---
title: "database_observability.sql_server | Grafana Alloy documentation"
description: "Learn about database_observability.sql_server"
---

> For a curated documentation index, see [llms.txt](/llms.txt). For the complete documentation index, see [llms-full.txt](/llms-full.txt).

# `database_observability.sql_server`

> **EXPERIMENTAL**: This is an [experimental](/docs/release-life-cycle/) component. Experimental components are subject to frequent breaking changes, and may be removed with no equivalent replacement. To enable and use an experimental component, you must set the `stability.level` [flag](/docs/alloy/latest/reference/cli/run/) to `experimental`.

`database_observability.sql_server` connects to a Microsoft SQL Server instance and collects observability data across every accessible user database on that instance. The component forwards this data as log entries to Loki receivers and exports targets for Prometheus scraping.

## Usage

Alloy ![Copy code to clipboard](/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy

```alloy
database_observability.sql_server "<LABEL>" {
  data_source_name = <DATA_SOURCE_NAME>
  forward_to       = [<LOKI_RECEIVERS>]
}
```

## Arguments

You can use the following arguments with `database_observability.sql_server`:

Expand table

| Name                 | Type                 | Description                                                                                                                             | Default                                                                                              | Required |
|----------------------|----------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------|
| `data_source_name`   | `secret`             | [Data Source Name](https://github.com/microsoft/go-mssqldb#connection-parameters-and-dsn) for the SQL Server instance to connect to.    |                                                                                                      | yes      |
| `forward_to`         | `list(LogsReceiver)` | Where to forward log entries after processing.                                                                                          |                                                                                                      | yes      |
| `targets`            | `list(map(string))`  | List of external targets to scrape.                                                                                                     |                                                                                                      | no       |
| `disable_collectors` | `list(string)`       | A list of collectors to disable from the default set.                                                                                   |                                                                                                      | no       |
| `enable_collectors`  | `list(string)`       | A list of collectors to enable on top of the default set.                                                                               |                                                                                                      | no       |
| `exclude_schemas`    | `list(string)`       | A list of schemas to exclude from monitoring, on top of the always-excluded system schemas `sys` and `information_schema`.              | `["alloydbadmin", "alloydbmetadata", "azure_maintenance", "azure_sys", "cloudsqladmin", "rdsadmin"]` | no       |
| `exclude_databases`  | `list(string)`       | A list of databases to exclude from monitoring, on top of the always-excluded system databases `master`, `model`, `msdb`, and `tempdb`. | `["alloydbadmin", "alloydbmetadata", "azure_maintenance", "azure_sys", "cloudsqladmin", "rdsadmin"]` | no       |

The following collectors are configurable:

Expand table

| Name             | Description                                           | Enabled by default |
|------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|--------------------|
| `schema_details` | Collect schemas and tables from `information_schema`. | yes                |

## Blocks

You can use the following blocks with `database_observability.sql_server`:

No valid configuration blocks found.

### `schema_details`

Expand table

| Name               | Type       | Description                                          | Default | Required |
|--------------------|------------|------------------------------------------------------|---------|----------|
| `collect_interval` | `duration` | How frequently to collect information from database. | `"1m"`  | no       |

The collector scans every database that the login can access on the instance and collects schema details from each. Only databases where the login has `CONNECT` access to catalog views are collected.

## Example

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```alloy
database_observability.sql_server "orders_db" {
  data_source_name = "sqlserver://user:pass@server:1433"
  forward_to       = [loki.write.logs_service.receiver]
}

loki.write "logs_service" {
  endpoint {
    url = sys.env("<GRAFANA_CLOUD_HOSTED_LOGS_URL>")
    basic_auth {
      username = sys.env("<GRAFANA_CLOUD_HOSTED_LOGS_ID>")
      password = sys.env("<GRAFANA_CLOUD_RW_API_KEY>")
    }
  }
}
```

Replace the following:

- *`<GRAFANA_CLOUD_HOSTED_LOGS_URL>`* : The URL for your Grafana Cloud hosted logs.
- *`<GRAFANA_CLOUD_HOSTED_LOGS_ID>`* : The user ID for your Grafana Cloud hosted logs.
- *`<GRAFANA_CLOUD_RW_API_KEY>`* : Your Grafana Cloud API key.

## Compatible components

`database_observability.sql_server` can accept arguments from the following components:

- Components that export [Targets](../../../compatibility/#targets-exporters)
- Components that export [Loki `LogsReceiver`](../../../compatibility/#loki-logsreceiver-exporters)

`database_observability.sql_server` has exports that can be consumed by the following components:

- Components that consume [Targets](../../../compatibility/#targets-consumers)

> Note
> 
> Connecting some components may not be sensible or components may require further configuration to make the connection work correctly. Refer to the linked documentation for more details.