sql server

Question

Jivesh Pandey 0

how can i get a sql certificate from microsoft what all things do I need to do and how please explain

Erland Sommarskog 128.6K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2025-11-28T13:23:37.0333333+00:00

What sort of certificate do you have in mind? A certificate for encryption? A certificate to prove your knowledge? Something else? Please clarify.
Lakshmi Narayana Garikapati 640 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-12-01T09:35:39.01+00:00

Hi @Jivesh Pandey, thank you for reaching out to the SQL Forum.

As mentioned by @ Erland Sommarskog, could you please clarify what type of certificate you are referring to? Are you asking about an encryption/security certificate, a professional knowledge certificate, or something else? Understanding the exact context will help me provide you with the most accurate and relevant solution.

Thanks,

Lakshmi.
Lakshmi Narayana Garikapati 640 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-12-05T12:07:42.1433333+00:00

Hi @Jivesh Pandey,

Just following up on my earlier note were you able to confirm the type of certificate you’re referring to? Knowing whether it’s related to SQL Server encryption/security, a professional certification, or another context will help me guide you more precisely.

Looking forward to your clarification so we can move this forward.

Thanks,

Lakshmi

1 answer

Erland Sommarskog 128.6K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2025-11-28T13:23:37.0333333+00:00

What sort of certificate do you have in mind? A certificate for encryption? A certificate to prove your knowledge? Something else? Please clarify.
Lakshmi Narayana Garikapati 640 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-12-01T09:35:39.01+00:00

Hi @Jivesh Pandey, thank you for reaching out to the SQL Forum.

As mentioned by @ Erland Sommarskog, could you please clarify what type of certificate you are referring to? Are you asking about an encryption/security certificate, a professional knowledge certificate, or something else? Understanding the exact context will help me provide you with the most accurate and relevant solution.

Thanks,

Lakshmi.
Lakshmi Narayana Garikapati 640 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-12-05T12:07:42.1433333+00:00

Hi @Jivesh Pandey,

Just following up on my earlier note were you able to confirm the type of certificate you’re referring to? Knowing whether it’s related to SQL Server encryption/security, a professional certification, or another context will help me guide you more precisely.

Looking forward to your clarification so we can move this forward.

Thanks,

Lakshmi

Answer 1

To obtain a SQL Server certificate from Microsoft, you need to follow these steps:

Choose the Type of Certificate: Determine whether you need a self-signed certificate or one issued by a Certificate Authority (CA). For production environments, it's recommended to use a certificate from a trusted CA.
Create a Certificate: If you decide to use a self-signed certificate, you can generate one using SQL Server Management Studio or PowerShell. For a CA-signed certificate, you will need to generate a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) and submit it to the CA.
Install the Certificate: Once you have the certificate, install it in the appropriate certificate store on your SQL Server machine. You can use the Certificates snap-in in MMC (Microsoft Management Console) to manage certificates.
Configure SQL Server to Use the Certificate: Use SQL Server Configuration Manager to specify the certificate for encryption. Ensure that the SQL Server service account has permission to access the certificate.
Verify the Certificate: Check that the certificate meets the requirements for SQL Server encryption, including being valid for server authentication and having the correct Subject Alternative Name (SAN) entries.
Test the Configuration: After configuration, test the SQL Server instance to ensure that it can successfully use the certificate for encrypted connections.

For detailed requirements regarding certificates for SQL Server encryption, you can refer to the following:

The certificate must be in the local computer certificate store or the SQL Server service account certificate store.
The SQL Server service account must have the necessary permissions to access the TLS certificate.
Ensure the certificate is valid and not expired.

By following these steps, you can successfully obtain and configure a SQL Server certificate.