Net-Libraries and Network Protocols

A matching pair of Microsoft® SQL Server™ Net-Libraries must be installed on a client and server computer to support a particular network protocol (for example, client TCP/IP Sockets Net-Library and server TCP/IP Sockets Net-Library). Some Net-Libraries, such as Named Pipes and Multiprotocol, support several network protocols.

All of the SQL Server client and server Net-Libraries are installed by SQL Server Setup. By default, during setup:

• Named Pipes and TCP/IP Sockets listen on Microsoft Windows NT® 4.0 or Windows® 2000 servers.
  
  
• TCP/IP and Shared Memory listen on Microsoft Windows 98 servers. (Shared Memory is a Net-Library used only for client/server connections on the same computer. You do not need to configure the Shared Memory Net-Library.)

After the network connections are installed and configured, SQL Server can listen on any combination of the server Net-Libraries simultaneously.

The correct network protocols should already be installed on the client and server. Network protocols are typically installed during Windows setup; they are not part of SQL Server Setup. A SQL Server Net-Library will not work unless its corresponding network protocol is already installed on both the client and server.

Activating Server Net-Libraries after Setup

If you have installed SQL Server and want to change your server Net-Libraries, start SQL Server Network Utility. This application allows you to activate, deactivate, and reconfigure server Net-Libraries to listen for clients on their corresponding network protocols.

Windows 98 Servers and Named Pipes

When running on Windows 98, SQL Server does not support the server Named Pipes Net-Library. If you are using a Windows 98 server to run SQL Server, either the default Net-Library for the client must be changed to TCP/IP Sockets or Multiprotocol, or a new configuration entry must be created on the client that uses one of those Net-Libraries.

Configuring Clients

After activating the appropriate server Net-Library for a network protocol, you must configure any clients accessing the server through that network protocol. Use Client Network Utility to:

• Set up a new configuration entry to connect to that specific server.
  
  
• Change the default Net-Library used by the client to support the Net-Library you just configured on the server; however, the client Net-Library you select becomes the default Net-Library for all connections from that client.

See Also

Client Network Utility

Communication Components

Configuring Client Network Connections

Managing Clients

Client Net-Libraries and Network Protocols

SQL Server Network Utility