SQL Server using SSH-tunnel from Visual Studio

Question

Hi,

I recently contacted a web host regarding support for external database access to a Microsoft SQL Server database included in a package they offer. They replied saying that it is only possible with an SSH-tunnel.

Is it possible to connect to a SQL Server database in Visual Studio using an SSH-tunnel? It is important for me to be able to access the database from my local machine (for debugging, generating LINQ classes, editing tables, etc).

Or, how should I go about working with their database?

Answer 1

Accessing a database via an SSH tunnel works exactly the same as accessing any other database.

So, if you set up an SSH tunnel from the SQL Server machine to localhost:some_port, it's just about using that URL in Visual Studio.