SQL Setup

PageGate currently supports using SQL Express and SQL Server 2016, 2017, 2019, 2022 and 2025 deployed locally, on the same network or on a cloud based VM (AWS, Azure, etc).

PageGate uses MS OLD DB drivers will install the Microsoft OLE DB Driver 18 and Driver 19 for SQL Server.

When using an SQL database hosted on a cloud server, if you enable 'Always Encrypted' in SQL, the PageGate Admin and GUI Client applications can be installed on any computer and given access to your PageGate server. This makes connecting remote workstations far easier as they can be given direct access.

Special Notes

•If SqlServerConnectionString.txt exists in the database folder, it is used to connect to the database on an SQL server. This goes for PageGate services, PG Admin, and PG Client.

•If SqlServerConnectionString.txt exists in the archive database folder, it is used by PG Admin's Archive Manager mode to connect to the archive database on an SQL server.

•The SqlServerConnectionString.txt files can also be created/maintained in PG Admin under the Database - SQL section.

•The SqlServerConnectionString.txt file is set to read-only by PG Admin. To edit it manually you need to set it back to read-write
 

•If you want to use SQL Server Authentication, but don't have a real/valid certificate on the SQL server, then comment out all the listed authentication method settings. It will use an older SQL Server Authentication method that doesn't require a valid certificate being installed. Just use the UID and PWD values.

•If you don't want the User Id and Password to be shown in plain text in the connection string file then you can use PgEncryptedUID and PgEncryptedPWD instead.

•When editing the connection string inside PG Admin, you can highlight the username text or the password text and hit ctrl-alt-e to encrypt the highlighted text, or hit ctrl-alt-d to decrypt it. They need to be in their encrypted form when you save (Apply) them.

•For the archive database (if used) use Database=pagegate_archive

•Any database name can be used, but the 'norm' is pagegate and pagegate_archive. The database name on the SQL server and the one in the connection string just have to match

Example contents of SqlServerConnectionString.txt

Provider=Microsoft OLE DB Driver for SQL Server;

#Provider=Microsoft OLE DB Driver 19 for SQL Server;

#Provider=Microsoft OLE DB Provider for SQL Server;

Server=tcp:PUT-SQL-SERVER-ADDRESS-HERE,1433;

Database=pagegate;

Trusted_Connection=Yes;

#Authentication=ActiveDirectoryIntegrated;

#Authentication=ActiveDirectoryPassword;

#Authentication=ActiveDirectoryServicePrincipal;

#Authentication=SqlPassword;

#UID=insert-user-id;

#PWD=insert-password;

Encrypt=Yes;

TrustServerCertificate=Yes;

Connect Timeout=15;

ConnectRetryCount=30;

ConnectRetryInterval=1;

#Use HostNameInCertificate if the host name specified in the 'Server' attribute above, isn't the host name that is

#needed to validate/match the server's certificate (i.e. an IP address is being used in the 'Server' attribute

#HostNameInCertificate=the-real-host-name;

#Use MultiSubnetFailover when using SQL availability groups or failover cluster

#MultiSubnetFailover=Yes;

#All available attributes are described here: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/connect/oledb/applications/using-connection-string-keywords-with-oledb-driver-for-sql-server?view=sql-server-ver17

#PageGate specific settings

#PgEncryptedUID=insert-user-id;

#PgEncryptedPWD=insert-password;

#PgDbShortTimeout=2;

#PgDbMediumTimeout=5;

#PgDbLongTimeout=20;

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