TMSPE installer and SQL

[Martin Koch]

As a follow up of: https://supportforums.cisco.com/message/3658798#3658798

Hi Dale!

I am not a MS SQL expert, in wild life I prefer linux and mysql, ...

In the case here I used a Tandberg TMS appliance, and at least I did not stumble across that I would have

to either enable the browser service or add the port number.

I succeeded, but I also like to solve quests. But I can imagine that his can cause frustrated admins as well.

The SQL Studio express tool is at least clever enough to automatically connect to the SQL server, even without the browser running.

I might have over read it, but I am quite sure I did not, so wouldn't it be nice if either the documentation

would have helped here or preferably if the installer would be more robust on detecting the SQL server. :-)

Martin

[daleritc]

Hi Martin,

And for others taking a peek at this thread now that the other thread has been locked, let me repeat what I said there:

Here's a good overview that I found on what the SQL Server Browser sevice does:

http://www.mssqltips.com/sqlservertip/1946/overview-of-the-sql-server-browser-service/

And  for just some additional info concerning default instance on an SQL  Server versus named instances on an SQL Server and how they relate to  the SQL Server Browser service:

• When installing the default instance of SQL Server, the SQL Server Browser is disabled, as it isn’t needed.
• When installing a named instance of SQL Server, the SQL Server Browser is enabled,  as it is responsible for binding the connection to the TCP port the  named instance uses. Note that named instances of SQL Server use dynamic  TCP ports, so running the SQL Server Browser is highly recommended (to  say the least).

With  that said concerning this service and how it relates to default and  named instances, it is unusual to see this when dealing with SQL  Server...meaning again, that is what this service is all about. In  addition, and as named instances use dynamic TCP ports, entering  “servername:port” in the connection string could break TMSPE the next  time the database engine service is restarted, as the database engine  service could be assigned a different TCP port.

So in short, and IMHO, I would believe a large amount of SQL DB Admins would  want to utilize the SQL Server Browser service and forget all about  ports, and this is what I would recommend as well.

Now as far as the TMS Appliance goes, and as you point out, the TMS Appliance utilizes a the light version of SQL Server 2005, i.e. SQL Server 2005 Express. And the TMS Appliance utilizes the default instance...meaning the SQL Server Browser service is disabled.

So my opinion/thoughts about this isn't necessarily that the TMSPE installer needs to be more robust in detecting the SQL server, but maybe more about what is the difference between a default instance of SQL and a named instance of SQL and/or general knowledge of MS SQL...meaning our documentation should maybe link people to MS SQL information of interest, when and if necessary. But our documentation shouldn't 'copy and paste' MS SQL type topics...if you see my point of view? So in short, and since TMS core has been out in the wild for 10+ years using SQL, I reckon when we released TMSPE that we expected customers and partners to have SQL knowledge and/or experience since that is what TMS core has been using for quite some time