for Microsoft SQL Server:
JDBC URL is:
jdbc:server://<server name>\<instance>:<port number>;DATABASE=<database name>
This is the format I was able to make it test successfully. Make sure your port number is correct. To find out SQL server port, please see previous post.
This also worked:
jdbc:server//<server name>:<port number>;DATABASE=<database name>;INSTANCENAME=<instance name>
You can also use a datasource connection already defined in Cognos Administration provided the JDBC connection for that datasource is enabled and configured (DQM enabled). You just have to check the Allow web-based modeling checkbox. You can find this checkbox in Connection tab of Properties for the datasource.