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Microsoft SQL

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Overview

Microsoft SQL Server is the dominant relational database on Windows estates and the back end of most of the management tooling that runs on them. Configuration Manager holds its hardware and software inventory in a SQL Server site database, and so do the majority of Windows-based ITSM, CMDB, asset management, HR and finance applications. For many organisations it is the single richest source of device and application data that ReadyWorks can reach without an API.

The ReadyWorks connector connects directly to a SQL Server instance over the network using the mssql.php driver and a SQL login. A job carries a T-SQL statement in its Data Selection field, ReadyWorks runs it, and the result set is written to the destination staging table with one column per selected column. Where a product exposes reporting views over its schema, those views are usually the right thing to query.

This is how ReadyWorks reads inventory that the vendor’s API either does not expose or exposes too slowly to be useful. A Configuration Manager site database answers questions about installed software, hardware specification and last hardware scan that no agent-level API answers as cheaply. Staged against Active Directory computer objects and the CMDB, it becomes the backbone of a device refresh or an operating system migration programme.

The connector is inbound only. It reads query results and writes staging tables, and it issues no writes to the source database.

NOTE: Give ReadyWorks a dedicated login with read access only to the tables or views it needs. Query reporting views rather than base tables where the product provides them, since base table schemas change between product releases.

Connector Properties

Property Value
Identifier MS SQL
Name Microsoft SQL
Description Connector for accessing Microsoft SQL database tables.
Job Types Inbound Only
Order 220
Enabled Yes
Locked Yes
Block Update No
Single Authentication No
Windows Only No
Connector Version 2025-03-12
Hooks None
Additional Job Fields None
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Authentication Methods

One method ships: a direct network connection with a SQL Server login and password.

Method Identifier Base Method Script Order Enabled Config Fields
Username / Password MS SQL_user MS SQL_user mssql.php 10 Yes 5

NOTE: This method requires a SQL Server authentication login. The form has no option for Windows Integrated authentication, so an instance configured for Windows authentication only cannot be read through this connector. Either enable mixed mode and create a SQL login, or use the Powershell: Microsoft SQL connector, which runs on a Windows host.

NOTE: The form has no field for TLS, certificate trust or instance encryption settings. Place the ReadyWorks server and the SQL Server on a network path you trust.

Method 1: Username / Password (MS SQL_user)

Connect to a MS SQL Server

Username / Password connects to the SQL Server instance named in Source Server on the port given in Source Server Port (the default is 1433), authenticates with the supplied credentials, and selects the database named in Source DB Name. All five fields are required. The password is stored encrypted.

Connection Configuration Fields (5)

Order Label Type Required Default Max Len Tooltip
10 Source Server text Yes 255 Enter name of the source server
20 Source Server Port text Yes 1433 5 Enter port number of the source server
30 Source DB Name text Yes 255 Enter name of the source database
40 Username text Yes 1024 Enter username of the database account
50 Password password Yes 64000 Enter password of the database account

No authentication recipe is stored. The driver script authenticates natively using the fields above.

Inbound Job Fields Enabled (13)

These are the job-level settings exposed for a Microsoft SQL extract. Data Selection holds the T-SQL statement.

Order Label Type Required Default Tooltip
10 Job Description text Yes Enter description of the Job
20 Job Schedule lookup Yes Daily Select frequency Job should run
30 Enabled radio Yes Yes Choose if Job is enabled
60 Allow Empty Table radio Yes Yes Choose if an empty table is allowed
70 Destination Table text Yes Enter name of the destination table
80 Data Identity text No Enter identity of the Job
90 Data Selection textarea No Enter connector specific data selection command of the Job
120 Append New Data to Existing Tables radio No No Choose if new data will append to the existing destination table, or will create a new destination table
130 Fields to Index text No Enter fields to index
150 Request Unique Key Field text No Enter request unique field key of the Job
160 Request Sort By Field text No Enter field to sort by
290 Request Limit text No Enter request limit of the Job
560 Order text Yes Enter order of the Job

Inbound Job Templates (1)

One inbound template ships as a worked example. It arrives disabled and carries a placeholder query, so it is a pattern to copy rather than a job to enable.

# Job Description Destination Table API End Point Enabled What It Pulls
1 MS SQL Table Data mssql_data Not set No A skeleton job carrying the statement SELECT * FROM {tablename} and writing to the mssql_data staging table. Replace the statement, the destination table and the data identity with your own.

Job Template Configuration

Settings

Setting Value
Order 10
Enabled No
Job Schedule Daily (15 1 * * *)
Destination Table mssql_data
Data Identity mssql_data
Allow Empty Table Yes
Append Files to Same Destination Table No
Append New Data to Existing Tables No
Use Unparsed Data No
Convert UUID-Keyed Objects to Rows No
Ignore XML Attributes No
Log Raw API Calls No
Method Type GET
Body Data Sending Method JSON Encoded Data

Job Parameters and Enumeration

MS SQL Table Data

Data Selection: SELECT * FROM {tablename}

Outbound Job Templates (0)

This connector ships no outbound templates and does not support outbound jobs.

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