for the CF built-in server).
Why though, would it default to this
and why would this be an issue with my
own machine (local testing)?
SQL Server 2005 is meant to be more secure by default, so not all the protocols are opened up by default.
Sql Server Agent doesn't have anything
to do with remote connections, but I
seemed to recall there being an issue
with doing discovery on the network if
the Agent wasn't started
Maybe you're thinking of the SQL Browser with named instances.
Did you try this process?
http://oakleafblog.blogspot.com/2007/03/orcas-march-ctp-on-vista-database.html

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