title: Max length of SQL Server instance name?
body: <p>I need to know the maximum character length for the name of an instance of a SQL Server for the following versions (if there is a difference between them.)</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>SQL Server 2000</li>
  <li>SQL Server 2005</li>
  <li>SQL Server 2008</li>
  <li>SQL Server 2008 R2</li>
  </ul>
  
  <p>(I am working on an application that will communicate with SQL Server via the DMO/SMO APIs and need to validate user input.)</p>
  
  <p>After much Googling and BOL searching I have not been able to find a definitive answer. I have found forum questions and responses (on other, lesser sites) but the values in those responses have ranged from 16 to 128 characters and none provided supporting documentation or links.</p>
  
  <p>It seems that this should be an easy find but it has eluded me. Any help would be much appreciated.</p>