Here's Microsoft's data on max-whatever in SQL Server. The one you want is the "Max Identifier Length", if I'm not mistaken.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms143432.aspx
I haven't tested instance-name length, but it should follow the rules here.
- Gus "GSquared", RSVP, OODA, MAP, NMVP, FAQ, SAT, SQL, DNA, RNA, UOI, IOU, AM, PM, AD, BC, BCE, USA, UN, CF, ROFL, LOL, ETC
Property of The Thread
"Nobody knows the age of the human race, but everyone agrees it's old enough to know better." - Anon