The Configure Authentication window of the Add Servers wizard allows you to select the authentication credentials SQL Diagnostic Manager uses when collecting performance and statistics information from your SQL Server instances. You can also set encryption to secure the connection.

After selecting a connection type and encryption, click Next to continue.

Access the Add Servers wizard

You can open the Add Servers wizard from the SQL Diagnostic Manager Console menu by selecting File > Manage Servers, and then clicking Add in the Manage Servers window.

Select a connection type

Windows Authentication is the recommended collection type as SQL Diagnostic Manager uses a number of SQL trace statements that require a trusted connection. When you select and use Windows Authentication, the account the SQLdm Collection Service is running as is used to connect to the SQL Server instance.

Select encryption

SQL Diagnostic Manager allows you to designate encryption methods used to encrypt data between the SQLdm Collection Service and the monitored SQL Server instance. The options include SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) or SSL with Trust Service Certificate.

Encrypt Connection (SSL)

The Encrypt Connection (SSL) option adds a flag in the connection properties that triggers SSL use when the SQLdm Collection Service connects to a monitored server that uses SSL to encrypt the data transfer. For this option to work correctly, you must configure the monitored SQL Server instance to use SSL encryption.

Trust Server Certificate (Bypass Certificate Validation)

The Trust Server Certificate (bypass certificate validation) option is available only after you select Encrypt Connection (SSL). This option allows you to skip certificate validation when a SQL Server instance establishes a connection. If SSL on the monitored SQL Server instance is not configured to use a certificate that the collection service trusts, then the connection is rejected unless you select the Trust Server Certificate option.