1. In the [SQL Shell](https://console.materialize.com/), or your preferred SQL
   client connected to Materialize, use the [`CREATE SECRET`](/sql/create-secret/)
   command to securely store the password for the SQL Server role you'll use to
   replicate data into Materialize:

    ```mzsql
    CREATE SECRET sqlserver_pass AS '<PASSWORD>';
    ```

1. Use the [`CREATE CONNECTION`](/sql/create-connection/) command to create a
   connection object with access and authentication details for Materialize to
   use:

    ```mzsql
    CREATE CONNECTION sqlserver_connection TO SQL SERVER (
        HOST <host>,
        PORT 1433,
        USER 'materialize',
        PASSWORD SECRET sqlserver_pass,
        DATABASE <database>,
        SSL MODE 'require'
    );
    ```

    - Replace `<host>` with your SQL Server endpoint, and `<database>` with the database you'd like to connect to.

1. Use the [`CREATE SOURCE`](/sql/create-source/) command to connect Materialize
   to your SQL Server instance and start ingesting data:

    ```mzsql
    CREATE SOURCE mz_source
      FROM SQL SERVER CONNECTION sqlserver_connection
      FOR ALL TABLES;
    ```

    - By default, the source will be created in the active cluster; to use a
      different cluster, use the `IN CLUSTER` clause.

    - To ingest data from specific tables use the `FOR TABLES
      (<table1>, <table2>)` options instead of `FOR ALL TABLES`.

    - To handle unsupported data types, use the `TEXT COLUMNS` or `EXCLUDE
      COLUMNS` options. Check out the [reference documentation](/sql/create-source/sql-server/#supported-types)
      for guidance.

1. After source creation, you can handle upstream [schema changes](/sql/create-source/sql-server/#schema-changes)
   by dropping and recreating the source.