In an…”Instance”

What is a SQL Server Instance?

A SQL Server instance is a complete SQL Server and you can install many instances on a machine but you can only have 1 “default instance”.

On a given server, you can run mulitple SQL Server services, each with their own ports, logins, and databases. Each of these services is called an “instance” of SQL Server.  

There are Two Types of  “instances” possible in SQL Server –  the “default instance” and “named instances“.   And remember, there can only be 1 “default instance” on any computer.

All other instances of the database engine,  other than the default instance, are identified by an instance name, specified during its installation, in the format computer_name\instance_name.

So…a SQL Server “Instance” is the name of a complete SQL server, and you can install as many “instances” on a machiine, but you can only have 1 “default instance”.

To find a SQL Server “Instance” Name:   Open a new query in SSMS- SQL Server Management Studio window, and execute- the following to get the sql server Instance Name

select @@ServerName