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Connect to server (Connection Properties page) - Database Engine

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Applies to: SQL Server Azure SQL Database Azure SQL Managed Instance Azure Synapse Analytics Analytics Platform System (PDW)

Use this tab to view or specify options when you connect to an instance of Microsoft SQL Server Database Engine or when you register a Database Engine in Registered Servers. Connect and Options>> only appear in this dialog box when you connect to an instance of the Database Engine. Test and Save only appear in this dialog box when registering Database Engine. Access this tab by selecting Options>> on the Login tab.

Note

While Microsoft Entra ID is the new name for Azure Active Directory (Azure AD), to prevent disrupting existing environments, Azure AD still remains in some hardcoded elements such as UI fields, connection providers, error codes, and cmdlets. In this article, the two names are interchangeable.

Connect to database

Select a database to connect to from the list. If you select <default>, you connect to the default database for the server. If you select <Browse server>, you can browse the server for the database to which to connect.

When you connect to an instance of the SQL Server Database Engine through Azure SQL Database, you must use SQL Server Authentication and specify a database in the Connect to Server dialog box on the Connection Properties tab. Ensure that you select the Encrypt connection checkbox.

By default, SQL Server connects to master. When you connect to SQL Database, if you specify a user database, you only see that database and its objects in Object Explorer. If you connect to master, you can see all databases. For more information, see What is Azure SQL Database?.

Network protocol

Select a protocol from the list. The available client protocols are configured using the Client Network Configuration in Computer Management.

Network packet size

Enter the size of the network packets to be sent. The default is 4,096 bytes.

Connection time-out

Enter the number of seconds to wait for a connection to be established before timing out. The default value is 30 seconds.

Execution time-out

Enter the time in seconds to wait before the execution of a query is completed on the server. The default value is zero seconds, which indicates there's no time-out.

Encrypt connection

Forces encryption of the connection. When enabled, SQL Server uses TLS encryption for all the data sent between the client and server. For more information, see SQL Server and client encryption summary.

The Encrypt connection property appears on the Connection Properties for SSMS 19.x and earlier versions.

Trust server certificate

When enabled, with Encrypt connection also enabled or if the server is configured to force encryption, SQL Server doesn't validate the server certificate on the client machine when you enable encryption on the network connection between client and server.

The Trust server certificate property appears on the Connection Properties page for SSMS 19.x and earlier versions.

Use custom color

Select to specify the background color for the status bar in a Database Engine Query Editor window. To specify the color, choose Select. In the Color dialog box, select a predefined color from the Basic Colors grid or select Define Custom Colors to define and use a custom color.

  • When you specify a color for a server entry in the Object Explorer pane, that color is used when you open a Query Editor window. To open a Query Editor window, right-click the server entry and select New Query. Alternatively, when the Object Explorer pane is active and focused on this server, you can select New Query on the toolbar.

  • When you specify a color for a server entry in the Registered Servers pane, that color is used when you open a Query Editor window. To open a Query Editor window, right-click the server entry and select New Query. Alternatively, when the Registered Server pane is active and focused on this server, you can select New Query on the toolbar.

  • On the File menu, when you select New > Database Engine Query, the color that you specify in the Connect to Server dialog box applies to that Query Editor window.

Reset All

Replace all manually entered connection property values with their defaults.

Connect

Attempt a connection using the listed values.

Options

Select to hide the Connection Properties and Additional Connection Parameters tabs and view the Login tab.

Test

When you register Database Engine in Registered Servers, select to test the connection.

Save

Saves the settings in Registered Servers.

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