Connect On-Prem SQL Express Server to Alteryx Server

[cleigh]

Greetings! My team is looking to automate the scheduling & running of our workflows using Alteryx Server. Currently, most of our files and data sit on a single "always-on" remote desktop.

What steps should I take on my end, and how should I communicate with the admins of Alteryx Server at my company to set up a connection with the remote desktop, so that Alteryx Server can access files, create files, and query the SQL Express Server?

[fmvizcaino]

Hi @cleigh ,

Here are the steps you and your server admins need to get this access.

1. Find out your Alteryx Server version
   1. Alteryx released a new feature called DCM on version 21.4 but only added the feature to share the connection with other designer users on 23.2
   2. https://help.alteryx.com/release-notes/en/release-notes/server-release-notes/server-2023-2-release-n...
2. Understand DCM and Gallery Data Connections differences
   1. DCM provides more flexibility and you are responsible for creating, managing and sharing your connection
      1. https://help.alteryx.com/current/en/server/configure/system-settings/dcm---server.html##
   2. Gallery data connections are managed by the server admins. Whenever you have a password change or something like that, you must ask an admin to change it for you.
      1. https://help.alteryx.com/20221/en/server/administer-alteryx-server/data-connections.html#idp110067
3. Guarantee your Alteryx Server machine has everything you need
   1. Your remote desktop is accessible from within the server
   2. Sql Server ODBC driver installed (you should have the same driver on your computer)
4. Go with DSN-less connection: Easier to manage - the users only have to install the same ODBC driver and the connection will work
   1. https://knowledge.alteryx.com/index/s/article/How-To-format-common-ODBC-DSN-less-connection-strings-...

Hope this helps.

Best,

Fernando Vizcaino