Tech Note: One SQL Server per Diagrams API server

Read this before you add a Diagrams API project, or if a Diagrams API connection won't refresh in SOCKETWorx.

The Diagrams API server works with one SQL Server. Every API project's database must be on that one SQL Server.

The short version

  • The API server (saas-api.socketworx.com) is set up with one SQL Server.
  • That SQL Server can hold as many databases as you like, one for each project.
  • The SOCKETWorx site that goes with it (saas.socketworx.com) uses the same SQL Server.
  • So every Diagrams API connection on that SOCKETWorx site must be a database on that same SQL Server.

Picture it

SOCKETWorx sitesaas.socketworx.com
↓
Diagrams API serversaas-api.socketworx.com
↓
ONE SQL Serverset on the API server's Database Server Setup screen
↓
Project A databaseProject B databaseProject C database…as many as you need
This worksTen projects, ten databases, all on the same SQL Server.
SQL Server 1the one the API server uses
SQL Server 2a second server
This does not workSome project databases on SQL Server 1 and some on SQL Server 2. The ones on SQL Server 2 can't be opened, because the API server and the SOCKETWorx site only know about SQL Server 1.

Why

The API server stores one SQL Server name, one login and one password. It has no place to store a second set. Every project it serves is opened with that one server and that one login.

The SOCKETWorx site uses those same three values when it refreshes a Diagrams API connection. So it can only reach databases on that one server too.

What you see if a database is on the wrong server

  • Refreshing the Diagrams API connection in SOCKETWorx fails with a message about the database server credential.
  • The SOCKETWorx log shows Login failed for user and Error Number:4060 ("cannot open database").
This is not a password problemThe login and password are fine. The database simply isn't on the SQL Server that the API server uses. Changing the password won't help.

How to set up a new API project correctly

  1. Find out which SQL Server the API server uses: on the Diagrams API site, open Databases → Database Server Setup. Note the server name.
  2. Create the project's database on that SQL Server, and no other.
  3. Set up the project in Diagrams Project Manager as a Diagrams API project, using that database.
  4. In SOCKETWorx (saas.socketworx.com), add the Diagrams connection and refresh it.

How to fix a project that is on the wrong server

  1. Move (back up and restore) the project's database onto the SQL Server shown on the API site's Database Server Setup screen. Keep the same database name.
  2. Refresh the connection in SOCKETWorx again.

I need projects on a second SQL Server

Then you need a second pair: another Diagrams API server and another SOCKETWorx site, set up for the second SQL Server.

SQL ServerDiagrams API serverSOCKETWorx site
SQL Server 1API server 1SOCKETWorx site 1
SQL Server 2API server 2SOCKETWorx site 2

One SQL Server, one API server, one SOCKETWorx site. Always in threes.

Quick checklist

  • ☐ I know which SQL Server the API server uses (Database Server Setup screen).
  • ☐ Every API project's database is on that SQL Server.
  • ☐ No project database is on any other SQL Server.
  • ☐ I'm adding the connection on the SOCKETWorx site that belongs to this API server.
SOCKETWorx tech note, October 2026.