> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.less.tech/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Microsoft SQL Server

<Note>
  Allow inbound access from [Less IP addresses](/guides/less-ip) to your SQL Server instance (firewall, Azure SQL networking rules, security groups, and so on).

  The login you use must have permission to **create and write** in the target database so Less can load data from models.
</Note>

The Microsoft SQL Server destination writes data from Less into SQL Server or **Azure SQL** (including Azure SQL Database). The wizard asks for a standard TCP connection: host, port, database, and SQL authentication credentials.

The default port is **1433** unless your administrator assigns a different one.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Account">
    Enter the **host** (hostname or IP, for example `db-test.mssql.database.azure.com` for Azure SQL), **port** (typically **1433**), and the **database** name.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Credentials">
    Enter the **username** and **password** for SQL authentication (for example a contained database user on Azure SQL or a SQL login on your instance).
  </Step>

  <Step title="SSH">
    If the database is only reachable through a jump host, enable the SSH tunnel and provide **SSH host**, **port**, **username**, and **password**, or use an **SSH key** instead of a password.

    If your server is directly reachable from the internet or a private link Less can use, you can leave the tunnel disabled.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Test Connection">
    Use **Test Connection** to verify host, port, database, and credentials before saving. Error messages are returned as received from SQL Server.
  </Step>
</Steps>