> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.futurex.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Configure EKM in Microsoft SQL Server

> Instructions for enabling and registering the EKM provider in Microsoft SQL Server.

This section shows how to enable EKM in Microsoft SQL Server and register the FXCL EKM provider.

## Enable the EKM provider option

To use the FXCL EKM provider, perform the following steps to enable the EKM provider option on the SQL Server before proceeding:

<Steps>
  <Step>
    Open the **SQL Server Management Studio** application.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Connect to the SQL Server.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Open a Query window and execute the following commands:

    ```sql expandable lines wrap title="Sql" theme={null}
    sp_configure 'show advanced', 1
    GO
    RECONFIGURE
    GO
    sp_configure 'EKM provider enabled', 1
    GO
    RECONFIGURE
    GO
    ```
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Register the provider

Perform the following steps to register the FXCL EKM provider:

<Steps>
  <Step>
    Open a new Query window in SQL Server Management Studio and execute the following commands:

    ```sql expandable lines wrap title="Sql" theme={null}
    CREATE CRYPTOGRAPHIC PROVIDER FxclEkmProvider
        FROM FILE = 'C:\Program Files\Futurex\fxcl\kmes\ekm\libfxcl-ekm.dll';
    GO
    ```
  </Step>
</Steps>