Comments on: Using Aliases with SQL Server http://www.allenkinsel.com/archive/2010/01/using-aliases-in-sql-server/ SQL Server, PASS, and other data mishaps Thu, 22 Jul 2010 13:53:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Ken http://www.allenkinsel.com/archive/2010/01/using-aliases-in-sql-server/comment-page-1/#comment-87 Ken Tue, 16 Feb 2010 21:57:07 +0000 http://www.allenkinsel.com/?p=147#comment-87 I'm currently in a migration that will be making use of dns aliases, and have done some testing of moving from a default instance to named instances. You actually can use this still for moving applications from one named instance to another, you have to configure your named instances to listen on the default port 1433. If your named instances listen on 1433 you can connect to them via your alias without specifying the instance name. If these instances reside on the same server, they will need to listen on their own ip addresses so both can use 1433. The ability to omit the instance name when connecting to an instance listening on 1433 using a dns alias does not appear to work with SQL 2000 client, only 2005 and newer. I'm currently in a migration that will be making use of dns aliases, and have done some testing of moving from a default instance to named instances. You actually can use this still for moving applications from one named instance to another, you have to configure your named instances to listen on the default port 1433. If your named instances listen on 1433 you can connect to them via your alias without specifying the instance name. If these instances reside on the same server, they will need to listen on their own ip addresses so both can use 1433.

The ability to omit the instance name when connecting to an instance listening on 1433 using a dns alias does not appear to work with SQL 2000 client, only 2005 and newer.

]]> By: Allen Kinsel http://www.allenkinsel.com/archive/2010/01/using-aliases-in-sql-server/comment-page-1/#comment-52 Allen Kinsel Thu, 21 Jan 2010 22:10:44 +0000 http://www.allenkinsel.com/?p=147#comment-52 Yes, this is exactly describing using a CNAME record in the DNS Server but, you can also use a Host(A) record and point directly back to the IP adress. In our environment, I dont have any say in that matter and we use new Host(A) records pointed directly to IP's. I dont think it really matters but, you're absolutely right Aliases make moves simple. Yes, this is exactly describing using a CNAME record in the DNS Server but, you can also use a Host(A) record and point directly back to the IP adress. In our environment, I dont have any say in that matter and we use new Host(A) records pointed directly to IP's. I dont think it really matters but, you're absolutely right Aliases make moves simple.

]]> By: Todd McDermid http://www.allenkinsel.com/archive/2010/01/using-aliases-in-sql-server/comment-page-1/#comment-51 Todd McDermid Thu, 21 Jan 2010 21:29:17 +0000 http://www.allenkinsel.com/?p=147#comment-51 I'm not a network guy - but is this what is also referred to as a CNAME? If so - I'm doing this exactly, and it helped us seamlessly move databases off of a misconfigured machine with a minimum of downtime and NO app changes. Without CNAMEs, it would have either taken much more downtime, had to have been done piecemeal, and/or would have resulted in apps breaking because we "missed" an obscure configuration setting. We have a CNAME for each atomic set of databases that we want kept together. Sometimes that means multiple CNAMEs point to the same physical machine, sometimes not. Works great - no drawbacks so far! I'm not a network guy - but is this what is also referred to as a CNAME?

If so - I'm doing this exactly, and it helped us seamlessly move databases off of a misconfigured machine with a minimum of downtime and NO app changes. Without CNAMEs, it would have either taken much more downtime, had to have been done piecemeal, and/or would have resulted in apps breaking because we «missed» an obscure configuration setting.

We have a CNAME for each atomic set of databases that we want kept together. Sometimes that means multiple CNAMEs point to the same physical machine, sometimes not.

Works great - no drawbacks so far!

]]> By: Jorge Segarra http://www.allenkinsel.com/archive/2010/01/using-aliases-in-sql-server/comment-page-1/#comment-50 Jorge Segarra Thu, 21 Jan 2010 14:53:45 +0000 http://www.allenkinsel.com/?p=147#comment-50 Awesome, great timing as this is the exact solution I just implemented thanks to you and the rest of the SQL tweeps via the the #sqlhelp tag. Thanks again! Awesome, great timing as this is the exact solution I just implemented thanks to you and the rest of the SQL tweeps via the the #sqlhelp tag. Thanks again!

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