Multi Instance Cluster Question -- sql server clustering

Ronald
4/27/2004 3:42:09 PM

I decided to try and setup a multi instance cluster on my
own and seem to be fairly successful . Its SQL 2000 EE on
Windows Server 2003 EE

Just had 2 questions. When i installed the second
instance, it asked me for a virtual name.. so i gave it
one ..in my case SQL2.. and then was asked for an
instance name so i called it ins2.. Eventually this
second sql server is now called sql2\ins2 and not sql2 as
i had thought it would be.. The first instance which was
a default instance was named as SQL1 . Is this the right
way it should be ? i.e one instance called SQL1 and the
other SQL2\ins2 in my case. I was under the impression
that since its a virtual name i could get them to be
called SQL1 and SQL2

If not, then my next question is..

When i connect to those 2 virtual names from a client, it
seems to connect fine to SQL1 but when i connect to SQL2
\ins2 it fails...with SQL Server does not exist or access

Geoff N. Hiten
4/27/2004 7:46:36 PM

Answer #1.
You can have one default instance and 15 named instances OR 16 named
instances of SQL per cluster. Each named instance will be
VirtualServerName\InstanceName. For consistancy I use only named
instances on a cluster, but that is just a personal thing.

Answer #2.
You may have an older version of MDAC on your client system. I think the
breakover is MDAC 2.6, but I may be wrong. Version 2.6 and higher
understand named instances. Versions before that do not. You can make an
older version connect to a named instance if you create an alias that
includes the port number.

--
Geoff N. Hiten
Microsoft SQL Server MVP
Senior Database Administrator
Careerbuilder.com

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sql server clustering : Multi Instance Cluster Question