Setting Up Database Mirroring Using Certificates

This example shows all the stages required to create a database mirroring session using certificate-based authentication. The examples in this topic use Transact-SQL. Unless you can guarantee that your network is secure, we recommend that you use encryption for database mirroring connections.

When copying a certificate to another system, use a secure copy method. Be extremely careful to keep all of your certificates secure.

 Example

The following example demonstrates what must be done on one partner that resides on HOST_A. In this example, the two partners are the default server instances on three computer systems. The two server instances run in nontrusted Windows domains, so certificate-based authentication is required.

The initial principal role is taken by HOST_A, and the mirror role is taken by HOST_B.

Setting up database mirroring using certificates involves four general stages, of which three stages—1, 2, and 4—are demonstrated by this example. These stages are as follows:

1. Configuring Outbound Connections
   This example shows the steps for:
   
   1. Configuring Host_A for outbound connections.
      
   2. Configuring Host_B for outbound connections.
      
2. Configuring Inbound Connections
   This example shows the steps for:
   
   1. Configuring Host_A for inbound connections.
      
   2. Configuring Host_B for inbound connections.
      
3. Creating the Mirror Database
   
4. Configuring the Mirroring Partners
   

Configuring Outbound Connections

To configure Host_A for outbound connections

1. On the master database, create the database master key, if needed.

 

Code
   USE master;
    CREATE MASTER KEY ENCRYPTION BY PASSWORD = '<1_Strong_Password!>';

 

2. Make a certificate for this server instance.

 

Code
USE master;
CREATE CERTIFICATE HOST_A_cert 
   WITH SUBJECT = 'HOST_A certificate'

Create a mirroring endpoint for server instance using the certificate.

Code
CREATE ENDPOINT Endpoint_Mirroring
   STATE = STARTED
   AS TCP (
      LISTENER_PORT=7024
      , LISTENER_IP = ALL
   ) 
   FOR DATABASE_MIRRORING ( 
      AUTHENTICATION = CERTIFICATE HOST_A_cert
      , ENCRYPTION = REQUIRED ALGORITHM AES
      , ROLE = ALL
   );
GO

 

Back up the HOST_A certificate, and copy it to other system, HOST_B.

 

Code
BACKUP CERTIFICATE HOST_A_cert TO FILE = 'C:\HOST_A_cert.cer';

Using any secure copy method, copy C:\HOST_A_cert.cer to HOST_B.

To configure Host_B for outbound connections

1. On the master database, create the database master key, if needed.

Code
USE master;
CREATE MASTER KEY ENCRYPTION BY PASSWORD = '<Strong_Password_#2>';
GO

 

Make a certificate on the HOST_B server instance.

 

Code CREATE CERTIFICATE HOST_B_cert     WITH SUBJECT = 'HOST_B certificate for database mirroring'; GO

1. Create a mirroring endpoint for the server instance on HOST_B.

Code
CREATE ENDPOINT Endpoint_Mirroring
   STATE = STARTED
   AS TCP (
      LISTENER_PORT=7024
      , LISTENER_IP = ALL
   ) 
   FOR DATABASE_MIRRORING ( 
      AUTHENTICATION = CERTIFICATE HOST_B_cert
      , ENCRYPTION = REQUIRED ALGORITHM AES
      , ROLE = ALL
   );
GO

1. Back up HOST_B certificate.

 

Code
 BACKUP CERTIFICATE HOST_B_cert TO FILE = 'C:\HOST_B_cert.cer';
GO 
 

1. Using any secure copy method, copy C:\HOST_B_cert.cer to HOST_A.
   

Configuring Inbound Connections

To configure Host_A for inbound connections

1. Create a login on HOST_A for HOST_B.
   

   USE master; CREATE LOGIN HOST_B_login WITH PASSWORD = '1Sample_Strong_Password!@#'; GO

2. --Create a user for that login.
   

   CREATE USER HOST_B_user FOR LOGIN HOST_B_login; GO

3. --Associate the certificate with the user.
   

   CREATE CERTIFICATE HOST_B_cert AUTHORIZATION HOST_B_user FROM FILE = 'C:\HOST_B_cert.cer' GO

4. Grant CONNECT permission on the login for the remote mirroring endpoint.
   

   GRANT CONNECT ON ENDPOINT::Endpoint_Mirroring TO [HOST_B_login]; GO

To configure Host_B for inbound connections

1. Create a login on HOST_B for HOST_A.
   

   USE master; CREATE LOGIN HOST_A_login WITH PASSWORD = '=Sample#2_Strong_Password2'; GO

2. Create a user for that login.
   

   CREATE USER HOST_A_user FOR LOGIN HOST_A_login; GO

3. Associate the certificate with the user.
   

   CREATE CERTIFICATE HOST_A_cert AUTHORIZATION HOST_A_user FROM FILE = 'C:\HOST_A_cert.cer' GO

4. Grant CONNECT permission on the login for the remote mirroring endpoint.
   

   GRANT CONNECT ON ENDPOINT::Endpoint_Mirroring TO [HOST_A_login]; GO

 

Creating the Mirror Database

Configuring the Mirroring Partners

1. On the mirror server instance on HOST_B, set the server instance on HOST_A as the partner (making it the initial principal server instance). Substitute a valid network address for TCP://HOST_A.Mydomain.Corp.Adventure-Works.com:7024.

   --At HOST_B, set server instance on HOST_A as partner (principal server): ALTER DATABASE AdventureWorks SET PARTNER = 'TCP://HOST_A.Mydomain.Corp.Adventure-Works.com:7024'; GO

2. On the principal server instance on HOST_A, set the server instance on HOST_B as the partner (making it the initial mirror server instance). Substitute a valid network address for TCP://HOST_B.Mydomain.Corp.Adventure-Works.com:7024.
   

   --At HOST_A, set server instance on HOST_B as partner (mirror server). ALTER DATABASE AdventureWorks SET PARTNER = 'TCP://HOST_B.Mydomain.Corp.Adventure-Works.com:7024'; GO

3. This example assumes that the session will be running in high-performance mode. To configure this session for high-performance mode, on the principal server instance (on HOST_A), set transaction safety to OFF.
   

   --Change to high-performance mode by turning off transacton safety. ALTER DATABASE AdventureWorks SET PARTNER SAFETY OFF GO