Changing server name on a running SQL server

[Vitalix]

Good morning guys and gals,

We have a server that is running MS SQL Server 2000. We need to change the name of the machine that it is running on.

If change the name from let's say NM001 to NM005, will that affect the way that the server starts or logs onto the system?

Thanks in advance as usual!

[MadGutts]

I assume this is a member server? not a domain controller?

You can simply rename the server, BUT !!! every pc that uses the database will need reconfiguring with the new name.

This is done (on my server anyway) through BDE Admin.

But this depends on your aplication of SQL... Double check all the seting first. You could rename it when there is nobody using it, then goto a workstation and edit the paths there to test this !

Hope this helps...

[tguy]

This practice is really NOT recommended. SQL Server services are often tied to local accounts like the local Administrator account for startup. In addition, there are entries in the registry related to the server name created during setup.

You can rename the server, change the account name for the services accounts and try and edit the registry but if you do, SQL server may become extremely unstable.

I would suggest you back up the SQL databases, move them off the server to another drive or to tape, rebuild the server with the new name, install SQL Server and then try restoring the databases back to it.

You could also detach the databases, move them to another SQL server and attach them there.

This is all dependent upon whether the application using the database(s) will tolerate these steps.

tguy

[SC00BS]

You can change the name. You have to re-run the sql server setup again.

It'll keep the database settings.

I have done it before.

[CoffeeFiend]

Kinda hard to do things like that with no downtime at all. You'll have to change all your connection strings too. Unless there's just a couple, then it's really easy, but if you got over a hundred... It's not exactly fun.