Create a New Registered Server (SQL Server Management Studio)
Applies to: 
SQL Server
This article describes how to save the connection information for servers that you access frequently, by registering the server in the Registered Servers component of SQL Server Management Studio in SQL Server. A server can be registered before connecting, or when connecting from Object Explorer. There's a special menu option to register the server instances on the local computer.
There are two kinds of registered servers:
Local server groups
Use local server groups to easily connect to servers that you frequently manage. Both local and nonlocal servers are registered into local server groups. Local server groups are unique to each user. For information about how to share registered server information, see Export Registered Server Information (SQL Server Management Studio) and Import Registered Server Information (SQL Server Management Studio).
Note
We recommend that you use Windows Authentication whenever possible.
Central Management Servers
Central Management Servers store server registrations in the Central Management Server instead of on the file system. Central Management Servers and subordinate registered servers can be registered only by using Windows Authentication. After a Central Management Server has been registered, its associated registered servers will be automatically displayed. For more information about Central Management Servers, see Administer Multiple Servers Using Central Management Servers. Versions of SQL Server that are earlier than SQL Server 2008 (10.0.x) can't be designated as a Central Management Server.
Using SQL Server Management Studio
To create a new registered server
If Registered Servers isn't visible in SQL Server Management Studio, on the View menu, select Registered Servers.
Server type
When a server is registered from Registered Servers, the Server type box is read-only, and matches the type of server displayed in the Registered Servers pane. To register a different type of server, select Database Engine, Analysis Server, Reporting Services, or Integration Services on the Registered Servers toolbar before starting to register a new server.Server name
Select the server instance to register in the format: <servername>[\<instancename>].Authentication
Two authentication modes are available when connecting to an instance of SQL Server.Windows Authentication
Windows Authentication mode allows a user to connect through a Microsoft Windows user account.SQL Server Authentication
When a user connects with a specified login name and password from a nontrusted connection, SQL Server performs the authentication itself by checking whether a SQL Server login account has been set up and whether the specified password matches the one previously recorded. If SQL Server doesn't have a login account set, authentication fails, and the user receives an error message.Important
When possible, use Windows authentication. For more information, see Choose an Authentication Mode.
User name
Shows the current user name you're connecting with. This read-only option is only available if you have selected to connect using Windows Authentication. To change User names, sign into the computer as a different user.Login
Enter the login to connect with. This option is available only if you have selected to connect using SQL Server Authentication.Password
Enter the password for the login. This option can be edited only if you have selected to connect by using SQL Server Authentication.Remember password
Select to have SQL Server encrypt and store the password you have entered. This option is displayed only if you have selected to connect using SQL Server Authentication.Note
If you have stored the password and want to stop storing it, clear this check box, and then click Save.
Registered server name
The name you want to appear in Registered Servers. This name doesn't have to match the Server name box.Registered server description
Enter an optional description of the server.Test
Select to test the connection to the server selected in Server name.Save
Select to save the registered server settings.
Multiserver Queries
The Query Editor window in SQL Server Management Studio can connect to and query multiple instances of SQL Server at the same time. The results that are returned by the query can be merged into a single results pane, or they can be returned in separate results panes. As an option, Query Editor can include columns that provide the name of the server that produced each row, and also the login that was used to connect to the server that provided each row. For more information about how to execute multiserver queries, see Execute Statements Against Multiple Servers Simultaneously (SQL Server Management Studio).
To execute queries against all the servers in a local server group, right-click the server group, select Connect, and then select New Query. When queries are executed in the new Query Editor window, they'll execute against all servers in the group, using the stored connection information including the user authentication context. Servers registered by using SQL Server Authentication but not saving the password will fail to connect.
To execute queries against all the servers that are registered with a Central Management Server, expand the Central Management Server, right-click the server group, select Connect, and then select New Query. When queries are executed in the new Query Editor window, they'll execute against all of the servers in the server group, using the stored connection information and using the Windows Authentication context of the user.