Understand instance names on a SQL Cluster

Question

Hi!,

I have a 2 node SQL Clustered instance.

The name of the instance is PO.
The two nodes of the cluster are:

SQLCL1-1
SQLCL1-2

The 'Client Access Name' on the cluster is NFFBO-SQLCL1

Some of the apps and users connect to the current one using the format:

SQLCL1\NLP

and others use this to connect:

NFFBO-SQLCL1\PO

I dont see either of these names as Aliases in SQL Configuration Manager..

Can anyone tell me where these names are set as I need to build to similiar cluster

Thanks,

Answer 1

Hi @zoe Ohara

The correct way to connect to SQL Server instance is SQLServerNetworkName\Instance name if you are having named instance of SQL Server. If you have default instance your connection would be just SQLServerNetworname. This will make sure no matter which node is owning the SQL Server resource it will always direct you to the node owning the SQL Server resource.

Now let is say you have two nodes as Node1 and Node2 and currently SQL Server instance name PO is online on Node1. Then even if you connect using Node1\PO it will connect because this is node owning resource but this is not the correct way. The correct string should be SQLServerNetworkName\PO.

Some of the apps and users connect to the current one using the format: SQLCL1\NLP

This means there is an instance NLP on node which is SQLCL1 and like I said above people may use Nodename\instanceName to connect but this is not correct way. The correct way is SQLServernetworkname\NLP assuming NLP is clustered SQL Server instance.

I hope this clear things.

Answer 2

Hi @zoe Ohara ,

If it's an SQL cluster, you'll find the SQL Server clustered roles and their names in the Failover Cluster manager > Roles > select your SQL Server role.

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Best regards,
Leon