Physical Modeling › SQL Server Physical Property Editors › SQL Server Database Objects › SQL Server Security › Define SQL Server Symmetric Keys

Define SQL Server Symmetric Keys

Use the SQL Server Symmetric Key Editor to define symmetric keys at the database level in a SQL Server 2005/2008 physical model.

To define SQL Server symmetric keys

1. Click Security, Symmetric Keys on the Database menu.

   The SQL Server Symmetric Key Editor opens.

2. Select the symmetric key in the Navigation Grid that you want to define and work with the following options:

   Note: Click New on the toolbar to create a new symmetric key.

   • Name

     Displays the symmetric key name. You can change the symmetric key name in this field.

   • Authorization

     Specifies the owner of the symmetric key. Select a name from the drop-down list.

   • Algorithm

     Specifies to use an algorithm for the symmetric key. Select an algorithm from the drop-down list.

   • Generate

     Generates SQL during forward engineering. Clear the check box if you do not want to generate SQL.

3. Click the General tab and work with the following options:
   • Using Certificates

     Specifies the certificates that will be part of the symmetric key. You can select one, multiple, or no certificates. Click the icon on the toolbar to open the SQL Server Certificate Editor to work with certificates.

   • Using Asymmetric Keys

     Specifies the asymmetric keys that will be part of the symmetric key. You can select one, multiple, or no asymmetric keys. Click the icon on the toolbar to open the SQL Server Asymmetric Key Editor to work with asymmetric keys.

   • Using Symmetric Keys

     Specifies another symmetric key to reference. You can select one, multiple, or no symmetric keys.

4. Click the Permission tab to define the permissions for the symmetric key.
5. (Optional) Click the Comment tab and enter any comments that you want to associate with the symmetric key.
6. (Optional) Click the UDP tab to work with user-defined properties for the symmetric key.
7. Click Close.

   The symmetric key is defined and the SQL Server Symmetric Key Editor closes.