If I currently have someName\instanceName on a standalone SQL Server and I want to migrate to a failover cluster, http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/sql-server/moving-a-standalone-instance-to-a-cluster-while-keeping-the-name-and-ip/ hints that I can give the cluster the network name someName but that page doesn't deal with instance names. On the other hand, Figure 8-10 on https://www.microsoftpressstore.com/articles/article.aspx?p=2224049&seqNum=2 shows an instance name (with the default value) suggesting that you can create named instances. What isn't clear to me from that page is whether sql-cluster refers to SQL-C\MSSQLSERVER (generically clusterName refers to hostName\instanceName) or if those three fields are independent and sql-cluster\MSSQLSERVER is a valid way to address that named instance on the cluster? (And, of course, if the "SQL Server instance name" was not the default but, say, myInstance, is sql-cluster\myInstance valid.) I've found conflicting hints and no conclusive or authoritative answers on the web.
Sql-server – Can an SQL Server Failover Cluster support a named instance
clusteringfailoverinstancesql serversql-server-2012
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Best Answer
You can use either a default instance or a named instance on a Failover Cluster. I have supported hundreds of clusters, most of them used named instances.
When connecting to it, use networkname\instancename. You can use other ways, but it makes most sense to use networkname since that moves to another node on failover.