Server Instances

  • Comments posted to this topic are about the item Server Instances

  • Just out of curiosity, anyone ever actually created (or seen) a server with 50 instances of SQL installed on it? Most I've ever done is 6.

    The Redneck DBA

  • Interesting... 2 MS docs from the same version of BOL that state different things...

    Steve's reference for the question...

    http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc645993.aspx

    Another with a differing opinion. Doesn't change the answer to this question, but perhaps if we were discussing Std Ed it might. Just odd to see the variations...

    http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms143432.aspx

    50 instances on a stand-alone server for all SQL Server editions except for Workgroup. Workgroup supports a maximum of 16 instances per computer.

    SQL Server supports 25 instances on a failover cluster.

    To help us help you read this[/url]For better help with performance problems please read this[/url]

  • Luke, great link and I've sent a feedback note to the BOL team to correct one of the pages. Not a great question in light of that link.

    I have heard of some ASPs using 30-40 instances so they can give SA and Agent to different people, but I'm not sure how effective that is.

  • I think the question is fine. 50 is the max. for Ent Ed. No question in that. Just whatever Google search I used to answer the question brought me to the other link I posted and thought the explanation part was either spot on or not so much depending on which BOL reference you happened to look at. Who knows which is correct? Certainly not I.

    As with previous posters I couldn't think of a reason why you'd need to many, but I could see the App Service Provider angle. I frankly was just surprised it wasn't based on some binary number, cause really what's the difference between 50 and 64?

    -Luke.

    To help us help you read this[/url]For better help with performance problems please read this[/url]

  • Jason Shadonix (1/2/2009)


    Just out of curiosity, anyone ever actually created (or seen) a server with 50 instances of SQL installed on it? Most I've ever done is 6.

    NO. I had not. Most I ever used is 9 instances on same server 7 SQL Server 2005 and 2 SQL Server 2000.

    But I had read some where that most instances you can have on a server is 32.

    SQL DBA.

  • I assumed 32 is the max limit but its 50.

    http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms143432(SQL.90).aspx

    50 instances on a stand-alone server for all SQL Server 2005 editions except for Workgroup Edition. Workgroup Edition supports a maximum of 16 instances.

    SQL Server 2005 supports 25 instances on a failover cluster.

    SQL DBA.

  • There are conflicting entries in BOL on this. One says 50 only on Enterprise, another says this includes Standard. I've submitted feedback to have something corrected.

    Unless someone wants to install 49 more times on one of their Standard servers and see if it works.

  • Sure Steve, let me get right on that one 😉

    To help us help you read this[/url]For better help with performance problems please read this[/url]

  • Talk about a chore. I actually considered it for a second then realized what I was asking.

  • Even if you have a pretty decent automated install script, it would take a goodish amount of time. Just the resources consumed by that many instances all running the system db's would most likely be way more than any machine I'd even consider putting Std edition on. I'm thinking you'd run out of memory really quickly.

    -Luke.

    To help us help you read this[/url]For better help with performance problems please read this[/url]

  • A pure theoritical question...:)

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