Summation connects to Microsoft SQL Server — and compatible managed flavors (Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Managed Instance, Amazon RDS for SQL Server, Google Cloud SQL for SQL Server) — using standard host/port credentials.
The connector authenticates with SQL Server Authentication (a SQL login and password). Windows Authentication and Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD) are not supported.
What you’ll need
- A reachable host and port (default
1433).
- A database name.
- A SQL login with
SELECT on the tables you want exposed. See GRANT (Transact-SQL) in the SQL Server docs.
Create a dedicated read-only login for Summation. Its queries are then auditable and the connector has no way to modify data.
Where to find host/port for your provider
| Provider | Where to look |
|---|
| Azure SQL Database | Azure portal → your SQL database → Overview → Server name (port 1433). See Connect and query. |
| Amazon RDS for SQL Server | RDS console → your DB instance → Connectivity & security → Endpoint and port. See Connecting to a DB instance running SQL Server. |
| Google Cloud SQL for SQL Server | Cloud SQL console → your instance → Connections. See About connection options. |
| Self-hosted | The host running SQL Server, with TCP/IP enabled in SQL Server Configuration Manager and the port open (default 1433). |
| Field | Required | Stored as | Notes |
|---|
| Host | Yes | Config | DNS name or IP, e.g. sqlserver.example.com. |
| Port | Yes | Config | Default 1433. |
| Database | Yes | Config | The SQL Server database name. |
| Username | Yes | Config | SQL login. |
| Password | Yes | Secret | |
| Encrypt | Optional | Config | Encrypt the connection with TLS. Default true. |
| Trust Server Certificate | Optional | Config | Skip TLS certificate validation. Default false; only enable for self-signed dev servers. |
Encryption
| Setting | What it does |
|---|
Encrypt true (default) | TLS on. Recommended for any non-local server. |
Encrypt false | No TLS. Don’t use over the public internet. |
Trust Server Certificate true | TLS on, but the server’s certificate is not verified — use only for self-signed certificates on trusted networks. |
true and Trust Server Certificate false.
Setup SQL
CREATE LOGIN summation WITH PASSWORD = '<strong-password>';
USE analytics;
CREATE USER summation FOR LOGIN summation;
GRANT SELECT ON SCHEMA::dbo TO summation;
Adding datasets
Source references use the three-part database.schema.table form:
mssql:my_database.dbo.my_table
mssql:my_database."MySchema"."MyTable".
Common problems
| Error or symptom | Likely cause |
|---|
Login failed for user | Wrong login or password, or the server is in Windows-authentication-only mode. Enable SQL Server and Windows Authentication mode (mixed mode). |
connection refused / timeout | Wrong host/port, TCP/IP disabled on the instance, or a firewall blocking Summation’s egress IPs. |
| SSL / certificate errors | Encrypt doesn’t match the server, or a self-signed certificate is in use. Try enabling Trust Server Certificate. |
The SELECT permission was denied | Grant SELECT on the schema or tables to the Summation login. |