There is a quick and easy way to set up Aliases for long and boring Sql Server Instance Names.

Let’s say, I have a Sql Server Instance (name:Sandbox) on a machine with some long name like HPWPSVR3009DELL. Now to connect to this Sql Instance, through SSMS, you use HPWPSVR3009DELL\Sandbox. This is too long and too hard to remember. Add to this, custom port numbers and this will get even longer.

There is an easy to get around remembering these names and port numbers (no, without saving the credentials on SSMS).

Creating Sql Server Aliases

Sql Server Configuration Manager (SCM) allows you to set small and easy to remember aliases to the server you need to connect more frequently. Open SCM, go to ‘SQL Native Client 11.0 Configuration (32bit)’ >> Aliases >> ‘Create a new alias’

Creating Aliases

NOTE: If you have Sql Server 2008 or 2005 installed on your laptop, look for something like ‘SQL Native Client 10.0 Configuration (32bit)’ or something similar.

Now you are ready to connect to the same server with new alias. Open SSMS and try it…

Connecting Using Alias

Hope it helps,

_SqlTimes