Creating and Managing MSSQL Databases in Plesk

Microsoft SQL Server (MSSQL) is available on our Windows hosting plans. This guide covers creating, managing, and connecting to MSSQL databases through the Plesk control panel.

Creating a New MSSQL Database

Log in to Plesk
Go to Websites & Domains > select your domain
Click Databases
Click Add Database
Configure the settings:
- Database name — Enter a descriptive name
- Database server — Select the MSSQL server
- Database user — Create a new user or select an existing one
- Password — Set a strong password
Click OK to create the database

Managing Database Users

Adding a User

Go to Databases in Plesk
Click on your database name
Click Add User
Enter the username and password
Click OK

Changing User Password

Go to Databases
Click the database name
Click the user name
Enter the new password
Click OK

Connection Strings

Use these details to connect from your application:

ADO.NET (C#)

csharp

string connectionString = "Server=localhost;Database=YourDB;User Id=YourUser;Password=YourPass;";

ASP.NET Web.config

xml

<connectionStrings>
  <add name="DefaultConnection" 
       connectionString="Data Source=localhost;Initial Catalog=YourDB;User ID=YourUser;Password=YourPass" 
       providerName="System.Data.SqlClient" />
</connectionStrings>

PHP (via sqlsrv)

php

$serverName = "localhost";
$connectionOptions = array(
    "Database" => "YourDB",
    "Uid" => "YourUser",
    "PWD" => "YourPass"
);
$conn = sqlsrv_connect($serverName, $connectionOptions);

Node.js (mssql package)

javascript

const sql = require('mssql');
const config = {
    server: 'localhost',
    database: 'YourDB',
    user: 'YourUser',
    password: 'YourPass',
    options: { trustServerCertificate: true }
};

Importing Data

Via Plesk

Go to Databases > select your database
Click Import Dump
Upload your .sql or .bak file
Click OK

Via SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)

If you have remote access:

Connect to the server
Right-click the database > Tasks > Import Data
Follow the wizard

Exporting Data

Go to Databases > select your database
Click Export Dump
Choose the format and download

Database Size Limits

Database size counts toward your hosting disk quota. Monitor usage in Plesk under Databases.

Troubleshooting

Cannot Connect to Database

Verify connection string parameters
Check database user credentials
Ensure the database server is running (contact support if needed)
Check if remote connections are allowed (shared hosting typically uses localhost)

Database Full

Check your disk quota in Plesk
Delete old or unused data
Optimize database by removing unnecessary tables

Permission Denied

Ensure the database user is assigned to the correct database
Check the user has the required permissions (db_owner for full access)

Need help? Contact our support team at [email protected] or open a ticket at https://domainindia.com/support.