Using SQL Alias to change Database Server name for SP2013 Farm

Question

I need a temporary workaround,

I have a farm SharePoint configured and running, it's pointing to DNS name of a Database Server, let's say server01.domain.com. I need the farm to point temporarily to a different DB server that contains all the copies of the config databases.

• First question, can I change the DB server name?
• Since I think the easy answer is no, can I register and alias using server01.domain.com as the alias name and the second server name as connection parameter?

Answer 1

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Yes, it can be done. Check those step by step manuals:

http://www.toddklindt.com/blog/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?ID=255

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/sowmyancs/archive/2012/08/06/install-amp-configure-sharepoint-2013-with-sql-client-alias.aspx

Answer 2

Yup, changing the DB name on the SP side is a pain in the ***.

The best practice in this area is to use the tool cliconfg in order to point every SP server to a given DB server.
cliconfg allows you to create SQL alias at the OS level. Using it, you may create an alias server01 pointing to the temp DB server tempSQL. More info about cliconfg in the SP context: see step #3 of http://blogs.msdn.com/b/sowmyancs/archive/2012/08/06/install-amp-configure-sharepoint-2013-with-sql-client-alias.aspx.

In all cases, creating an alias with cliconfg is a best practice as soon as you install your SP farm, to avoid such problems later.