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Install additional SQL Agent instances

What is it?​

You can install more than one instance of the SQL Agent on a single machine. Each instance must have its own port numbers so OpCon can communicate with each one independently. The installer numbers each instance; an instance name is optional. Use multiple instances when:

  • You need to isolate jobs running against different databases or environments.
  • Different agent instances must run under different service accounts.
  • You want to scale concurrent job throughput on the same host.

Install another instance​

The installer detects an existing SQL Agent on the machine and automatically prompts you to install a new instance.

To install an additional SQL Agent instance, complete the following steps:

  1. Repeat the Install the SQL Agent procedure. The installation package automatically transforms to install a new instance of the agent.

    Instance name and ports

    On the Configure Instance Name screen, you can enter a name that distinguishes this instance from the others. On the Configure Ports screen, if you keep the default ports, the installer adds 100 × the instance number to them — for example, 21200 and 21210 for instance 1. Confirm that no other agent on the machine uses the ports this instance gets.

    The installer registers each additional instance's service as SMA_SQLAGENTNET<n>, where <n> is the instance number.

  2. Define a new machine in OpCon with a unique name and port number using the procedure for Machine creation. The socket number you set in OpCon must match the port you chose in the installer.