Create SQL Server Alias Using WMI on x64

Question

I have a small app which automatically creates necessary SQL Server Alias entries for some servers. The bulk of the code looks like this:

        private static void SetAlias(string aliasName, string server, string protocol, int? port)
        {
            var scope = new ManagementScope(@"\\.\root\Microsoft\SqlServer\ComputerManagement10");
            try
            {
                scope.Connect();

            }
            catch
            {
                scope = new ManagementScope(@"\\.\root\Microsoft\SqlServer\ComputerManagement");
            }
            var clientAlias = new ManagementClass(scope, new ManagementPath("SqlServerAlias"), null);
            clientAlias.Get();

            foreach (ManagementObject existingAlias in clientAlias.GetInstances())
            {
                existingAlias.Get();
                if (String.Equals((String)existingAlias.GetPropertyValue("AliasName"), aliasName))
                {
                    UpdateAlias(existingAlias, aliasName, server, protocol, port);
                    return;
                }
            }

            // create new
            ManagementObject newAlias = clientAlias.CreateInstance();
            UpdateAlias(newAlias, aliasName, server, protocol, port);
            newAlias.Put();
        }

        private static void UpdateAlias(ManagementObject alias, string aliasName, string server, string protocol, int? port)
        {
            alias.SetPropertyValue("AliasName", aliasName);
            alias.SetPropertyValue("ServerName", server);
            alias.SetPropertyValue("ProtocolName", protocol);
            alias.SetPropertyValue("ConnectionString", port != null ? port.ToString() : string.Empty);
        }

This correctly creates the entries I want on 32bit OS's, however on x64 OS's I need the aliases also added to the 64 bit SQL Server Client Configuration.

Any ideas how to do this?

Thanks.

Answer 1

When I last looked into this, the client aliases were just persisted in the registry (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MSSQLServer\Client\ConnectTo), so the simplest route would be writing to both the WoW (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\MSSQLServer\Client\ConnectTo) and 'normal' locations when running on x64. Note that if you're running as a 32-bit process, you'll either need to p/invoke or (if on .net 4) specify the 64-bit view when writing the 64-bit version.

Answer 2

I'll leave the registry answer in place since it's viable, but you can use the Context on the ConnectionOptions to specify the arch (an int, 32 or 64)

A sample accessing both from 64-bit:

    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        var options = new ConnectionOptions();

        if (Environment.Is64BitOperatingSystem && Environment.Is64BitProcess == false)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("Please build as AnyCPU or x64");
            return;
        }

        // default behavior, should be 64-bit WMI provider
        Console.WriteLine("Print 64-bit aliases");
        PrintAliases(options);

        // specify the 32-bit arch
        Console.WriteLine("Print 32-bit aliases");
        options.Context.Add("__ProviderArchitecture", 32);
        PrintAliases(options);
    }

    private static void PrintAliases(ConnectionOptions options)
    {
        var scope = new ManagementScope(@"\\.\root\Microsoft\SqlServer\ComputerManagement10", options);
        try
        {
            scope.Connect();
        }
        catch
        {
            scope = new ManagementScope(@"\\.\root\Microsoft\SqlServer\ComputerManagement");
        }
        var clientAlias = new ManagementClass(scope, new ManagementPath("SqlServerAlias"), null);
        clientAlias.Get();

        foreach (ManagementObject existingAlias in clientAlias.GetInstances())
        {
            existingAlias.Get();
            var propertiesToRead = new[] { "AliasName", "ServerName", "ProtocolName", "ConnectionString" };
            foreach (var propertyToRead  in propertiesToRead)
            {
                Console.WriteLine("Property {0} = {1}", propertyToRead, existingAlias.GetPropertyValue(propertyToRead));
            }
        }
    }

A sample accessing both from 32-bit (NOTE: could just force the arch to 32 and 64 regardless of process bitness, of course)

class Program
{
    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        var options = new ConnectionOptions();

        if (Environment.Is64BitProcess)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("Please run this sample as 32-bit");
            return;
        }

        // default behavior, should be 32-bit WMI provider since we build as x86
        Console.WriteLine("Print 32-bit aliases");
        PrintAliases(options);

        // also prints 32-bit aliases
        options.Context.Add("__ProviderArchitecture", 32);
        PrintAliases(options);

        // specify the 64-bit arch
        if (Environment.Is64BitOperatingSystem)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("Print 64-bit aliases");
            options.Context.Add("__ProviderArchitecture", 64);
            PrintAliases(options);
        }
    }

    private static void PrintAliases(ConnectionOptions options)
    {
        var scope = new ManagementScope(@"\\.\root\Microsoft\SqlServer\ComputerManagement10", options);
        try
        {
            scope.Connect();
        }
        catch
        {
            scope = new ManagementScope(@"\\.\root\Microsoft\SqlServer\ComputerManagement");
        }
        var clientAlias = new ManagementClass(scope, new ManagementPath("SqlServerAlias"), null);
        clientAlias.Get();

        foreach (ManagementObject existingAlias in clientAlias.GetInstances())
        {
            existingAlias.Get();
            var propertiesToRead = new[] { "AliasName", "ServerName", "ProtocolName", "ConnectionString" };
            foreach (var propertyToRead  in propertiesToRead)
            {
                Console.WriteLine("Property {0} = {1}", propertyToRead, existingAlias.GetPropertyValue(propertyToRead));
            }
        }
    }