Connecting to a database server

You connect to a database server through the Database Servers node in the Catalog tree in ArcGIS for Desktop or programmatically using ArcObjects.

Connections made from the Database Servers node are used by server administrators to perform such tasks as creating geodatabases, adding logins to the database server, restoring geodatabases, and detaching or attaching geodatabases to the database server.

Connections from this node are also used by server or geodatabase administrators to manage permissions for logins in individual geodatabases; create backups of a geodatabase; and compress, analyze, or shrink a geodatabase.

Before you connect to a database server, a connection file must be added to the Catalog window. See Adding a database server to ArcGIS for Desktop for instructions.

The following steps tell you two different ways you can connect to a database server in the Catalog window. To connect using ArcObjects, see the ArcObjects Developer help.

Steps:

1. Start ArcMap, open the Catalog window, then expand the Database Servers folder in the Catalog tree.
2. To connect, do one of the following:
   • Double-click the database server connection icon in the Catalog tree.
   • Right-click the database server connection icon in the Catalog tree and click Connect.
   Tip:

   If you have problems connecting to the database server, make sure the instance is running and that you have permission to access the database server with your current Windows login.