SQL Server 2012 Installation Step By Step

If you selected “All Features with Default” in previous step, all these components will be checked automatically.

Step 11: Installation Rules

After selecting the features to install, setup again runs a check to ensure whether your machine’s configuration is compatible or not to proceed further.



If all looks good, click Next.

Step 12: Instance Configuration

This step will ask, what type of instance you want to configure, as we all know, either we can install Default or Named instance. If default instance is already installed, you’ll have to have proceeded with named instance.



Select type of instance you want to install. If you want to change the root directory of your instance, you can change it from ‘Instance root directory’ option. It’ll also show you the instance already installed on your machine. As shown in above screenshot, I already installed 2 instances on my machine.

After doing instance configuration, click Next.

Step 13: Disk Space requirement summary

At this step, you’ll get disk space summary which will show how much disk space your instance will take on the machine.



Step 14: Server Configuration

On this step you’ll find options to specify Service Accounts and Collation Configuration.



Under Service Account tab, you’ll find option to set account name and password for any of the services; also you can choose start-up type of those services. You can set startup type as Manual or Automatic. It’s recommended to set Start-up type of SQL Services to Automatic.

Next, you’ll find Collation tab where you can set collation level for SQL Server and Analysis Services. The collation type you select here will be set as default collation for your instance.



After performing above steps, click Next.

Step 15: Database Engine Configuration

This is the most important step because over here you’ll configure your servers configuration, data directories and file stream options.

At Server Configuration tab, you’ll find authentication mode and SQL Server System Administrator [SA] account configuration.



If you see Data Directories tab, you’ll find your root directory, and location of below:

• Data root directory.
• User database directory,
• System database directory,
• User database log directory,
• Temp data and log directories, and
• Backup location

You can change these locations of your own choice.



On FileStream tab, you’ll find option to enable FileStream feature.



After completing the steps, click Next.

Step 16: Analysis Services Configuration

If you had chosen Analysis Services to be installed on your machine, you’ll find this option during installation process.

Complete this step by choosing server mode and adding Analysis Services Administrator.



Specify your Analysis Services data directories as shown below.



Click Next,

Step 17: Distributed Replay Controller

If you had selected all shared features to install, you’ll get this and next step to complete.



At this step, you’ll find Distributed Replay Controller. This feature helps you assess the impact of future SQL Server upgrades.



This is similar to SQL Server Profile, Distributed Replay Controller replay a captured trace against an upgraded test environment. This feature can use multiple computers to replay trace data and simulate a mission-critical workload.

Add users to have unlimited access to the Distributed Replay client service and click next.

Step 18: Distributed Replay Client

This is one of the component of Distributed Replay Controller under which one or more computers (physical or virtual) running the Windows service named SQL Server Distributed Replay client. The Distributed Replay client works together to simulate workloads against an instance of SQL Server.



Enter Controller Name so that the client computer will communicate with for the Distributed Replay Client Service. This is the optional parameter and the default value is ‘BLANK’.

Specify the working directory for the Distributed Replay client service.
Specify the result directory for the Distributed Replay client service.

Click Next.

Step 19: Error Reporting to Microsoft.



Click Next.

Step 20: Installation Configuration Rule

At this step, setup will perform a final check to ensure everything looks good for installation operation.



If all rule passes, click Next.

Step 21: Installation Summary

Here you’ll get summary of your installation as shown below.



If you’re satisfied with everything, click on Install button and you’re set to go.

Step 22: Ready Steady Go!

Installation process will start and you’ll see the progress as in the following,



This will take some time, relax and just watch the progress.

Step 23: Installation completed

After successful installation you’ll get the following window. This will show you the components installed on your machine with ‘Succeeded’ message in Status column.



Also you’ll get location of the log file of the complete installation.

Step 24: Verification

Open SSMS and connect your instance and you’re ready to explore.



Conclusion

We’ve successfully installed SQL Server 2012 named instance on our machine. We have seen the steps involved in the installation. In our upcoming articles we’ll explore other concepts related to SQL Server. Till then, keep learning and sharing.