# Creating Linked Servers in AWS RDS for SQL Server (Without the SSMS UI)

**URL:** <https://community.cdata.com/t/creating-linked-servers-in-aws-rds-for-sql-server-without-the-ssms-ui/1258>\
**Category:** CData Drivers\
**Tags:** sql, aws-rds, discussion, odbc, linked-server, sql-server, aws\
**Created:** [January 9, 2026, 11:30am UTC](https://community.cdata.com/t/creating-linked-servers-in-aws-rds-for-sql-server-without-the-ssms-ui/1258 "2026-01-09T11:30:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Mohsin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/41988e/32.png) [@Mohsin](https://community.cdata.com/u/Mohsin)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2026, 11:30am UTC](https://community.cdata.com/t/creating-linked-servers-in-aws-rds-for-sql-server-without-the-ssms-ui/1258/1 "2026-01-09T11:30:25Z")

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AWS RDS for SQL Server simplifies backups, patching, and high availability, but its managed model restricts certain administrative actions — including creating linked servers through the SSMS UI.

If you see errors like _“The requested dialog cannot be displayed”_ or _“You must be a member of the sysadmin role”_, this is expected. AWS RDS does not provide full sysadmin access, so linked servers must be created using supported system stored procedures.

This article shows how to create linked servers in AWS RDS, query and update remote data, and extend linked servers to SaaS and cloud sources using CData.

👉 **Read the full article:**

> **[How to Create a Linked Server in AWS RDS for SQL Server](https://www.cdata.com/kb/articles/aws-rds-linked-server.rst)**
>
> Learn how to create and use linked servers with AWS RDS for SQL Server, including limitations, stored procedure setup, and query examples.