<div>
Yes for testing purpose you can edit the web.config file to point to new sql server. once all works fine. you can swap the IP address but same is a problem. you can create cname in DNS to keep alive old name
</div>


<div>
<div class="content wysiwyg-content">
We have an application that runs on IIS 7.5 and windows server 2008 R2. &nbsp;The backend is a sql server 2008R2 on a separate windows server 2008.<br />
<br />
I want to retire the old sql server and I have built a new sql server. &nbsp;We would like to reuse the name and IP address of the old server for the new sql server and I am sure I can do that however. &nbsp;I wanted to do some testing and I was curious if I could simply change the host file on the application server as follows<br />
<br />
old sql server name = new sql server ip address<br />
<br />
I thought that might allow use to test our application with the new sql server and also give me an easy reversible change.<br />
<br />
Any thoughts?
</div>
</div>


We have an application that runs on IIS 7.5 and windows server 2008 R2.  The backend is a sql server 2008R2 on a separate windows server 2008.

I want to retire the old sql server and I have built a new sql server.  We would like to reuse the name and IP address of the old server for the new sql server and I am sure I can do that however.  I wanted to do some testing and I was curious if I could simply change the host file on the application server as follows

old sql server name = new sql server ip address

I thought that might allow use to test our application with the new sql server and also give me an easy reversible change.

Any thoughts?

New SQL server

Microsoft SQL Server is a suite of relational database management system (RDBMS) products providing multi-user database access functionality.SQL Server is available in multiple versions, typically identified by release year, and versions are subdivided into editions to distinguish between product functionality. Component services include integration (SSIS), reporting (SSRS), analysis (SSAS), data quality, master data, T-SQL and performance tuning.

Microsoft SQL Server

IIS is Internet Information Services, the web server included with Windows Server operating systems. All current versions are built on a modular architecture; modules can be added or removed individually so that those required for specific functionality are installed. The full installation of IIS includes HTTP, security, content, compression, caching, logging and diagnostics.