How can I have SQL Server Management Studio 2008 connect to my instances automatically?

Question

I'm running a server with 3 database instances.
Right now, when I open Management Studio, it opens the "Connect" prompt that lets me choose which instance I want (or connect to anything else).

Would it be possible to have it so that, when I open it, it's already connected to these 3 instances, so I can start working right away and save a few clicks? It'd save me hundreds of clicks a day, honestly.

This would be equivalent to what we had in SQL 2000 Enterprise Manager, where you could "register" servers, and they'd always be there just a click away.

EDIT: To clarify what I'm looking for... Before we had Enterprise Manager and Query Analyzer. Now SSMS is the blend between those two, but the "connection" part works exactly like Query Analyzer.
What I do every day is open SSMS to manage the DBs, check their stats, rebuild an index here and there, I'm not using it to run that many queries, so I'm looking for a way to have the SQL instances available on the Object Explorer automatically when logging in. Is this impossible now? :-(

Answer 1

I just discovered it this evening, so let me share my joy: Registered Servers are still available in SQL Server Management Studio!

In the View menu, choose Registered Servers. That will open the window for them. Then, drag that window to the side to dock it.

Along the top of the window you'll see icons for the types of servers (SQL, SSAS, SSIS, SSRS). Choose the type you're registering.

Add your instances to the Local Server Groups by right-clicking and selecting New Server Registration, then complete configuration for the connection.

Once that's done, you can double-click on a server to open the Object Explorer for that server.

Answer 2

Here you will find information on how to start the SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) from a shortcut or from the command line.

The following will open the SSMS by using Windows Authentication and will bypass the splash screen. The query editor will be set to the SMS_XXX database:

SqlWb -E -S SQLServerName -d SMS_XXX –NoSplash

Note: Change SQLServerName as needed.

SqlWb Arguments:

SqlWb (Options) Scriptfile Specifies one or more script files to open. Projectfile Specifies a script project to open. Solutionfile Specifies a solution to open.

-S Server Name -d Database Name -U Username -P Password -E Windows Authentication -Nosplash Bypasses the splash screen -? Help

Referenced from: http://myitforum.com/cs2/blogs/dhite/archive/2008/05/26/opening-the-sql-server-management-studio-from-the-command-line.aspx

I don't think you will be able to automate the 3 connections. But you could create linked servers so that you connect to 1 and link to the other 2

Answer 3

OK, so this is what I did (I'd like to edit the accepted answer because I based this on his idea, but I don't have enough points...)

1) I set SSMS to start with "an empty environment", so it doesn't prompt me for a login. 2) I opened Object Explorer and docked it to the left 3) I opened Registered Servers and made it a "Tabbed Document" instead of a "Dockable" window. 4) In the middle pane, I opened Registered Servers and Object Explorer Details, which SSMS apparently remembers from session to session.

So now when I get in, I have the list of my servers right there and I can connect with a few clicks. It's not perfect, but it's close enough that i'll stop fighting it :-)

Thank you sphilp!

Answer 4

About the best you can automatically do is this:

1. Select Options from the Tools menu
2. Under Environment, select General
3. In the At Startup drop-down select Open Object Explorer and click OK

It's not exactly what you want, but it'll give you a login prompt of what server to connect to and then open up with Object Explorer connected to that server. You will, though, only have a connection in Object Explorer to a single server...