Issue  Navision SQL Server Option Installation Checklist


Solution

Before installing Microsoft SQL Server, you must make a number of decisions:


1. Choose an Operating System.
2. Check your Hardware for Compliance.
3. Disable any Write Caching Controllers.
4. Choose Installation and Storage Locations.
5. Choose Character Set and Sort Order.
6. Choose a Network Support.
7. Create a Logon Account (NT installation) - remember to accept the defaults.
- Then do the installation.
8. Install the Microsoft SQL Server.
- Then test the installation.
9. Test your SQL Server Database Engine.
10. Test your SQL Server Tools.
11. Change the Supervisor Account (sa) Password, if blank.


1. Choose an Operating System
What operating system should you install SQL Server on to run the Navision SQL Server Option? You will be installing SQL Server on either Windows NT/2000 Server or Windows NT/2000 Enterprise Editions. The installation on a Windows NT/2000 operating system provides you with features and functionality that are not available on other platforms. For example, a SQL install on a Windows NT/2000 platform provides you with Performance Monitor integration, Event Viewer integration and the ability to run as a service, to name just a few.


Windows NT/2000 Enterprise is typically used in large data center environments to take advantage of advanced features, such as Extended memory and clustering.


2. Check your Hardware for Compliance
It is important to make sure that your hardware will meet with the demands of your environment. The minimum hardware requirements listed earlier in the chapter are minimums and should not be regarded as sufficient for your environment. Remember: faster, bigger and more is usually better in an application server environment.


3. Disable any Write Caching Controllers
Be sure to disable any write caching controllers used in your disk subsystem. Write caching disk controllers can corrupt data in a transaction-logging environment. SQL Server uses a transaction-logging architecture. By disabling the write caching disk controller, you are ensuring that any data that has been written to the log, but has not yet been check-pointed into the database will be written to the database during the auto recovery process at startup.


4. Choose Installation and Storage Locations
Before installing SQL Server, you should determine and document your installation paths. The default installation path for both Program files and Data Files is C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL. Many of the files related to the SQL Server installation are placed in folders located below this directory structure. Some files are placed on the system drive.



The subdirectories that store the program files are as follows:
Location
Description
\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\80\Com
Dynamic-link libraries (DLLs) for Component Object Model (COM) objects.
\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\80\Com\Binn\Resources\1033
Resource files (RLLs) used by the DLLs in this COM directory.
Note - 1033 is for U.S. English; localized versions use different directory numbers.
\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\80\Tools\Binn
Microsoft Windows NT? client executable files.
\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\80\Tools\Binn\Resources\1033
Resource files used by the DLLs in the Tools\Binn directory.
\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\80\Tools\Books
SQL Server Books Online files, including online Help files.
\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\80\Tools\DevTools
Header files, library files, and sample programs for use by developers.
\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\80\Tools\Html
Microsoft Management Console (MMC) and SQL Server HTML files.
\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\80\Tools\Templates
Boilerplate files with SQL scripts to help you create objects in the database.
Program and Data Files for the Default Instance of SQL Server 2000


Below are the locations of the program and data files for the default instance of SQL Server 2000. These are the default file locations, which can be changed during installation. Location
Description
\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\Mssql\Backup
Default location for backup files.
\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\Mssql\Binn
Microsoft Windows NT server executable files and DLL files for extended stored procedures.
\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\Mssql\Binn\Resources\1033
Resource files used by the DLLs in this Binn directory.
\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\Mssql\Data
System and sample database files.
\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\Mssql\Ftdata
Full-text catalog files.
\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\Mssql\Install
Scripts run during Setup and resulting output files.
\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\Mssql\Jobs
Storage location for temporary job output files.
\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\Mssql\Log
Error log files.
\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\Mssql\Repldata
Working directory for replication tasks.
\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\Mssql\Upgrade
Files used for version upgrade from SQL Server Version 6.5 to SQL Server 2000.


It is not necessary to use the default directories to store your data and log files, nor is it necessary to use the default directory for your backup files. In fact, it is suggested that the data and log files be placed on separate physical drives, which enhances recoverability and performance. We will discuss the actual location of database and log files for the Navision SQL Server Option later. It is also recommended that you place your backup devices on a separate physical drive from the data and log files, again for recoverability reasons. The backup and data folders are simply there for your convenience.


5. Choose Character Set and Sort Order
Remember to accept the default options.
- Character set code is set to page 1252 (ISO Character set).
- Sort Order is set to Dictionary Sort Order, Case-Insensitive.
- The Sort Orders affects:
Result sets
Performance
Development


Choose the appropriate character set and sort order before you install SQL Server.  Once installed, these selections cannot be modified.