Query a database from a different database

Question

Hi I am new to sql and currently developing a report in ssrs. I have a report I built using tables from a database (db 1) but also need information from a different dabatase (db 2), is there a way for me to select information in db 2 from db 1 where I have built my report but need 2 columns from db 2? Any help is greatly appreciated.

Possible duplicate of [SQL Server Linked Server Example Query](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/4091960/sql-server-linked-server-example-query) — Arun Vinoth-Precog Tech - MVP, Jun 19 '17 at 17:34

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Jun 19 '17 at 17:35

SQL Server offers something called Linked Servers to accomplish this.

You start off by issuing a command to set up the linked server:

USE [master]  
GO  
EXEC master.dbo.sp_addlinkedserver   
    @server = N'Server2EnteredTheGame',   
    @srvproduct=N'SQL Server' ;  
GO

And the set things up to use the domain account of the local server:

EXEC master.dbo.sp_addlinkedsrvlogin   
    @rmtsrvname = N'Server2EnteredTheGame',   
    @locallogin = NULL ,   
    @useself = N'True' ;  
GO

You can then issue queries against the linked server:

SELECT name FROM [Server2EnteredTheGame].MyDatabase.MySchema.MyTable;  
GO

However, couldn't you just add a second datasource to the report, and go at it that way?

Query a database from a different database

1 Answers1