As technology continues to evolve, it is important for professionals in the IT industry to stay up-to-date with the latest advancements. For SQL Server users, this means keeping an eye on the new features and improvements introduced in each version. Recently, I had the opportunity to explore the installation process of SQL Server 2016 and discovered some interesting changes.
When I downloaded the release candidate zero (RC0) for SQL Server 2016 and started the installation, I was surprised to see that the familiar “SQL Server Management Studio” was missing from the feature list. In previous versions, this tool was included as part of the installation process.
However, I soon discovered that SQL Server Management Studio is now a separate installer and needs to be installed separately. This change came as a pleasant surprise, as it allows users to choose which components they want to install and keep their environment more streamlined.
During the installation process, I noticed that the setup logs are stored in the “%localappdata%\temp\SsmsSetup” folder. These logs can be helpful for troubleshooting any errors encountered during the installation.
After completing the installation, I took a look at the list of installed components. Some of the components included in the RC0 setup were:
- Microsoft .NET Framework 4.6.1
- Microsoft System CLR Types for SQL Server 2016 RC0
- Microsoft Report Viewer for SQL Server 2016 RC0
- Microsoft SQL Server 2016 Policies RC0
- Microsoft SQL Server 2016 T-SQL Language Service RC0
- SQL Server 2016 RC0 SQL Diagnostics
- Active Directory Authentication Library for SQL Server
- SQL Server 2016 RC0 Connection Info
- SQL Server 2016 RC0 Batch Parser
- SQL Server 2016 RC0 XEvent
- SQL Server 2016 RC0 DMF
- SQL Server 2016 RC0 Shared Management Objects Extensions
- SQL Server 2016 RC0 Shared Management Objects
- SQL Server 2016 RC0 Common Files
- Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Service Pack 1
- SQL Server 2016 RC0 Management Studio Extensions
- SQL Server 2016 RC0 Management Studio
- SQL Server 2016 RC0 Client Tools Extensions
- SQL Server 2016 RC0 Client Tools
It is worth mentioning that SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) can also be downloaded separately from the Microsoft website. This allows users to have more control over their installation and choose only the components they need.
Overall, I believe that the decision to separate the installer for the client tool and server components is a positive change. It gives users the flexibility to install only what they require, reducing unnecessary clutter in their environment.
Have you had the chance to install SQL Server 2016 on your testing or virtual machine? If so, I would love to hear about your experience with the new installer. Feel free to share your thoughts and any tips or tricks you discovered during the installation process.