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How to set up SQL Server RDS

Published: December 1, 2025 (Updated: Dec 1, 2025)

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Mastering the Cloud: How to Set Up MS SQL Server on AWS RDS (Step-by-Step Guide)

Hi there! This is Darren Neal from Darren’s Tech Tutorials, and we’re diving into one of the most powerful database solutions available today: AWS RDS.

If you’ve ever wanted the power of Microsoft SQL Server without the hassle of managing the underlying operating system patches, backups, and infrastructure, Amazon Relational Database Service (RDS) is your answer. AWS manages the hardware, networking, and OS, leaving you free to focus solely on your data and applications.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk through the entire process of provisioning and connecting to an MS SQL Server database instance in AWS RDS. Let’s get started!

What is AWS RDS?

AWS RDS is a managed service that makes it easy to set up, operate, and scale a relational database in the cloud. For this tutorial, we are using the MS SQL Server engine, allowing us to leverage familiar Microsoft tools while benefiting from AWS’s robust cloud environment.

Step 1: Creating Your AWS SQL Server Database Instance

Once you are logged into your AWS Management Console, follow these steps to begin provisioning your new database.

1. Locate the RDS Service

  1. In the search bar, type RDS and click on RDS - Relational Database Service.
  2. On the RDS dashboard, click Create database.

2. Configure Database Details

We will use the Standard Create method for maximum control over the settings.

  1. Engine Type: Select Microsoft SQL Server.
  2. Edition: For cost efficiency and testing, select SQL Server Express Edition. (Note: You can select other editions like Standard or Enterprise depending on your performance needs.)
  3. Version: Choose your desired SQL Server version (e.g., 2019).

3. Instance Identification and Credentials

  1. DB instance identifier: Give your database a clear name (e.g., database-one).
  2. Master Username: We will use admin.
  3. Master Password: Set a strong password (for this tutorial, we used password123, but always use a secure password in production environments). Confirm the password.

4. Instance and Storage Configuration

  1. DB instance class: Select the smallest instance possible for testing (e.g., t3.small or a similar burstable class) to keep costs down.
  2. Storage type: Leave the default settings for General Purpose SSD (gp2).

5. Network and Security Settings

This is a crucial section, as it determines how you will connect to your database.

  1. Virtual Private Cloud (VPC): Leave this set to your default VPC.
  2. Public access: Select No. We are setting up connectivity from an existing EC2 server residing within the same VPC, which is a common security best practice.
  3. VPC security group (existing): Leave the default group selected for now; we will modify its rules in the next step.
  4. Availability zone: Select No preference.

Once you have reviewed the estimated monthly cost and are satisfied with your settings, click Create database.

The database instance will now enter a Provisioning state, which can take several minutes.

Step 2: Configuring Network Access (Opening Port 1433)

While your RDS instance is provisioning, we must ensure that the security group attached to it allows inbound traffic on the MS SQL port from your connection source (your EC2 server).

The default port for MS SQL Server traffic is 1433.

  1. Click on your new database instance (database-one).
  2. Under the Connectivity & security tab, find and click the link for the VPC security group that is attached to the database.
  3. In the Security Group details page, click on the Inbound rules tab, and then click Edit inbound rules.
  4. Add a new rule:
    • Type: Select Custom TCP.
    • Port range: Enter 1433.
    • Source: Specify the source from which you will connect. Since we are connecting from a server within the same VPC, you should use the VPC’s internal CIDR block (e.g., 172.31.0.0/16). This ensures only devices inside your private network can access the database.
  5. Click Save rules.

This change opens the necessary SQL port, allowing your EC2 instance (or any authorized resource within the VPC) to communicate with your new RDS instance.

Step 3: Connecting to Your SQL Server Instance via SSMS

Once your RDS instance status changes from Provisioning to Available, you are ready to connect.

(Need a server or SQL Management Studio? See the resources section below!)

  1. Find the Endpoint: Click on your database instance and look under the Connectivity & security tab. Copy the Endpoint URL. This is the host address you will use to connect.
  2. Open SSMS: Launch SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) on your connecting server.
  3. Connection Details:
    • Server name: Paste the Endpoint URL you copied.
    • Authentication: Change this to SQL Server Authentication.
    • Login: Enter the master username (admin).
    • Password: Enter the master password you set in Step 1 (password123).
  4. Click Connect.

If all security and connection settings are correct, you will now be connected to your managed SQL Server database hosted on AWS RDS! You can now manage your databases, tables, and security directly through SSMS.

Conclusion and Resources

Congratulations! You have successfully deployed a fully managed Microsoft SQL Server instance on AWS RDS and connected to it securely. This infrastructure is resilient, scalable, and requires significantly less operational overhead than a self-hosted solution.

If you ran into any issues, please feel free to comment below! We are always happy to help you navigate the cloud.

If this tutorial was helpful, please make sure to like this post and subscribe to Darren’s Tech Tutorials for more clear, accessible tech guides!

If you need to set up the environment required to connect to your new RDS instance, check out these related guides: