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Rename Computer Hosting Instance - SQL Server - Microsoft Docs

This document provides steps to rename a computer that hosts a standalone instance of SQL Server. It describes running the sp_dropserver and sp_addserver stored procedures to update the server name in SQL Server metadata after renaming the computer. It also discusses additional considerations for remote logins, linked servers, and client aliases when renaming the computer name.

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Chrispin Kay Whiteman
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40 views

Rename Computer Hosting Instance - SQL Server - Microsoft Docs

This document provides steps to rename a computer that hosts a standalone instance of SQL Server. It describes running the sp_dropserver and sp_addserver stored procedures to update the server name in SQL Server metadata after renaming the computer. It also discusses additional considerations for remote logins, linked servers, and client aliases when renaming the computer name.

Uploaded by

Chrispin Kay Whiteman
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Rename a Computer that Hosts a

Stand-Alone Instance of SQL


Server
12/13/2019 • 4 minutes to read • +1
In this article
Rename a computer that hosts a stand-alone instance of SQL Server
After the Renaming Operation
Verify renaming operation
Additional considerations
See also

APPLIES TO: SQL Server (Windows only) Azure SQL Database Azure
Synapse Analytics (SQL DW) Parallel Data Warehouse
When you change the name of the computer that is running SQL Server, the new name
is recognized during SQL Server startup. You do not have to run Setup again to reset the
computer name. Instead, use the following steps to update system metadata that is
stored in sys.servers and reported by the system function @@SERVERNAME. Update
system metadata to reflect computer name changes for remote connections and
applications that use @@SERVERNAME, or that query the server name from sys.servers.
The following steps cannot be used to rename an instance of SQL Server. They can be
used only to rename the part of the instance name that corresponds to the computer
name. For example, you can change a computer named MB1 that hosts an instance of
SQL Server named Instance1 to another name, such as MB2. However, the instance part
of the name, Instance1, will remain unchanged. In this example, the
\\ComputerName\InstanceName would be changed from \\MB1\Instance1 to
\\MB2\Instance1.
Before you begin
Before you begin the renaming process, review the following information:
When an instance of SQL Server is part of a SQL Server failover cluster, the
computer renaming process differs from a computer that hosts a stand-alone
instance.

SQL Server does not support renaming computers that are involved in replication,
except when you use log shipping with replication The secondary computer in log
except when you use log shipping with replication. The secondary computer in log
shipping can be renamed if the primary computer is permanently lost. For more
information, see Log Shipping and Replication (SQL Server).
When you rename a computer that is configured to use Reporting Services,
Reporting Services might not be available after the computer name change. For
more information, see Rename a Report Server Computer.
When you rename a computer that is configured to use database mirroring, you
must turn off database mirroring before the renaming operation. Then, re-establish
database mirroring with the new computer name. Metadata for database mirroring
will not be updated automatically to reflect the new computer name. Use the
following steps to update system metadata.
Users who connect to SQL Server through a Windows group that uses a hard-
coded reference to the computer name might not be able to connect to SQL
Server. This can occur after the rename if the Windows group specifies the old
computer name. To ensure that such Windows groups have SQL Server
connectivity following the renaming operation, update the Windows group to
specify the new computer name.
You can connect to SQL Server by using the new computer name after you have
restarted SQL Server. To ensure that @@SERVERNAME returns the updated name of the
local server instance, you should manually run the following procedure that applies to
your scenario. The procedure you use depends on whether you are updating a
computer that hosts a default or named instance of SQL Server.

Rename a computer that hosts a stand-alone


instance of SQL Server
For a renamed computer that hosts a default instance of SQL Server, run the
following procedures:

SQL ＝ Copy

sp_dropserver <old_name>;
GO
sp_addserver <new_name>, local;
GO

Restart the instance of SQL Server.

For a renamed computer that hosts a named instance of SQL Server, run the
following procedures:
following procedures:

SQL ＝ Copy

sp_dropserver <old_name\instancename>;
GO
sp_addserver <new_name\instancename>, local;
GO

Restart the instance of SQL Server.

After the Renaming Operation


After a computer has been renamed, any connections that used the old computer name
must connect by using the new name.

Verify renaming operation


Select information from either @@SERVERNAME or sys.servers. The
@@SERVERNAME function will return the new name, and the sys.servers table will
show the new name. The following example shows the use of @@SERVERNAME.

＝ Copy

SELECT @@SERVERNAME AS 'Server Name';

Additional considerations
Remote Logins - If the computer has any remote logins, running sp_dropserver might
generate an error similar to the following:
Server: Msg 15190, Level 16, State 1, Procedure sp_dropserver, Line 44
There are still remote logins for the server 'SERVER1'.

To resolve the error, you must drop remote logins for this server.

Drop remote logins


For a default instance, run the following procedure:

SQL ＝ Copy

sp_dropremotelogin old_name;
GO

For a named instance, run the following procedure:

SQL ＝ Copy

sp_dropremotelogin old_name\instancename;
GO

Linked Server Configurations - Linked server configurations will be affected by the


computer renaming operation. Use sp_addlinkedserver or sp_setnetname to update
computer name references. For more information, see the sp_addlinkedserver (Transact-
SQL) or sp_setnetname (Transact-SQL).
Client Alias Names - Client aliases that use named pipes will be affected by the
computer renaming operation. For example, if an alias "PROD_SRVR" was created to
point to SRVR1 and uses the named pipes protocol, the pipe name will look like
\\SRVR1\pipe\sql\query . After the computer is renamed, the path of the named pipe
will no longer be valid and. For more information about named pipes, see the Creating a
Valid Connection String Using Named Pipes.

See also
Install SQL Server

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