Install Microsoft SQL Server 2017 Developer Edition

How to Install Microsoft SQL Server 2017 Developer Edition

“This is a cloud/virtualization blog, why would you publish an article on how to install Microsoft SQL Server?” That’s a valid question. I am in no way an expert in SQL Server, but I know my way around it. If you follow my blog, you may know I’m a big fan of vRealize Automation. I am working on a vRealize Automation install in my home lab, and this is how this post was born. A Windows domain is mandatory, so I wrote How to Install Active Directory on Windows Server 2012 R2. SQL Server is another prerequisite for vRA, so here I am documenting how to install Microsoft SQL Server 2017.

When thinking at SQL Server, there are few editions to choose from. If you run production workload, you can choose between Enterprise, Standard and Express editions (each which different price and set of features). If you run a test and development environment, you can choose between Express and Developer editions, both free. Express has few limitations, may be enough for a lab environment, but I decided to go with Developer Edition (full-featured free edition). Developer Edition used to be a paid (and cheaper) version, but since March 2016 Microsoft decided to offer it for free. That’s a nice move Microsoft, I hope you will extend the program to Windows Server as well 🙂

I will now document how to do a basic install of Microsoft SQL Server 2017 Developer Edition, to be used in a home lab environment. I will also add to the mix SQL Server Management Studio.

As a first step, you need to prepare a virtual machine where you will install SQL Server. There are plenty of supported operating systems, ranging from Windows 8 to Windows Server 2016. In my case, I chose a Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard Edition virtual machine with all the normal goodies (latest hardware version, latest VMware Tools, vmxnet3 network adapter, paravirtual SCSI adapter). I installed Microsoft security patches (including the latest ones for Meltdown and Spectre vulnerabilities).

You then need to download Microsoft SQL Server 2017 Developer Edition and SQL Server Management Studio 17.4.

Install Microsoft SQL Server 2017 Developer Edition

Run the SQL Server installer for Developer Edition. As we will perform a Basic installation, click on “Basic” rectangle.

Install Microsoft SQL Server - Select Installation Type
Install Microsoft SQL Server – Select Installation Type

Read the license terms ( 🙂 ) and if you agree with them click “Accept” button.

Install Microsoft SQL Server - Accept License Terms
Install Microsoft SQL Server – Accept License Terms

You can change now the install location (for a simple test installation you can keep the default). Click on “Install” button.

Install Microsoft SQL Server - Specify Install Location
Install Microsoft SQL Server – Specify Install Location

The install wizard will download now the required files. You can grab a coffee while waiting.

Install Microsoft SQL Server - Installing
Install Microsoft SQL Server – Downloading

Download is completed and the installation starts. Continue with the coffee!

Install Microsoft SQL Server - Installing
Install Microsoft SQL Server – Installing

SQL Server 2017 installation is completed. Click on “Close” button.

Install Microsoft SQL Server - Completed Successfully
Install Microsoft SQL Server – Completed Successfully

Install Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio

To easily manage SQL Server, I will install now SQL Server Management Studio. Run the installer. Click “Install” button.

Install Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio - Install
Install Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio – Install

The install wizard loads the required packages. Back to coffee!

Install Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio - Loading Packages
Install Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio – Loading Packages

The wizard will then install Management Studio packages.

Install Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio - Installing Packages
Install Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio – Installing Packages

A little longer and the installer completes. Click on “Restart”.

Install Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio - Restart
Install Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio – Restart

After the computer restarts, you have a fully functional installation of Microsoft SQL Server 2017 Developer Edition, free to use in a test environment. Happy SQL managing!

Constantin Ghioc

I usually play with vSphere API, Ansible, vRealize Automation, vRealize Orchestrator, and different AWS tools. In my other life I’m a husband and a father, an amateur photographer and a Go enthusiast.

2 thoughts to “How to Install Microsoft SQL Server 2017 Developer Edition”

  1. Hi Constantin,
    I already have SQL server 2016 developer edition installed on my laptop. Is it possible to upgrade it to 2017 developer edition without having to uninstall it.
    Thanks,
    Naveen

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