In SQL Server Management Studio, open Object Explorer, expand Server Objects, right-click Linked Servers, and then click New Linked Server.
On the General page, in the Linked server box, type the name of the instance of SQL Server that you area linking to.
SQL Server
Identify the linked server as an instance of Microsoft SQL Server. If you use this method of defining a SQL Server linked server, the name specified in Linked server must be the network name of the server. Also, any tables retrieved from the server are from the default database defined for the login on the linked server.
Other data source
Specify an OLE DB server type other than SQL Server. Clicking this option activates the options below it.
Provider
Select an OLE DB data source from the list box. The OLE DB provider is registered with the given PROGID in the registry.
Product name
Type the product name of the OLE DB data source to add as a linked server.
Data source
Type the name of the data source as interpreted by the OLE DB provider. If you are connecting to an instance of SQL Server, provide the instance name.
Provider string
Type the unique programmatic identifier (PROGID) of the OLE DB provider that corresponds to the data source. For examples of valid provider strings, see
sp_addlinkedserver (Transact-SQL).
Location
Type the location of the database as interpreted by the OLE DB provider.
Catalog
Type the name of the catalog to use when making a connection to the OLE DB provider.
To test the ability to connect to a linked server, in Object Explorer, right-click the linked server and then click Test Connection.
Note
If the instance of SQL Server is the default instance, enter the name of the computer that hosts the instance of SQL Server. If the SQL Server is a named instance, enter the name of the computer and the name of the instance, such as Accounting\SQLExpress.
In the Server type area, select SQL Server to indicate that that the linked server is another instance of SQL Server.
On the Security page, specify the security context that will be used when the original SQL Server connects to the linked server. In a domain environment where users are connecting by using their domain logins, selecting Be made using the login’s current security context is often the best choice. When users connect to the original SQL Server by using a SQL Server login, the best choice is often to select By using this security context, and then providing the necessary credentials to authenticate at the linked server.
Local login
Specify the local login that can connect to the linked server. The local login can be either a login using SQL Server Authentication or a Windows Authentication login. Use this list to restrict the connection to specific logins, or to allow some logins to connect as a different login.
Impersonate
Pass the username and password from the local login to the linked server. For SQL Server Authentication, a login with the exact same name and password must exist on the remote server. For Windows logins, the login must be a valid login on the linked server.
To use impersonation, the configuration must meet the requirement for delegation.
Remote User
Use the remote user to map users not defined in Local login. The Remote User must be a SQL Server Authentication login on the remote server.
Remote Password
Specify the password of the Remote User.
Add
Add a new local login.
Remove
Remove an existing local login.
Not be made
Specify that a connection will not be made for logins not defined in the list.
Be made without using a security context
Specify that a connection will be made without using a security context for logins not defined in the list.
Be made using the login's current security context
Specify that a connection will be made using the current security context of the login for logins not defined in the list. If connected to the local server using Windows Authentication, your windows credentials will be used to connect to the remote server. If connected to the local server using SQL Server Authentication, login name and password will be used to connect to the remote server. In this case a login with the exact same name and password must exist on the remote server.
Be made using this security context
Specify that a connection will be made using the login and password specified in the Remote login and With password boxes for logins not defined in the list. The remote login must be a SQL Server Authentication login on the remote server.
Optionally, to view or specify server options, click the Server Options page.
Collation Compatible
Affects Distributed Query execution against linked servers. If this option is set to true, SQL Server assumes that all characters in the linked server are compatible with the local server, with regard to character set and collation sequence (or sort order). This enables SQL Server to send comparisons on character columns to the provider. If this option is not set, SQL Server always evaluates comparisons on character columns locally.
This option should be set only if it is certain that the data source corresponding to the linked server has the same character set and sort order as the local server.
Data Access
Enables and disables a linked server for distributed query access.
RPC
Enables RPC from the specified server.
RPC Out
Enables RPC to the specified server.
Use Remote Collation
Determines whether the collation of a remote column or of a local server will be used.
If true, the collation of remote columns is used for SQL Server data sources, and the collation specified in collation name is used for non- SQL Server data sources.
If false, distributed queries will always use the default collation of the local server, while collation name and the collation of remote columns are ignored. The default is false.
Collation Name
Specifies the name of the collation used by the remote data source if use remote collation is true and the data source is not a SQL Server data source. The name must be one of the collations supported by SQL Server.
Use this option when accessing an OLE DB data source other than SQL Server, but whose collation matches one of the SQL Server collations.
The linked server must support a single collation to be used for all columns in that server. Do not set this option if the linked server supports multiple collations within a single data source, or if the linked server's collation cannot be determined to match one of the SQL Server collations.
Connection Timeout
Time-out value in seconds for connecting to a linked server.
Query Timeout
Time-out value in seconds for queries against a linked server.
Enable Promotion of Distributed Transactions
Use this option to protect the actions of a server-to-server procedure through a Microsoft Distributed Transaction Coordinator (MS DTC) transaction. When this option is TRUE, calling a remote stored procedure starts a distributed transaction and enlists the transaction with MS DTC. For more information, see
sp_serveroption (Transact-SQL).
Click OK.