Connect to SQL Server with Management Studio using Windows Authentication

Question

I am working with Management studio and I want to log in to databases located on another server in another domain. The only login I have for such is with Windows credentials.

I want to be able to log in via Management Studio on my local PC. I have found the only way to do so is using a command similar to:

runas /netonly /user:domain\username "C:\Progr...\IDE\Ssms.exe"

While this works, it isn't the easiest or nicest way. Is there a better way? Any way I can do it within Management Studio?

Answer 1

The only elegant ways to connect to a SQL Server in another domain but still use Windows Authentication are:

• What you're already doing: runas /netonly
• Connecting via remote desktop and opening SSMS locally on the remote server

Answer 2

In addition to the other answers you've received, you can also shift-right click on an executable or a shortcut to one and in the resulting context menu, there should be an option to run as a different user. I tried this on my Win 7 machine. I seem to recall that in XP, I had to install ShellRunAs for these options to show up.

Answer 3

You can get a graphical password prompt by downloading ShellRunAs or better yet, the entire Sysinternals Suite .

• Store the executable(s) for ShellRunAs or the Sysinternals Suite in a location of your choice. I recommend:

   C:\\Program Files\\Sysinternals 

• You can then enable a "Run as different user..." context menu option for all applications/shortcuts by running

   shellrunas /reg 

  

• If you want to only enable this for SQL Server Management Studio, you can create a shortcut to it and pass the path the management studio like so:

   "C:\\Program Files\\Sysinternals\\ShellRunas.exe" "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft SQL Server\\100\\Tools\\Binn\\VSShell\\Common7\\IDE\\Ssms.exe" 

If you download the entire Sysinternal Suite, I would recommend you add the directory to your PATH environment variable .

Please note that you will need to adjust the paths above based on your SQL Server Management Studio version and whether you're running 64 bit or 32 bit Windows.