SQL Server Install Step by Step. Learn how to install SQL Server and SQL Server Management Studio to manage and maintain databases
SQL Server is a very powerful database engine developed by Microsoft. First of all, we will discuss the complete guide about MS SQL Server Installation. Then details configuration about it.
What is SQL Server?
The SQL Server is a Relational Database System (RDBMS) by Microsoft. To develop an application need a database to store an application’s data. Therefore database needs. If you want to work with big size database then you can consider MS SQL Server. In this tutorial, you will learn how you will download and install MS SQL Server database Engine with SQL Server Management Studio.
Table of Contents
- Download SQL Server
- How to Download MS SQL Server & System Requirements
- MS SQL Server Install Step by Step
- How to connect Database Engine with Management Studio
Download SQL Server
In the Microsoft website, you will find multiple links to download like below image. so you may confuse which is the need as per your requirement.
Therefore before start download, you need to understand that the purpose of SQL Server. Generally as a developer, we use SQL Server following purposes.
- For Development purpose need SQL Server with SQL Server Management Studio
- Deployment of any applications, we need only SQL Server
- For small application, we can use SQL LocalDB also
Development purpose which SQL Server you will download?
Download MS SQL Server 2014 Express
Being a developer you need both the Database Engine and Management Studio. To install both the database engine and management studio with a single setup choose the download link. Please before choose a link and start download check your Operating System’s version. The OS Version may 64 bit or 32 bit you need to select the appropriate link.
For production purpose Management Studio Tool not require therefore no need to install the tool on the user’s computer. So choose only express MS SQL Server Express for deployment purpose. Look at the following image to identify only the setup for MS SQL Database Engine.
If you want to develop and deploy a very small application then you can also use “LocalDB” Version. This version only for small application because there are some limitations. Those are following.
- Only work on a local computer. so network computer unable to connect with this type of database.
- Unable to handle big size data
- No network services available in this version.
The main advantage of “LocalDB” is small size. Due to a very small size database engine, it is very helpful to deploy a small standalone application.
How to download SQL Server & System Requirments
As per Microsoft, the system requirement need for installation of MS SQL Server 2014 Express
Supported Operating System
Windows 10, Windows 7, Windows 7 Service Pack 1, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2012 R2
Processor
Intel – compatible processor with a minimum speed of 1 GHz or a faster processor
Ram
Minimum 512 MB for SQL Server Express with Tools, and SQL Server Express with Advanced Services and 4 GB for Reporting Services that installs with SQL Server Express with Advanced Services
Hard Disk Space
4.2 GB of Disk Space
Note: Limitation of MS SQL Server Express Edition
Microsoft SQL Server Express supports 1 physical processor, 1 GB memory, and 10 GB storage
If the Operating system is Windows 7 Then you should check Service Pack 1 update is available or not. To upgrade Windows 7 operating system with service pack 1 you can download the following link.
Download Link of Service Pack 1
Service Pack 1 for Windows 7 32 Bit
Service Pack 1 for Windows 7 64 Bit
MS SQL Server Install Step by Step
To install MS SQL Database just follow the steps below. We will also discuss some important configuration at the time of installation.
Step 1: Launch installation setup
Hare, you will get many options but in this case, our purpose is installation. Therefore you need to select “Installation” tab. Unter this tab two options are available. First one is for new installation and the second one is for the upgrade from lower version. So you need to select the appropriate option as your requirement.
Step 2: Choose option for new of SQL Server or Other features of SQL Server .
This step is very important because this is the configuration for installation of Database Engine or add any other services with the existing instance of MS SQL Server. If you want to install complete new Instance then just select the first one, that is “Perform a new installation of SQL Server 2014”
In case of installation of other SQL Server features you need to select the second option, that is “Add features to an existing instance of SQL Server 2014”. After selection click on “Next” button to continue the installation.
Step 3: Choose Features for installation.
Above screen appear for those features which you want to install. Version wise you may get more feature, so if you want to install management studio with the database engine. Then you should select the feature also. After selection requires feature click on the “Next” button.
Step 4: Configuration for instance name.
This screen is for configuration of the Instance name. You can select “Default Instance“. Hare the default instance is “MSSQLEXPRESS” so if you want the instance name you need to choose default. Otherwise, you can enter any instance name as you want. After entering instance name click on “Next” button.
Step 5: Authentication mode configuration.
This step is very essential for the installation of MS SQL Server because this configuration is for Authentication mode of MS SQL Server. If you want only the local PC can access the database the choose the “Windows authentication mode“. But when the database is needed to access by other systems also via a network then “Mixed Mode(SQL Server authentication and Windows authentication)” require. In the case of MS SQL Server default user id of the system administrator is “sa”. After selection as per your requirement click on the “Next” button.
Step 6: Data Directories Configuration.
Hare you can configure default directories Data root directory, system database directory, user database directory, log directory and also backup directory.
If you want your default database directory then you can change the location of “User database directory”. Due to this configuration, your created database files will create in your selected directory. After all configuration click on the “Next” button.
Now The SQL Server will install after some time just click on the “Next” button in others screen also. After completion of the installation, you will get a successful message.
How to connect Database Engine with Management Studio
If you have already installed MS SQL Server Management Studio then open it. Otherwise you can install it. The install process is same as above.
Click on “File–> Connect Object Explore” and choose your server instance then enter authentication information then connect with database server.
