2. Installing SQL Server 2012 Through the Installation Center
The Installation Center is perhaps the
easiest and most common way to install and modify any SQL Server
installation. To initiate the installation of a new SQL Server 2012
standalone instance trough the Installation Center, follow these steps:
1. From the Installation Center, select the Installation tab, as shown in Figure 2.
2. Select the
New SQL Server StandAlone Installation or Add Features to an Existing
Installation option. The first step in the SQL Server 2012 setup process
involves examining the server using the System Configuration Checker
for conditions that prevent a successful SQL Server installation. The
System Configuration Checker runs a series of tests known as the Setup
Support Rules that confirm the following:
- The computer that Microsoft SQL Server is installed on is not pending a reboot.
- The Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) service is running and is accessible.
- The registry keys are consistent and can be used for a SQL Server installation.
- The pathname to the installation media is not too long.
- The product installation is compatible with the operating system.
The No-Reboot package is installed.
3. If you
detect any problems, they must first be corrected before the
installation process can continue. After the test completes, you may see
the results by selecting the Show Details button, or you can review a
more detailed HTML report by selecting the View Detailed Report link, as
shown in Figure 3.
4. After
reviewing the results, click the OK button. If you perform the
installation on a server with access to the Internet, the Setup Wizard
can check for product updates. If updates are found they display, as
shown in Figure 4.
Tip
You should include all product updates in
the installation process because they may include critical performance
and security fixes and enhancements.
5. After
reviewing the product updates list, click the Next button. The Setup
Wizard launches the System Configuration Checker one more time to run
the Setup Support Rules test to identify any condition that might
prevent the installation of the SQL Server setup support files. If you
detect any problems, they must first be corrected before the
installation process can continue. After the test completes, you may see
the results by selecting the Show Details button, or you can review a
more detailed HTML report by selecting the View Detailed Report link, as
shown in Figure 5.
6. After
reviewing the results, click the Next button. The next screen displays
the Product Key validation. In this screen you can enter the SQL Server
25-character key assigned to your organization as part of a licensing
agreement with Microsoft or from the certificate of authenticity or
product packaging. You may also specify a free edition such as
Evaluation or Express Edition. Figure 6 shows the Product Key screen.
7. After
entering the product key or specifying a free edition, click the Next
button. In the next screen, you are required to read and accept the
Microsoft Software and License Terms to continue with the SQL Server
installation. Check the I Accept the License Terms check box, and click
the Next button.
8. In the next screen, select the option SQL Server Feature Installation, and click the Next button. Figure 7 shows the options available to install SQL Server features.
9. The next
screen enables you to select the features you want to include in the SQL
Server installation. Select Database Engine Service and Management
Tools Basic. You may change the installation paths for the shared
featured directory in this screen as well. After you select the features
to install, click the Next button. Figure 8 shows the feature selection list and shared feature directory default paths.
10. The
Installation Rules screen opens. In this screen, installation rules are
tested to make sure that the installation process is not blocked. After
the test completes you may see the results by clicking the Show Details
button. Click the Next button.
11. After reviewing the results, click the Next button. The next screen allows you to specify the name, instance id and root
directory of the SQL Server instance. If there are other SQL Server
instances installed, they appear in the Installed Instances section, as
shown in Figure 9.
Tip
It is highly recommended that you use
separate Active Directory domain accounts as startup service accounts
for each SQL Server service. Each of these accounts should have minimum
permission required.
12. Click the
Next button. The Setup Wizard evaluates current disk space available and
calculates required disk space to install selected components. The Disk
Space Requirements screen provides a breakdown of available and
required disk space, as seen in Figure 10.
13. Click the
Next button. The next screen enables you to specify service accounts and
collation configuration. You can use individual accounts and startup
types to start each service, as shown in Figure 11.
14. Click the
Next button. The Database Engine Configuration screen opens. In this
screen you can define some of the most critical configurations in the
setup process, such as:
- User authentication mode
- SQL Server Administrators
- Data, log, and backup file default directories
- Filestream configuration
15. Click the
Add Current User to add your Windows login to the sysadmin role. You may
add additional Windows users to the sysadmin role by clicking the Add
button.
Figure 12 shows the Database Engine Configuration options.
Warning
Always define at least one Windows or
Active Directory domain user as part of the SQL Server Administrators if
selecting the Windows Authentication Mode option. Failure to do so
results in the inability to log in with administrative rights to the SQL
Server instance. Uninstalling and reinstalling the SQL Server instance
is the only option to fix this issue. To ensure you have access to the
SQL Server instance, add at least one user using the Add Current User or
Add button.
16. Click the
Next button. The next screen enables you to opt-in to send Windows and
SQL Server Error Reports to Microsoft or a corporate report server.
17. Click the
Next button. The Setup Wizard runs the Installation Configuration Rules
step to determine if specific components are missing or installed that
might prevent the installation process to complete. If there are any
problems detected, they must first be corrected before the installation
process can continue. After the test completes, you may see the results
by selecting the Show Details button, or a more detailed HTML report can
be reviewed by selecting the View Detailed Report link below the Show
Details button.
18. After
reviewing the results, click the Next button. At this point, the Setup
Wizard has gathered all the necessary information to install the SQL
Server 2012 features selected. The next screen provides a summary of all
configurations provided, as shown in Figure 13.
19. After reviewing the configuration summary, click the Install button. The installation process starts.
20. When the
installation process completes, the Setup Wizard displays the list of
selected features with the corresponding installation status, errors, or
additional required configuration steps, as shown in Figure 14.
21. After
reviewing the installation results, click the Close button to close the
SQL Server 2012 Setup wizard. At this point you have completed the steps
necessary to install a SQL Server 2012 Database Services instance.
To verify that SQL Server 2012 Database Services
has been installed successfully, open SQL Server Management Studio
(SSMS) and connect to the Database Engine.
If SQL Server 2012 Database Services were
installed as the default instance, you can connect via SQL Server
Management Studio (SSMS) by providing the computer name or IP address
where the SQL Server 2012 instance was installed. If you connect within
the computer where the SQL Server instance was installed, you can
connect using localhost, (local), or “.” in the server name field.
If SQL Server 2012 Database Services were not
installed as the default instance, then you need to provide the server
name in the form of servername\instancename or IPaddress\servername. In
addition, you could provide the server name as localhost\instancename,
or .\instancename.
Default versus Named Instances
A SQL Server instance that is not installed as the default instance is a named instance.
There can be only one SQL Server instance installed as the default
instance per computer. There can be many SQL Server instances installed
as named instances in a single computer. A default SQL Server instance
is not required. You can have one or more named instances in a computer
but no default instance.
