Transferring aliases from Sql Server Configuration manager between machines

Question

I'm configuring a consolidated server with named instances and non standard ports.

The only way to allow connectivity is to set up an alias using Sql Server configuration manager. Is there an easy way to move these aliases between machines?

mark

Answer 1

You can export/import these aliases within the registry (insert standard cautionary warning about modifying the registry here).

The keys are found here: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MSSQLServer\Client\ConnectTo

Navigate to that location in regedit and use the File -> Export... menu option to export the branch to a .REG file. Then copy that file to the new machine and use File -> Import... to load the keys you just exported into the new machine's registry.