Once again.....Books Online to the rescue: Configuring Remote ServersA remote server configuration allows a client connected to one instance of Microsoft® SQL Server™ to execute a stored procedure on another instance of SQL Server without establishing another connection. The server to which the client is connected accepts the client request and sends the request to the remote server on behalf of the client. The remote server processes the request and returns any results to the original server, which in turn passes those results to the client.If you want to set up a server configuration in order to execute stored procedures on another server and do not have existing remote server configurations, use linked servers instead of remote servers. Both stored procedures and distributed queries are allowed against linked servers; however, only stored procedures are allowed against remote servers.Note Support for remote servers is provided for backward compatibility only. New applications that must execute stored procedures against remote instances of SQL Server should use linked servers instead.Remote Server DetailsRemote servers are set up in pairs. To set up a pair of remote servers, configure both servers to recognize each other as remote servers. Then, verify that configuration options are set properly for both servers so that each instance of SQL Server allows remote users to execute procedure calls. Check the configuration options in the Server Properties dialog box on both the local and the remote servers.In most cases, you should not need to set configuration options for remote servers; the defaults set on both local and remote computers by SQL Server Setup allow for remote server connections. For remote server access to work, the remote access configuration option, which controls logins from remote servers, must be set to 1 (the default setting) on both the local and remote computers. If the setting for either server's remote access option has been changed, you must reset the option (for one or both servers) back to 1 to allow remote access. This can be accomplished through either SQL Server Enterprise Manager or the Transact-SQL sp_configure statement.From the local server, you can disable a remote server configuration to prevent user access to that server. To set up a remote serverTransact-SQLHow to set up a remote server to allow the use of remote stored procedures (Transact-SQL)To set up a remote server to allow the use of remote stored procedures Run the following code on the first server running Microsoft® SQL Server™: EXEC sp_addlinkedserver ServerName1, N'SQL Server'EXEC sp_addlinkedserver ServerName2EXEC sp_configure 'remote access', 1RECONFIGUREGOStop and restart the first SQL Server.Run the following code on the second SQL Server. Make sure you are logging in using SQL Server Authentication. -- The example shows how to set up access for a login 'sa'-- from ServerName1 on ServerName2.EXEC sp_addlinkedserver ServerName2, localEXEC sp_addlinkedserver ServerName1EXEC sp_configure 'remote access', 1RECONFIGUREGO-- Assumes that the login 'sa' in ServerName2 and ServerName1-- have the same password.EXEC sp_addremotelogin ServerName1, sa, saGOStop and restart the second SQL Server.Using the sa login, you can now execute a stored procedure on the second SQL Server from the first SQL Server. See Alsosp_addremoteloginsp_configuresp_addlinkedserverRECONFIGURESQL-DMOTo check and set remote server configuration optionsEnterprise ManagerHow to check and set remote server configuration options (Enterprise Manager)To check and set remote server configuration options Expand a server group, and then right-click a server.Click Properties, and then click the Connections tab.Under Remote server connections, review and, if appropriate, change the values for the following configuration options: Allow other SQL Servers to connect remotely to this SQL Server using RPC. Query time-out (sec, 0 = unlimited) This option specifies the number of seconds to wait before returning from processing a query. A value of 0 will allow an infinite wait. The default is 0.Enforce distributed transactions (MTS). Changing a configuration option requires that you stop and restart the server. If you changed a configuration option, then proceed to Step 4. If not, skip to Step 6.Right-click the server, and then click Stop.After the server has stopped, right-click the server, and then click Start.Repeat Steps 1 through 5 on the other server of the remote server pair. SQL-DMOTo disable a remote server setupEnterprise ManagerHow to disable a remote server setup (Enterprise Manager)To disable a remote server setup Expand a server group, and then expand a server.Expand Security, and then click Remote Servers to list the remote servers defined on the selected server.Right-click the remote server to disable, and then click Delete. Transact-SQLHow to disable a remote server setup (Transact-SQL)To disable a remote server setup Run the following code on the second server running Microsoft® SQL Server™. EXEC sp_remoteoption ServerName1,sa, sa, trusted, falseEXEC sp_dropremotelogin ServerName1, sa, saRECONFIGUREGOEXEC sp_configure 'remote access', 0EXEC sp_dropserver ServerName1EXEC sp_dropserver ServerName2RECONFIGUREGOStop and restart the second SQL Server.Run the following code on the first SQL Server: EXEC sp_configure 'remote access', 0EXEC sp_dropserver ServerName2EXEC sp_dropserver ServerName1RECONFIGUREGOStop and restart the first SQL Server. See Alsosp_configuresp_remoteoptionsp_dropremoteloginRECONFIGUREsp_dropserverSQL-DMOSee AlsoConfiguring Linked ServersRECONFIGUREremote access Optionsp_configure
To summarize, you just shouldn't use remote servers. It's there for legacy.MeanOldDBAderrickleggett@hotmail.comWhen life gives you a lemon, fire the DBA.