CAIRO Sharepoint Team

Using an SQL Server Alias, you will be easily able to change the Database Server of your Sharepoint Farm. This is very useful when moving or virtualising your database server or setting up an test environment. The configuration of the alias name has to be done before Installing Sharepoint and setting up the Farm.

I will show you the needed steps to configure the sql server alias name for Sharepoint 2010.

Repeat the following steps for all your Sharepoint Frontend and Appliction Servers. Important: Only on the Sharepoint Servers. Don’t do this on the SQL Server!

1. Start “C:\windows\system32\cliconfg.exe”

Select the tab “Alias” and click the button “Add”.

Select “TCP/IP” and define the name of the alias. The fill in the hostname of your database server and select the “Dynamically determine port”-checkbox. After that click “OK”.

Now you have defined your sql alias name. Click “OK”.

2. Start “C:\windows\syswow64\cliconfg.exe”

We are in an 64bit environment. You will need to do the same steps you did in (1) for the cliconfg.exe in syswow64-folder.

3. In Sharepoint Products Configuration Wizard, use the alias name as your database server

After you repeated the steps (1) and (2) on each SharePoint Server, you can create you new farm using the Sharepoint Products Configuration Wizard. Use the defined sql alias name as your database server.

To change your database sever for your sharepoint farm, repeat steps (1) and (2) for each sharepoint server and use another database server with the same alias name.

Tags: alias, change database, Microsoft SharePoint, Sharepoint 2010, Sql

This entry was posted on February 22, 2011 at 14:58 and is filed under Best Practices. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.