Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Next - Next - Fin...ish - Installing SQL 2008 CTP

After downloading the SQL 2008 CTP 6 from MS Downloads, I started the install.  The usual "prerequisites" show up.

image 

Then a big holy crap when I saw this screen.  Stress level goes up.  This laundry-list style installation screen is supposed to be addressed in later CTPs.  What's wrong with the Office-style install screen?  I don't want a failover cluster or configure cluster nodes... I just want to install SQL.

image

After that, I figured out (with the help of a co-worker) that I was supposed to click New Installation. ;)  Stress level goes down.  Only one failure.

image

Always with the reboots?  Why can't they just restart Explorer process or something?  Stress level goes down.  Go for coffee.

image

Apparently I'm running SQL 2000, 2005, and Express all on my laptop.  Why not throw 2008 in the mix?  I specify Named Instance so it doesn't blow up my 2000 install.  Stress level stays even.

image

I scratched my head for awhile on this screen.  I figured I'd just run everything under local system - best practice, right? :)  Click next.

image

Of course, the AGTSVCACCOUNT parameter!  System identifiers shouldn't be used in a UI.  Hopefully they fix this to say something like "use a domain account with x priviledges" or "create me an account to do this" or "email your domain admin with a template requesting what you need" or "open active directory or user management".  Apparently 1 error isn't good enough.  I have to be assaulted with 5 of them.  Stress levels elevated.

I added my sql2008user account with default permissions for now.  Setting the account individually didn't work for some reason, so I ended up under "Use the same account for all" which reset the Integration Services from Network to my specified account.  I would have expected it to stay as Network, since the Browser didn't change.  I searched forums and didn't get a whole lot of information on requirements for the service account, just info on how to get a similar error using the command-line install.  Guess I could have clicked help.  I never could figure out why there's a help button in an installation.... the perfect monkey install is Next Next Finish.  Configure afterwards.  Leave configuration to the application team.

image

Account Provisioning tab?  What's wrong with Security Model name or just security?  I'm not provisioning any accounts other than possibly SA.

The Add Current User button to add me to SQL Server administrators made me feel special.  I'm so important I don't have to type my name.  It would be semi-useful to see the current user's name next to the button, just in case you're terminalled in with a different account.  I chose Mixed Mode and set the SA password.

clip_image001

This directory is probably going to get flagged for being too long in Scandisk... but I chose the defaults anyway.

Where's the directory to set SQL error logs & SQL Agent logs? 

image

Of course you have to add FILESTREAM as a tab in this UI too, just to confuse the infrastructure guys during the install.  I turned this one on and exposed a file share.  Stress levels elevated.  I wasn't crazy enough to allow remote clients to have streaming access to FILESTREAM data. 

image

My favourite button is back.

image

This screen has the location of the Log files.  Why didn't SQL? Stress levels decreased, though those paths are way too long.  This makes Analysis Services look way too simple. :)

image

Decisions, decisions... stress levels elevated.   How come there isn't an option to back out of Reporting Services install altogether?  You telling me I need to go back to the beginning?  Agh.  Some mention should be made that there's no IIS required, as this was really a sticking point for DBAs in the past.

I'll pick native mode.  It would be good to know if we could choose both Native & SharePoint, for maximum flexibility.

image

I'll uncheck these two.  The first one is a bit vague... where exactly am I sending this info?

For kicks I view the privacy statement.  Stress levels elevated.

Microsoft is committed to protecting the security of your information. We use a variety of security technologies and procedures to help protect your information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. For example, we store the information you provide on computer servers with limited access that are located in controlled facilities.

Ok, so my private info is stored on servers behind lock and key.  Along with a unique, non-identifying GUID based on my machine.  I'm ok with that.  The privacy statement has enough details for me to be reassured that Microsoft techies won't be buying stuff on eBay with my credit card, though they may laugh at how poorly my computer is running with 10 SQL Services from 3 different versions.  Stress levels back to normal.

image

I have to scroll both Horizontally and Vertically?  What's BOL & OCS? :)  Hopefully the program identifiers & acronyms get ditched in the final release summary and it just gives me a message saying "I'm installing what you told me.  Go get a coffee."

Now I am Ready to install SQL Server.  What have I been doing for the past 1/2 hour?

image

Finalizing setting calculations... installing doomsday virus... configurating flopticality...

Doh.

image

I chopped out the rest, but It's something to do with the domain security account I used (mine) not existing (it does, since I'm logged on with it.)

It's error code 0x84B40000

It doesn't look like a recoverable error either.  I got booted out of the install.  I guess I won't add myself as an administrator with my favourite button.  :(

 

2nd Attempt

I didn't click my favourite button, and instead added the service account I setup as a SQL & SSAS admin.  After about 45 minutes all of the services installed, and I'm now up and running with SQL 2008.

 

Some of the things I'm looking forward to trying out that are related to projects I have worked on in the past. 

Getting Traction with SQL Server 2008 Filestream

Zach and I just spent a couple of days figuring out how to make use of the new FILESTREAM support in SQL Server 2008 and we thought we'd share a little bit about the experience in hopes it might save somebody some time.

rdoherty's WebLog : Getting Traction with SQL Server 2008 Filestream

 

The HierarchyID Datatype in SQL Server 2008

By J P R, 2008/03/25

Introduction

In this article, I will present a new feature of SQL Server 2008: the HierarchyID data-type. We will see that this new data-type provides a new way to design trees in databases. It adds functionalities to T-SQL language and improves whole performance.

That article explains deeply the new type and gives you some samples, with a comparison with classic way, based on CTE.

Source code is available here: code source

Note: SQL scripts work with SQL Server 2008 CTP2 (july)

http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/SQL+Server+2008/62204/

 

MOLAP Writeback

Introduction

In a recent post, I started investigating around a new Analysis Services 2008 feature: writeback partition with MOLAP storage.

Unfortunately, I got stopped by a bug in SQL Server 2008 CTP 5 which disallowed me from committing my updates.

SQL Server 2008 CTP 6 is now available. I can now continue from where I stopped last time.

http://bimatters.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!9CF41EA10109E385!164.entry

No comments: