Same SQL Server Instance name on two different Windows 2008 R2 servers

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Same SQL Server Instance name on two different Windows 2008 R2 servers

raghusg

SSC Veteran

Points: 260
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May 13, 2013 at 3:09 pm

#277526

Hi,
We have two different Windows 2008 R2 servers (Server1 and Server2) on the same domain. The questions I have are:
1) Can I have the same named instance on both the servers (Server1\Instance1, Server2\Instance2)?
2) Will this cause any problems for operations.
Thanks in advance for the replies.
Raghuveer S

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Lowell SSC Guru Points: 323518 More actions · Answer 1

raghusg (5/13/2013)
Hi,
We have two different Windows 2008 R2 servers (Server1 and Server2) on the same domain. The questions I have are:
1) Can I have the same named instance on both the servers (Server1\Instance1, Server2\Instance2)?
2) Will this cause any problems for operations.
Thanks in advance for the replies.
Raghuveer S

Your example doesn't have the same instance names? typo?

a classic example in my shop is everyones developer machines have 2008 and 2012 both as instances.

so my machine, DEV223, has instances named DEV223\SQL2008 and DEV223\SQL2012.

The guy in the next cube has a machine named DEV241, and he has isntances named DEV241\SQL2008 and DEV241\SQL2012

it's the combination of machine name + instance name that is required to be unique across the network, not just the isntance name.

Does that help?

Lowell

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raghusg SSC Veteran Points: 260 More actions · Answer 2

Thank you very much for the response.

Sorry for the typo.

Yes, it does answer the question.

The combination of Server Name\Instancename in our case would be WIDSQL04\ProjectWise (Development) and WIPSQL04\ProjectWise (Production).

Do you see any problems with this?

Thanks again.

Steve Jones - SSC Editor SSC Guru Points: 736494 More actions · Answer 3

I'm assuming the part in parenthesis is for our benefit and not part of the name? If so, you are fine.

Instance names must be unique on a Windows host. On a network, the hostname\instancename must be unique. These two are unique

WIDSQL04\ProjectWise

WIPSQL04\ProjectWise

Because the hostname is different.

Put another way, I can have a "Sales" instance on every windows machine on my network.

lsalih SSCertifiable Points: 6143 More actions · Answer 4

Steve -

Question for you, I know this is an old post but I was curious about where you have two different nodes (node1 and node2) and having two sql instances with the same name. Would it be acceptable:

Server1:

SQLSERVER\Instance1

Server2:

SQLSERVER\Instance1

I know if you are on the same network, you use servername\instancename to connect to SQL. I assume the above case it is not acceptable since both server name and instance names are the same even though they are on different nodes. Please correct me if I am wrong.

Thanks,

Perry Whittle SSC Guru Points: 234013 More actions · Answer 5

lsalih (10/27/2014)
Steve -
Question for you, I know this is an old post but I was curious about where you have two different nodes (node1 and node2) and having two sql instances with the same name. Would it be acceptable:
Server1:
SQLSERVER\Instance1
Server2:
SQLSERVER\Instance1
I know if you are on the same network, you use servername\instancename to connect to SQL. I assume the above case it is not acceptable since both server name and instance names are the same even though they are on different nodes. Please correct me if I am wrong.
Thanks,

No, on a Windows network the computername must be unique and usually no more than 15 characters.

You cannot have 2 hosts called SQLServer. You could have the following

Server1:

SQLSERVER1\Instance1

Server2:

SQLSERVER2\Instance1

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Ya can't make an omelette without breaking just a few eggs" 😉

lsalih SSCertifiable Points: 6143 More actions · Answer 6

lsalih

SSCertifiable

Points: 6143

October 27, 2014 at 9:11 am

#1754965

Perry - Thank you.

Steve Jones - SSC Editor SSC Guru Points: 736494 More actions · Answer 7

What Perry said.

Windows name unique. SQL instance names unique on a host.