This is exactly what I need! I would like to have a DNS point to an instance name in such a way that when the DNS is used the instance name or port is not needed (database name in the connection string is expected). I have a instance JV6DBD1\SQL2005Developer and a SQL Alias that points to this instance named "SQLAlias2005". I also have a DNS named db.Lauer2005.domainname.com that resolves to my SQL Server IP address, how do I link the DNS to the SQL alias (SQLAlias2005)? My forehead is getting very flat with the all banging I have been doing!

Currently I am trying to get it to work on my desktop (have three instances running; SQL2000Developer, SQL2005Developer and SQL2008Developer). If I can get this to proof out then we will move the idea to our fail over clusters (we have three and all three clusters have two SQL Servers installed, one default one instance). I would like to make it so the six DNS’s all function the same, i.e., you don’t have to append the instance name on three of them.

Thank you o so very much for any detailed help you can provide to me (a SQL DBA) and my network admin counterpart.