Microsoft SQL Server is not just a database engine, it has become a very complex and robust technology set for data management, analysis, and visualizations over the years. As the progress of technologies incorporated with SQL Server grows, it is more complicated to decide which specific technology is actually needed, how to prepare the environment for its installation, and which configuration properties administrators should be aware of.
In this chapter, we will cover the following topics:
- Microsoft SQL Server 2017 technology overview: What SQL Server technology set contains and what is the purpose of each technology
- Preparing for installation: Which prerequisites and preinstallation steps are needed
- Installation process: What happens during installation, which settings are the most important ones, and which post-installation steps are necessary and recommended
