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instance-configuration.md

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title Instance Configuration | Microsoft Docs
ms.custom
ms.date 05/04/2016
ms.prod sql-server-2014
ms.reviewer
ms.technology install
ms.topic conceptual
f1_keywords
instance configuration, Setup
helpviewer_keywords
Instance Name page [SQL Server Installation Wizard]
SQL Server Installation Wizard, Instance Name page
ms.assetid 5bf822fc-6dec-4806-a153-e200af28e9a5
author MashaMSFT
ms.author mathoma
manager craigg

Instance Configuration

Use the Instance Configuration page of the [!INCLUDEssNoVersion] Installation Wizard to specify whether to create a default instance or a named instance of [!INCLUDEssNoVersion]. If an instance of [!INCLUDEssNoVersion] is not already installed, a default instance will be created unless you specify a named instance.

Each instance of [!INCLUDEssNoVersion] consists of a distinct set of services that have specific settings for collations and other options. The directory structure, registry structure, and service names all reflect the instance name and a specific instance ID created during [!INCLUDEssNoVersion] Setup.

An instance is either the default instance or a named instance. The default instance name is MSSQLSERVER. It does not require a client to specify the name of the instance to make a connection. A named instance is determined by the user during Setup. You can install [!INCLUDEssNoVersion] as a named instance without installing the default instance first. Only one installation of [!INCLUDEssNoVersion], regardless of version, can be the default instance at one time.

Alert! With [!INCLUDEssNoVersion] SysPrep, you can specify the instance name when you complete a prepared instance on the Instance Configuration page. You can choose to configure the prepared instance you are completing as a default instance if there is no existing default instance of [!INCLUDEssNoVersion] on the machine.

Multiple Instances

[!INCLUDEssNoVersion] supports multiple instances of [!INCLUDEssNoVersion] on a single server or processor, but only one instance can be the default instance. All others must be named instances. A computer can run multiple instances of [!INCLUDEssNoVersion] concurrently, and each instance runs independently of other instances.

For more information, see Maximum Capacity Specifications for SQL Server.

Options

Failover cluster instances only - Specify the [!INCLUDEssNoVersion] failover cluster network name. This name identifies the failover cluster instance on the network.

Default or Named instance - Consider the following information when you decide whether to install a default or named instance of [!INCLUDEssNoVersion]:

  • If you plan to install a single instance of [!INCLUDEssNoVersion] on a database server, it should be a default instance.

  • Use a named instance for situations where you plan to have multiple instances on the same computer. A server can host only one default instance.

  • Any application that installs [!INCLUDEssExpress] should install it as a named instance. This will minimizes conflict when multiple applications are installed on the same computer.

Default instance
Select this option to install a default instance of [!INCLUDEssNoVersion]. A computer can host only one default instance; all other instances must be named. However, if you have a default instance of [!INCLUDEssNoVersion] installed, you can add a default instance of [!INCLUDEssASnoversion] to the same computer.

Named instance
Select this option to create a new named instance. Be aware of the following when you name an instance of [!INCLUDEssNoVersion]:

  • Instance names are not case sensitive.

  • Instance names cannot start or end with an underscore (_).

  • Instance names cannot contain the term "Default" or other reserved keywords. If a reserved keyword is used in an instance name, a Setup error will occur. For more information, see Reserved Keywords (Transact-SQL).

  • If you specify MSSQLServer for the instance name, a default instance will be created.

  • An installation of [!INCLUDEssGeminiLong] is always installed as a named instance of 'PowerPivot'. You cannot specify a different instance name for this feature role.

  • Instance names are limited to 16 characters.

  • The first character in the instance name must be a letter. Acceptable letters are those defined by the Unicode Standard 2.0. These include Latin characters a-z, A-Z, and letter characters from other languages.

  • Subsequent characters can be letters defined by the Unicode Standard 2.0, decimal numbers from Basic Latin or other national scripts, the dollar sign ($), or an underscore (_).

  • Embedded spaces or other special characters are not allowed in instance names. The backslash (\), comma (,), colon (:), semi-colon (;), single quote ('), ampersand (&), hyphen (-), and at sign (@) are also not allowed.

  • Only characters that are valid in the current Windows code page can be used in [!INCLUDEssNoVersion] instance names. If an unsupported Unicode character is used, a Setup error will occur.

Detected instances and features
View a list of installed [!INCLUDEssNoVersion] instances and components on the computer where [!INCLUDEssNoVersion] Setup is running.

Instance ID - By default, the instance name is used as the Instance ID. This is used to identify installation directories and registry keys for your instance of [!INCLUDEssNoVersion]. This is the case for default instances and named instances. For a default instance, the instance name and instance ID would be MSSQLSERVER. To use a non-default instance ID, specify it in the Instance ID field.

Important

With [!INCLUDEssNoVersion] SysPrep, the Instance ID displayed on this page is the Instance ID specified during the prepare image step of the [!INCLUDEssNoVersion] SysPrep process. You will not be able to specify a different Instance ID during the complete image step.

Note

Instance IDs that begin with an underscore (_) or that contain the number sign (#) or the dollar sign ($) are not supported.

For more information about directories, file locations, and instance ID naming, see File Locations for Default and Named Instances of SQL Server.

All components of a given instance of [!INCLUDEssNoVersion] are managed as a unit. All [!INCLUDEssNoVersion] service packs and upgrades will apply to every component of an instance of [!INCLUDEssNoVersion].

All components of [!INCLUDEssNoVersion] that share the same instance name must meet the following criteria:

  • Same version

  • Same edition

  • Same language settings

  • Same clustered state

    [!NOTE]
    [!INCLUDEssRSnoversion] is not cluster-aware.

  • Same operating system