Configuring Client Network Connections

Each instance of Microsoft® SQL Server™ 2000 listens on a unique set of network addresses so that applications can connect to different instances. SQL Server 2000 clients do not need any specific configuration to connect to an instance of SQL Server 2000. The SQL Server 2000 client components query a computer running one or more instances of SQL Server 2000 to determine the Net-Libraries and network addresses for each instance. The client components then choose a supported Net-Library and address for the connection automatically, without requiring any configuration work on the client. The only information the application must supply is the computer name and instance name.

A SQL Server 2000 default instance listens on the same network addresses as SQL Server version 7.0 or earlier, so applications using earlier versions of the client connectivity components can continue to connect to the default instance with no change. However, named instances of SQL Server 2000 listen on alternative network addresses, and client computers using earlier versions of the client connectivity components must be set up to connect to the alternative addresses.

By default, on computers running Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 2000, an instance of SQL Server listens on the server TCP/IP Sockets and Named Pipes Net-Libraries. On computers running Windows 98, an instance of SQL Server listens on the server TCP/IP Sockets and Multiprotocol Net-Libraries. If the connection is local on a computer (client and server on the same computer), an instance of SQL Server listens on the server Shared Memory Net-Library.

For information about compatibility issues with earlier versions of the client network utility, see SQL Server 2000 and SQL Server version 7.0.