the listener is the SQL Browser. Not on by default, but if you connect to 1433, and you have a local instance running on 1433, that shouldn't matter. You are...

The native client replaces older drivers. This is a few MB in size. Not worth uninstalling. You might not use it now, but you may at some point.

One last thing, you noted "The database should not lose user accounts or logins after the restore from prod backup". Logins are an instance (server) level object, so database restores...

Apologies, corrected the reference.

• Stairway to T-SQL - https://www.sqlservercentral.com/stairways/stairway-to-t-sql-dml
• Stairway to T-SQL: Beyond the Basics - https://www.sqlservercentral.com/stairways/stairway-to-t-sql-beyond-the-basics
• Stairway to Advanced T-SQL - https://www.sqlservercentral.com/stairways/stairway-to-advanced-t-sql

Does this help? https://stackoverflow.com/questions/33998229/vba-mac-connect-to-sql-server-with-actualtech-odbc-driver

Are there always 3 (or less) rows for an employee? Or are there random non-sales/non-office items?

You're really trying to pivot here. You might look at Pivot, though this isn't necessarily...

Out of credits?

Maybe you should write a few questions, Thomas 😉

Thanks for the update

Named instances almost always use dynamic ports. The browser is designed to handle this.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/tools/configuration-manager/tcp-ip-properties-ip-addresses-tab?view=sql-server-ver15

Features change, sometimes improve, sometimes cause issues with your code. As Jeff mentioned, you need to test well before changing anything.

However, I haven't seen any reports on reduced reliability from...

Yeah, I need to watch that one. I'm behind, mostly because life gets in the way, and I've been wanting to get my kid to watch a couple with me...

The question asks how to get the "3". DENSE will give this.

No. you can look at some of our other articles and then submit online (upper right, Write for Us).

Think essay

• tell me what you will cover
• tell me the details

...