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Asked: 2024-09-27T12:13:25+05:30 In:

What steps should I follow to identify the instance name of SQL Server installed on my Ubuntu system?

I’ve been dabbling with SQL Server on my Ubuntu machine, and I hit a bit of a roadblock. I’m trying to figure out the instance name of the SQL Server that’s installed. I read a few articles online, but they all seem to assume I already know how to navigate everything like a pro, which is far from the truth for me.

I mean, I installed SQL Server using the official Microsoft package, and it seemed smooth enough at the time, but now I’m second-guessing myself. I’ve got no idea how to check what the actual instance name is. I thought it would just show up in some intuitive place, but nope, I’m just looking at my terminal, feeling a bit lost. Shouldn’t there be some obvious command that tells me? It feels like I’m missing something really basic.

I tried running a couple of commands that I found online, but they either returned errors or simply didn’t provide the instance name I need. Like, how many different ways can you name an instance or set it up before it gets complicated? I genuinely feel like I’m navigating a maze here. I’ve also poked around the SQL Server configuration files—I expected to find the instance name in there, but it seems like a wild goose chase.

So, I’m really hoping someone with experience can give me the lowdown on how to achieve this. What steps did you take when you were starting out? Are there specific commands I should run, or maybe a configuration file I need to check? Any advice on navigating this would be super helpful, especially if you can break it down into simple steps or something.

Honestly, I just want to make sure I’m connecting to the right instance when I set up my databases. If anyone has tips or tricks or just a simple guide, I’d appreciate it so much! Thanks in advance for any help you can offer; I’m eager to learn and get past this roadblock.

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    2 Answers






    1. SQL Server Instance Name Help

      Finding Your SQL Server Instance Name on Ubuntu

      Sounds like you’re having a bit of a tough time with SQL Server on Ubuntu, but don’t worry, we’ve all been there! Getting the instance name isn’t too complicated once you know where to look.

      Steps to Find the Instance Name:

      1. Check the SQL Server Status: Open your terminal and run this command to check if SQL Server is running:
        2. systemctl status mssql-server
      2. Connect to the Server: You’ll want to use the sqlcmd utility. If you don’t have it installed, you can install it using:
        3. sudo apt-get install mssql-tools unixodbc-dev
      3. Run SQLCMD: Once you have sqlcmd installed, you can connect to your SQL Server by typing:
        4. sqlcmd -S localhost -U SA -P 'YourStrong!Passw0rd'

        Replace YourStrong!Passw0rd with your actual password.

      4. Get the Instance Name: If you successfully connect, use this SQL command:
        5. SELECT @@SERVERNAME;

        This will show you the server name, which usually contains the instance name.

      5. Alternative Method: If you’re using the default instance, you can usually just connect to localhost or 127.0.0.1. If it’s a named instance, it should typically follow the format localhost\InstanceName.

      Checking Configuration Files:

      If you still can’t find the instance name, you can check the configuration file for SQL Server. It’s usually located here:

      /var/opt/mssql/mssql.conf

      Open that file and look for the instance section to find the instance name.

      Common Pitfalls:

      • If you’re getting errors when trying to connect, double-check your server name and credentials.
      • Make sure SQL Server is actually running (the first command is key here!)

      It might take a little practice to get comfortable with SQL Server commands and configurations, but you’ll get it over time. Good luck, and don’t hesitate to ask if you have more questions!



    2. To find the instance name of SQL Server installed on your Ubuntu machine, you can use the command line to query the SQL Server itself. First, you will want to connect to your SQL Server instance using the sqlcmd utility. Open your terminal and run the following command, replacing `` with your SQL Server username and `` with your password:

      sqlcmd -S localhost -U  -P

      Once connected, you can run the command SELECT @@SERVERNAME;, which should return the name of the instance you are currently connected to. If you installed SQL Server without specifying a named instance, the default instance will simply return “localhost”. If you have set up additional named instances, they should be listed accordingly. If you’re experiencing errors while using sqlcmd, ensure that it’s installed properly and that SQL Server is running using the command systemctl status mssql-server.


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