Installation Guide

Managing Connections

The Connection Manager is an Alloy Navigator tool for managing connections to Alloy Navigator. A connection defines which Alloy Navigator database to connect and what technician account to use for this connection.

Typically, you use only one connection that is provided by your Alloy Navigator administrator, and you do not need the Connection Manager to manage it.

Run the Connection Manager only when you need to fine-tune your existing connection (for example, to specify the network address of the SQL Server where your database resides) or to create additional connections. Additional connections are required if you work with more than one Alloy Navigator database or when you need to log in to the Alloy Navigator under different accounts (for example, when testing the workflow). When you have more than one connection, the Log in to Alloy Navigator window shows the Connection drop-down list, and you can choose the desired one when logging in to Alloy Navigator.

Use Connection Manager to create new connections, modify the existing connections, delete the connections that you do not need, and to import the Database Access Key to your local computer.

TIP: To launch the Connection Manager, click Manage Connections in the Log in to Alloy Navigator dialog box.

The left pane displays all the connections that are available on the local computer, and allows you to create, delete, and copy connections.

The right pane displays the details on the selected connection:

  • Name - the connection name.

  • The Access Key section displays the details about the Database Access Key imported to your computer. Your Alloy Navigator administrator may need this information to identify the key and verify it.

  • The Database Connection section displays the details on the database connection, and lets you fine-tune and test the connection:

    • SQL Server - the network address of the SQL Server hosting the Alloy Navigator database (for example, sqlserver.example.com) that the connection will use to access the SQL server from your local computer.

      IMPORTANT: The network address may differ from the SQL Server name specified in the Database Access Key. If the SQL Server instance uses a non-standard port, include the port number after the SQL Server's name, such as: sqlserver.example.com, 3487.

    • Database - the database name. Typically, this is the database specified in the Database Access Key.

    • Enable TLS 1.2 support - configures the app to use the MSOLEDBSQL driver for secure connections to the SQL Server. This driver is required when the SQL Server uses TLS 1.2 for secure communication, as recommended by Microsoft.

    • Test Connection - verifies the connection.

  • The Technician Account section displays the details on the Alloy Navigator account:

    • Authentication - the authentications type (either Windows Authentication or Standard Authentication)

    • Username - the Alloy Navigator user name. For Windows Authentication, it is your current Windows user name.

    • Password - the Alloy Navigator password.

    • Advanced Login Screen - shows additional controls in the Log in to Alloy Navigator window. In the Advanced mode you will be able to specify a different SQL Server, database, or authentication type, if this choice is supported by the Database Access Key. Please contact your Alloy Navigator administrator for information to be used.

To create a connection:

  1. In the Log in to Alloy Navigator window, click Manage Connections to bring up the Connection Manager window.

  2. In the left pane, click the Plus button . To create a connection by copying an existing one, select the original connection and click the Copy button .

  3. In the Name field, specify the connection name. This name will help you identify this connection when logging in.

  4. Under Technician Account, provide the credentials of the Alloy Navigator account that will access the database using this connection.

  5. If the Access Key section is empty, click Import and import the Database Access Key using the Access Key Import window, for details see Importing the Database Access Key. This populates fields in the Access Key and Database Connection sections with the values from the imported key.

  6. Under Database Connection, fine-tune the database connection details, if needed.

    • If the name of the SQL Server differs from the SQL Server name specified in the Database Access Key, enter the network address of the SQL Server in SQL Server field.

    • If the SQL Server is configured to use TLS 1.2 for secure communication, as recommended by Microsoft, select the Enable TLS 1.2 support check box. This will configure the application to use the "Microsoft OLE DB Driver for SQL Server" (MSOLEDBSQL) to access the database.

  7. Click OK.