How to register SQL Server servers in SQL Server Management Studio?

Question

I have some problems on how to register SQL Server servers in SQL Server Management Studio.

1. I Right clicked on Local Server Groups and select New Server Registration .

2. I named the Server name with Myname\\SQLEXPRESS ( SQLEXPRESS was the instance name)

3. I clicked Test , and got an error.

I thought the Server name was wrong. Can the Sever name be random ?

4.

If I named the Server name with LAPTOP-F1RBQ6BK\\SQLEXPRESS , then I can Test successfully. Did the Sever name must be LAPTOP-F1RBQ6BK\\SQLEXPRESS ?

Answer 1

The Server Name part must be the actual instance that you are connecting to, the Registered Server Name can be your own name for it.

In your initial part, where you have entered MyName\\SQLExpress - it can't find the computer named MyName and so can't connect.

You need to enter the same connection name as you would if you connected directly using Object Explorer. As @AlwaysLearning has mentioned the reason the IP Address is not working is likely to be that the instance is either not started or not listening on TCP/IP. IIRC, by default for SQLExpress it will only be using Shared Memory so you will have to follow the approach to open SQL Configuration Manager and enable the additional protocol. Check in the error log after restarting to ensure there is an entry for listening on <your IP Address .