Make a Target Server

Applies to: SQL Server

Important

On Azure SQL Managed Instance, most, but not all SQL Server Agent features are currently supported. See Azure SQL Managed Instance T-SQL differences from SQL Server for details.

This topic describes how to make a target server in SQL Server by using SQL Server Management Studio, Transact-SQL, or SQL Server Management Objects (SMO).

Before You Begin

Security

Distributed jobs that have steps which are associated with a proxy run under the context of the proxy account on the target server. Make sure that the following conditions are met or job steps that are associated with a proxy will not be downloaded from the master server to the target:

• The master server registry subkey \HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\<*instance_name*>\SQL Server Agent\AllowDownloadedJobsToMatchProxyName (REG_DWORD) is set to 1 (true). By default, this subkey is set to 0 (false).

• A proxy account exists on the target server that has the same name as the master server proxy account under which the job step runs.

If job steps that use proxy accounts fail when downloading them from the master server to the target server, you can check the error_message column in the sysdownloadlist table in the msdb database for the following error messages:

• "The job step requires a proxy account, however proxy matching is disabled on the target server."

  To resolve this error, set the AllowDownloadedJobsToMatchProxyName registry subkey to 1.

• "Proxy not found."

  To resolve this error, make sure a proxy account exists on the target server that has the same name as the master server proxy account under which the job step runs.

Permissions

Permissions to execute this procedure default to members of the sysadmin fixed server role.

Using SQL Server Management Studio

To make a target server

1. In Object Explorer, connect to an instance of the Microsoft SQL Server Database Engine, and then expand that instance.

2. Right-click SQL Server Agent, point to Multi Server Administration, and then click Make this a Target. The Target Server Wizard guides you through the process of making a target server.

3. From the Select a Master Server page, select the master server that this target server will receive jobs from.

   Pick Server
   Connect to the master server.

   Description of this server
   Type a description for this target server. The target server uploads this description to the master server.

4. From the Master Server Login Credentials page, create a new login on the target server, if necessary.

   Create a new login if necessary and assign it rights to the MSX
   Create a new login on the target server if the login specified does not already exist.

Using Transact-SQL

To make a target server

1. Connect to the Database Engine.

2. From the Standard bar, click New Query.

3. Copy and paste the following example into the query window and click Execute. This example enlists the current server into the AdventureWorks1 master server. The location for the current server is Building 21, Room 309, Rack 5.

   USE msdb ;  
   GO  
   
   EXEC dbo.sp_msx_enlist N'AdventureWorks1',   
       N'Building 21, Room 309, Rack 5' ;   
   GO
   

   For more information, see sp_msx_enlist (Transact-SQL).

See Also

Automated Administration Across an Enterprise