SQL Server 2008 Connection Strings ConnectionStrings.com MSSQL2008 Manual
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SQL Server 2000SQL Server 2005SQL Server 2008SQL Server 2012SQL Server 7.0
SQL Server 2000SQL Server 2005SQL Server 2008SQL Server 2012SQL Server 7.0
SQL Server 2000SQL Server 2005SQL Server 2008SQL Server 2012SQL Server 7.0
SQL Server 2000SQL Server 2005SQL Server 2008SQL Server 2012SQL Server 7.0
Standard Security
Server =myServerAddress; Database =myDataBase; User Id =myUsername;
Password =myPassword;
Trusted Connection
Server =myServerAddress; Database =myDataBase; Trusted_Connection =True;
Connection to a SQL Server instance
The server/instance name syntax used in the server option is the same for all SQL Server
connection strings.
Server =myServerName\myInstanceName; Database =myDataBase; User Id =myUsername;
Password =myPassword;
Trusted Connection from a CE device
A Windows CE device is most often not authenticated and logged in to a domain but it is possible to
use SSPI or trusted connection and authentication from a CE device using this connection string.
Data Source =myServerAddress; Initial Catalog =myDataBase; Integrated Security =SSPI;
User ID =myDomain\myUsername; Password =myPassword;
Note that this will only work on a CE device.
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All SQL Server SqlConnection
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SQL Server Data Types
Reference
When to use the SQL Native
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SQL Server 2008 connection strings
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SQL Server 2000SQL Server 2005SQL Server 2008
SQL Server 2012SQL Server 7.0
SQL Server 2005SQL Server 2008SQL Server 2012
SQL Server 2005SQL Server 2008
SQL Server 2012
SQL Server 2005SQL Server 2008
SQL Server 2012
SQL Server 2005SQL Server 2008
SQL Server 2012
SQL Server 2005SQL Server 2008SQL Server 2012
SQL Server 2005
SQL Server 2008
Connect via an IP address
Data Source =190.190.200.100,1433; Network Library =DBMSSOCN;
Initial Catalog =myDataBase; User ID =myUsername; Password =myPassword;
DBMSSOCN=TCP/IP is how to use TCP/IP instead of Named Pipes.
At the end of the Data Source is the port to use. 1433 is the default
port for SQL Server. Read more here .
Enable MARS
Server =myServerAddress; Database =myDataBase; Trusted_Connection =True;
MultipleActiveResultSets =true;
Attach a database file on connect to a local SQL Server Express instance
Server =.\SQLExpress; AttachDbFilename =C:\MyFolder\MyDataFile.mdf; Database =dbname;
Trusted_Connection =Yes;
Why is the Database parameter needed? If the named database have already
been attached, SQL Server does not reattach it. It uses the attached database
as the default for the connection.
Attach a database file, located in the data directory, on connect to a local SQL Server
Express instance
Server =.\SQLExpress; AttachDbFilename =|DataDirectory|mydbfile.mdf; Database =dbname;
Trusted_Connection =Yes;
Why is the Database parameter needed? If the named database have already
been attached, SQL Server does not reattach it. It uses the attached database
as the default for the connection.
Database mirroring
If you connect with ADO.NET or the SQL Native Client to a database that is being mirrored, your
application can take advantage of the drivers ability to automatically redirect connections when a
database mirroring failover occurs. You must specify the initial principal server and database in the
connection string and the failover partner server.
Data Source =myServerAddress; Failover Partner =myMirrorServerAddress;
Initial Catalog =myDataBase; Integrated Security =True;
There is ofcourse many other ways to write the connection string using database
mirroring, this is just one example pointing out the failover functionality. You can
combine this with the other connection strings options available.
Asynchronous processing
A connection to SQL Server that allows for the issuing of async requests through ADO.NET objects.
Server =myServerAddress; Database =myDataBase; Integrated Security =True;
Asynchronous Processing =True;
See also the List of all SqlConnection connection string properties
Using an User Instance on a local SQL Server Express instance
The User Instance functionality creates a new SQL Server instance on the fly during connect. This
works only on a local SQL Server instance and only when connecting using windows authentication
over local named pipes. The purpose is to be able to create a full rights SQL Server instance to a
user with limited administrative rights on the computer.
Data Source =.\SQLExpress; Integrated Security =true;
AttachDbFilename =C:\MyFolder\MyDataFile.mdf; User Instance =true;
To use the User Instance functionality you need to enable it on the SQL Server. This is
done by executing the following command: sp_configure 'user instances enabled', '1'. To
disable the functionality execute sp_configure 'user instances enabled', '0'.
Network Protocol for SQL Server
Connection
SQL Server 2008 Data Types
Reference
SQL Server 2000 Data Types
Reference
SQL Server 2005 Data Types
Reference
SQL Server 2012 Data Types
Reference
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SQL Server 2000SQL Server 2005
SQL Server 2008SQL Server 7.0
SQL Server 2000SQL Server 2005SQL Server 2008
SQL Server 7.0
SQL Server 2000SQL Server 2005SQL Server 2008SQL Server 7.0
SQL Server 2000SQL Server 2005SQL Server 2008SQL Server 7.0
SQL Server 2005SQL Server 2008
SQL Server 2000SQL Server 2005SQL Server 2008SQL Server 7.0
SQL Server 2005
SQL Server 2008
Standard security
Provider =SQLNCLI10; Server =myServerAddress; Database =myDataBase; Uid =myUsername;
Pwd =myPassword;
Are you using SQL Server 2008 Express? Don't miss the server name syntax
Servername\SQLEXPRESS where you substitute Servername with the name of
the computer where the SQL Server 2008 Express installation resides.
When to use SQL Native Client?
Trusted connection
Provider =SQLNCLI10; Server =myServerAddress; Database =myDataBase;
Trusted_Connection =yes;
Equivalent key-value pair: "Integrated Security=SSPI" equals
"Trusted_Connection=yes"
Connecting to an SQL Server instance
The syntax of specifying the server instance in the value of the server key is the same for all
connection strings for SQL Server.
Provider =SQLNCLI10; Server =myServerName\theInstanceName; Database =myDataBase;
Trusted_Connection =yes;
Prompt for username and password
This one is a bit tricky. First you need to set the connection object's Prompt property to
adPromptAlways. Then use the connection string to connect to the database.
oConn.Properties("Prompt") = adPromptAlways
oConn.Open "Provider=SQLNCLI10;Server=myServerAddress;DataBase=myDataBase;"
Enable MARS
Provider =SQLNCLI10; Server =myServerAddress; Database =myDataBase;
Trusted_Connection =yes; MARS Connection =True;
Encrypt data sent over network
Provider =SQLNCLI10; Server =myServerAddress; Database =myDataBase;
Trusted_Connection =yes; Encrypt =yes;
Attach a database file on connect to a local SQL Server Express instance
Provider =SQLNCLI10; Server =.\SQLExpress; AttachDbFilename =c:\asd\qwe\mydbfile.mdf;
Database =dbname; Trusted_Connection =Yes;
Why is the Database parameter needed? If the named database have already been
attached, SQL Server does not reattach it. It uses the attached database as the default
for the connection.
↯ Problems connecting? Get answer in the SQL Server 2008 Q & A forum →
SQL Server Native Client 10.0 OLE DB Provider
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SQL Server 2005
SQL Server 2008
SQL Server 2005
SQL Server 2008
Attach a database file, located in the data directory, on connect to a local SQL Server
Express instance
Provider =SQLNCLI10; Server =.\SQLExpress;
AttachDbFilename =|DataDirectory|mydbfile.mdf; Database =dbname;
Trusted_Connection =Yes;
Why is the Database parameter needed? If the named database have already been
attached, SQL Server does not reattach it. It uses the attached database as the default
for the connection.
Database mirroring
If you connect with ADO.NET or the SQL Native Client to a database that is being mirrored, your
application can take advantage of the drivers ability to automatically redirect connections when a
database mirroring failover occurs. You must specify the initial principal server and database in the
connection string and the failover partner server.
Provider =SQLNCLI10; Data Source =myServerAddress;
Failover Partner =myMirrorServerAddress; Initial Catalog =myDataBase;
Integrated Security =True;
There is ofcourse many other ways to write the connection string using database
mirroring, this is just one example pointing out the failover functionality. You can combine
this with the other connection strings options available.
SQL Server 2008
Using SQL Server Native Client provider (SQLNCLI10)
Provider =SQLXMLOLEDB.4.0; Data Provider =SQLNCLI10; Data Source =myServerAddress;
Initial Catalog =myDataBase; User Id =myUsername; Password =myPassword;
Use an OLE DB provider from .NET
Provider =any oledb provider's name; OledbKey1 =someValue; OledbKey2 =someValue;
See the respective OLEDB provider's connection strings options. The .net OleDbConnection will just
pass on the connection string to the specified OLEDB provider. Read more here .
SQL Server 2000SQL Server 2005
SQL Server 2008SQL Server 7.0
SQL Server 2000SQL Server 2005SQL Server 2008
SQL Server 7.0
Standard security
Driver ={SQL Server Native Client 10.0}; Server =myServerAddress;
Database =myDataBase; Uid =myUsername; Pwd =myPassword;
Are you using SQL Server 2008 Express? Don't miss the server name syntax
Servername\SQLEXPRESS where you substitute Servername with the name of
the computer where the SQL Server 2008 Express installation resides.
When to use SQL Native Client?
Trusted Connection
Driver ={SQL Server Native Client 10.0}; Server =myServerAddress;
Database =myDataBase; Trusted_Connection =yes;
Equivalent key-value pair: "Integrated Security=SSPI" equals
"Trusted_Connection=yes"
Connecting to an SQL Server instance
SQLXML 4.0 OLEDB Provider
.NET Framework Data Provider for OLE DB
SQL Server Native Client 10.0 ODBC Driver
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SQL Server 2000SQL Server 2005SQL Server 2008SQL Server 7.0
SQL Server 2000SQL Server 2005SQL Server 2008SQL Server 7.0
SQL Server 2005SQL Server 2008
SQL Server 2000SQL Server 2005SQL Server 2008SQL Server 7.0
SQL Server 2005
SQL Server 2008
SQL Server 2005
SQL Server 2008
SQL Server 2005
SQL Server 2008
The syntax of specifying the server instance in the value of the server key is the same for all
connection strings for SQL Server.
Driver ={SQL Server Native Client 10.0}; Server =myServerName\theInstanceName;
Database =myDataBase; Trusted_Connection =yes;
Prompt for username and password
This one is a bit tricky. First you need to set the connection object's Prompt property to
adPromptAlways. Then use the connection string to connect to the database.
oConn.Properties("Prompt") = adPromptAlways
oConn.Open "Driver={SQL Server Native Client
10.0};Server=myServerAddress;Database=myDataBase;"
Enable MARS
Driver ={SQL Server Native Client 10.0}; Server =myServerAddress;
Database =myDataBase; Trusted_Connection =yes; MARS_Connection =yes;
Encrypt data sent over network
Driver ={SQL Server Native Client 10.0}; Server =myServerAddress;
Database =myDataBase; Trusted_Connection =yes; Encrypt =yes;
Attach a database file on connect to a local SQL Server Express instance
Driver ={SQL Server Native Client 10.0}; Server =.\SQLExpress;
AttachDbFilename =c:\asd\qwe\mydbfile.mdf; Database =dbname; Trusted_Connection =Yes;
Why is the Database parameter needed? If the named database have already been
attached, SQL Server does not reattach it. It uses the attached database as the default
for the connection.
Attach a database file, located in the data directory, on connect to a local SQL Server
Express instance
Driver ={SQL Server Native Client 10.0}; Server =.\SQLExpress;
AttachDbFilename =|DataDirectory|mydbfile.mdf; Database =dbname;
Trusted_Connection =Yes;
Why is the Database parameter needed? If the named database have already been
attached, SQL Server does not reattach it. It uses the attached database as the default
for the connection.
Database mirroring
If you connect with ADO.NET or the SQL Native Client to a database that is being mirrored, your
application can take advantage of the drivers ability to automatically redirect connections when a
database mirroring failover occurs. You must specify the initial principal server and database in the
connection string and the failover partner server.
Driver ={SQL Server Native Client 10.0}; Server =myServerAddress;
Failover_Partner =myMirrorServerAddress; Database =myDataBase;
Trusted_Connection =yes;
There is ofcourse many other ways to write the connection string using database mirroring, this is
just one example pointing out the failover functionality. You can combine this with the other
connection strings options available.
Please note if you are using TCP/IP (using the network library parameter) and database mirroring,
including port number in the address (formed as servername,portnumber) for both the main
server and the failover partner can solve some reported issues.
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SQL Server SQL Server 2012
SQL Server 2008 SQL Server 2005
SQL Server 2000 SQL Server 7.0
All SQL Server SqlConnection Properties Application Name for SQL Server Connections
SQL Server Data Types Reference When to use the SQL Native Client
Download SQL Server Native Client Network Protocol for SQL Server Connection
SQL Server 2008 Data Types Reference SQL Server 2000 Data Types Reference
SQL Server 2005 Data Types Reference SQL Server 2012 Data Types Reference
Use an ODBC driver from .NET
Driver ={any odbc driver's name}; OdbcKey1 =someValue; OdbcKey2 =someValue;
See the respective ODBC driver's connection strings options. The .net OdbcConnection will just
pass on the connection string to the specified ODBC driver. Read more here .
SQL Server 2005SQL Server 2008SQL Server 2012
Context Connection
Connecting to "self" from within your CLR stored prodedure/function. The context connection lets
you execute Transact-SQL statements in the same context (connection) that your code was invoked
in the first place.
C#
using(SqlConnection connection = new SqlConnection("context connection=true"))
{
connection.Open();
// Use the connection
}
VB.Net
Using connection as new SqlConnection("context connection=true")
connection.Open()
' Use the connection
End Using
.NET Framework Data Provider for ODBC
Context Connection
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