How to add a custom database in Sitecore Azure


Description

The Sitecore Azure module 3.0 or later automatically creates the Microsoft Azure SQL Databases Service and deploys the default Sitecore Core, Master, and Web databases during deployment.

This article provides a list of techniques that can be used to manually add a custom database to a new deployment using the Sitecore Azure module.

Solution

The recommended approach to add a custom database in Sitecore Azure is as follows:

  1. Log in to the Sitecore Client and open the Sitecore Azure application. 
  2. Select either the Staging or Production slot and click on a data center to add an Editing or Delivery Farm.

    Step 2

  3. In the New Deployment dialog, click the More Options button. The Content Editor with a preselected Azure Deployment item appears.

    Step 3

  4. Select the /sitecore/system/Modules/Azure/<Environment>/<Location>/<Farm>/<WebRole>/<Azure Deployment>/Database References item.

    Step 4

  5. Insert a new item based on the /sitecore/templates/Azure/Databases/Database Reference template, using wfm as the item name. The Database Id field must be kept as an empty.

    Step 5

    Important: the item name must match the connection string name.

    Note: In the \App_Config\ConnectionStrings.config file, the connection string to the Sitecore Web Forms for Marketers database is as follows:

    <connectionStrings>
    ...
      <add name="wfm" connectionString="Data Source=.\SQLEXPRESS2014;Initial Catalog=Sitecore_WFM;Integrated Security=False;User ID=sa;Password=12345" />
    ...
    </connectionStrings>
  6. Save the changes and close the Content Editor application.
  7. In the New Deployment dialog, click the Start Deployment button.

    Step 7