Create a Microsoft SQL Server metadata collector

---
title: Create a Microsoft SQL Server metadata collector
description: Create a collector to import metadata from Microsoft SQL Server.
locale: en-US
canonical_url: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/integrate-applications/create-microsoft-sql-server-metadata-collector.html
release: australia
topic_type: task
last_updated: "2026-03-12"
reading_time_minutes: 5
breadcrumb: [Microsoft SQL Server metadata collector, Configuring metadata collectors, Data Catalog, Workflow Data Fabric]
---

# Create a Microsoft SQL Server metadata collector

Create a collector to import metadata from Microsoft SQL Server.

## Before you begin

Before you begin, verify the following:

-   All per-requisite tasks are completed. For more information, see [Prepare to run the Microsoft SQL Server collector](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/integrate-applications/prepare-to-run-microsoft-sql-server-collector.md).
-   If you plan to run the collector on-premise, a MID Server is setup for the collector. For more information, see [MID Server for metadata collectors](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/integrate-applications/mid-server-for-metadata-collectors-dc.md).
-   Role required: connection-admin

## Procedure

1.  Navigate to **All** > **Workflow Data Fabric** > **Workflow Data Fabric Home**.

2.  Select the Connect Hub \[Omitted image "wdf-connect-hub-icon.png"\] Alt text: Connect Hub icon icon in the left sidebar.

3.  Select **Create** > **Metadata collector**.

4.  From the System list, select **Microsoft SQL Server**.

5.  From the Connection type list, select one of the following:

    1.  Select **New connection** to configure a new connection.

    2.  Select **Existing connection** to reuse an existing connection and select an existing connection from the **Connections** list.

        The configuration form is filled with details from the existing connection. The name is appended with the word Copy and sensitive details like password aren't copied.

6.  Complete the form.

    |Field|Description|
    |-----|-----------|
    |Connection name|Unique identifier for the connection. This field can't be modified once the connection is established.|
    |Short description|Purpose and details of the connection.|

7.  Configure the connection options.

<table id="table_s3_collector_props"><thead><tr><th>

Field

</th><th>

Description

</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>

Server

</td><td>

Hostname of the database server to connect to.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Server port

</td><td>

Port of the database server \(if not the default\).

</td></tr><tr><td>

Use MID server

</td><td>

Option to connect to the source system through a MID Server. When selected, the **MID selection** options appear.

</td></tr><tr><td>

MID selection

</td><td>

MID Server routing option for the collector job. This field appears only when **Use MID server** is selected.

 -   **Auto-Select MID Server** — The system selects an available MID Server at job execution time. Default selection.
-   **Specific MID Server** — The collector job runs on the selected MID Server. If the MID Server is offline at job execution time, the job fails with an error identifying the MID Server by name.
-   **Specific MID Cluster** — The collector job runs on any available MID Server within the selected cluster.


</td></tr><tr><td>

MID Server

</td><td>

MID Server to use for the collector job. This field appears only when **Specific MID Server** is selected. The selected MID Server is saved on the collector record and used for all subsequent collection runs until changed.

</td></tr><tr><td>

MID Cluster

</td><td>

MID cluster to use for the collector job. This field appears only when **Specific MID Cluster** is selected. The selected cluster is saved on the collector record; any available MID Server within the cluster may serve the job.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Capabilities

</td><td>

One or more capability labels that restrict auto-selection to MID Servers advertising those capabilities. This field appears only when **Auto-Select MID Server** is selected.

</td></tr><tr><td>

MID application

</td><td>

MID Server application to use for the collector job. This field appears only when **Auto-Select MID Server** is selected.

</td></tr></tbody>
</table>8.  Configure the authentication options.

    |Field|Description|
    |-----|-----------|
    |Username|Username to use to connect to the database.|
    |Password|Password of the databsase user.|

9.  Configure the connection information.

<table id="table_mtg_br2_h3c"><thead><tr><th>

Field

</th><th>

Description

</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>

Include database

</td><td>

Name of the database to connect to. Specify multiple databases by adding one value per line.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Excluded database

</td><td>

Name or regular expression indicating databases not to catalog when the Database field is empty.**Note:** This parameter is ignored if the Database field is specified.

</td></tr></tbody>
</table>10. Select from **Collect all schemas** or **Specify which schema to collect** to configure the schema collection options.

    |Field|Description|
    |-----|-----------|
    |Collect all schemas|
    |Collect all schemas|Catalog all schemas to which the user has access.|
    |Exclude Schema|Name or regular expression of the database schema to be excluded.|
    |Include Information Schema|Include the database's Information Schema in catalog collection.|
    |Specify which schema to collect|
    |Specify which schema to collect|Catalog only the specified schemas.|
    |Schema|Name of the database schema to catalog.|

11. Configure the statistics and sampling options.

<table id="table_ocr_gc4_33c"><thead><tr><th>

Field

</th><th>

Description

</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>

Enable column statistics collection

</td><td>

Enable harvesting of column statistics \(that is, data profiling\).**Note:** Enabling profiling can increase the collector’s runtime, as the collector must read table data to generate profiling metadata.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Target sample size for column statistics

</td><td>

Number of rows sampled for computation of column statistics and string-value histograms. For example, to sample 1000 rows, set the parameter as: 1000.Default: 100000

</td></tr><tr><td>

Disable Lineage collection

</td><td>

Skip harvesting of intra-database lineage metadata.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Disable Extended Metadata collection

</td><td>

Skip harvesting of extended metadata for data asset types such as database, schema, table, columns functions, stored procedures, user defined types, synonyms. Basic metadata for these data asset types will still be harvested.

</td></tr></tbody>
</table>12. Configure the harvesting scope and limits options.

    |Field|Description|
    |-----|-----------|
    |Collect extended properties|Harvest information about extended properties from SQL Server. For example, column descriptions.|
    |Disable replication collection|Skip harvesting of replication metadata.|
    |Enable Sample String Values collection|Enable harvesting of sample values and histograms for columns containing string data.|
    |Exclude system functions|Exclude system functions from metadata collection.|

13. Configure the connection and reliability options.

<table id="table_yhb_plp_33c"><thead><tr><th>

Field

</th><th>

Description

</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>

Server environment

</td><td>

Friendly name for the environment in which your database server runs when the server name is localhost. Helps differentiate it from other environments.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Database ID

</td><td>

Unique identifier for this database. Used to generate the database ID when the database name is not sufficiently unique.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Disable agent job collection

</td><td>

Skip harvesting of agent jobs metadata.

</td></tr><tr><td>

JDBC properties

</td><td>

JDBC driver properties to pass through to driver connection.

</td></tr><tr><td>

SQL parsing timeout

</td><td>

Timeout in seconds for SQL parsing during lineage collection. Default: 60

</td></tr></tbody>
</table>14. Select **Save**.


## Result

The metadata collector is created and appears on the Connectors page with a Configured status. It is now ready to connect to the source system and harvest metadata.

## What to do next

After creating the collector, you can perform any of the following tasks:

-   Enable vault classification for columns harvested by the collector. This option is available only from the connection details of a saved collector. See [Enable Vault classification for a metadata collector](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/integrate-applications/enable-vault-classification.md).
-   Run the collector manually to harvest metadata immediately. See [Run metadata collectors manually](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/integrate-applications/run_metadata-collectors-manually.md).
-   Automate metadata collection by scheduling regular collector runs. See [Schedule metadata collector runs](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/integrate-applications/schedule-metadata-collector-runs.md).
-   Monitor execution status and troubleshoot issues by viewing the runtime logs. See [View runtime logs for collector runs](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/integrate-applications/view-runtime-logs-for-collector-runs.md).
-   Discover and evaluate the harvested data assets in the Data Catalog. See [Governing the Data Catalog](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/integrate-applications/manage-data-catalog.md).

**Parent Topic:**[Microsoft SQL Server metadata collector](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/integrate-applications/microsoft-sql-server-metadata-collector.md)