Download and Install SQL Express Edition

Hi guys, this is Rajesh from elearninginfoit.com; today, we will discuss how to download and install SQL Express edition.

Whether you install your edition on a physical or virtual server doesn’t matter. In this step, you can perform it anywhere.

This article may be a little bit longer, but you will definitely get all the information in a single piece, so either you can directly jump to a particular point or follow the table of contents.

What is SQL?

Data is all around us. We used to store data on paper in giant filing cabinets, but eventually, we stored them online in databases. How do we easily pull the data? We want to look at it. That’s what SQL is for. It’s a language that communicates with databases.

SQL stands for structured query language people call it SQL or sequel. In short, SQL is the language used to communicate with databases, databases that store your data.

If you want to pull, edit, or add information to a database, you can use the language of SQL. But what does SQL work think of a database like?

Data tables like filing cabinets and data like files, this warehouse or database stores data. The warehouse database was built using coding languages like C or C++, or Java.

Now imagine regular people need to access the files. How do they do that? Option one, you could have a storefront built into the warehouse so that customers can ask for, add, and delete files, but essentially, you are making something that takes a lot of time in the real world.

What is SQL Express Edition

Let’s talk about the SQL server edition. SQL has three significant editions which are used in the market the Express, Enterprise, standard, and developer editions,

So these 4 editions using the market Express edition are free for up to 10 GB, so if you have a small business

If you are using a specific application that requires 2 to 3GB of space on the database side, it is free, but if you need something large-scale that case you have to upgrade your Express edition to standard or Enterprise edition.

SQL Express Edition System Requirement

Under the system requirement, hardware, software, and network so basically network is entirely up to you because whatever application you implement with SQL, you have to understand what ports are important port basically, SQL work as a port 1433 1434. It’s also customizable, so you have to define it according to your requirement.

SQL Express Edition Hardware requirements

SQL Express Edition Software requirements

SQL Express Edition System Hardening

System hardening is very important to any implementation doesn’t matter the database you are going for or the other application is based on Linux or Windows doesn’t matter make sure your platform should be ready with the latest patch and all environmental compliance should be

1. up to date your operating system with the latest patch to protect against critical vulnerabilities and unknown issues
2. Apply your SQL server with the right naming conversion policy according to your environment.
3. At the Sequel server operating system in the domain environment, this is optional if you have one.
4. Assign the static IP
5. This is not recommended but yeah during the installation you have to stop your antivirus and a host-based firewall.

How to Download SQL Express Edition

In this section, I will provide you with the download link. How can you download the SQL Express edition? It is an online installer that shows that the internet is required. You can also use the offline installer, but I highly recommend going with that online installer because in case you download the offline installer some non-official sites are made with malware and spyware risk as security risk I am highly recommended for go with that online installer because it’s directly downloaded from the Microsoft server online installer. I will give you that link so you can download it.

SQL Express Release notes 

As per the best practice, if you are going to implement any software, application, database, etc. make sure must to read the release not because everything is mentioned in the release not you are going to install it is supported or not supported something critical issue known issues or what is that new release basically that new changes and also all our information is mentioned in release not.

How to Install SQL Express Edition Step by Step

Now I am going to execute that SQL Express installation step by step. First, you have to select your language and select the location where you want to store this download file. According to your requirement, you have to select the package and click to download.

• Express Core (SQL Server Engine only)
• Actress advanced (SQL server engine full-text service and reporting service)
• Local DB(lightweight version of actress addition with off it is programmability feature but Run is user mode)

According to internet speed, it will not take much time. I have selected the advanced package size is around 796 MB.

Once your download is complete you will see a message like a download is successfully done and validate whether the location file is successfully downloaded or not.

If the file is successfully downloaded you have to right-click when as administrator

Once you run as administrator it will extract in that location and create one separate folder with the same name.

Open the new window and there the mention is the installation and the installation there is the first option is New SQL server stand-alone installation you have to click

Accept the Microsoft licence agreement

It will check the update and required file from the internet so make sure the internet is enabled on your platform or server otherwise it will not communicate to Microsoft server so it will give you that error event that you can skip.

The next one is to pre-check before installing the sequel whether all requirement is fulfilled or not. I am using the domain controller with the same server that’s why showing me that the computer domain controller is a warning you can ignore this because Microsoft highly recommended don’t install the active directory in the same Sequel server

So basically this is a feature that is completely up to you what feature you want if is and a normal use case then you have to database engine and backward compatibility is enough but if you have any specific requirement you have to choose this.

It completely depends on your naming convention policy you can keep it as default either your company name in the conversion policy you can put any name.

This is a service status showing the database engine service status is automatic and the browser service is manually why is set as manually if you are installing any application during the installation you have to enable the browsing service ok, and necessary until not make sense to enable the browsing service because it’s vulnerable.

This is a very important point in the mixed mode so if you are installing the sequel you have to enable the user can log in with the windows account with the SA account so make sure you have to set the proper password with the SA account.

if you integrate the active directory with the same server then you have to add the domain user account as well.

Now the installation is starting and you can see the progress it will take around 30 to 40 minutes according to your resource.

Now the installation is successful and done at the best practice of any application Any modification or change is done in that system side you know after installing and installing make sure the system should be rebooted.

After reboot, you have to install sequel management Studio this is the tool you can manage your database.

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