Now we are getting to some good stuff. Before we install, we need some service accounts. If you are going to have a lot of SQL servers to manage, coming up with a consistent account naming convention will make you life much easier. My domain is named timharkin, so for my SQL server named SQL01, I will create the following accounts:
timharkin\SQL01Service
timharkin\SQL01Agent
timharkin\SQL01SSIS
I will make sure that the accounts have no expiration.
Next, although not necessary, I will create folders on the local drives that look like the following. This is done via a script, so it will become a repeatable process. Again, if you manage a lot of servers, have disk and folder layouts be consistent from server to server will be immensely beneficial.
Now, on to the install. I have already copied the DVD contents to a shared folder. (Yes, I shared a folder off of my domain controller. I would not do that outside of a lab). I connect over the network to the shared files, and run setup.exe. After clearing the Security dialog, you will see the SQL Server Installation Center. On the opening splash page, there are links to MS’s web site for the requirements for installation, Security information, etc. We have reviewed the requirements in Module 2, so go ahead and click on the Installation link on the left.
Once this opens up, you see four choices, and the top one reflects what we want to do, install a new stand alone installation. Go ahead and click on that.
You will see another Security dialog, go ahead and click “Run”. The installer will proceed to process the Setup Support Rules.
This part of the process is intended to catch anything that might cause the install to fail before you get to far into the process. Hopefully all of the prerequisites pass, so you can click OK and move on to the next step.
You are prompted to check for updates, and you can either do so or just click Next again, at which point the setup files get installed. At this point (Jan 2103), SP 1 is available. I will skip the download of this and show how to slipstream later. I uncheck the “include SQL Server product updates” and click Next.
The system check up continues, and if the worst you get is a warning, you can click Next to continue. And warnings or failures you get will have a link that you can click on for more information. The warning I received was for .Net application security, and the link told me that the server was not connected to the Internet (which, considering the install previously connected to the Internet to determine that SP1 was available, is obviously not true).
Next you will be prompted for your license key. I enter my Dev edition code, click Next, accept the license terms and hit next again.
After the setup files are installed, a few more pre-install checks completes. If you receive any failures, you must address the issue before proceeding. Warnings will let you proceed, but you should click on the warning link and see what the issue is regardless.
After reviewing the Setup Support Rules, click Next. After that, you get to choose what SQL roles you want to install. I will select SQL Feature Installation and click Next.
On the Feature Selection page, select the features you want. For this install, I am choosing the Database Engine Services, and all sub-components, as well as DataQuality Client, and the Management Tools – Complete option. Also, select where you want these options installed on the bottom of the page (as mentioned earlier, I am installing to the local C drive, so I am OK with the defaults here), and then click Next. There is another round of pre-requisite checking, and then click Next.
Now we get into some of the real nitty gritty, like where will we install SQL, whether to use a default instance, etc. I am indeed using a default instance, and will install into the default directory, so I just click Next. You will see a summary of the disk usage. Review, and click Next.
Next, you see the service account set up. As mentioned above, I am using two domain accounts for this. If you click on the down arrow next to the default accounts, you can then click on Browse and search AD for the accounts, and then enter the passwords as applicable.
Enter the credentials you have created previously, and click next.
The subsequent dialog is titled “Database Engine Configuration” and has three tabs to it. The first tab is labeled “Server Configuration” and this is where you have to select and authentication mode. You have two choices, Windows Authentication Mode, and Mixed Mode. If you choose Windows Authentication Mode, all access to the SQL engine will require an Active Directory account. If you choose Mixed Mode, you can use AD accounts, as well as accounts that are authenticated by SQL Only. I have chosen Mixed, and entered a complex password. I have also specified the currently logged on user as a SQL Server Administrators.
On the Data Directories tab, I have clicked all of the proper ellipses and selected all of the paths I have set up previously.
I am not going to be using FILESTREAM right now, so I leave that item set as disabled.
Clicking Next we are given the option of sending error reports to Microsoft. I leave that unchecked, and click Next again.
SQL now does some more pre-flight checking. Similar to the previous checks, if you get a warning or failure, click the hyperlink to find out what is wrong and fix it. When all pass, click Next once again.
OK, we are ALMOST there…. All we need to do is click Install. But take a look at the ‘Ready to Install” page. There is a little item there on the bottom, labeled Configuration file path.
I had ignored that for many years, until I realized how useful it was. This whole tedious process man never have to be repeated again!
For now, Just make a note of it, and click “Install”. Go get a cup of coffee.
After an undetermined amount of time, hopefully, you will see the Complete page, with all of those pretty green check marks. Click Close, and you are done. Congrats, you have installed SQL 2012.