Network Protocols and Network Libraries

A server can listen on, or monitor, multiple network protocols at one time. However, each protocol must be configured. If a particular protocol is not configured, the server cannot listen on that protocol. After installation, you can change the protocol configurations using the SQL Server Configuration Manager.

Default SQL Server Network Configuration

A default instance of SQL Server 2005 is configured for TCP/IP port 1433, and named pipe \\.\pipe\sql\query. SQL Server 2005 named instances are configured for TCP dynamic ports, with a port number assigned by the operating system.

If you cannot use dynamic port addresses (for example, when SQL Server connections must pass through a firewall server configured to pass through specific port addresses, or when some connections are made using the client components from SQL Server version 7.0 or earlier), we recommend using a port address less than 1024. Choose a port in this range that is not used by the operating system or another application.

To enhance security, network connectivity is not fully enabled when SQL Server 2005 is installed. To enable, disable, and configure network protocols after Setup is complete, use the SQL Server 2005 Surface Area Configuration tool, or the SQL Server 2005 Network Configuration area of the SQL Server Configuration Manager.

Types of Endpoints

SQL Server 2005 introduces a new concept for SQL Server connections; the connection is represented on the server end by a Transact-SQL endpoint. Permissions can be granted, revoked, and denied for Transact-SQL endpoints. By default, all users have permissions to access an endpoint unless the permissions are denied or revoked by a member of the sysadmin group or by the endpoint owner. The GRANT, REVOKE, and DENY ENDPOINT syntax uses an endpoint ID that the administrator must get from the endpoint's catalog view.

SQL Server Setup creates Transact-SQL endpoints for all supported network protocols, as well as for the dedicated administrator connection. See the table below for default network configuration settings.

Transact-SQL endpoints created by SQL Server Setup are as follows:

• TSQL local machine
• TSQL named pipes
• TSQL default TCP
• TSQL default VIA

For more information on managing Transact-SQL endpoints, see "Network Protocols and TDS Endpoints" in SQL Server 2005 Books Online.

Default Configuration

The following table describes default network configuration settings.

For failover cluster installations, note the following additional information:

• If the instance is running on a SQL Server 2005 failover cluster, it will listen on the ports on each IP address selected during SQL Server Setup. To enable additional network protocols, use either the Surface Area Configuration Tool, or the SQL Server Configuration Manager.

When installing SQL Server 2005 from the command prompt, you can specify the startup type of the SQL Server Browser service. SQL Server Setup will install SQL Server Browser disabled and stopped by default. To configure the service to start automatically, see the DISABLENETWORKPROTOCOLS parameter in How to: Install SQL Server 2005 from the Command Prompt.

For more information on managing SQL Server network configurations, see the following topics in SQL Server 2005 Books Online:

• "Server Network Configuration"
• "Configuring Server Network Protocols and Net-Libraries"
• "Default SQL Server Network Configuration"
• "Net-Libraries and Network Protocols"

See Also

Concepts

Preparing to Install SQL Server 2005

Help and Information

Getting SQL Server 2005 Assistance