Revision as of 02:59, 3 February 2023

Applies to: Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination SQL Agent Insight (all supported versions unless otherwise noted)

Connecting to an Instance of SQL Server®

This article will assist in connecting to an instance of SQL Server® to start monitoring the SQL Agent in that instance quickly. There are multiple ways to connect to a SQL Server® instance with SQL Agent Insight, including:

Clicking on the New Insight button in the toolbar,
Selecting New Insight... from the File menu,
Double-clicking a server name from the list of Available Instances, post enumeration,
Double-clicking a server name from the list of Previously Monitored Instances, or,
Pressing the key sequence, CTRL+N

NOTE

The option to manually enter a server / instance name is always available; just start typing when the focus is in the Server dropdown menu of the Connection dialog. A successful connection will place that SQL instance into the Previously Connected Instances pane for quicker connections in the future.

When entering a SQL Server® instance name manually, ensure to follow SQL Server® instance naming conventions. Additionally, if the SQL Server® instance requires a specific port, it can be included after the instance name, separated by a comma.

The Server dropdown will always contain any instances of SQL that have been enumerated. Post server/instance selection, toggle Windows Authentication on or off. Turning off Windows authentication will enable the SQL User and SQL Password textboxes for entry.

The Connection dialog tooltip showing examples of entering a SQL Server® instance manually.

NOTE

At the time of this writing, the user account (Windows or SQL) must have sysadmin privileges for the SQL Server® instance.

After deciding on the authentication method (Windows or SQL), the connection dialog has an option to start the Insight in maintenance mode. Starting the Insight in maintenance mode has the following benefits:

All metrics immediately go into a state of maintenance (they will appear grey within the Insight),
No new alarms for this instance will appear in the dashboard,
No email notifications are sent, if they are enabled for the Insight, and,
No warning or critical logging of threshold breaches will occur within the Insight log.

PRO TIP

Enable Start Insight in Maintenance Mode initially, until the configuration of all individual metric thresholds have been set to prevent unnecessary Insight logging and email notifications from occurring.

Additionally, the option to Start Insights in Maintenance Mode automatically can be enabled in Preferences.

When all connection options are set satisfactorily, click on the Test Connection button. Passing all actions successfully enables the option to Open the Insight.

In some cases, not all actions will pass verification, as indicated by the red row header of the action that failed. Additionally, the Open Insight button is disabled. To see further information regarding any errors during verification, click on the Errors tab, correct any issues identified, and click on the Test Connection button when resolved.

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Microsoft®, Windows® and SQL Server® are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
Some icons courtesy of Icons8

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 = Connecting to an Instance of SQL Server® =
-This article will assist in connecting to an instance of SQL Server to start monitoring the SQL Agent in that instance quickly. There are multiple ways to connect to a SQL Server instance with SQL Agent Insight, including:
+This article will assist in connecting to an instance of SQL Server® to start monitoring the SQL Agent in that instance quickly. There are multiple ways to connect to a SQL Server® instance with SQL Agent Insight, including:
-* Clicking on the New Insight button in the toolbar,
+* Clicking on the <span style="color: dodgerblue;">'''New Insight'''</span> button in the toolbar,
-* Selecting New Insight… from the File menu,
+* Selecting <span style="color: dodgerblue;">'''New Insight...'''</span> from the File menu,
-* Double-clicking a server name from the list of Available SQL Servers, post enumeration,
+* Double-clicking a server name from the list of <span style="color: dodgerblue;">'''Available Instances'''</span>, post enumeration,
-* Double-clicking a server name from the list of Previously Connected Servers, or,
+* Double-clicking a server name from the list of <span style="color: dodgerblue;">'''Previously Monitored Instances'''</span>, or,
-* Pressing the key sequence, CTRL+N
+* Pressing the key sequence, <span style="color: dodgerblue;">'''CTRL+N'''</span>
-Depending on the action taken above, the server as it appears in the Connect to SQL Server dialog can be automatically populated.
@@ Line 17: / Line 15: @@
 | '''NOTE'''
 |-
-| The option to manually enter a server / instance name is always available; just start typing when the focus is in the Server dropdown menu of the Connection dialog. A successful connection will place that SQL instance into the Previously Connected Instances pane for quicker connections in the future.
+| The option to manually enter a server / instance name is always available; just start typing when the focus is in the Server dropdown menu of the <span style="color: dodgerblue;">'''Connection'''</span> dialog. A successful connection will place that SQL instance into the Previously Connected Instances pane for quicker connections in the future.
 |}
@@ Line 23: / Line 21: @@
 {|
 |- style="vertical-align:top;"
-| When entering a SQL server instance name manually, ensure to follow SQL Server instance naming conventions. Additionally, if the SQL Server instance requires a specific port, it can be included after the instance name, separated by a comma.
+| When entering a SQL Server® instance name manually, ensure to follow SQL Server® instance naming conventions. Additionally, if the SQL Server® instance requires a specific port, it can be included after the instance name, separated by a comma.
-The Connect to SQL Server dropdown will always contain any instances of SQL that have been enumerated.
+The Server dropdown will always contain any instances of SQL that have been enumerated.
 Post server/instance selection, toggle Windows Authentication on or off. Turning off Windows authentication will enable the SQL User and SQL Password textboxes for entry.
-|| [[File:manual-connection.png|thumb|frame|The Connection dialog showing examples of entering a SQL Server® instance manually.]]
+|| [[File:manual-connection.png|thumb|frame|The Connection dialog tooltip showing examples of entering a SQL Server® instance manually.]]
 |-
 |}
@@ Line 36: / Line 34: @@
 | '''NOTE'''
 |-
-| At the time of this writing, the user account (Windows or SQL authentication) must have sysadmin privileges for the SQL Server instance.
+| At the time of this writing, the user account (Windows or SQL) must have <span style="color: dodgerblue;">'''sysadmin'''</span> privileges for the SQL Server® instance.
 |}
@@ Line 53: / Line 51: @@
 |-
 |
-Enable Start Insight in Maintenance Mode initially, until the configuration of all individual metric thresholds have been set to prevent unnecessary Insight logging and email notifications from occurring.
+Enable <span style="color: dodgerblue;">'''Start Insight in Maintenance Mode'''</span> initially, until the configuration of all individual metric thresholds have been set to prevent unnecessary Insight logging and email notifications from occurring.
-Additionally, the option to starting all Insights in maintenance mode automatically can be enabled in SQL Agent Insight’s preferences.
+Additionally, the option to <span style="color: dodgerblue;">'''Start Insights in Maintenance Mode'''</span> automatically can be enabled in <span style="color: dodgerblue;">'''Preferences'''</span>.
 |}
@@ Line 64: / Line 62: @@
 [[File:connection-actions-tab.png|thumb|200px|When all connection options are set satisfactorily, click on the Test Connection button. Passing all actions successfully enables the option to Open the Insight.]]
 |
-[[File:connection-errors-tab.png|thumb|400px|In some cases, not all actions will pass verification, as indicated by the red row header of the action that failed. Additionally, the Open Insight button is disabled. To see further information regarding any errors during verification, click on the Errors tab, correct any issues identified, and click on the Test Connection button when resolved. A failed connection to a SQL Server instance as indicated by a red row header of the action that failed, with the error message shown in the Errors tab, and a disabled Open Insight button.]]
+[[File:connection-errors-tab.png|thumb|400px|In some cases, not all actions will pass verification, as indicated by the red row header of the action that failed. Additionally, the Open Insight button is disabled. To see further information regarding any errors during verification, click on the Errors tab, correct any issues identified, and click on the Test Connection button when resolved.]]
 |-
 |}