Define a SQL Server Certificate

Use the SQL Server Certificate Editor to define the attributes for a security key in a SQL Server physical model.

To define a SQL Server certificate

  1. Right-click Certificates in the Model Explorer and click New.

    A new certificate appears with a default name.

  2. Right-click the new certificate and click Properties.

    The SQL Server Certificate Editor opens.

  3. Select the certificate in the Navigation Grid that you want to define and work with the following options:

    Click New New icon in property editors to create a new object on the toolbar to create a certificate. Use the Enter filter text box to filter a large list of certificates to locate the one that you want to define.

    Name

    Displays the certificate name. You can change the certificate name in this field.

    Authorization

    Specifies the name of the user that owns the certificate. Select a name from the drop-down list.

    Database

    Specifies the database to which the certificate is attached.

    Generate

    Generates SQL during forward engineering. Clear the check box if you do not want to generate SQL.

  4. Click the General tab and work with the following options:
    Certificate Options
    Certificate Subject

    Defines text that refers to a field in the metadata of the certificate as defined in the X.509 standard.

    Start Date

    Defines the start date of when the certificate becomes valid.

    Expiration Date

    Defines the certificate expiration date.

    Active for Begin Dialog

    Specifies to make the certificate available to the initiator of a Service Broker dialog conversation.

    Has Private Key

    Specifies whether you want to use the private key of the certificate. Specify this value only if you want to create the certificate from a file.

    Assembly Options
    Assembly

    Specifies the assembly to use. Select an assembly from the drop-down list.

    Click New New icon in property editors to create a new object to open the SQL Server Assembly Editor to add an assembly.

    File Options
    Executable File

    Specifies an executable name property to indicate the complete path to a DER-encoded file that contains the certificate.

    Click New New icon in property editors to create a new object to open the SQL Server File Editor to add a new executable file type.

    Private Key File

    Specifies the private key file path.

    Click New New icon in property editors to create a new object to open the SQL Server File Editor to add a file type.

    Binary Options
    Certificate Binary

    Specifies the certificate in the binary format. If the certificate has a private key, the binary must not include the private key. Convert the certificate from binary to hexadecimal and enter the hexadecimal number in this field.

    Private Key Binary

    Specifies the private key of the certificate in the binary format. Convert the private key from binary to hexadecimal and enter the hexadecimal number in this field.

  5. Click the Permission tab to define the permissions for the certificate.
  6. (Optional) Click the Comment tab and enter any comments that you want to associate with the object.
  7. (Optional) Click the Where Used tab to view where the object is used within the model.
  8. (Optional) Click the UDPtab to work with user-defined properties for the object.
  9. (Optional) Click the Notestab to view and edit user notes.
  10. (Optional) Click the Extended Notes tab to view or edit user notes.
  11. Click Close.

    The certificate is defined and the SQL Server Certificate Editor closes.

More information:

Define Permissions for an Object in a SQL Server Property Editor

Add a Comment in a Property Editor

Add a UDP in a SQL Server Physical Property Editor