Encrypted Microsoft SQL Server Connection Strings for ACMsettings​.json

Connection strings are used by the AVEVA Measurement Advisor Data Connector for Autosol Communication Manager (ACM) to connect to the databases involved with the data transfers. Since the connection strings contain your database passwords, they need to be encrypted as per the procedure below.

To encrypt Microsoft SQL Server connection strings

Notes: For the Request Connector, perform these steps in the ACM silo (%DNAInstallRoot%\ACM\bin). As applicable to your setup, set either the on-premises AVEVA Measurement Advisor connection string (EncryptedMeasurementConnection) or the cloud AVEVA Measurement Advisor service token (EncryptedServiceAccessToken).

For the Data Connector, perform these steps in the CloudData silo (%DNAInstallRoot%\CloudData\bin). Then, set the buffer database connection string (EncryptedACMConnection) and either the on-premises Measurement Advisor connection string (EncryptedMeasurementConnection) or the cloud Measurement Advisor service token (EncryptedServiceAccessToken).

1. On the AVEVA Measurement Advisor Data Connector for ACM server, log on as a member of one of the Protected Rules groups defined in your ACMsettings.json file. For more information, see Data Protection Settings for ACMsettings.json.

2. Obtain the Microsoft SQL Server connection strings. You will need two, one for your local buffer database and one for either your cloud or your on-premises AVEVA Measurement Advisor database. Complete steps 3 and 4 for each string.

   Consider the following connection string example that would be used with a computer in the same domain (that is, using Windows authentication):

   Server=<server>\<instance>;Database=EFM;Trusted_Connection=True;

   Consider the following connection string example that would be used with a computer in a different domain (that is, using SQL Server authentication):

   Server=<server>\<instance>;Database=EFM;Persist Security Info=False;User ID=<username>;Password=<password>;MultipleActiveResultSets=False;Encrypt=True;TrustServerCertificate=True;Trusted_Connection=False;Connection Timeout=30;

3. Open a PowerShell session as an administrator.

4. Execute the following commands:

   1. Enter cd %DNAInstallRoot%\<silo>\bin.
      The above command points to the directory containing the folder where AVEVA Measurement Advisor Data Connector for ACM is installed.

   2. Enter SecretProtector.exe protect "<connection string>".

      The above command creates and stores the key ring information in %DNADataRoot%\ACM\config\keyring (for the Request Connector) or %DNADataRoot%\CloudData\config\keyring (for the Data Connector). The key ring protects the access token by means of an encrypted key.

   3. Copy the protected string (the output of the command in step b. above), and paste it into the ACMsettings.json file in the EncryptedACMConnection section for connecting to the buffer database or into the EncryptedMeasurementConnection section for connecting to an on-premises AVEVA Measurement Advisor Database. For more information, see Configure ACMsettings.json.

   4. In the event that you have a dual-hosted AVEVA Measurement Advisor Data Connector for ACM, repeat steps 1–4 on the second server.