Adding Servers

Aireforge Studio provides a robust set of options for adding SQL Server instances. The process is designed to be straightforward, while also offering flexibility in server configuration.

Server Information:

  • Server address: Use the format [Host]\[Instance]:[Port]. This allows you to specify the hostname, instance, and an optional port for the SQL Server.
  • Server type: Choose the SQL Server version. The server type is automatically detected during the first connection and will update if different from your selection.
  • Network protocol: Options include TCP/IP, Named Pipes, or Shared Memory.
  • Authentication method:
    • Windows Authentication
    • SQL Server Authentication
    • Microsoft Entra MFA
    • Microsoft Entra Password
    • Microsoft Entra Integrated
  • Test Connection: Test the connection to ensure the server details are correct and automatically detect the server type if needed.
  • Friendly name: Assign an easily recognized name to each instance for better identification.
  • Tags: Group your servers using tags for better organization. Multiple tags can be applied to a single server (see Server Tagging & Organization).
  • Color Coding: Use color coding to visually distinguish servers in Aireforge Studio.
  • Notes: You can add custom notes to document specific details about the server.
  • Custom Fields: Add additional metadata through custom fields to tailor server information to your organizational needs (e.g., Project, Environment, SLA).

Importing and Discovering Servers

For bulk adding, refer to our Import/Discover Servers documentation. Aireforge Studio provides tools to easily import or discover multiple servers via:

  • CSV Import: Quickly import a list of servers from a CSV file.
  • SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS): Import registered servers from SSMS.
  • SQL Browser: Scan your network for available SQL Server instances.
  • SQL Table (e.g., linked servers or replication): Retrieve servers from a database table by running custom SQL queries.

By using these features, you can quickly expand your SQL Server estate without needing to manually configure each server.