Primary Instance Name must match Server Name ?

  • having a debate in the office... should the primary default instance of sql server always match the machine name and if not are there any issues you can think of where it doesn't match ?

    thanks simon

  • The instance can have any name you like. I'm not aware of any issue with choosing a custom name.

    Hope this helps

    Gianluca

    -- Gianluca Sartori

  • If you're talking about the default instance, then it's 'name' is the server's name. With named instances you can specify the instance name, but the base is still the server's name. You can use IP address as well.

    For eg, on my local machine I can connect to my 2005 instance (default) with either the machine's name (Myrlin) or it's IP (192.168.0.142). I can connect to my 2008 instance (named) with either Myrlin\SQL2008 or 192.168.0.142\SQL2008

    Gail Shaw
    Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
    SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

    We walk in the dark places no others will enter
    We stand on the bridge and no one may pass
  • Gail is correct, if you want a more friendly name for whatever reason you can create an a record in DNS which directs the request to the same IP address.

    Steve.

  • GilaMonster (6/23/2009)


    If you're talking about the default instance, then it's 'name' is the server's name. With named instances you can specify the instance name, but the base is still the server's name. You can use IP address as well.

    For eg, on my local machine I can connect to my 2005 instance (default) with either the machine's name (Myrlin) or it's IP (192.168.0.142). I can connect to my 2008 instance (named) with either Myrlin\SQL2008 or 192.168.0.142\SQL2008

    The issue is where they have renamed a server (vpc) ...I was of the opinion you would need to rename the default instance as well to match that ....

    thanks simon

  • As gail mentioned, if you change your server name from bob to harry, your default instance will be connected to via harry not bob.

    If you have another instance called audit, then it would be called harry\audit after the change where before it was called bob\audit.

    Hope this makes sense?

    Steve.

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