Introduction
This article will highlight the steps involved to install SQL Server 2008. The installation is simple and straightforward. Trial and preview versions can be downloaded from Microsoft at

http://www.microsoft.com/sql/2008/prodinfo/download.mspx . If you’re new to SQL Server, then deciding which additional components to install will require a small amount of research. There are several different versions of SQL Server including Enterprise, Standard, Workgroup, Developer, and Express. In addition, there are 32 and 64-bit offerings. The following Database Journal article examines the new features and benefits of SQL 2008: http://www.databasejournal.com/features/mssql/article.php/3691821. Installation

If your SQL Server media came as one exe, double click it, and SQL will ask for a temporary unzip location. After the unzip, a message box will popup saying Extraction Complete. Navigate to the unzip folder, and find “setup.exe”. Double click it to begin the install. Accept the terms and conditions. The next step will install any required prerequisites such as Dot Net and SQL Support files. After the prerequisites are installed, a system check will run. All the actions should come back green.

IS (Internet Information Server) is required to be installed on the OS if SQL Reporting Services will be installed. If the System Check discovers an error, the details can be viewed by either clicking a hot link on the error, or pressing the Report button on the bottom. Continuing will bring up the registration screen. Components to Install

This next Screen, Components to Install, determines which features and applications will be installed.

The first option, “SQL Server Database Services”, is the SQL engine. By default, all available sub items are selected with it. The sub items are visible by clicking the Advanced button at the bottom of the screen. The sub items included with the engine are
* Replication – Objects used for copying items from one database to another.
* Full Text Search – The optional engine used for text searches.
* Database Files – Creates data folders on the file system.
* Shared Tools

So selecting “SQL Server Database Services” installs the engine, but no management tools or documentation. For these applications, select “Workstation components”. This option installs the items commonly associated with SQL Server, such as the Management Studio and Books On Line (BOL). The following components are also installed:

* Network Libraries such as ODBC and OLE DB.
* Management Tools including SQL Server Management Studio, Configuration Manager, Profiler, and Replication Monitor.
* BIDS (Business Intelligence Development Studio), used for Reporting Services to create reports and designs.
* The Software Development Kit (SDK).
* XML tools.
* Legacy DTS and DMO.
* Sample Applications.
* SQL Server Books On Line

The sample database, Adventure Works, is missing from the list. To have it installed, click the Advanced button then select it from the Feature Select list.

Analysis Services
The next optional group of components to select is Analysis Services. SQL Server Analysis Services enables the creation of Business Intelligence objects such as Data Mining and OLAP (Online Analytical Processing). In simple terms, if we think of a typical SQL database as being created to store transactions of some activity, then Analysis Service is a specialized database designed to report on that activity.

By checking the Analysis Service, all available tools and items are included with it. They are visible by clicking the Advanced button. There are only two itmes, Data Files and Shared Tools.

Reporting Services
SQL Server Reporting Services enable the creation of web-based reports that have the look and feel of traditional fat client reports. If you’re familiar with Crystal Reports or MS Access, or some other “banded” reporting tool, then you have the idea. The reports created can be centrally stored and managed in SQL Server. If you are a Visual Studio developer, there is ReportViewer control that allows these types of reports to be created without SQL Server involved, but without SQL, there isn’t central management.

When the Reporting Service is selected from the Feature Selection screen, all available Reporting Service sub items are checked also. These include the Report Engine and Shared Tools.

Integration Services
Integration Services are used to create “packages” that perform workflow and ETL (extraction, transformation, and load) tasks. SSIS (SQL Server Integration Services) includes graphical wizards and tools for creating these objects. SSIS is the replacement of SQL 7 DTS (Data Transformation Services).

Setup
Clicking next from the “Components to Install” screen takes us to the “Instance Name’ screen. If the default of “Default Instance” is kept, SQL Server will have the same name as the machine it’s being installed on. To use a different name, select “Named Instance”.

Clicking Next will bring up the “Service Account” screen. Here we can specify the accounts SQL will use to run. Selecting “Use the built in System account” will run all the SQL services under a local machine account.

Continuing brings up the “Authentication Mode” screen. By default, Windows logins only are used. If you wish to use SQL logins in addition to Windows logins, select Mixed Mode and supply a password for SA. SA is the built in system administrator SQL account. You may need SQL logins for third party database applications. Click Next.

This next screen, Collation Settings, allows the collation and sort order to be set. Unless there are specific circumstances, keep the default of Dictionary order, case insensitive. If Report Services was selected as a feature to be installed, a configuration screen will appear next. Click next to keep the default of configuring SSRS, or select “Install but don’t configure” if custom SSRS setup is required.

On the Error Usage screen, keep the defaults if you permit Microsoft to gather usage statistics to help future development.

At the end of the installation, SQL will report the status of setup. If there were any errors, they’ll be displayed here. Additional details can be found in the logs under the MSSQL/LOG directory.

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