In the past, I always installed SQL Server on the same machine as the server application that would be using it.
Now for the first time I need to install a MS SQL Server 2008 R2 DB instance on a separate system. One system has only the DB and another has everything else, but using the first system as a DB server. I installed Windows Server 2008 R2 in a VM and then duplicated it, and I will install SQL Server 2008 R2 on one of them.
Now i want to test the connectivity to the DB server from the other server. At first I just want to ping it. Then I would like to check that the other system can access the DB. Is it possible to "ping" the DB? Just to know "OK, I'm able to get access to the other system with the SQL Server 2008 R2 DB so now I can install Sharepoint or whatever I want"?