Create a virtual database

This chapter describes the steps required to create a new virtual database.

In the GUI

Go to the DATABASE section in the sidebar, then click ADD DATABASE in the top right-hand corner. The screens below walk through the wizard.

In SQL

Create the virtual database over an existing connection with a single statement:

CREATE DATABASE [MyVdb] WITH CONNECTION = [MyConnection];

See CREATE DATABASE.

Source provider for an existing connection

This section is shown as the default one. It displays options for already defined connection. When you want to define the new connection here, change Select connection option to New connection.

Parameter	Required?	Default value	Description
Database name	Yes		New database name. It is system-wide unique.
Select connection	Yes	Existing connection	Specifies if we want to reuse existing connection or create a new connection within this wizard. The available options are Existing connection or New connection.
Existing connections	Yes		The list of the connections defined before in the Connections.

Available actions:

• CANCEL - it abandons the changes and navigates back to the databases list.

• NEXT - it navigates to the next screen.

• CREATE - it creates the virtual database.

Source provider for the new connection

This section should be used when you did not specified the connection yet. Alternatively you can go directly to Create a connection.

Parameter	Required	Default value	Description
Database name	Yes		New database name.
Select connection	Yes	Existing connection	Specifies if we want to reuse existing connection or create a new connection within this wizard. The available options are Existing connection or New connection.
Connection name	Yes		The connection name.
Existing connections	Yes		The list of the connections defined before in the Connections.

Available actions:

• CANCEL - it abandons the changes and goes back to the databases list.

• NEXT - it goes to the next screen.

Provider parameters

This section is visible only when New connection for Select connection with the Source Provider section has been chosen. The configuration parameters were described in the Create a connection.

Source database

This section appears only when the Source provider is based on SQL Server connection.

Parameter	Required	Default value	Description
Initial catalog	Yes		Specifies the initial catalog name from available databases related to the database.

When you select the Initial Catalog during connection creation then it will be selected by default (see Create a connection). In addition, the list of the databases that can be selected is limited to these that have the compatible collation. The screen has additional information Databases with incompatible collation under Initial catalog drop-down.

Available actions:

• CANCEL - it abandons the changes and goes back to the databases list.

• NEXT - it goes to the next screen.

• CREATE - it creates the virtual database.

Import metadata

In this section, you can select objects from the database that will be imported once the database is created. It displays schemas, tables or views within schemas, columns and their types. You can define which objects and their columns are imported.

If you check Calculate row count statistics then calculating the row number for each selected object will be executed.

Available actions:

• CANCEL - it abandons the changes and goes back to the databases list.

• CREATE - it creates the virtual database and imports the selected objects.