Connecting to SQL Data Services (SDS) with SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)

In order to connect to SQL Data Services, you should have an invitation for working with SQL Azure CTP (discussed in previous article working with SQL Data Services –SDS)

1. Start SSMS 2008. When it asks for a connection to the services, click on Cancel. If by mistake you try connecting using this window, you get following error

2. Click on New query and enter following details. We can only connect using SQL Server authentication as that is the only mode supported in SQL Azure.

3. Click on Options and enter the database name as follows

If you select <default> option or <browse Server> option from Select Database we get errors

You will get a warning as shown below:

Click OK and you are connected to SQL Azure.