The SQL Server Browser program runs as a Windows service. SQL Server Browser listens for incoming requests for Microsoft SQL Server resources and provides information about SQL Server instances installed on the computer. SQL Server Browser contributes to the following actions:
- Browsing a list of available servers
- Connecting to the correct server instance
- Connecting to dedicated administrator connection (DAC) endpoints
For each instance of the Database Engine and SSAS, the SQL Server Browser service (sqlbrowser) provides the instance name and the version number. SQL Server Browser is installed with SQL Server, and provides this service for earlier versions of SQL Server that are running on that computer, starting with SQL Server 7.0.
SQL Server Browser can be configured during setup or by using SQL Server Configuration Manager. By default, the SQL Server Browser service starts automatically:
- When upgrading an installation.
- When installing side-by-side with an instance of SQL Server 2000.
- When installing on a cluster.
- When installing a named instance of SQL Server Enterprise, Standard, or Workgroup.
- When installing a named instance of Analysis Services.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms181087.aspx |