Windows: Create Region and Cross-Region Data Sources for Azure

Attention: This feature is in Early Adopter Product (EAP) release status. We will continue the development of additional features and provide additional interfaces via patch updates and future releases. Please contact Micro Focus SupportLine if you require further clarification.

Note: We recommend that you use a connection string to connect to Azure databases; that is, using the connect attribute within MFDBFH.cfg, which is covered in a later step (Update the Configuration File for Azure Region and Cross-Region Databases).

Use the following steps if you do not intend to use connection strings, but instead create ODBC data sources to access datastore databases.

Open the ODBC Data Source Administrator.
Tip: On most newer Windows versions, click the Start Menu button, type ODBC, and then select the appropriate desktop app.
On the ODBC Data Source Administrator dialog box, select the System DSN tab.
Add the mandatory data sources:
Note: In order to create or query databases, you must have an active data source connection to the master database. If this data source already exists, you can skip this step.
1. Click Add.
2. Select the appropriate ODBC driver for your database (for example, ODBC 17 for SQL Server is a common one for Azure SQL), and click Finish.
  Note: The bitism of your driver must match the bitism of the application that will use it.
  
  The Create New Data Source... wizard appears.
3. Enter a name and description for the data source, and the name of the server on which the database will reside.
4. Click Next twice.
5. Select the Change the default database to: option, and enter master.
6. Click Next, and then click Finish.
  An overview of the data source details is displayed.
7. Click Test Data Source.
  The connection should be successful; if not, it indicates that you have a problem with your Microsoft SQL Server installation, and should consult the vendor instructions to troubleshoot before proceeding any further.
8. Click OK twice.
Add a new data source for a region database:
1. Click Add.
2. Select the appropriate ODBC driver for your database (for example, ODBC 17 for SQL Server is a common one for Azure SQL), and click Finish.
  Note: The bitism of your driver must match the bitism of the application that will use it.
  
  The Create New Data Source... wizard appears.
3. Enter a name and description for the data source, and the name of the server on which the database will reside.
4. Click Next twice.
5. Select the Change the default database to: option, and using the region database-specific notation, enter a database name:
```
MicroFocus$CAS$Region$<region-name>
```
  where <region-name> is the name of the enterprise server region whose files are to be stored in the database.
6. Click Next, and then click Finish.
  An overview of the data source details is displayed.
  
  Note: As the database does not yet exist, you will not be able to test the data source: do not click Test Data Source.
7. Click OK.
  The ODBC Data Source Administrator dialog box appears again.
Add a new data source for a cross-region database:
1. Click Add.
2. Select the appropriate ODBC driver for your database (for example, ODBC 17 for SQL Server is a common one for Azure SQL), and click Finish.
  Note: The bitism of your driver must match the bitism of the application that will use it.
  
  The Create New Data Source... wizard appears.
3. Enter a name and description for the data source, and the name of the server on which the database will reside.
4. Click Next twice.
5. Select the Change the default database to: option, and using the cross-region database-specific notation, enter a database name:
```
MicroFocus$CAS$CrossRegion
```
6. Click Next, and then click Finish.
  An overview of the data source details is displayed.
  
  Note: As the database does not yet exist, you will not be able to test the data source: do not click Test Data Source.
7. Click OK.
  The ODBC Data Source Administrator dialog box appears again.
Click OK.
The data sources for a region and a cross-region database are configured.

The data sources for a region and a cross-region database are configured. You now need to update the configuration file (MFDBFH.cfg) to use the data sources: see Update the Configuration File for Azure Region and Cross-Region Databases.