Description

The Sitecore Azure module 3.0 or later version modifies the "connectionStrings" element in the web.config file during the deployment to the Microsoft Azure SQL Databases Service databases.

This article provides a list of techniques that can be used to manually add a custom connection string to a new or existing Azure deployment.

Solution

The recommended approach to adding a custom connection string 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 a data center to add an Editing or Delivery Farm.

   

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

   

4. In the Config Patches section, in the Connection String Patch field, add a custom connection string:

   <xsl:stylesheet>    
   ...
     <xsl:template match="/connectionStrings">
       <connectionStrings>     
       ...
         <add name="security" connectionString="Data Source=tcp:ypm2rdc26v.database.windows.net;Initial Catalog=Sitecore_Security;Integrated Security=False;User ID=sitecore@ypm2rdc26v;Password=w3EYq47QZLGj;Encrypt=True" />
       ...
       </connectionStrings>
     </xsl:template>
   </xsl:stylesheet>    
   

5. Save the changes and close the Content Editor application.
6. In the New Deployment dialog box, click the Start Deployment button.