SQL Named Instance Support Continued…

Few days back I wrote a post about using SQL Named instances with TFS Orcas Beta 2 release. Link: http://blogs.msdn.com/sudhir/archive/2007/04/23/sql-named-instance-support.aspx.

Some corporations do not want to keep SQL browser service running for security reasons. SQL browser service is responsible for mapping DBServerName/InstanceName into a specific server and port number. If you want to stop SQL browser service you need to run all the services on fixed ports and then install TFS with these specific ports. If you want to install TFS in such environment you will have to take few extra steps than normal.

Before we get into the actual process let me give you a bit more background. TFS uses both SQL Database Services and Analysis service. Both these run on different ports. When we use named instance with SQL browser service the service can map the name of instance to correct ports for both database service and analysis service. When you decide not to run browser service you need to give us all the ports. These ports are specific to the SQL instance you want to use. Therefore before you begin you need to gather following information

1. Machine running SQL database services: SQLDBMachine
2. Port on which your SQL Database service is running:SQLDBPort
3. Machine running SQL Analysis service: SQLASMachine
4. Port on which your SQL Analysis service is running:SQLASPort

Steps to follow:

1. Open the MSIProperty.ini file located under InstallMedia\AT directory
2. Change following property to provide information about your SQL Analysis services.
   1. VSTF_AS_INSTANCE= SQLASMachine: SQLASPort
3. Next Run TFS Setup
4. On the Database page enter the database information in following format.
   1. SQLDBMachine, SQLDBPort

Note: Please note the separator is different in both cases.

This should setup your TFS without any dependency on SQL Browser service. Please give us your feedback on this.