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SQL Server: Connect to a Named SQL Failover Cluster Instance (FCI)

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Commonly seen today is this binding order used to connect with a named CLUSTER INSTANCE i.e. SQLcap + Ins Nam + Port.

SQL’s CAP Instance Name Port Connectoid While this works
SQLa Default M  SQLa SQLa
SQLb Xx N  SQLb\Xx,N SQLb
SQLc Yy O SQLc\Yy,O SQLc

This can be set to work with SQLcap only, after changing the PORT to 1433.

Benefits

Users get rid of

  1. A mumbo-jumbo (SQLcap + Ins Nam + Port) and uses an easier to remember token.
  2. Maintaining a connection string with (SQLcap + Ins Nam + Port).
  3. Creating aliases in case of migration or planed exodus.
  4. Easier renames.
  5. And we can delete the browser service DLL to save disk space (joking).

Effort Needed

  1. Amend the SPN creation documentation of yours.
  2. Update support guides that [SQLcap] is actually this [SQLcap + Ins Nam + Port].

So, token is not actually what you get from select @@servername (which remains SQLcap + Ins Nam). This works well with…

  1. SSMS, OSQL, SQLcmd
  2. UDL
    1. SQL Server Native Client.
    2. MS OLE DB Provider for SQL Server.

Now this is worthwhile for fat setups (multiple SQL FCI consolidated on a single WSFC).

Kindly share your thoughts if you’ve done this in the past or any good/bad experience around this.