Microsoft SQL Server Default Instance Discovered with Instance Name MSSQLSERVERIssue <!-- /*NS Branding Styles*/ --> .ns-kb-css-body-editor-container { p { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, #000000); } span { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, #000000); } h2 { font-size: 24pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, black); } h3 { font-size: 18pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, black); } h4 { font-size: 14pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, black); } a { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--link-primary, #00718F); } a:hover { font-size: 12pt; color: var(--now-color--link-primary, #024F69); } a:target { font-size: 12pt; color: var(--now-color--link-primary, #032D42); } a:visited { font-size: 12pt; color: var(--now-color--link-primary, #00718f); } ul { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; } li { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; } img { display: ; max-width: ; width: ; height: ; } } .kb-wrapper { font-family: 'Lato', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.7; max-width: 100%; color: #000; } When Discovery runs the MSSql DB On Windows pattern against a Windows server hosting a Microsoft SQL Server default instance, the resulting MSFT SQL Instance CI (table: cmdb_ci_db_mssql_instance) is created with an instance name of MSSQLSERVER and a CI Name in the format HOSTNAME\MSSQLSERVER. Customers may expect to see a blank instance name, the server's hostname alone, or a custom label instead of MSSQLSERVER. Symptoms<!-- /*NS Branding Styles*/ --> .ns-kb-css-body-editor-container { p { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, #000000); } span { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, #000000); } h2 { font-size: 24pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, black); } h3 { font-size: 18pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, black); } h4 { font-size: 14pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, black); } a { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--link-primary, #00718F); } a:hover { font-size: 12pt; color: var(--now-color--link-primary, #024F69); } a:target { font-size: 12pt; color: var(--now-color--link-primary, #032D42); } a:visited { font-size: 12pt; color: var(--now-color--link-primary, #00718f); } ul { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; } li { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; } img { display: ; max-width: ; width: ; height: ; } } .kb-wrapper { font-family: 'Lato', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.7; max-width: 100%; color: #000; } .kb-wrapper ul { padding-left: 20px; margin: 8px 0; } .kb-wrapper li { margin-bottom: 6px; } Discovery completes successfully for a Windows server running Microsoft SQL Server.A MSFT SQL Instance CI is created or updated in the cmdb_ci_db_mssql_instance table.The Instance Name field on the CI is set to MSSQLSERVER.The Name field on the CI is set to HOSTNAME\MSSQLSERVER.The SQL Server installation is a single, default instance with no custom instance name configured during setup. Facts<!-- /*NS Branding Styles*/ --> .ns-kb-css-body-editor-container { p { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, #000000); } span { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, #000000); } h2 { font-size: 24pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, black); } h3 { font-size: 18pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, black); } h4 { font-size: 14pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, black); } a { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--link-primary, #00718F); } a:hover { font-size: 12pt; color: var(--now-color--link-primary, #024F69); } a:target { font-size: 12pt; color: var(--now-color--link-primary, #032D42); } a:visited { font-size: 12pt; color: var(--now-color--link-primary, #00718f); } ul { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; } li { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; } img { display: ; max-width: ; width: ; height: ; } } .kb-wrapper { font-family: 'Lato', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.7; max-width: 100%; color: #000; } .kb-wrapper ul { padding-left: 20px; margin: 8px 0; } .kb-wrapper li { margin-bottom: 6px; } This behavior is by design and is not a defect in the Discovery pattern.Microsoft SQL Server uses MSSQLSERVER as the internal instance name for all default instances. This name is present in the Windows Service name (MSSQLServer), Windows Registry, and WMI performance counter namespaces regardless of the SQL Server edition or version.Named SQL Server instances use a different Windows Service name format: MSSQL$<InstanceName>. Discovery parses this format to extract and record the instance name for named instances.The Discovery pattern identifies SQL Server instances by inspecting Windows Services via WMI (Win32_Service). The MSSQLServer service name, present when a default instance is installed, is the source from which the instance name MSSQLSERVER is derived.The CI Name is constructed by the pattern as HOSTNAME\MSSQLSERVER for default instances, following the same convention used by SQL Server tooling and management utilities when referencing a default instance by its explicit name.The MSSql DB On Windows pattern is the standard Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns application pattern responsible for discovering Microsoft SQL Server instances and databases on Windows hosts. Release<!-- /*NS Branding Styles*/ --> .ns-kb-css-body-editor-container { p { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, #000000); } span { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, #000000); } h2 { font-size: 24pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, black); } h3 { font-size: 18pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, black); } h4 { font-size: 14pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, black); } a { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--link-primary, #00718F); } a:hover { font-size: 12pt; color: var(--now-color--link-primary, #024F69); } a:target { font-size: 12pt; color: var(--now-color--link-primary, #032D42); } a:visited { font-size: 12pt; color: var(--now-color--link-primary, #00718f); } ul { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; } li { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; } img { display: ; max-width: ; width: ; height: ; } } All Releases Cause<!-- /*NS Branding Styles*/ --> .ns-kb-css-body-editor-container { p { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, #000000); } span { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, #000000); } h2 { font-size: 24pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, black); } h3 { font-size: 18pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, black); } h4 { font-size: 14pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, black); } a { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--link-primary, #00718F); } a:hover { font-size: 12pt; color: var(--now-color--link-primary, #024F69); } a:target { font-size: 12pt; color: var(--now-color--link-primary, #032D42); } a:visited { font-size: 12pt; color: var(--now-color--link-primary, #00718f); } ul { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; } li { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; } img { display: ; max-width: ; width: ; height: ; } } .kb-wrapper { font-family: 'Lato', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.7; max-width: 100%; color: #000; } Microsoft SQL Server assigns the internal name MSSQLSERVER to all default instances at installation time. This name is registered in the Windows Service Control Manager as the service name MSSQLServer, written to the Windows Registry, and used as the prefix for WMI performance counter namespaces (for example, Win32_PerfFormattedData_MSSQLSERVER_SQLServerDatabases). The name is not configurable by the administrator during or after installation of a default instance. The MSSql DB On Windows Discovery pattern identifies SQL Server instances by querying WMI for Windows Services matching the SQL Server service naming conventions. When the service name MSSQLServer is found, the pattern records the instance name as MSSQLSERVER and constructs the CI Name as HOSTNAME\MSSQLSERVER. This accurately reflects the SQL Server default instance identity as defined by Microsoft. Resolution<!-- /*NS Branding Styles*/ --> .ns-kb-css-body-editor-container { p { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, #000000); } span { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, #000000); } h2 { font-size: 24pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, black); } h3 { font-size: 18pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, black); } h4 { font-size: 14pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, black); } a { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--link-primary, #00718F); } a:hover { font-size: 12pt; color: var(--now-color--link-primary, #024F69); } a:target { font-size: 12pt; color: var(--now-color--link-primary, #032D42); } a:visited { font-size: 12pt; color: var(--now-color--link-primary, #00718f); } ul { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; } li { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; } img { display: ; max-width: ; width: ; height: ; } } .kb-wrapper { font-family: 'Lato', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.7; max-width: 100%; color: #000; } .kb-wrapper p.opt-heading { font-size: 14pt; font-weight: 700; color: #032D42; border-bottom: 2px solid #63DF4E; padding-bottom: 4px; margin: 18px 0 8px 0; } .kb-wrapper .callout-info { border-left: 4px solid #52B8FF; background: #e6f4ff; padding: 10px 14px; margin: 12px 0; border-radius: 3px; } This is expected behavior. The instance name MSSQLSERVER is the correct internal identifier for a Microsoft SQL Server default instance, and no configuration change is needed in ServiceNow to alter it. Confirming the Instance Is a Default Instance To verify that the discovered SQL Server is a default instance, check the following on the target Windows server: Open SQL Server Configuration Manager and confirm that the running service is named SQL Server (MSSQLSERVER). A named instance would appear as SQL Server (InstanceName).Alternatively, run the following PowerShell command on the target server and confirm the service name is MSSQLServer (default) rather than MSSQL$InstanceName (named):Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_Service | Where-Object { $_.Name -like 'MSSQLServer' -OR $_.Name -like 'MSSQL$*' } | Select-Object Name, State If a Named Instance Was Intended If the SQL Server installation was intended to be a named instance rather than the default instance, this must be corrected at the SQL Server level. SQL Server does not support renaming an instance after installation. The options are to either accept the default instance name (and the resulting CMDB data) or reinstall SQL Server as a named instance. Contact your database team or refer to Microsoft documentation for guidance on SQL Server instance configuration. Note: Renaming or manually editing the Instance Name or Name field on the cmdb_ci_db_mssql_instance CI directly in the CMDB is not recommended. Discovery will overwrite these values on the next run, and manual changes may cause IRE identification conflicts resulting in duplicate CIs. Related Links<!-- /*NS Branding Styles*/ --> .ns-kb-css-body-editor-container { p { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, #000000); } span { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, #000000); } h2 { font-size: 24pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, black); } h3 { font-size: 18pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, black); } h4 { font-size: 14pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, black); } a { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--link-primary, #00718F); } a:hover { font-size: 12pt; color: var(--now-color--link-primary, #024F69); } a:target { font-size: 12pt; color: var(--now-color--link-primary, #032D42); } a:visited { font-size: 12pt; color: var(--now-color--link-primary, #00718f); } ul { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; } li { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; } img { display: ; max-width: ; width: ; height: ; } } .kb-wrapper { font-family: 'Lato', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.7; max-width: 100%; color: #000; } .kb-wrapper ul { padding-left: 20px; margin: 8px 0; } .kb-wrapper li { margin-bottom: 8px; } .kb-wrapper .disclaimer { font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; color: #444; margin: 2px 0 8px 16px; } Microsoft SQL Server and Cluster discoverySQL Server Setup - Instance Configuration (Microsoft Learn) This link points to external content maintained by a third party. 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