| title | Connecting to Azure SQL DB (AccessToSQL) | Microsoft Docs | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ms.prod | sql | ||||||||
| ms.custom | |||||||||
| ms.date | 01/19/2017 | ||||||||
| ms.reviewer | |||||||||
| ms.technology | ssma | ||||||||
| ms.topic | conceptual | ||||||||
| helpviewer_keywords |
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| ms.assetid | 1ba0d113-dc05-4431-8689-e14a8821bafd | ||||||||
| author | Shamikg | ||||||||
| ms.author | Shamikg |
To migrate Access databases to SQL Azure, you must connect to the target instance of SQL Azure. When you connect, SSMA obtains metadata about all the databases in the instance of SQL Azure and displays database metadata in the SQL Azure Metadata Explorer. SSMA stores information about which instance of SQL Azure you are connected to, but does not store passwords.
Your connection to SQL Azure stays active until you close the project. When you reopen the project, you must reconnect to SQL Azure if you want an active connection to the server. You can work offline until you load database objects into SQL Azure and migrate data.
Metadata about the instance of SQL Azure is not automatically synchronized. Instead, to update the metadata in SQL Azure Metadata Explorer, you must manually update the SQL Azure metadata. For more information, see the "Synchronizing SQL Azure Metadata" section later in this topic.
The account that is used to connect to SQL Azure requires different permissions depending on the actions that the account performs:
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To convert Access objects to [!INCLUDEtsql] syntax, to update metadata from SQL Azure, or to save converted syntax to scripts, the account must have permission to log on to the instance of SQL Azure.
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To load database objects into SQL Azure, the minimum permission requirement is membership in the db_owner database role in the target database.
Before you convert Access database objects to SQL Azure syntax, you must establish a connection to the instance of SQL Azure where you want to migrate the Access database or databases.
When you define the connection properties, you also specify the database where objects and data will be migrated. You can customize this mapping at the Access schema level after you connect to SQL Azure. For more information, see Mapping Access Databases to SQL Server Schemas
Important
Before you try to connect to SQL Azure, make sure that the instance of SQL Azure is running and can accept connections.
To connect to SQL Azure
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On the File menu, select Connect to SQL Azure (this option is enabled after the creation of a project).
If you previously connected to SQL Azure, the command name will be Reconnect to SQL Azure.
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In the connection dialog box, enter or select the server name of SQL Azure.
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Enter, select or Browse the Database name.
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Enter or select UserName.
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Enter the Password.
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SSMA recommends encrypted connection to SQL Azure.
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Click Connect.
Important
SSMA for Access does not support connection to master database in SQL Azure.
If there are no databases in the SQL Azure account, you can create the very first database using Create Azure Database option that appears on the click of Browse button.
Metadata about SQL Azure databases is not automatically updated. The metadata in SQL Azure Metadata Explorer is a snapshot of the metadata when you first connected to SQL Azure, or the last time that you manually updated metadata. You can manually update metadata for all databases, or for any single database or database object.
To synchronize metadata
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Make sure that you are connected to SQL Azure.
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In SQL Azure Metadata Explorer, select the check box next to the database or database schema that you want to update.
For example, to update the metadata for all databases, select the box next to Databases.
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Right-click Databases, or the individual database or database schema, and then select Synchronize with Database.
If SQL Azure schemas change after you connect, you can refresh metadata from the server.
To refresh SQL Azure metadata
- In SQL Azure Metadata Explorer, right click Databases, and then select Refresh from Database.
Your connection to SQL Azure stays active until you close the project. When you reopen the project, you must reconnect to SQL Azure if you want an active connection to the server. You can work offline until you load database objects into SQL Azure and migrate data.
The procedure for reconnecting to SQL Azure is the same as the procedure for establishing a connection.
The next step in the migration depends on your project needs:
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To customize the mapping between Access schemas and SQL Azure databases and schemas, see Mapping Access Databases to SQL Server Schemas.
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To customize configuration options for the projects, see Setting Project Options.
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To customize the mapping of source and target data types, see Mapping Source and Target Data Types.
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If you do not have to perform any of these tasks, you can convert the Access database object definitions into SQL Azure object definitions. For more information, see Converting Access Databases