[SQL Server 2005] How to use named pipes

[Chris H]

My application sits on the same server as my database server so I wanted to test the performance of named pipes versus TCP/IP. I can't figure out how to get the application to connect VIA named pipes though.

This is the connection string I'm currently using for TCP/IP:
Server=127.0.0.1\SQL; UID=user; PWD=password; Database=testdb; Connect Timeout=5000; MultipleActiveResultSets=True; pooling=false

How would I change it to use named pipes?

[RunsWithScissors]

I believe the choices between Named Pipes and TCP/IP are decided on the Server, and then the client must also have the same netlib available.

A. In your SQL Server Configuration manager, you must enable Named Pipes.

B. My understanding is that TCP/IP is second only to Shared memory in performance.

C. Your Server will listen for the various protocals in order of priority established at on the server, beginning with Shared memory, then TCP/IP, then Named Pipes, then VIA. These defaults seem to be established in order of preferability based on performance.

D. Your Client Driver (SQLNativeClient, ODBC, OLE DB, Etc) talks to the Client netlib, which calls the appropriate protocol. This then sends your request to the Server netlib, which passes the request to the server.

Not certain how one specifies which protocal to use on the client end, but from what I have read, you need to make sure both client and server have the same netlibs installed.

Named pipes is apparently declining in use, and is primarily for situations in which there is no TCP/IP, or no DNS Server.

Most of what I know about this I learned from a Book on SQL Server programming by RObert Viera.