Second instance on SQL Server Virtual Machine. How???

  • Does anybody know how to install a second instance of SQL Server on an Azure SQL Server virtual machine?

    By default the virtual machine is installed with a SQL Server installation disk in a folder called SQLServer_12.0_Full in C:.

    I go to install with this but it asks for a product key. Can we use this disk to install a second instance on the virtual machine or are we just limited to one?

    There is just no info out there at all I have Googled everything I could think of to find an answer?

  • What happens when you enter the product key?

  • I don't have a product key. You pay for a virtual machine through monthly billing. When you set up the virtual machine you choose a preinstalled image that already has a SQL Server instance installed on it. You don't have to use a product key.

    Do you reckon that they will provide you with a product key as well?

  • You can only do that if you have a license for an additional SQL Server instance and your own product key. The money you're paying for on the VM with an instance includes the cost of the VM processing, the OS licensing and SQL Server licensing. If you need another instance, why not just spin up another VM?

    "The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
    - Theodore Roosevelt

    Author of:
    SQL Server Execution Plans
    SQL Server Query Performance Tuning

  • Because a whole new VM is very expensive. Normally with SQL Server you can install many instances with just one license.

    If you take a look at this http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc645993.aspx#Scalability you will see that even with SQL Server Express which is free you can have up to 50 instances for one SQL Server installation. Why is this so different with SQL Server on an Azure virtual machine. Why would they provide you with the disk?

  • i don't have an azure virtual, but on a regular box/server, you can extract the key from the registry; i found a decent powershell script that did that for me.

    can you do that so you can install an additional instance?

    will that instance even be accessible, since it's remote and on a different port?

    Lowell


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  • I would assume you get the disk so that you can adjust the services on offer on the server. I've never tried adding a second instance. I'll check with some contacts I have to see if it's possible.

    "The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
    - Theodore Roosevelt

    Author of:
    SQL Server Execution Plans
    SQL Server Query Performance Tuning

  • I'm attempting to run the executable now and I keep getting an error about "Invalid license data." I've got emails sent to Microsoft to see what's up with this.

    "The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
    - Theodore Roosevelt

    Author of:
    SQL Server Execution Plans
    SQL Server Query Performance Tuning

  • Grant Fritchey (5/9/2014)


    I'm attempting to run the executable now and I keep getting an error about "Invalid license data." I've got emails sent to Microsoft to see what's up with this.

    Never mind this. I'm a moron. I was running the wrong thing.

    "The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
    - Theodore Roosevelt

    Author of:
    SQL Server Execution Plans
    SQL Server Query Performance Tuning

  • I found a solution now. I managed to use a key finder on the VM to find the key of the installed instance. I could then use that to install another instance on the machine. Everything is up and running now.

    I Googled absolutely every search term that I could think of to find an answer to this and didn't find anything. It looks like Microsoft really want to hide this away to make you just spin up another machine and pay them more money!!

  • Which key finder did you use? I tried one and it didn't work. The first PowerShell script I tried also didn't work.

    "The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
    - Theodore Roosevelt

    Author of:
    SQL Server Execution Plans
    SQL Server Query Performance Tuning

  • Here: http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

    Belarc Advisor. It's more for auditing but it shows your license keys as well. Seemed to do the trick and it was lucky because it was the first one I found through google 🙂

  • william.rees.howells (5/9/2014)


    Here: http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

    Belarc Advisor. It's more for auditing but it shows your license keys as well. Seemed to do the trick and it was lucky because it was the first one I found through google 🙂

    Thanks. That worked for me too.

    I have a blog post coming out on this for next week. Here's the URL.[/url]

    "The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
    - Theodore Roosevelt

    Author of:
    SQL Server Execution Plans
    SQL Server Query Performance Tuning

  • No worries. That's good if you do blog this as it should save others from spending hours banging their head against a brick wall!

    Also, thank link doesn't work btw?

  • william.rees.howells (5/9/2014)


    Also, thank link doesn't work btw?

    He said it's out next week. Most bloggers write blog posts ahead of time and schedule them, that one's scheduled for the 13th May

    Gail Shaw
    Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
    SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

    We walk in the dark places no others will enter
    We stand on the bridge and no one may pass

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