Todd Installs TFS - 03 - Install SQL Server
Nothing like a good 'ol vacation to get in the way of posting for a blog series. So, where were we? Ah, yes -- time to install SQL Server.
Technically, we've got two choices: some flavor of SQL Server 2005 or some flavor of SQL Server 2008. Now, some would say that this means there is really only one choice -- SQL Server 2005. Let's think about it:
| SQL Server 2005 | SQL Server 2008 |
| Released, production quality product | Available as a CTP |
| Supported platform for TFS 2008 | Eventually will be a supported platform for TFS 2008 |
| Patches, hotfixes, service packs, etc. can be applied and all should be well | Who knows? There are no promises that you can upgrade one CTP in-place to the next CTP, nor that you can upgrade a CTP to RTM |
| A product I know well | I've never even touched it |
| Will keep on working | Will expire in 180 days |
| Appeals to my rational side | Appeals to my inner geek |
So many reasons to go with SQL Server 2005...but that last point is hard for someone like me to ignore. I love playing with new toys! And at Microsoft we proudly dogfood our products before we release them. So, as foolish as it may be, I'm gonna install SQL Server 2008.
[Anticipate a blog posting within the next 6 months entitled What Was I Thinking?!]
Okay, so were do we start? Well, I start at the same place you can start: by downloading the February 2008 CTP of SQL Server 2008, available here: Microsoft SQL Server 2008 CTP, February 2008.
I'm going to use the X86 DVD image, as that will easily mount and install into my VPC.
Okay, I fire up my VPC and mount SQLDEV.iso into it:
splash.hta is the correct file to run. This leads to:
Those of you with eagle eyes may notice that, in the lower left-hand corner, it says November 2007! Well, no worries -- this was an inadvertent mistake when the CTP was put together. If you had looked very closely, there was a transient splash screen which came and went quickly that did, in fact, say 'Feb CTP'. And, just to be sure, we'll confirm once everything is installed that we've got the Feb CTP.
Side note: when I first saw November 2007 on the main installer screen, I thought I had done something wrong -- I did not notice the quickly vanishing 'Feb CTP' on my first install. I contacted some of my local SQL buddies at Microsoft to see if they knew anything. I have to give mad props to my good friend Sumi Dua, Data Platform Technical Specialist here in the northeast, for digging deep on trying to understand what was going on. Only problem is, I neglected to tell him that I was using the ISO image. He repeatedly downloaded the stand-alone installer (exe) and never saw what I was seeing. He stayed well past 5pm looking into this, and was still at it the next day, before we realized we were looking at two different versions of the installer.
He tells me I owe him a Zune...(in my house we've got several of them.)
Click to install the server components:
We need .NET Framework 3.5. Go ahead and install it.
Click Exit.
Accept the license terms and click Next.
Click Install.
Click New Installation.
Click Next.
Select Database Engine Services, Analysis Services and Reporting Services, as these are needed. I'm also picking Client Tools and SQL Server Books online so I can manage SQL Server right from this VPC.
Click Next.
Default instance is fine for our purposes. Click Next.
Okay, now we need to adjust how the various SQL services will log in and start. We want all of them to run as NETWORK SERVICE and to automatically start. So, in the Account field enter NETWORK SERVICE. Click Apply to all. Change all Startup Types to Automatic.
Click Next.
Set authentication to Windows authentication mode. Click Add Current User then Next.
Again, click Add Current User then Next.
Click Install, but do not configure the report server. Click Next.
At this dialog, it's your choice; defaults are fine. Next.
Almost there!!! Click Install and grab a cup of joe...
...Approximately 20 minutes later:
Click Next.
Click Close.
Click OK.
Restart the server...
...and now that it has, let's take a quick peek over at the services and see what's running:
Looking good -- everything is started, except for SQL Server Browser, which is set to Disabled. Not sure why -- not sure I need to worry about it. I won't lose any sleep over it just yet.
Let's fire up SQL Server Management Studio and see if our new installation is visible.
Looks good to me.
We should also check the SQL Server Configuration Manager and make sure TCP/IP is an enabled protocol.
Zoiks! It is not. Double-click on TCP/IP:
and change Enabled to Yes. Click OK.
Looks like we need to restart a service. Switch over to the SQL Server Services node, right-click on SQL Server (MSSQLSERVER), and choose Restart.
My buddy Rob Walters recommends doing a SELECT @@VERSION to really be sure I've got the right version installed:
Microsoft SQL Server code name "Katmai" (CTP) - 10.0.1300.13 (Intel X86) Feb 8 2008 00:06:52 Copyright (c) 1988-2007 Microsoft Corporation Developer Edition on Windows NT 6.0 <X86> (Build 6001: Service Pack 1)
Perfect!
