Installing SQL Server 2008December 3, 2007 IntroductionThis article will highlight the steps involved to install SQL Server 2008. The installation is simple and straightforward. Trial and preview versions can be downloaded from Microsoft at http://www.microsoft.com/sql/2008/prodinfo/download.mspx . If youre new to SQL Server, then deciding which additional components to install will require a small amount of research. There are several different versions of SQL Server including Enterprise, Standard, Workgroup, Developer, and Express. In addition, there are 32 and 64-bit offerings. The following Database Journal article examines the new features and benefits of SQL 2008: http://www.databasejournal.com/features/mssql/article.php/3691821. InstallationIf your SQL Server media came as one exe, double click it, and SQL will ask for a temporary unzip location. After the unzip, a message box will popup saying Extraction Complete. Navigate to the unzip folder, and find setup.exe. Double click it to begin the install. Accept the terms and conditions. The next step will install any required prerequisites such as Dot Net and SQL Support files. After the prerequisites are installed, a system check will run. All the actions should come back green.
IIS (Internet Information Server) is required to be installed on the OS if SQL Reporting Services will be installed. If the System Check discovers an error, the details can be viewed by either clicking a hot link on the error, or pressing the Report button on the bottom. Continuing will bring up the registration screen. Components to InstallThis next Screen, Components to Install, determines which features and applications will be installed.
The first option, SQL Server Database Services, is the SQL engine. By default, all available sub items are selected with it. The sub items are visible by clicking the Advanced button at the bottom of the screen. The sub items included with the engine are
So selecting SQL Server Database Services installs the engine, but no management tools or documentation. For these applications, select Workstation components. This option installs the items commonly associated with SQL Server, such as the Management Studio and Books On Line (BOL). The following components are also installed:
The sample database, Adventure Works, is missing from the list. To have it installed, click the Advanced button then select it from the Feature Select list. Analysis ServicesThe next optional group of components to select is Analysis Services. SQL Server Analysis Services enables the creation of Business Intelligence objects such as Data Mining and OLAP (Online Analytical Processing). In simple terms, if we think of a typical SQL database as being created to store transactions of some activity, then Analysis Service is a specialized database designed to report on that activity. By checking the Analysis Service, all available tools and items are included with it. They are visible by clicking the Advanced button. There are only two itmes, Data Files and Shared Tools. Reporting ServicesSQL Server Reporting Services enable the creation of web-based reports that have the look and feel of traditional fat client reports. If youre familiar with Crystal Reports or MS Access, or some other banded reporting tool, then you have the idea. The reports created can be centrally stored and managed in SQL Server. If you are a Visual Studio developer, there is ReportViewer control that allows these types of reports to be created without SQL Server involved, but without SQL, there isnt central management. When the Reporting Service is selected from the Feature Selection screen, all available Reporting Service sub items are checked also. These include the Report Engine and Shared Tools. Integration ServicesIntegration Services are used to create packages that perform workflow and ETL (extraction, transformation, and load) tasks. SSIS (SQL Server Integration Services) includes graphical wizards and tools for creating these objects. SSIS is the replacement of SQL 7 DTS (Data Transformation Services). SetupClicking next from the Components to Install screen takes us to the Instance Name screen. If the default of Default Instance is kept, SQL Server will have the same name as the machine its being installed on. To use a different name, select Named Instance. Clicking Next will bring up the Service Account screen. Here we can specify the accounts SQL will use to run. Selecting Use the built in System account will run all the SQL services under a local machine account. Continuing brings up the Authentication Mode screen. By default, Windows logins only are used. If you wish to use SQL logins in addition to Windows logins, select Mixed Mode and supply a password for SA. SA is the built in system administrator SQL account. You may need SQL logins for third party database applications. Click Next. This next screen, Collation Settings, allows the collation and sort order to be set. Unless there are specific circumstances, keep the default of Dictionary order, case insensitive. If Report Services was selected as a feature to be installed, a configuration screen will appear next. Click next to keep the default of configuring SSRS, or select Install but dont configure if custom SSRS setup is required. On the Error Usage screen, keep the defaults if you permit Microsoft to gather usage statistics to help future development. At the end of the installation, SQL will report the status of setup. If there were any errors, theyll be displayed here. Additional details can be found in the logs under the MSSQL/LOG directory. ConclusionThe installation of SQL Server 2008 is straightforward and simple. If youve installed SQL 2005, then the 2008 installation will be very familiar. There are many new features and improvements included with SQL 2008. This Database Journal article examines these in detail: http://www.databasejournal.com/features/mssql/article.php/3691821. |