Tips and steps for creating a SQL Alias for SharePoint to a new SQL server.

Some quick steps that I take to configure a SQL alias for SharePoint when moving from one SQL server to another.

Don’t believe the SQL Admin has configured network access for the SQL Server service.

• Login to the new SQL server and verify that TCP/IP is enabled.
  1. Launch SQL Server Configuration Manager
  2. Drill into SQL Server Network Configuration
  3. Open the properties for TCP/IP
  4. On the IP Address tab and enable TCP/IP on the appropriate IP Address.
  5. Restart the SQL Server service for that instance

• Disable or configure the Windows Firewall on the SQL server

On the SharePoint servers, configure the SQL alias…twice

• Launch C:\windows\syswow64\cliconfg.exe.
  1. Select the alias tab, new, TCP/IP
  2. In the server alias field enter the old_SQL_server\instance
  3. In the Connection parameters server name enter the new_SQL_server\instance
  4. Repeat the process for the FQDN of both servers, e.g. server.domain.local\instance
• Launch C:\windows\system32\cliconfg.exe and repeat the process again.
  1. Select the alias tab, new, TCP/IP
  2. In the server alias field enter the old_SQL_server\instance
  3. In the Connection parameters server name enter the new_SQL_server\instance
  4. Repeat the process for the FQDN of both servers, e.g. server.domain.local\instance

Script out the SharePoint service accounts from the old SharePoint SQL Server and back in on the new one. (SQL 2012)

• Launch management studio
  1. Drill into Security > Logins
  2. For each of the SharePoint service accounts –
     1. Right click on each login
     2. Script Login as > Create to > File

• Run the scripts on the new SQL server for each account.

Restore your database from the other server

• Like the title says, restore the DB’s

SharePoint should render fine. Remember to test central admin as well as one of the other web apps.

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