---
title: Windows RDS MSSQL monitoring with NRDOT
source: https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/opentelemetry/database/mssql/windows-rds
---

> #### 💡 PREVIEW
>
> We're still working on this feature, but we'd love for you to try it out!
>
> This feature is currently provided as part of a preview pursuant to our [pre-release policies](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/licenses/license-information/referenced-policies/new-relic-pre-release-policy/).

Set up Microsoft SQL Server monitoring using the NRDOT Collector on Windows environments to monitor AWS RDS for SQL Server instances. To monitor in a self-hosted environment, refer to [Windows self-hosted instrumentation](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/opentelemetry/database/mssql/windows-hosted).

To install this through the New Relic UI instead, go to  **[one.newrelic.com](https://one.newrelic.com) > Integrations & Agents > MSSQL (OpenTelemetry)** . Follow the on-screen instructions to set up the integration. This page covers the CLI install path only.

Based on your RDS SQL Server security configuration, choose the authentication methods to connect the NRDOT Collector to your RDS instance:

## SQL Server Authentication

### Prerequisites [#prerequisites]

Before monitoring your Microsoft SQL Server with NRDOT, make sure your environment meets these requirements:

-   New Relic account with a valid [license key](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/apis/intro-apis/new-relic-api-keys/#ingest-license-key)
-   New Relic [OTLP endpoint](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/opentelemetry/best-practices/opentelemetry-otlp) for your region
-   AWS RDS SQL Server requirements:
    -   SQL Server authentication enabled on the RDS instance
    -   RDS master user credentials or credentials for a SQL Server login with `rds_superuser` role
    -   RDS Security Group configured to allow connections on port `1433` or custom port
    -   SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) or `sqlcmd` utility


-   Network connectivity to [New Relic OTLP endpoint](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/opentelemetry/best-practices/opentelemetry-otlp)
-   Your RDS SQL Server endpoint URL, which can be found in your AWS RDS Console under Connectivity & security. For more information, refer to [AWS RDS documentation](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonRDS/latest/gettingstartedguide/connecting-console.html).

### Enroll to preview [#enroll]

This integration is available as part of the New Relic public preview program. Contact your Organization Manager to opt in from the [Previews & Trials](https://one.newrelic.com/admin-portal/promotion-management/home) page.

### Install NRDOT Collector [#install-sql]

Install the NRDOT Collector on an EC2 Windows instance or local Windows machine that can connect to your RDS SQL Server instance.

> #### ⚠️ IMPORTANT
>
> For RDS monitoring, install the NRDOT Collector on an EC2 instance in the same VPC as your RDS instance for optimal network connectivity and lower latency.

Download and install the NRDOT Collector using PowerShell:

```bash
[Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol = 'tls12, tls'; $NRDOT_VERSION = (Invoke-RestMethod -Uri "https://api.github.com/repos/newrelic/nrdot-collector-releases/releases/latest").tag_name; $WebClient = New-Object System.Net.WebClient; $WebClient.Headers.Add("User-Agent", "Mozilla/5.0"); $WebClient.DownloadFile("https://github.com/newrelic/nrdot-collector-releases/releases/download/$NRDOT_VERSION/nrdot-collector_${NRDOT_VERSION}_windows_x64.msi", "$env:TEMP\nrdot-collector.msi"); Start-Process msiexec.exe -ArgumentList "/i `"$env:TEMP\nrdot-collector.msi`" /qn /norestart /L*V `"$env:TEMP\nrdot_install.log`"" -Wait; Get-Service nrdot-collector -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
```

### Create monitoring user [#user-sql]

Run this script as an admin user to create the `newrelic` monitoring user and grant the necessary permissions for collecting SQL Server metrics.

> #### 💡 TIP
>
> Run these script using RDS master username or a user with `rds_superuser` role. The script automatically excludes `rdsadmin` database which is reserved by AWS.

In your SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), run the following script to create the `newrelic` monitoring user. Replace `<YOUR_PASSWORD>` with your desired password:

```sql
USE [master];
GO
CREATE LOGIN [newrelic] WITH PASSWORD = '<YOUR_PASSWORD>';
GO

GRANT VIEW SERVER STATE TO [newrelic];
GRANT VIEW ANY DEFINITION TO [newrelic];
GRANT VIEW ANY DATABASE TO [newrelic];
GO

DECLARE @name SYSNAME;
DECLARE db_cursor CURSOR READ_ONLY FORWARD_ONLY FOR
SELECT [name]
FROM [master].[sys].[databases]
WHERE [name] NOT IN ('master', 'msdb', 'model', 'rdsadmin', 'distribution')
AND [state] = 0;
OPEN db_cursor;
FETCH NEXT FROM db_cursor INTO @name;
WHILE @@FETCH_STATUS = 0
BEGIN
  BEGIN TRY
    EXEC('USE [' + @name + '];
    IF NOT EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM sys.database_principals WHERE name = ''newrelic'')
    BEGIN
      CREATE USER [newrelic] FOR LOGIN [newrelic];
    END;
    GRANT VIEW DATABASE STATE TO [newrelic];');
  END TRY
  BEGIN CATCH
    PRINT 'Error on ' + @name + ': ' + ERROR_MESSAGE();
  END CATCH
  FETCH NEXT FROM db_cursor INTO @name;
END
CLOSE db_cursor;
DEALLOCATE db_cursor;
GO
```

> #### 💡 TIP
>
> To securely manage sensitive information, such as database credentials, store them in [secret management](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/opentelemetry/database/capabilities/db-apm/#secret-management) tools.

### Configure the NRDOT Collector [#configure-sql]

Create a new NRDOT Collector configuration file for your RDS SQL Server setup.

1.  Create a configuration file named as `mssql-config.yaml` in PowerShell as an Administrator:

    ```bash
    New-Item -Path "C:\Program Files\nrdot-collector\mssql-config.yaml" -ItemType File
    ```

2.  Add the following configuration to the `mssql-config.yaml` file created in the previous step:

> #### 💡 FULL CONFIGURATION
>
> This configuration focuses on essential database monitoring for your RDS environment. To enable comprehensive monitoring with all available metrics, refer to the [configuration reference](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/opentelemetry/database/mssql/config-reference/#rds-sql).

### Update Windows service registry [#registry-sql]

1.  Update the Windows Service Registry to use the new `mssql-config.yaml` file using one of the following methods:

    -   **For PowerShell:** Run the following command as Administrator:

        ```bash
        Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\nrdot-collector" -Name "ImagePath" -Value '"C:\Program Files\nrdot-collector\nrdot-collector.exe" --config "C:\Program Files\nrdot-collector\mssql-config.yaml"'
        ```

    -   **For Command Prompt:** If PowerShell isn't available, use Command Prompt instead and run the following command as Administrator:

        ```bash
        sc config "nrdot-collector" binPath= "\"C:\Program Files\nrdot-collector\nrdot-collector.exe\" --config \"C:\Program Files\nrdot-collector\mssql-config.yaml\""
        ```

2.  Validate the NRDOT Collector configuration to ensure it's correctly formatted and will work properly.

    ```bash
    & "C:\Program Files\nrdot-collector\nrdot-collector.exe" validate --config="C:\Program Files\nrdot-collector\mssql-config.yaml"
    ```

> #### 💡 TIP
>
> To correlate your application performance with database operations, you can set up database service identification. For more information, refer to [set up database service identification](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/opentelemetry/database/capabilities/db-apm/).

### Restart NRDOT Collector [#restart-sql]

After updating your configuration, restart the NRDOT Collector service:

```bash
net stop nrdot-collector
net start nrdot-collector
```

> #### 💡 TIP
>
> Always restart the NRDOT Collector service after making configuration changes to ensure the new settings take effect.

### Find and use your data [#find-sql]

Once your data is being collected, you can access comprehensive SQL Server database monitoring through New Relic's UI.

To find your SQL Server database entity in New Relic:

1.  Go to **<https://one.newrelic.com> > All Capabilities > Databases**.
2.  From the **Entity type** dropdown, select **MSSQL instance**, then click **Apply**.
3.  Select your SQL Server database from the list of entities.

    After setting up SQL Server monitoring with NRDOT, you can:

    -   [Create custom dashboards](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/query-your-data/explore-query-data/dashboards/introduction-dashboards/) to visualize your database metrics
    -   [Set up alerts](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/alerts/create-alert/create-alert-condition/alert-conditions/) for critical database performance thresholds
    -   [Explore your data](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/query-your-data/explore-query-data/browse-data/introduction-data-explorer/) using New Relic query capabilities

## Windows Domain Authentication

### Prerequisites [#prerequisites-domain]

Before monitoring your Microsoft SQL Server with NRDOT using Windows Domain Authentication, make sure your environment meets these requirements:

-   New Relic account with a valid [license key](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/apis/intro-apis/new-relic-api-keys/#ingest-license-key)
-   New Relic [OTLP endpoint](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/opentelemetry/best-practices/opentelemetry-otlp) for your region
-   SQL Server requirements, you'll need:
    -   SQL Server 2017 or later on Amazon RDS
    -   RDS master user credentials or credentials for a SQL Server login with `rds_superuser` role
    -   RDS Security Group configured to allow connections on port `1433` or custom port
    -   SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) or `sqlcmd` utility
    -   RDS instance associated with the AWS Active Directory service
-   Windows Domain Authentication requirements:
    -   Windows domain environment with Active Directory
    -   Domain-joined Windows EC2 instance
    -   RDS SQL Server configured to accept Windows Authentication
    -   Domain user account that will be used by NRDOT Collector
-   Network connectivity to [New Relic OTLP endpoint](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/opentelemetry/best-practices/opentelemetry-otlp)
-   Your RDS SQL Server endpoint URL, which can be found in your AWS RDS Console under Connectivity & security. For more information, refer to [AWS RDS documentation](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonRDS/latest/gettingstartedguide/connecting-console.html).

### Enroll to preview [#enroll-domain]

This integration is available as part of the New Relic public preview program. Contact your Organization Manager to opt in from the [Previews & Trials](https://one.newrelic.com/admin-portal/promotion-management/home) page.

### Install NRDOT Collector [#setup-domain]

Install the NRDOT Collector on a domain-joined EC2 Windows instance or a local Windows machine that is part of the same domain and can connect to your RDS SQL Server instance.

> #### ⚠️ IMPORTANT
>
> For RDS monitoring, install the NRDOT Collector on an EC2 instance in the same VPC as your RDS instance for optimal network connectivity and lower latency.

1.  Download and install the NRDOT Collector using PowerShell:

    ```bash
      [Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol = 'tls12, tls'; $NRDOT_VERSION = (Invoke-RestMethod -Uri "https://api.github.com/repos/newrelic/nrdot-collector-releases/releases/latest").tag_name; $WebClient = New-Object System.Net.WebClient; $WebClient.Headers.Add("User-Agent", "Mozilla/5.0"); $WebClient.DownloadFile("https://github.com/newrelic/nrdot-collector-releases/releases/download/$NRDOT_VERSION/nrdot-collector_${NRDOT_VERSION}_windows_x64.msi", "$env:TEMP\nrdot-collector.msi"); Start-Process msiexec.exe -ArgumentList "/i `"$env:TEMP\nrdot-collector.msi`" /qn /norestart /L*V `"$env:TEMP\nrdot_install.log`"" -Wait; Get-Service nrdot-collector -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    ```

### Create Windows domain login [#create-domain]

Connect to your RDS SQL Server instance using SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) or `sqlcmd` with administrative privileges.

In your SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), run the following script to create a login for your gMSA account and grant the necessary permissions. Replace all occurrences of `<YOUR_DOMAIN>\<YOUR_DOMAIN_USER>` with your actual domain and account name.

```sql
USE [master];
GO

CREATE LOGIN [<YOUR_DOMAIN>\<YOUR_DOMAIN_USER>] FROM WINDOWS;
GO

GRANT VIEW ANY DATABASE   TO [<YOUR_DOMAIN>\<YOUR_DOMAIN_USER>];
GRANT VIEW SERVER STATE TO [<YOUR_DOMAIN>\<YOUR_DOMAIN_USER>];
GRANT VIEW ANY DEFINITION TO [<YOUR_DOMAIN>\<YOUR_DOMAIN_USER>];
GO

-- Grant access to all databases (required for query monitoring and tempdb metrics)
DECLARE @name SYSNAME;
DECLARE db_cursor CURSOR READ_ONLY FORWARD_ONLY FOR
  SELECT [name] FROM [master].[sys].[databases]
  WHERE [name] NOT IN ('master','msdb','model','rdsadmin','distribution')
    AND [state] = 0;
OPEN db_cursor;
FETCH NEXT FROM db_cursor INTO @name;
WHILE @@FETCH_STATUS = 0
BEGIN
  BEGIN TRY
    EXEC('USE [' + @name + '];
    IF NOT EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM sys.database_principals WHERE name = ''<YOUR_DOMAIN>\<YOUR_DOMAIN_USER>'')
    BEGIN
      CREATE USER [<YOUR_DOMAIN>\<YOUR_DOMAIN_USER>] FOR LOGIN [<YOUR_DOMAIN>\<YOUR_DOMAIN_USER>];
    END;
    GRANT VIEW DATABASE STATE TO [<YOUR_DOMAIN>\<YOUR_DOMAIN_USER>];');
  END TRY
  BEGIN CATCH
    PRINT 'Error on ' + @name + ': ' + ERROR_MESSAGE();
  END CATCH
  FETCH NEXT FROM db_cursor INTO @name;
END
CLOSE db_cursor;
DEALLOCATE db_cursor;
GO
```

> #### 💡 TIP
>
> To securely manage sensitive information, such as database credentials store them in [secret management](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/opentelemetry/database/capabilities/db-apm/#secret-management) tools.

### Run as domain user [#run-domain]

1.  Configure the NRDOT Collector service to run as your domain user using PowerShell. Replace `YOUR_DOMAIN\YOUR_USER_ACCOUNT` with your domain and account name:

    ```bash
    # Configure service to use domain account
    # The space after obj= and password= is required syntax for sc.exe
    sc.exe config "nrdot-collector" obj= "YOUR_DOMAIN\YOUR_USER_ACCOUNT" password= "<YOUR_PASSWORD>"

    # Restart the service
    Restart-Service nrdot-collector
    ```

2.  Validate the service identity:

    ```bash
    Get-WmiObject Win32_Service -Filter "Name='nrdot-collector'" | Select Name, State, StartName
    # Expected: StartName = YOUR_DOMAIN\YOUR_USER_ACCOUNT
    ```

### Configure NRDOT Collector [#configure-domain]

1.  Create a configuration file named as `mssql-config.yaml` in PowerShell as an Administrator::

    ```bash
    New-Item -Path "C:\Program Files\nrdot-collector\mssql-config.yaml" -ItemType File
    ```

2.  Add the following configuration to the `mssql-config.yaml` file created in the previous step:

> #### ⚠️ IMPORTANT
>
> Windows Domain Authentication uses integrated security, which uses the same configuration approach as gMSA authentication. Update the `datasource` server value to your RDS endpoint. The NRDOT service will authenticate using the domain account you configured in [Step 3](#create-domain).

> #### 💡 FULL CONFIGURATION
>
> This configuration focuses on essential database monitoring for your RDS environment. To enable comprehensive monitoring with all available metrics, refer to the [configuration reference](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/opentelemetry/database/mssql/config-reference/#rds-domain).

### Update Windows Service Registry [#update-registry-domain]

1.  Update the Windows Service Registry to use the new `mssql-config.yaml` file using one of the following methods:

    -   **For PowerShell:** Run the following command as Administrator:

        ```bash
        Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\nrdot-collector" -Name "ImagePath" -Value '"C:\Program Files\nrdot-collector\nrdot-collector.exe" --config "C:\Program Files\nrdot-collector\mssql-config.yaml"'
        ```

    -   **For Command Prompt:** If PowerShell isn't available, use Command Prompt instead and run the following command as Administrator:

        ```bash
        sc config "nrdot-collector" binPath= "\"C:\Program Files\nrdot-collector\nrdot-collector.exe\" --config \"C:\Program Files\nrdot-collector\mssql-config.yaml\""
        ```
2.  Validate the NRDOT Collector configuration to ensure it's correctly formatted and will work properly:
    ```bash
    & "C:\Program Files\nrdot-collector\nrdot-collector.exe" validate --config="C:\Program Files\nrdot-collector\mssql-config.yaml"
    ```

> #### 💡 TIP
>
> To correlate your application performance with database operations, you can set up database service identification. For more information, refer to [database service identification setup guide](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/opentelemetry/database/capabilities/db-apm).

### Restart NRDOT Collector [#restart-domain]

After updating your configuration, restart the NRDOT Collector service:

```bash
net stop nrdot-collector
net start nrdot-collector
```

Verify the service is running under the domain account by checking Windows Services (`services.msc`). The `Log On As` column should show your domain account. For example, `CORP\SQLMonitor`.

### Find and use your data [#find-domain]

Once your data is being collected, you can access comprehensive SQL Server database monitoring through New Relic's UI.

To find your SQL Server database entity in New Relic:

1.  Go to **<https://one.newrelic.com> > All Capabilities > Databases**.
2.  From the **Entity type** dropdown, select **MSSQL instance**, then click **Apply**.
3.  Select your SQL Server database from the list of entities.

    After setting up SQL Server monitoring with NRDOT, you can:

    -   [Create custom dashboards](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/query-your-data/explore-query-data/dashboards/introduction-dashboards/) to visualize your database metrics
    -   [Set up alerts](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/alerts/create-alert/create-alert-condition/alert-conditions/) for critical database performance thresholds
    -   [Explore your data](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/query-your-data/explore-query-data/browse-data/introduction-data-explorer/) using New Relic query capabilities

## gMSA

### Prerequisites [#prerequisites-gmsa]

Before monitoring your Microsoft SQL Server with NRDOT using gMSA authentication, make sure you've:

-   New Relic account with a valid [license key](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/apis/intro-apis/new-relic-api-keys/#ingest-license-key)
-   New Relic [OTLP endpoint](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/opentelemetry/best-practices/opentelemetry-otlp) for your region
-   SQL Server requirements, you'll need:
    -   SQL Server 2017 or later on Amazon RDS
    -   RDS master user credentials or credentials for a SQL Server login with `rds_superuser` role
    -   RDS Security Group configured to allow connections on port `1433` or custom port
    -   SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) or `sqlcmd` utility
    -   RDS instance associated with the AWS Active Directory service
-   Your RDS SQL Server endpoint URL, which can be found in your AWS RDS Console under Connectivity & security. For more information, refer to [AWS RDS documentation](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonRDS/latest/gettingstartedguide/connecting-console.html).
-   Active Directory environment with gMSA support
-   Domain-joined Windows EC2 instance authorized to use the gMSA account
-   Network connectivity to [New Relic OTLP endpoint](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/opentelemetry/best-practices/opentelemetry-otlp)

### Enroll to preview [#enroll-gmsa]

This integration is available as part of the New Relic public preview program. Contact your Organization Manager to opt in from the [Previews & Trials](https://one.newrelic.com/admin-portal/promotion-management/home) page.

### Install NRDOT Collector [#setup-gmsa]

Download and install the NRDOT Collector using PowerShell:

```bash
[Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol = 'tls12, tls'; $NRDOT_VERSION = (Invoke-RestMethod -Uri "https://api.github.com/repos/newrelic/nrdot-collector-releases/releases/latest").tag_name; $WebClient = New-Object System.Net.WebClient; $WebClient.Headers.Add("User-Agent", "Mozilla/5.0"); $WebClient.DownloadFile("https://github.com/newrelic/nrdot-collector-releases/releases/download/$NRDOT_VERSION/nrdot-collector_${NRDOT_VERSION}_windows_x64.msi", "$env:TEMP\nrdot-collector.msi"); Start-Process msiexec.exe -ArgumentList "/i `"$env:TEMP\nrdot-collector.msi`" /qn /norestart /L*V `"$env:TEMP\nrdot_install.log`"" -Wait; Get-Service nrdot-collector -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
```

### Create monitoring user [#create-user]

Connect to your RDS SQL Server instance using SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) or `sqlcmd` with administrative privileges.

In your SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), run the following script to create a login for your gMSA account and grant the necessary permissions. Replace all occurrences of `<YOUR_DOMAIN>\<YOUR_GMSA_USERNAME>` with your actual domain and account name.

```sql
USE [master];
GO

CREATE LOGIN [<YOUR_DOMAIN>\<YOUR_GMSA_USERNAME>$] FROM WINDOWS;
GO

GRANT VIEW ANY DATABASE TO [<YOUR_DOMAIN>\<YOUR_GMSA_USERNAME>$];
GRANT VIEW SERVER STATE TO [<YOUR_DOMAIN>\<YOUR_GMSA_USERNAME>$];
GRANT VIEW ANY DEFINITION TO [<YOUR_DOMAIN>\<YOUR_GMSA_USERNAME>$];
GO
-- Grant access to all databases 
DECLARE @name SYSNAME;
DECLARE db_cursor CURSOR READ_ONLY FORWARD_ONLY FOR
  SELECT [name] FROM [master].[sys].[databases]
  WHERE [name] NOT IN ('master','msdb','model','rdsadmin','distribution')
  AND [state] = 0;
OPEN db_cursor;
FETCH NEXT FROM db_cursor INTO @name;
WHILE @@FETCH_STATUS = 0
BEGIN
  BEGIN TRY
    EXEC('USE [' + @name + '];
    IF NOT EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM sys.database_principals WHERE name = ''<YOUR_DOMAIN>\<YOUR_GMSA_USERNAME>$'')
    BEGIN
      CREATE USER [<YOUR_DOMAIN>\<YOUR_GMSA_USERNAME>$] FOR LOGIN [<YOUR_DOMAIN>\<YOUR_GMSA_USERNAME>$];
    END;
    GRANT VIEW DATABASE STATE TO [<YOUR_DOMAIN>\<YOUR_GMSA_USERNAME>$];');
  END TRY
  BEGIN CATCH
    PRINT 'Error on ' + @name + ': ' + ERROR_MESSAGE();
  END CATCH
  FETCH NEXT FROM db_cursor INTO @name;
END
CLOSE db_cursor;
DEALLOCATE db_cursor;
GO
```

> #### 💡 TIP
>
> To securely manage sensitive information, such as database credentials store them in [secret management](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/opentelemetry/database/capabilities/db-apm/#secret-management) tools.

### Run as gMSA account [#run-gmsa]

Configure the NRDOT Collector service to run as your gMSA account using PowerShell. Replace `<YOUR_DOMAIN>\<YOUR_GMSA_USERNAME>$` with your domain and gMSA account name. You must include the `$` at the end, as it is required for gMSA accounts:

```bash
# Stop the NRDOT Collector service
Stop-Service nrdot-collector

# Configure service to use gMSA account
# Use cmd /c to avoid PowerShell treating $ as a variable
cmd /c 'sc config nrdot-collector obj= "<YOUR_DOMAIN>\<YOUR_GMSA_USERNAME>$" password= ""'

# Verify the configuration
Get-WmiObject Win32_Service -Filter "Name='nrdot-collector'" | Select Name, StartName

# Start the NRDOT Collector service 
Start-Service nrdot-collector
```

> #### ⚠️ IMPORTANT
>
> The gMSA accounts don't require passwords. Keep it empty when configuring the service.

### Configure NRDOT Collector [#configure-gmsa]

1.  Create a configuration file named as `mssql-config.yaml` in PowerShell as an Administrator::

    ```bash
    New-Item -Path "C:\Program Files\nrdot-collector\mssql-config.yaml" -ItemType File
    ```

2.  Add the following configuration to the `mssql-config.yaml` file created in the previous step:

> #### 💡 FULL CONFIGURATION
>
> This configuration focuses on essential database monitoring for your RDS environment. To enable comprehensive monitoring with all available metrics, refer to the [configuration reference](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/opentelemetry/database/mssql/config-reference/#rds-gmsa).

### Update Windows Service Registry [#update-registry-gmsa]

1.  Update the Windows Service Registry to use the new `mssql-config.yaml` file using one of the following methods:

    -   **For PowerShell:** Run the following command as Administrator:

        ```bash
        Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\nrdot-collector" -Name "ImagePath" -Value '"C:\Program Files\nrdot-collector\nrdot-collector.exe" --config "C:\Program Files\nrdot-collector\mssql-config.yaml"'
        ```

    -   **For Command Prompt:** If PowerShell isn't available, use Command Prompt instead and run the following command as Administrator:

        ```bash
        sc config "nrdot-collector" binPath= "\"C:\Program Files\nrdot-collector\nrdot-collector.exe\" --config \"C:\Program Files\nrdot-collector\mssql-config.yaml\""
        ```

2.  Validate the NRDOT collector configuration to ensure it's correctly formatted and will work properly:

    ```bash
    & "C:\Program Files\nrdot-collector\nrdot-collector.exe" validate --config="C:\Program Files\nrdot-collector\mssql-config.yaml"
    ```

> #### 💡 TIP
>
> To correlate your application performance with database operations, you can set up database service identification. For more information, refer to [set up database service identification](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/opentelemetry/database/capabilities/db-apm/).

### Restart NRDOT collector [#restart-gmsa]

After updating your configuration, restart the NRDOT Collector service on your domain-joined EC2 Windows instance:

```bash
net stop nrdot-collector
net start nrdot-collector
```

Verify that the service is running under the gMSA account by checking Windows Services (`services.msc`). The `Log On As` column should show your gMSA account, for example, `CORP\SQL-gMSA$`.

### Find and use your data [#find-gmsa]

Once your data is being collected, you can access comprehensive SQL Server database monitoring through New Relic's UI.

To find your SQL Server database entity in New Relic:

1.  Go to **<https://one.newrelic.com> > All Capabilities > Databases**.
2.  From the **Entity type** dropdown, select **MSSQL instance**, then click **Apply**.
3.  Select your SQL Server database from the list of entities.

    After setting up SQL Server monitoring with NRDOT, you can:

    -   [Create custom dashboards](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/query-your-data/explore-query-data/dashboards/introduction-dashboards/) to visualize your database metrics
    -   [Set up alerts](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/alerts/create-alert/create-alert-condition/alert-conditions/) for critical database performance thresholds
    -   [Explore your data](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/query-your-data/explore-query-data/browse-data/introduction-data-explorer/) using New Relic query capabilities

## Related documentation [#related-docs]

[Set up APM-database correlation](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/opentelemetry/database/capabilities/db-apm)

Learn how to correlate your application performance with database operations in New Relic.

[Troubleshooting](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/opentelemetry/database/mssql/windows-hosted)

Learn how to troubleshoot your MSSQL Windows monitoring setup in New Relic.

[Metrics reference](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/opentelemetry/database/mssql/metrics-reference)

Learn about the available metrics collected by the NRDOT Collector.