ODBC User Experience Questions

I have a number of SQL Servers I monitor using the MS SQL UE Monitor, but I've been asked to monitor a SQL Server that does not use the default SQL Port 1433. So that means the MS SQL UE Monitor is out. I'm looking at the ODBC Monitor and here are my questions:

1.) I see there is a Connection String, for ${USER} and ${PASSWORD} it's pulling them from the "Credential Monitoring" drop down below correct?

2.) For USER/PASSWORD do they have to be local SQL accounts or can they be a NT Account?

3.) Are the credentials passed in the clear?

Thanks

Note: I am running APM 3.5 and still getting no where with getting approval/hardware to do the upgrade!

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mdriskell

First of all you can change the port you monitor. I monitor multiple SQL servers and I don't think any of them are on 1433.

I utilize AD creds but the SQL database will need to be setup to accept them. I choose the same svc account from my drop down that I use for my windows server monitoring.

I don't know the answer to your question about how the credentials are passed however.

lukas.belza

Hello,

You are right, you can use ODBC Monitor when you want to monitor MS SQL server with different port. Please use following connection string:

Driver={SQL Server};Server=${IP},1433;DataBase={SolarWindsOrion};Uid=${USER};Pwd=${PASSWORD};

Replace the 1433 with actual SQL port number and SolarWindsOrion with database name.

The ${IP}, ${USER} and ${PASSWORD} variables are replaced during polling job execution.

1) Yes, the username and password from credentials selected in dropdown are used. This data is encrypted in the database using APM certificate (in APM 3.5).

2) The local SQL accounts is working fine. I'm not sure about NT Account - maybe some additional setting on the database server is needed.

3) The credentials are decrypted and replaced in the connection string during job execution just before SQL query execution. Also log files doesn't contain pure password (e.g. we write used connection string to log file, but the password is replaced by "*****").

I hope that it hepls.

Thanks,

Lukas Belza (SolarWinds development)