How to initialize the Azure storage emulator on a local SQL server

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This article describes how to initialize the Azure storage emulator on a local SQL server using the built-in DSInit Command-Line Tool.
When trying to run an Azure application on the Azure emulator (CTRL + F5 in the Visual Studio), you may encounter the following (or similar) error message:
 

Unable to start Development Storage. Failed to start Development Storage: the SQL Server instance XXX could not be found.  Please configure the SQL Server instance for Development Storage using the ‘DSInit’ utility in the Windows Azure SDK.

 
The background of this problem is that the Azure emulator needs a local SQL instance to create a development storage database on. This is not a Kentico CMS database yet - it is the Azure development storage database with the following structure:



If no local SQL server is available or one is present but not well mapped, the emulator fails with a message above. To fix this and set a local SQL server instance manually, the following steps must be taken (in Windows 7):
 
1. Click Start, point to All Programs, and then click Windows Azure SDK.
 
2. Right-click on Windows Azure SDK Command Prompt and then click Run as administrator.
 
3. In the Windows Azure SDK Command Prompt window, type the following command:
 
DSInit /sqlInstance:<SQLServerInstance>
 
where <SQLServerInstance> is the name of the SQL Server instance.
 
You can also use the following command, which uses the default instance:
DSInit /sqlInstance:.
 
Or, you can use the following command, which reinitializes the database:
DSInit /forceCreate
 
When all steps are successfully completed, you should see a dialog like this:



Please note:
  • You must have administrative privileges to run the DSInit Command-Line Tool.
  • Running the “DSInit /forceCreate” command results in all of the existing data in the local Blob and Queue service being lost.
  • You can use the DSInit Command-Line Tool at any time to configure the Windows Azure storage emulator to point to a different instance.
 
-rm-


See also: DSInit Command-Line Tool
Kentico CMS 7 Windows Azure Deployment Guide

Applies to: Kentico CMS 6 and 7
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