mssql

Babelfish template pinned to a PostgreSQL 17-compatible kernel with SQL Server protocol and T-SQL support

The mssql configuration template uses a PostgreSQL 17-compatible Babelfish kernel instead of native PostgreSQL, providing Microsoft SQL Server wire protocol (TDS) and T-SQL syntax compatibility. The current template is pinned to pg_version: 17; configure does not apply -v overrides to this fixed-kernel template.

Since Pigsty v4.2, Babelfish is built directly by Pigsty, no longer using the WiltonDB repository, and is available on all supported Linux platforms.

For the complete tutorial, see: Babelfish (MSSQL) Kernel Guide

Overview

  • Config Name: mssql
  • Node Count: Single node
  • Description: Babelfish (PG17) configuration template with SQL Server protocol compatibility
  • OS Distro: el8, el9, el10, d12, d13, u22, u24, u26
  • OS Arch: x86_64, aarch64
  • Related: meta

Usage:

./configure -c mssql [-i <primary_ip>]

Content

Source: pigsty/conf/mssql.yml

---
#==============================================================#
# File      :   mssql.yml
# Desc      :   Babelfish (MSSQL Wire-Compatible) template
# Ctime     :   2020-08-01
# Mtime     :   2026-07-08
# Docs      :   https://pigsty.io/docs/conf/mssql
# License   :   Apache-2.0 @ https://pigsty.io/docs/about/license/
# Copyright :   2018-2026  Ruohang Feng / Vonng ([email protected])
#==============================================================#

# This is the config template for Babelfish Kernel made by Pigsty
# Which is a PostgreSQL 17/18 fork with SQL Server Compatibility
# tutorial: https://pigsty.io/docs/pgsql/kernel/babelfish
#
# Usage:
#   curl https://repo.pigsty.io/get | bash
#   ./configure -c mssql [-v 17/18]
#   ./deploy.yml

all:
  children:
    infra: { hosts: { 10.10.10.10: { infra_seq: 1 }} ,vars: { repo_enabled: false }}
    etcd:  { hosts: { 10.10.10.10: { etcd_seq: 1  }} ,vars: { etcd_cluster: etcd  }}
    #minio: { hosts: { 10.10.10.10: { minio_seq: 1 }} ,vars: { minio_cluster: minio }}

    #----------------------------------------------#
    # Babelfish Database Cluster
    #----------------------------------------------#
    pg-meta:
      hosts:
        10.10.10.10: { pg_seq: 1, pg_role: primary }
      vars:
        pg_cluster: pg-meta
        pg_users:
          - {name: dbuser_mssql ,password: DBUser.MSSQL ,superuser: true, pgbouncer: true ,roles: [dbrole_admin], comment: superuser & owner for babelfish  }
        pg_databases:
          - name: mssql
            baseline: mssql.sql
            extensions: [uuid-ossp, babelfishpg_common, babelfishpg_tsql, babelfishpg_tds, babelfishpg_money ]
            owner: dbuser_mssql
            parameters: { 'babelfishpg_tsql.migration_mode' : 'multi-db' }
            comment: babelfish cluster, a MSSQL compatible pg cluster
        pg_crontab:     # https://pigsty.io/docs/pgsql/admin/crontab
          - '00 01 * * * /pg/bin/pg-backup full'

        # Babelfish Ad Hoc Settings
        pg_mode: mssql                     # Microsoft SQL Server Compatible Mode
        pg_version: 17
        pg_packages: [ babelfish, pgsql-common, sqlcmd ]
        pg_libs: 'babelfishpg_tds, pg_stat_statements, auto_explain' # preload Babelfish TDS listener
        pg_hba_rules:   # https://pigsty.io/docs/pgsql/config/hba
          - { user: dbuser_mssql ,db: mssql ,addr: intra ,auth: md5 ,title: 'allow mssql dbsu intranet access'      ,order: 525 } # <--- use md5 auth method for mssql user
          - { user: all          ,db: all   ,addr: intra ,auth: md5 ,title: 'everyone intranet access with md5 pwd' ,order: 800 }
        pg_default_services: # route primary & replica service to mssql port 1433
          - { name: primary ,port: 5433 ,dest: 1433  ,check: /primary   ,selector: "[]" }
          - { name: replica ,port: 5434 ,dest: 1433  ,check: /read-only ,selector: "[]" , backup: "[? pg_role == `primary` || pg_role == `offline` ]" }
          - { name: default ,port: 5436 ,dest: postgres ,check: /primary   ,selector: "[]" }
          - { name: offline ,port: 5438 ,dest: postgres ,check: /replica   ,selector: "[? pg_role == `offline` || pg_offline_query ]" , backup: "[? pg_role == `replica` && !pg_offline_query]" }

  vars:
    #----------------------------------------------#
    # INFRA : https://pigsty.io/docs/infra/param
    #----------------------------------------------#
    version: v4.5.0                   # pigsty version string
    admin_ip: 10.10.10.10             # admin node ip address
    region: default                   # upstream mirror region: default,china,europe
    infra_portal:                     # infra services exposed via portal
      home : { domain: i.pigsty }     # default domain name

    #----------------------------------------------#
    # NODE : https://pigsty.io/docs/node/param
    #----------------------------------------------#
    nodename_overwrite: false                 # do not overwrite node hostname on single node mode
    node_repo_modules: node,infra,pgsql       # babelfish kernel is in the pgsql repo
    node_tune: oltp                           # node tuning specs: oltp,olap,tiny,crit

    #----------------------------------------------#
    # PGSQL : https://pigsty.io/docs/pgsql/param
    #----------------------------------------------#
    pg_version: 17                            # Babelfish kernel is compatible with postgres 17
    pg_conf: oltp.yml                         # pgsql tuning specs: {oltp,olap,tiny,crit}.yml

    #----------------------------------------------#
    # PASSWORD : https://pigsty.io/docs/setup/security/
    #----------------------------------------------#
    grafana_admin_password: pigsty
    grafana_view_password: DBUser.Viewer
    pg_admin_password: DBUser.DBA
    pg_monitor_password: DBUser.Monitor
    pg_replication_password: DBUser.Replicator
    patroni_password: Patroni.API
    haproxy_admin_password: pigsty
    minio_secret_key: S3User.MinIO
    etcd_root_password: Etcd.Root
...

Explanation

The mssql template allows you to use SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) or other SQL Server client tools to connect to PostgreSQL (through Babelfish protocol compatibility).

Key Features:

  • Uses TDS protocol (port 1433), compatible with SQL Server clients
  • Supports T-SQL syntax, low migration cost
  • Retains PostgreSQL’s ACID properties and extension ecosystem (the current template uses PG17)
  • Supports multi-db and single-db migration modes
  • Default package set: babelfish + pgsql-common + sqlcmd
  • Creates uuid-ossp, babelfishpg_common, babelfishpg_tsql, babelfishpg_tds, and babelfishpg_money by default
  • v4.2.0 adds full mainstream platform coverage (EL 8/9/10, Debian 12/13, Ubuntu 22/24/26; x86_64 / aarch64)

Connection Methods:

# Using sqlcmd command line tool
sqlcmd -S 10.10.10.10,1433 -U dbuser_mssql -P DBUser.MSSQL -d mssql

# Using SSMS or Azure Data Studio
# Server: 10.10.10.10,1433
# Authentication: SQL Server Authentication
# Login: dbuser_mssql
# Password: DBUser.MSSQL

Use Cases:

  • Migrating from SQL Server to PostgreSQL
  • Applications needing to support both SQL Server and PostgreSQL clients
  • Leveraging PostgreSQL ecosystem while maintaining T-SQL compatibility

Notes:

  • The current mssql template is pinned to a PostgreSQL 17-compatible kernel; do not rely on -v to switch its major version
  • Default migration mode is multi-db (babelfishpg_tsql.migration_mode), configurable to single-db when needed
  • Some T-SQL syntax may have compatibility differences, refer to Babelfish compatibility documentation
  • Must use md5 authentication method (not scram-sha-256)

Last Modified: 2026-07-11: add app docs (3a64c95)