During the installation of SQL Server Express 2012 on a new machine, I am able to specify the startup type of both the SQL Server Database Engine and the SQL Server Browser.
By default, the SQL Server Database Engine has a Startup Type specified as Automatic.
SQL Server Browser has a default Startup Type of Disabled.
After reading about what function SQL Server Browser serves, it would seem that it is something you would want to have running all the time, since it essentially keeps tabs on the various DB instances, and seems like it would speed up development for example.
What are the pros and cons to setting the Startup Type of the SQL Server Browser to Automatic for example? Or to get any use, would you need to set it to Manual and then specify it launch at startup?
Thanks.
From my experience (after making direct access to SQL Server) SQL Server Browser useful if you have Named instances and\or nonstandard(standard is 1433)\dynamic TCP ports.
SQL Server Browser actually listens on UDP port 1434 (default, should be open in firewall) and returns Server\Instance name to IP address\port. If you want to connect from remote client to some MyServer\MSSQL2008 or get available in your network SQL Server Browser will return list of "Instance name\IP address\Port" to your client.