The recommended tool for managing your database is the Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio app (SSMS).
You can download the tool from here: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/ssms/download-sql-server-management-studio-ssms
Once you have downloaded and installed SSMS, follow these instructions to set up and connect to your database.
- Click on Databases from the left-hand Plesk menu
- Click on the Add Database button
- Type in your database name and make sure you select the MS SQL server option (not MySQL)
- Create a database user, and make sure you make a note of the password.
Also, ensure the password you use is Very strong.
- Click OK to create your database. You will now see this screen:
- If you have an existing database, you can use the Import Dump icon to upload a database backup
- Now open SSMS and fill in the following:
Server Name: <<your domain name>>
Login: <<The username from step 4>>
Password: <<The password from step 4>>
- Do not click on the Connect button just yet; instead, click on the Options >> button.
- In the Connect to database textbox, paste in your database name you created in step 3.
- Now click on the Connect button.
- You can now view and edit your data and modify your database structure.
Your database may not appear in the Object Explorer list. This is expected on our Plesk for Windows servers. See MS SQL Database Not Listed in SQL Server Management Studio (Plesk for Windows) for how to work with it.
