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Question

Anyone using SQL Server Tunnel for Vendors to use on BYOD?

  • December 11, 2025
  • 3 replies
  • 89 views

I have multiple Database admins I need to give access to our database for. 
We have no resources for PAW or Internal Admin machines. 

Is it the purpose of Beyondtrust SQL server tunnels to be ran on BYOD device and have them tunnel SQL Studio traffic to my on prem SQL server? 

Has anyone done this? I believe I have the tunnel up. How do you use Management studio? My “Open datasource Client” is grayed out. 

How do the credentials work? Do the credentials I use for the tunnel work for everyone using the tunnel? Or do I need to create one tunnel per person? 

3 replies

  • Author
  • Apprentice
  • December 11, 2025

And yes, I saw the great video on how to create the SQL Jump tunnel. 
But it gave no advice on how its used, when its used, what each of those means. 

https://beyondtrustcorp.service-now.com/csm?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0020904&source=community


Pulitros144
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  • Veteran
  • December 11, 2025

@Jsizzle 

The 'Open Datasource Client' button is grayed out because the default solution used by PRA is Azure Data Studio. If that application is not installed on the user's desktop, the button will not be active.

The best way would be for you to use the 'Additional External Tools' setting in the 'Console Settings' to create an application definition that would open SQL Studio. That way, this option would be enabled for the users to select.

Otherwise, after the tunnel is open, you can copy the Hostname:Port created by the tunnel and use it manually in SQL Studio. That way, the user will use the tunnel PRA created to access the database.


 

 


  • Author
  • Apprentice
  • December 11, 2025

Thank so much Pulitros144.

I found exactly what you said and it makes sense what I need to do. 

However, I still have issues. 
Even if I paste the values directly into SSMS. 

I have windows authentication on my SQL logins.
They are based on roles/groups in AD. 
So my windows creds get me into the server via SSMS. 

When I created the SQL Tunnel

Named Tunnel
Used jumppoint of internal server
Put in SQL server IP
Left username <Blank>
Entered database name

I launch the SQL Tunnel jump
It asks for my creds (I use my typical Windows) 

I then open SSMS
Defaults to Windows Authentication, but I use dropdown to use SQL Server Authentication? (Maybe thats where I am messing up?)

Put in server name (127.0.0.1:%port%)
Username copied from tunnel settings
Password in tunnel settings is <blank> ?
Database copied from tunnel settings


Then get error that host closed connection. 
Are my steps right for a manual connection? 

If I do windows connection with SSMS and the server name from tunnel with port, it also errors out.