Installing SQL Server 2016

This is a step-by-step guide on how to install Microsoft SQL Server 2016 SP1. You can use this guide to install the Microsoft SQL Server instance, where you will store the database for Citrix XenApp and XenDesktop 7.15 LTSR, or any other application you like. We will only install the Database Engine Services in this guide. This is also quite a generic installation.

Navigation

1. Install SQL Server 2016
2. Install SQL Server Management Studio 17.1

1. Install SQL Server 2016

SQL Server 2016 RC1 and later require .NET Framework 4.6 for the Database Engine, Master Data Services, or Replication. SQL Server 2016 setup automatically installs .NET Framework. I’m performing this installation on Windows Server 2016.

1.1 Start Setup.exe
1.2 Click Installation, and then click New SQL Server stand-alone installation or add features to an existing installation.

1.3 Specify the edition you are installing by selecting one of the free editions or entering the product key for the edition you have purchased. Click Next

1.4 Accept the license terms, click Next

1.5 Make your selection, click Next

1.6 I’m installing SQL Server 2016 in a test lab, without an internet connection, so I’m just going to click Next

1.7 Click Next on the Install Rules screen

Microsoft .Net Application Security Warning
The machine I’m installing SQL Server on, does not have a connection to the internet. Therefore I’m getting this warning.

Windows Firewall Warning
You can see a list of Firewall ports used by the SQL server in this article on Technet.

1.8 Next up is the Feature Selection Screen. Select Database Engine Services, click Next.

1.9 You can choose to install a named instance, or install a Default instance. Since this is a test lab, I’m just going to install a Default instance, and keep the Default Instance ID, MSSQLSERVER. For more information, see Instance Configuration.

The default instance will of course utilize port 1433 for remote connections. So make sure to create an exception for that port in the Windows Firewall.

1.10 (Again) Since this is a test lab, I’ll just use a domain user account for all services. See Configure Windows Service Accounts and Permissions for best practice related to service accounts for SQL Server.

1.11 On the Collation page you can specify non-default collations for the Database Engine Services we are installing. For more information, see Collations and Unicode Support.

I’m just keeping the default collation, because XenDesktop 7.15 LTSR sets the correct collation on the databases when they are created. Click Next.

1.12 Specify which authentication mode you would like to use for the Database Engine, then specify SQL server administrators. Click Next.

As you can see I’m selecting Windows authentication mode, and I’m choosing to specify a domain group. The group I have specified will be given the sysadmin role on the instance. Which means that I can just add members to that Active Directory group, whenever I need to give someone administrative access to the Database Engine on this SQL Server instance.

In terms of XenDesktop, Windows authentication is required for connections between the Delivery Controller and the SQL Server Site database.

1.13 Click Install.

1.14 Click Close.

2. Install SQL Server Management Studio 17.1

SQL Server Management Studio is an integrated environment for managing any SQL infrastructure, from SQL Server to SQL Database. SSMS provides tools to configure, monitor, and administer instances of SQL.

2.1 Download SQL Server Management Studio (I’m installing version 17.1 here, at the time of writing version 17.3 is the latest)
2.2 Start the installer, by double clicking SSMS-Setup-ENU.exe