Windows: Create Region and Cross-Region Data Sources for Microsoft SQL

Note: We recommend that you use a connection string to connect to Microsoft SQL Server databases; that is, using the connect attribute within the database configuration file, which is covered in Update the Configuration File for Microsoft SQL Server Region and Cross-Region Databases.

Use the following steps if you do not intend to use connection strings, but instead create ODBC data sources to access region and cross-region databases.

Open the ODBC Data Source Administrator.
Tip: On most newer Windows versions, click the Start Menu button, type ODBC, and then select the appropriate desktop app.
On the ODBC Data Source Administrator dialog box, select the System DSN tab.
Add the mandatory data sources:
Note: In order to create or query databases, you must have an active data source connection to the master database (the primary configuration database supplied with MSSQL). If this data source already exists, you can skip this step.
1. Click Add.
2. Select the appropriate ODBC driver for your database (for example, ODBC 17 for SQL Server is a common one for MSSQL), and click Finish.
  Note: The bitism of your driver must match the bitism of the application that will use it.
  
  The Create New Data Source... wizard appears.
3. Enter a name and description for the data source, and the name of the server on which the database will reside.
  The data source name should be the name as specified by dsn:<name> when updating the database configuration file for this database.
4. Click Next twice.
5. Select the Change the default database to: option, and enter master.
6. Click Next, and then click Finish.
  An overview of the data source details is displayed.
7. Click Test Data Source.
  The connection should be successful; if not, it indicates that you have a problem with your Microsoft SQL Server installation, and should consult the vendor instructions to troubleshoot before proceeding any further.
8. Click OK twice.
Add a new data source for a region database:
1. Click Add.
2. Select the appropriate ODBC driver for your database (for example, ODBC 17 for SQL Server is a common one for MSSQL), and click Finish.
  Note: The bitism of your driver must match the bitism of the application that will use it.
  
  The Create New Data Source... wizard appears.
3. Enter a name and description for the data source, and the name of the server on which the database will reside.
  The data source name should be the name as specified by dsn:<name> when updating the database configuration file for this region database.
4. Click Next twice.
5. Select the Change the default database to: option, and if your region database is to be housed in a single physical database containing other datastores/region databases, enter the name of that database as specified by -db|existdb:<db-name> when updating the database configuration file, or if the region database is to be housed in its own database, enter the name of the database as specified by -name:<dsname> when updating the database configuration file.
6. Click Next, and then click Finish.
  An overview of the data source details is displayed.
7. Click Test Data Source.
  The connection should be successful; if not, it indicates that you have a problem with your Microsoft SQL Server installation, and should consult the vendor instructions to troubleshoot before proceeding any further.
8. Click OK.
  The ODBC Data Source Administrator dialog box appears again.
Add a new data source for a cross-region database:
1. Click Add.
2. Select the appropriate ODBC driver for your database (for example, ODBC 17 for SQL Server is a common one for MSSQL), and click Finish.
  Note: The bitism of your driver must match the bitism of the application that will use it.
  
  The Create New Data Source... wizard appears.
3. Enter a name and description for the data source, and the name of the server on which the database will reside.
  The data source name should be the name as specified by dsn:<name> when updating the database configuration file for this cross-region database.
4. Click Next twice.
5. Select the Change the default database to: option, and if your cross-region database is to be housed in one physical database, with other datastores/region databases, enter the name of that database as specified by -db|existdb:<db-name> when updating the database configuration file, or if the cross-region database is to be housed in its own database, type _$XREGN$.
6. Click Next, and then click Finish.
  An overview of the data source details is displayed.
7. Click Test Data Source.
  The connection should be successful; if not, it indicates that you have a problem with your Microsoft SQL Server installation, and should consult the vendor instructions to troubleshoot before proceeding any further.
8. Click OK.
  The ODBC Data Source Administrator dialog box appears again.
Click OK.

The data sources for the region and cross-region databases are configured. You can configure your enterprise server regions to use the region and cross-region databases.