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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.

    :::tip 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.