Sql-Server-Installation

SQL Server Install Guide Part 3

I’m in part 3 of a series on installing SQL Server.  In the previous post I began discussing steps to take after the install is complete.  Because there are quite a number of things to consider post-install, this part 3 will continue discussing the post-install configuration items.

Configure SQL Server Alerts

One of the things I always do after installing SQL Server is set up SQL Server Alerts.  This is a free, easy way to find out about problems on the SQL instance, like read retry errors or other potential nasty issues.  There are probably a number of places to find scripts useful for this task.  The one I recommend is from Glenn Berry at SQLSkills.com.  You can find his script at this link.  One of my favorite things about Glenn’s script is that it has very well defined alert names that allow the DBA to easily know what server is involved when an alert is sent.

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SQL Server Install Guide Part 2

In part 1 of this series, I discussed pre-installation steps.  There are many guides available online for the actual installation process so I’m not going to give a step by step installation guide here.  Rather, I’m going to focus on what to think about after the install is complete.

Recent versions of SQL Server will now go out and download additional content for you before the install actually happens so you’re not left on the base, RTM release of the product.  However, one thing to consider post installation is still, are you on the latest patch?  How do you know?  Where can you go to compare the version number of the SQL Server you installed to what is currently available?  Well, you can look back at this post to answer that question.

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SQL Server Install Guide Part 1

In part 1 of a series on installing SQL Server, I’m going to discuss things to do prior to running the installation program for SQL Server.  There are a number of install guides for SQL Server on the internet and plenty of recommendations around installation best practices and how-to’s.  This will be what I’ve arrived at over the course of time.

Working with the Database Migration Assistant

This first step I’m going to introduce makes the assumption that this install is going to be for one or more databases that you’re planning to migrate from an existing instance.  My first step is to run the Database Migration Assistant from Microsoft.  This product is free and can be installed away from your SQL Servers.  I run my install from my laptop.  After opening the UI and starting an assessment, this tool will scan the source databases selected and determine if there are any breaking changes, behavior changes, or deprecated features between the source and target for your migration.

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3 Reasons Not to Install Databases On the C Drive

We’re probably all familiar with the fact that SQL Server by default will install not only the program binaries but all your databases on the C drive as well.  Accidental DBA’s, i.e. System Administrators and Developers who inherited the maintenance of a database, may not be aware of how bad it can be if someone simply clicked the “Next” button all the way through the SQL Server install.  There are surely many reasons not to accept this default during the install, but I will start with three.

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