Unable to connect to SQL named instance using alias name

_{Thursday, October 29, 2009 9:59 AM}

Hi

I have installed Two named instances of SQL Server 2008 Standar Edition X64 SP1 on Windows server 2008 Standard edition X64 with SP2

I created two Aliases using Configuration Manager pointing to both these named instances. Aliases were created without any issues

Now when I try to connect to the instances using alias name I am getting the following error

"A network-related or instance-specific error occurred while establishing a connection to SQL Server. The server was not found or was not accessible. Verify that the instance name is correct and that SQL Server is configured to allow remote connections. (provider: Named Pipes Provider, error: 40 - Could not open a connection to SQL Server) (.Net SqlClient Data Provider)"

Help Regarding this is much appreciated

_{Monday, November 2, 2009 3:58 AM ✅Answered}

Hi,

If you could connect to SQL Server instance by using the server\instance, it appears that the connection between the client and server is OK. Therefore, we need to troubleshoot the alias setting. In this case, the client uses either TCP/IP or Named Pipes to connect to the server. If you specify TCP/IP for Protocol in Alias setting, you need to check the TCP/IP Protocol is enabled and the Port listening for the instance on the server. Then specify the port which the instance is listening on in Alisa setting. For more information, please see http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms191260(SQL.90).aspx. If you use Named Pipes for Alias setting, check the Named Pipes Protocol is enabled on the server and specify the correct Pipe Name for Alias. For more information, please see http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms189307(SQL.90).aspx.

If there are any more questions, please let me know.
Thanks.

***Xiao Min Tan***Microsoft Online Community***

_{Thursday, January 24, 2013 6:57 PM ✅Answered | 4 votes}

Therefore, on a 64 bit system you have to create your alias with two different tools:

• 64 bit: C:\Windows\System32\cliconfg.exe (also in your PATH)
• 32 bit: C:\Windows\SysWOW64\cliconfg.exe

When you happen to have the SQL Server Configuration Manager installed on your server, you can do it from there too: expand SQL Native Client Configuration, right-click Aliases, and then click New Alias. Don’t forget: On a 64 bit system, there are two nodes – one for 32 bit aliases and one for 64 bit aliases.

The screenshot above displays the 64 bit alias I created with cliconfg.exe. Below I create a 32 bit alias with the Configuration Manager as an illustration:

_{Thursday, October 29, 2009 10:24 AM}

Hi Ramprasad

Can you please refer to following post.

http://blogs.msdn.com/sql_protocols/archive/2007/03/31/named-pipes-provider-error-40-could-not-open-a-connection-to-sql-server.aspx

Thanks, Suhas V

_{Thursday, October 29, 2009 12:16 PM}

Hi Suhas, I have peformed all the tasks but could not connect to the instance using alias name

but I could connect to the instance using the servername\instancename but not using alias name

Thanks, Ramp

_{Thursday, October 29, 2009 12:30 PM}

HI Ramprasad

If you have installed the default instance then the server name is nothing but your computer name. If you had installed a named instance then the server name is nothing but Computer name\Instance name .

Thanks, Suhas V

_{Thursday, October 29, 2009 12:55 PM}

Hello Ramprasad,

you wrote you created the allias with "configuration manager".
Tried you to connect with the aliase name from a remote maschine (client) or on the maschine the Sql Server is running?

If you connect on the server itself, you connect via LPC protocol; the alias won't work.
Connecting from remote you have to create the alias on that maschine (not on the server), it's a "client setting".Olaf Helper * cogito ergo sum * errare humanum est * quote erat demonstrandum * Wenn ich denke, ist das ein Fehler und das beweise ich täglich http://olafhelper.over-blog.de

_{Thursday, October 29, 2009 1:22 PM}

Hi

I have created Alias name on Remote machine and on the Machine running SQL Server

None of them is working and returning the same error

our environment requires to have aliases on the server running sql server

we already have same environment running on Win2k3 with SQL2K5 clustered

Having problem with SQL 2k8 x64 and windows 2k8x64

thanks

Ramp

_{Thursday, January 24, 2013 4:31 PM}

I am having the same trouble, but reading through this post again, I do not see the solution.

Like a few of the others, I can connect using servername\instance name, but if i create an alias such as "my08test" using servername\instance in the settings, it doesnt work.

My alias settings are:
Alias name:  my08test
Port#: -empty-

Protocol: TCP/IP
Server: servername\instance name (with the actual names)

When I attempt to use the alias to connect within SSMS (sql server management studio), I get a connection error such as:

Cannot connect to my08test.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
A network-related or instance-specific error occurred while establishing a connection to SQL Server. The server was not found or was not accessible. Verify that the instance name is correct and that SQL Server is configured to allow remote connections. (provider: Named Pipes Provider, error: 40 - Could not open a connection to SQL Server) (Microsoft SQL Server, Error: 53)

So why can I use servername\instance name but not the alias?

_{Thursday, January 24, 2013 4:40 PM}

Hello shiftbit,

Same question from my side, as three years ago.

Where have you created the SQL Server alias, on server side or on client side, means the machine from where you are trying to connect to SQL Server?

Have you a 64 bit OS on the client?

Olaf Helper

Blog Xing

_{Thursday, May 9, 2013 7:31 PM}

wow, you are the man! you still need to use the two cliconfg.exe to add alias as well as enable protocols. Enabling protocols in SQL Config mngr does not work at all!

I have everything working now from a remote machine.

On the sql server itself, this works partially: just using a sql account works; using a domain account or windows authentication does. Why?

I feel it is because the server name is a.b.c.com, I have a DNS alias d.e.f.com which I used to create SQL server named instance alias. Confirmed.

Thanks,

_{Wednesday, March 22, 2017 4:15 PM}

Thank you Jakkampudi. Your answered resolved my issue.

_{Tuesday, July 10, 2018 2:23 PM}

It Worked Thanks :)