UPDATE YourTable

SET ImageColumn= ( SELECT * FROM OPENROWSET (BULK ‘C:\Temp\arms4.jpg’, SINGLE_BLOB) AS a)

WHERE FilterColumn = ‘Filter Value’

In the final  (optional) part we’ll apply some performance tweaks from BlackViper, just to lighten the VM and make it run a bit more smoothly.

TAKE A BACKUP NOW! You can break your VM doing this so snapshot, backup – whatever you prefer – but do it. Now.

Disable the following services:

• Diagnostic Policy Service
• Diagnostic Policy Host
• Diagnostic System Host
• IP Helper
• Power
• Print Spooler
• Problem Reports and Solutions Control Panel Support
• Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Locator
• Remote Registry
• Smart Card
• Smart Card Removal Policy
• Windows Font Cache Service
• Windows Remote Management (WS-Management)

Then Restart your machine. You are now done and can start adding content to your Demo machine and exploring SQL2012 features!

The final part is to install Office – specifically Excel – and the key Add-Ins that you will need for demo purposes.

Important:  We want to install 64-bit Office to leverage PowerPivot in Excel properly. So don’t use the default Setup option, but navigate to the x64 folder on the installation media and run that version of setup.

1. Run 64 Bit Office setup and get the Product Key screen:

Fig 7.1: Product Key

2. Enter your key

3. Click Continue for the Licence Terms dialog. Accept the licence terms

4. Click Continue. This will bring you to the Installation Type screen:

Fig 7.2: Installation Type

We only want certain components so choose “Customize”, which gives the Installation Options dialog:

Fig 7.3: Installation Options

5. Follow the settings shown above to remove the following components:

• Access
• InfoPath
• OneNote
• Outlook
• Publisher
• Word

You can be flexible with the above – for example I’ve left in PowerPoint as it’s often easier to demo the slide decks from within the VM during demos – but the lighter the install the better. Enter User Information if you want.

Important Check: If you see an additional tab in the dialog in Fig 6.3 called “Platform” you are installing 32-bit – cancel and start again, installing the 64 bit version as described at the start.

6. Once configured, click “Install Now”. It’s time for another progress bar and a meal, this one takes a while:

Fig 7.4: Installation Progress

Eventually you will get the completion screen:

Fig 7.5: Completion

7. Click close.

8. Restart the VM, run Windows Update, Install any updates and Restart again for good measure.

9. Install the PowerPivot add-in. Run the x64 Installer:

Fig 7.6: PowerPivot Excel AddIn Installer

10. Click Next for the Licence Terms screen. Accept the licence terms.

12. Click Next then enter your details on the Registration Information screen

13. Click Next for the confirmation screen

14. Click Install. Enjoy the progress bar:

Fig 7.7: PowerPivot Excel AddIn Installer

15. Once complete, click Finish.

16. Install the Data Mining Add In:

Fig 7.8: Data Mining for Excel AddIn

18. Click Next for the Licence terms screen. Accept the licence terms.

19. Click next to get to the Feature Selection:

Fig 7.9: Data Mining for Excel AddIn Feature Selection

In a change from the default, select the Data Mining Client for Excel.

20. Click Next for the COnfirmation Screen.

21. Click Install at the next screen.

22. Click Finish once completed.

And that’s it! You have a complete demo machine. Optionally you can do some further tweaks for performance or just get stuck in. If you haven’t been religiously taking snapshots, now is a very good time to take one and baseline your VM.

Optionally, you can now move on to Part 7 – Performance Tweaks

So, now for another couple of meaty installs. First of all, SharePoint. Note this must be Enterprise Edition otherwise the PowerPivot components won’t work.

1. First up we need to run the PreRequisiteInstaller that can be found in the root of the Installation Media directory:

Fig 6.1: Prerequisite Installer

This uses an Internet connection so make sure yours is up and running before proceeding. Double-click to get it running. It will present you with the SharePoint 2010 Products Preparation Tool dialog.

Fig 6.2: SharePoint 2010 Products Preparation tool

2. Click Next, Accent the license terms on the next screen and click Next, then enjoy the progress bar:

Fig 6.3: SharePoint Products Preparation Tool

This is another “cup of tea” step, so off you go. When done, you will be presented with this dialog:

Fig 6.4: SharePoint 2010 Products Preparation tool

3. Click Finish.

4. Run Windows Update, install whatever it finds and then restart before we get on to installing SharePoint.

5. First up in installing SharePoint is entering your product key:

Fig 6.5: SharePoint Product Key

6. Enter your key and click continue. At the next screen accept the licence terms and click continue. The next screen is the File Location screen:

Fig 6.6: File Locations

7. Accept the defaults and click “Install Now”. Enjoy the progress bar – go and make a light meal or something, this one takes a while.

Fig 6.7: Install Progress

When it’s complete, you’ll get the option to run the configuration wizard:

Fig 6.8: SharePoint Configuration Wizard

8. Very Important: Uncheck this option and click “Close”. Restart the VM.

9. Next we are going to install Service Pack 1. Copy it locally on to your VM and run it (if you are doing this using Oracle VirtualBox, do this via the Shared Folders feature).

Fig 6.9: SharePoint 2010 Service Pack 1

10. Accept the licence terms and click Continue. Watch the various progress bars:

Fig 6.10: SharePoint 2010 Service Pack 1

11. Once complete, click OK and restart the VM.

Now it’s time to install SQL Server for the 3rd and final time! Note the source of all of below is from this MSDN Article.

12. Run though setup to install a new stand-alone installation as show in part 4 right up until we get to the Setup Role dialog.

Fig 6.11: Setup Role

13. Here we choose to install “SQL Server PowerPivot for SharePoint” – and we also Check the “Add SQL Server Database Relational Engine Services to this installation”.

14. Click Next to get the Feature Selection dialog:

Fig 6.12: Feature Selection

15. You have no options here so just click Next.

16. Click Next at Installation rules and move on to the Instance Configuration screen:

Fig 6.13: Instance Configuration

An Instance called POWERPIVOT is suggested – nothing else needs to be done

17.  Click Next for the Disk Space requirements screen

18. Click Next and get to the Server Configuration dialog:

Fig 6.14: Server Configuration

19. As in previous Installs we need to set the Account Name and Password of the SSAS instance to that of Administrator.

20. Click Next. Repeat the steps for installation as for the first instance:

• Database Engine Configuration – Add Current User as SQL Administrator
• Analysis Services Configuration – Add Current User as SSAS Administrator
• Click Next at Error Reporting
• Click Next at Installation Configuration Rules
• Click Install at Ready to Install
• Go make another cup of tea.
• When it’s complete – click Complete!

Once it’s complete, it’s time to configure SharePoint.

21. Close the SQL Server Installation window.

22. Open the PowerPivot Configuration Tool from Start Menu > All Programs > SQL Server 2012 > Configuration Tools:

Fig 6.15: PowerPivot Configuration Tool

This launches the tool:

Fig 6.16: PowerPivot Configuration Tool

23. As it’s the first run, there’s only one option – click OK. Expand the window to full size – sometimes it appears blank as if it’s hung, but all is OK once expanded. Here we have the full screen of the tool:

Fig 6.17: PowerPivot Configuration Tool

24. Enter the Account Password and decide on a Passphrase – this is only needed for adding servers to the farm, which doesn’t matter in this case. Note down the port number for the SharePoint Central Administration Port – it’s randomly generated so won’t be the same for each install.

25. Click “Register SQL Server Analysis Services (PowerPivot) on Local Server” on the left hand side:

Fig 6.18: PowerPivot Configuration Tool

26. Enter the Administrator Account password in the text box on the right.

27. Click Validate, and if everything passes click Run. You will see the following warning:

Fig 6.19: PowerPivot Configuration Tool

This is fine.

28. Click Yes. Then wander off for another cup of tea. You will eventually get this:

Fig 6.20: PowerPivot Configuration Tool

29. Click OK, and then Exit on the Main  PowerPivot configuration tool menu.

30. Restart so we can move on to the final part – enabling the components in SharePoint (as per this MSDN article)

First we need to Install and Start the Reporting Services SharePoint service, which we do by running a handful of Powershell commands.

31. From the Start button, choose All Programs > Microsoft SharePoint 2010 Products and right click on SharePoint2010 Management Shell and Run as Administrator:

Fig 6.21: SharePoint 2010 Management Shell

This will bring up the shell, which is a PowerShell command prompt:

Fig 6.22: SharePoint 2010 Management Shell

32. From the prompt run the following  commands:

• Install-SPRSService

• Install-SPRSServiceProxy

• get-spserviceinstance -all |where {$_.TypeName -like "SQL Server Reporting*"} | Start-SPServiceInstance

You won’t get much feedback from running those commands:

Fig 6.23: SharePoint 2010 Management Shell

But don’t worry – stuff has happened.

Now, we need to create the Reporting Services Application in SharePoint.

33. From the Start button, choose All Programs > Microsoft SharePoint 2010 Products and click on SharePoint Central Administration:

Fig 6.24: SharePoint 2010 Central Administration

It will take a little while to start up, so don’t panic if it just looks like it’s taking forever to load. If it throws an error just hit F5 to refresh – the services take a while to start up first time round. Eventually you will see this:

Fig 6.25: SharePoint 2010 Central Administration

When we get to the page, first note that there is a warning about some critical issues – ignore these – as this is a Demo machine the issues raised don’t actually matter.

34. Under the “Application Management” group, click “Manage Service Applications”:

Fig 6.26: Create New Application

35. In the Ribbon, click New and in the dropdown choose “SQL Server Reporting Services Service Application.”. This will bring up the “Create SQL Server Reporting Services Application” dialog:

Fig 6.27: Create SQL Server Reporting Services Application

36. As shown above enter a Name for the Service Application. In the Application Pool Section choose “Create new application pool” (the default) and give it the same name as the Service Application. Scroll down to the next part of the dialog:

Fig 6.28: Create SQL Server Reporting Services Application

37. Leave the Database server & name as default, and leave Windows authentication selected. In the “Web Application Association” check the only available box. Then click OK and watch it spin:

Fig 6.29: Create SQL Server Reporting Services Application

You will ultimately see this:

Fig 6.30: Create SQL Server Reporting Services Application

If you want to Provision Subscriptions and Alerts, read this: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh231725.aspx. I’m not doing it in this example, so just click OK to close the dialog.

The below section added 02 May 2012

38. Now for enabling Report Builder components and other goodies on your SharePoint site. This section is an extension of this MSDN article. Go to the home page of your SharePoint page (not central admin) which should be found by browsing to http://localhost/ – or http://{your machine name}/. It may take a while to load but you should see this:

Fig 6.31: Your SharePoint BI Home Page

39. Click on the Shared Documents link in the left hand side navigation pane:

Fig 6.32: Your SharePoint BI site Shared Documents Page

40. Click on the Library Tab in the Ribbon:

Fig 6.33: Shared Documents Library

41. Click on the Library Settings button at the far right of the ribbon.

Fig 6.34: Library Settings

42. Under General settings, click on Advanced Settings.

Fig 6.35: Library Settings - Advanced

43. At the top change the option under “Content Types” for “Allow management of content types” to Yes.

44. Scroll to the bottom and click OK. You’ll return to the Library Settings:

Fig 6.36: Library Settings

45. At the bottom you will see an option under Content Types to “Add from existing site content types”. Click it.

46. You will be presented with the Content Types to add. Select everything under “SQL Server Reporting Services Content Types” and “Business Intelligence”.

Fig 6.37: SQL Server Reporting Services Content Types

Fig 6.38: Business Intelligence Content Types

47. Click OK. Now when you try to add a Document you can add Data Sources, and launch Report Builder by choosing a Report Builder Report document type.

48. Now, we can move on to Build your own SQL 2012 Demo Machine – Part 6 – Office Components

We’ll have to run through this three times to install the different instances required, but two warm up ones are required before we get to SharePoint and PowerPivot for SharePoint. First of all we need to install everything for the default instance.

1. Run setup, choose installation and select New SQL Server stand alone installation.

Fig 5.1: New SQL Server Installation

2. This will run through Setup Support Rules, after which you should see this:

Fig 5.2: Setup Support Rules

3. Click on OK. Next you get the Product Key screen:

Fig 5.3: Product Key Screen

4. Enter your Product Key (or choose Evaluation if appropriate) and click Next. The License Terms dialog comes up:

Fig 5.4: License Terms

5. Accept the license terms, and Feature usage if you want to share. Then click Next. Some chugging will occur and you will then get the Setup Support Rules dialog pop up with a couple of warnings:

Fig 5.5: Setup Support Rules Warnings

These warnings are

• It doesn’t like the fact you are installing SQL on a Domain Controller – nothing we can do about that
• It doesn’t like the fact Windows Firewall is on – as we don’t plan remote access, we don’t care

6. Click Next. Here we choose what we are going to install.

Fig 5.6: Setup Role

7. Choose a SQL Server Feature Installation and click Next. This brings up the Feature Selection.

Fig 5.7: Feature Selection

Click on select all, leaving the feature directory paths untouched.

8. Click Next. This will lead to the Installation Rules dialog

Fig 5.8: Installation Rules

Everything should have passed.

9. Click Next. This brings us to Instance Configuration:

Fig 5.9: Instance Configuration

We are going to install the Default instance, and leave all settings as is.

10. Click Next to bring up the Disk Space requirements dialog.

Fig 5.10: Disk Space Requirements

Everything should be OK.

11. Click Next. The Server Configuration dialog comes up:

Fig 5.11: Server Configuration

This will advise (if you try and move on) that the SSAS Account is invalid.

12. Click the dropdown in Account Name to browse for a new user.

Fig 5.12: Select User

Type “admin” and click the “Check Names” button. This should validate the name and change it to “Administrator”. Then click OK. Enter the password in the dialog from Fig 5.11.

13. Click Next – we won’t be changing the default collation.

Fig 5.13: Database Engine Configuration

We will only be using Windows Authentication mode, so leave that as per the default. Click the “Add Current User” button to make the Administrator the SQL Administrator. Change the Data Directories if you want to customise them – though there isn’t much need for a demo box – and leave Filestream turned off.

14. Click Next to bring up the Analysis Services configuration dialog.

Fig 5.14: Analysis Services Configuration

We are going to install Multidimensional SSAS (i.e. old school OLAP). As before, click Add Current user to make the Administrator the SSAS Administrator. Configure the Data Directories if you want.

15. Click Next to get to Reporting Services configuration.

Fig 5.15: Reporting Services Configuration

Here we will make a change to Reporting Services Native Mode, and switch it to Install Only.

16. Click Next for Error Reporting.

Fig 5.16: Error Reporting

17. Click Next for the installation configuration rules. Expand by clicking on “Show Details”.

Fig 5.17: Instance Configuration Rules

Everything should have passed.

18. Click Next to get to the Installation Confirmation screen

Fig 5.18: Ready to Install

And we’re good to go!

19. Click Install and watch the Installation Progress Bar. At this point I’d advise doing something else – this can take an hour or two.

Fig 5.19: Installation Complete

And, all going to plan, everything is done.

20. Click OK, Close the Setup dialog, then reboot the machine. If necessary install updates and restart again.

21. Now, for our 2nd Install of SQL Server – this time to get in the Tabular Mode Analysis Server. Run Setup again, and repeat all of the steps above (on the way you will go through the Product Updates check, just go through this and click Next) until you get to the Installation Type Screen:

Fig 5.20: Installation Type

Here we are performing a new installation.

22. Click Next, Enter your product key again, accept licence terms, and then perform a SQL Server Feature installation (as in Fig 5.6).

23. Click Next to get to Feature Selection.

Fig 5.21: Feature Selection

Check Analysis Services only.

24. Click Next. You’ll pass on to Instance Configuration:

Fig 5.22: Instance Configuration

Now we Install a Named Instance. I’ve opted to call it TABULAR. Call it anything you like except POWERPIVOT – that Instance will get created later for SharePoint integration. Then, click Next to get to Disk Space Requirements.

25. Click Next again to Server Configuration:

Fig 5.23: Server Configuration

As in Figures 5.11 & 5.12 we need to set the Service Account to Administrator and enter the password.

26. Click Next to get to Analysis Services configuration:

Fig 5.24: Analysis Services Configuration

This time we are installing the Server in Tabular Mode, so change the default Server Configuration.  As before, make the Administrator the SSAS Administrator by clicking the “Add Current User” button.

27. Click Next. Run through all subsequent screens until you get to the Ready to Install dialog, then click Install, and go make another cup of tea. When Installation is complete, restart and get ready for the SharePoint install.

Configuring Data Quality Services (This section was added on 01 May)

28: Next we need to configure Data Quality Services by doing the Post Installation tasks. As per the MSDN Article, locate DQSInstaller.exe under Start > All Programs > Microsoft SQL Server 2012 > Data Quality Services > Data Quality Server Installer:

Fig 5.25: Data Quality Server Installer

29: Click it to start execution. You will be presented with a command Prompt window asking for a Database Master Key.

Fig 5.26: Data Quality Server Installer - Database Master Key

30. Enter a suitable password (note it down!) and hit enter. Re-enter it to confirm and hit enter again. The process will run for a while. Until you get the completion message in the command prompt:

Fig 5.27: Data Quality Server Installer - Completion

31. Hit enter. The command window will close.

32. Launch SQL Server Management Studio and connect to the default Instance of SQL Server. Locate your Administrator Role under Security:

Fig 5.28: Server Security for Default Instance

33. Double click to launch  the Login Properties.

Fig 5.29: Login Properties

34. As indicated above, select the “User Mapping” tab.

35. Map the DQS_MAIN database

36: Check the dqs_administrator role.

37: Click OK, then close SQL Server Management Studio. Data Quality Services is now configured.

38. Move on to Build your own SQL 2012 Demo Machine – Part 5 – SharePoint & PowerPivot

If you are following from Step 2, Windows Server 2008R2 should be installing, and you just need to wait for thsi first dialog to appear.

1: Set your locale options

Fig 4.1: Set your locale preferences

The only thing I’ve changed from default is to change my time and currency to Australia, as that’s where I am. Then I clicked Next.

2: Install – go on – click it!

Fig 4.2: Install Now

3: Choose the version to Install. We want Enterprise (Full Installation):

Fig 4.3: Choose Install Version

Click Next, then on the next screen accept the licensing terms.

4: Do a Custom Installation:

Fig 4.4: Choose Installation Type

I’ve no idea why there isn’t simply a “New Install” option.

5: Specify Install location – use the fixed disk we created earlier

Fig 4.5: Choose Install Location

Click Next and go have a break. This bit takes a while. Eventually…

6: Set the Administrator password:

Fig 4.6: Change the Administrator Password

Fig 4.7: Change the Administrator Password

Fig 4.8: Change the Administrator Password

7: The Server will now log you in and you can start configuring. At this point I start recommending taking snapshots of the VM – save points in case you need to roll back and restart from a certain point. From the Oracle VirtualBox manager, click on the snapshot button to view available snapshots:

Fig 4.9: View available snapshots

8. Click on the photo icon to take a snapshot

Fig 4.10: Take a snapshot

Name it

9. Click OK. From now on any further activity will be building on this snapshot.

Fig 4.11: Name the snapshot

10: Back to configuring Windows. There’s a bundle of things to do, so we’ll do them in batches. From the Initial Configuration screen, we need to activate Windows and Automatic Updates:

Fig 4.12: Initial Configuration Tasks

Activation is straightforward – just click on the link and enter your product key.

For Updates, just turn on automatic updates. It’ll go through a check and install a bunch of updates. This can be a bit slow and painful but will lead to a more stable build. You may get a few prompts, just OK everything you want in the build, and there inevitably will be restarts involved. It will prompt for the installation of Internet Explorer 9 – OK this – it is supported for PowerView and SSRS. Once you have downloaded, installed and restarted enough times that Windows Update goes silent, we can move on to the next stage.

11: Turn your server into a Domain Controller. This is required for SharePoint 2010′s BI features. These steps are as per this guide from Clement DeLarge, but repeated for your benefit below.

12. From the Server Manager click “Roles” then “Add Roles”

Fig 4.13: Add a Server Role

A “Before You Begin” dialog will pop up, just click next as there’s no actions here.

13. Next choose to add the “Active Directory Domain Services” Role:

Fig 4.14: Add the Active Directory Domain Services Role

This will launch a prompt to add the required .Net Framework 3.5.1 Required features (this is also needed by SharePoint and SQL on their own) -

14. Click on the “Add Required Features” button.

Fig 4.15 Add Required Feature .Net Framework 3.5.1

This window will then close and you’ll be back to the screen shown in Fig 4.14 but with the checkbox for Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) now checked.

15. Click Next. This brings you to the AD DS overview screen. Read it if you want

16. Click Next. This is the installation confirmation screen.

Fig 4.16: Installation Confirmation Screen

17. Choose Install, and the installation process will run through. Once completed you will get an option to close where the Install button was in the above screenshot.

18.Click it. This will then return you to the Server Manager, which will indicate an issue with AD DS.

Fig 4.17: Active Directory Domain Services Warning

19. Click the warning. It will lead you to the summary screen which warns you you are not yet running AD DS and you need to run a Wizard.

Fig 4.18: Active Directory Domain Services Warning

20. Click the link to launch the wizard.

Fig 4.19: Active Directory Domain Services Installation Wizard

21. Click Next. A warning screen comes up about compatibility with other OSes which we can ignore as this is a standalone machine. Click next to choose the .Deployment Configuration.

Fig 4.20: AD DS Deployment Configuration

22. This is a new, standalone machine so choose “Create a new domain in a new forest”

23. Click next. This will lead you to to name your new forest.

Fig 4.21: Name the Forest Root Domain

I’ve been fairly unimaginative here and just called it SQL2012.net (it needs to be something.something). Feel free to call it whatever you like, then

24. Click Next. It will then run through some checks to make sure the name is OK.

The next dialog is to select the Forest Functional Level.

Fig 4.22: Select the Forest Functional Level

25. Once again, as this is a Standalone machine we can not worry about backward compatibility and select “Windows Server 2008R2″

26. Click Next. Again it will run through some checks then bring you to the next dialog, “Additional Domain Controller Options”.

Fig 4.23: Additional Domain Controller Options

Leave the DNS Server checkbox ticked and

27. Click Next. You may now see a warning about Static IP Assignment.

Fig 4.24: Static IP warning

28. Choose No – It only really matters on a real Domain Controller, but static IP’s will help avoid any networking confusion down the line.The dialog will close.

29. Go to the Control Panel, and choose Network and Internet, then Network and Sharing Center, and finally Change Adapter Settings, which will lead you to a display of available adapters (there should be only one):

Fig 4.25: Network Adapters

Right click and choose properties to get the following dialog:

Fig 4.26: Network Adapter Properties

30. In the above dialog, uncheck “Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6).

31. As indicated above, select “Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)” and click the Properties button to get a dialog like this:

Fig 4.27: IPv4 Properties

DO NOT COPY THESE NUMBERS. They are machine specific and can be found by the following:

32. Run the command prompt and enter the command ipconfig /all. Find the active Ethernet adapter:

Fig 4.28: Guest Ethernet Adapter IP properties

Not taking my word as gospel , you then enter the following based on the default gateway as AAA.BBB.CCC.DDD:

IP Address = AAA.BBB.CCC.(DDD+20)

Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0

Default Gateway: AAA.BBB.CCC.DDD

DNS Servers are a little trickier. I found that I needed to set them to the DNS servers of the host.

33. So I had to run ipconfig on the host and use those DNS servers addresses:

Fig 4.29: Host IP Configuration

I then filled the Preferred DNS Server and the Alternate DNS Server with the numbers in the yellow boxes. Note that whenever your machine changes network, you will need to change these numbers. And sometimes, on corporate networks, you just won’t be able to get a working internet connection. VirtualBox is a bit flaky in this regard, it appears.

If none of this works, switch back to the default “Obtain Automatically” options… and phone a friend. No, another friend… I don’t do networks and would never have worked this out without the help of a colleague.

34. Click OK on the dialog in Fig 4.27, and Close on the dialog in Fig 4.26.

Return to the dialog in Fig 4.23 and click Next.

It will run through some checks again, then throw up this warning:

Fig 4.30: Parent Zone Warning

35. Click Yes to continue, there us no Parent Zone for us to worry about. The next dialog specifies default storage paths.

Fig 4.31: Storage Paths

36. Leave these untouched and click Next. You now need to set a Restore Mode password.

Fig 4.32: Restore Mode Administrator Password

37. I just reused my Administrator password as this isn’t a production machine. Finally you get to a summary screen. Review your settings.

Fig 4.33: AD DS Summary Screen

38. Click Next and the configuration process begins. Once it’s completed you’ll see this screen:

Fig 4.34: AD DS Wizard Finish screen

39. Restart, install any new updates and restart again if required.

Some browser tweaking needs to be done – we need to disable Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Configuration so we can actually use the browser, and install Silverlight so PowerView will work.

40. From Server Manager, locate the Security Information section and find the link to configure IE ESC:

Fig 4.35: Configure Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Configuration

41. Click it and this dialog pops up:

Fig 4.36: Configure Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Configuration

42. Turn IE ESC off for Administrators and Users and click OK.

43. Next, Install Silverlight. Open up IE and go here: http://www.microsoft.com/getsilverlight/Get-Started/Install/Default.aspx. Click the big install button and follow instructions to install it.

44. Finally, run Windows Update, download and install any updates found and restart. Then our OS setup is complete and we are ready for the first 2 installations of SQL Server!

45. Move on to Build your own SQL 2012 Demo Machine – Part 4 – Installing SQL Server twice

First thing is to set up the Virtual Machine itself. If you haven’t, go install Oracle VM VirtualBox now, and start it up.

1: Set your Default Machine location Folder. From the File menu, select Preferences and enter the correct path in the Default Machine Folder dialog:

Fig 3.1: Set your default machine location folders

This will help prevent the mistake I’ve made a few times of accidentally building a VM where there is no room

2: Create a new VM by clicking on the “New” button on the control ribbon:

Fig 3.2: Create a new VM

3: Click next on the wizard page that appears.

4: Name your VM, Choose the Operating System “Microsoft Windows” and version “Windows 2008 (64 Bit)”, and click next.

Fig 3.3: Choose the VM Guest Operating System

5: Give it plenty of memory – at least 4GB, then click Next.

Anything less that 4GB probably won’t work. Below I’ve allocated about 6GB, leaving 2GB for the host OS, which should be enough. Just don’t expect to be able to do much multitasking while using this demo machine.

Fig 3.4: Configure the VM's RAM allocation

6: Create a new Virtual Hard Disk for your VM to live on. Leave the default options of Start-Up Disk checked, and the Create New Hard Disk radio button selected.

Fig 3.5: Create a Virtual Hard Disk

7: Select the format of the Virtual Disk as VHD, then click Next.

I’ve selected VHD as it makes it more portable. You can use the default VDI if you never plan on using any other virtualisation software.

Fig 3.6: Select the Virtual Hard Disk Format

8: Select the storage type “Fixed Size” then click next. I’ve selected Fixed size for performance reasons, however how much difference this will really make I’m not sure.

Fig 3.7: Select Disk Storage Details

9: Set the disk size to 80GB & check that your VM is being created on your secondary / external drive, then click Next.

For those stretched for space, you may scrape through with 40GB – but if you run out of space during the installs you are stuffed and will have to start again as resisizing VHD’s seems to be a difficult task. 60GB is adequate – 80GB is comfortable, and as I have a 1TB external drive, I can spare the space! As you cannot easily go back and resize the disk, so if you choose the default 20GB by mistake now, you will likely end up having to start over when you run out of space. Yes, I have made this mistake. Twice.

Fig 3.8: Set the Disks size and confirm its Location

10: Create the disk.

Review the summary and if you’ve done everything correctly, click Create to create the disk.

Fig 3.9: Review the Summary then Create the Disk

11: Watch the progress bar as the disk creates. Note this can take quite a long time – mine took about 2.5 hours to build.

Fig 3.10: The Disk Creation Progress Bar

12: Once this is complete another summary screen will appear with a Create button. Click that and your VM is created, and now we need to configure it with all the right software.

13: So, from the VirtualBox main screen, select the VM you have created and click settings:

Fig 3.11: Configure the VM

14: This launches the settings dialog, and under storage we want to add the drives we need to load the software. If you are using physical media, map the CD drive. If you are using .iso files, map them all here now.

Fig 3.12 Add Installation Media

Clicking the Add CD/ DVD Device button brings up this dialog, in which we click Choose Disk:

Fig 3.13: Choose Disk

This opens up the file browser dialog, so map all your iso or DVD drives and you should end up looking like this:

Fig 3.14: All Drives Mapped

Click OK to apply the changes, then start the VM. Windows Server 2008R2 should start installing.

15: Move on to Part 3 – Installing and Configuring Windows Server 2008R2

At the end of it all you will have a blank demo server with all features of SQL2012, SharePoint 2010 with Reporting Services, PowerPivot and PowerView, and Office 2010 ready to demo.

Note there’s some bits I missed out in the first version of the posts which are highlighted in red and dated.

Step 1: Get some hardware

• Find yourself a machine with a 64 bit operating system and at least 100GB of spare disk space and 8GB of RAM
• If this machine has only one internal Hard Drive get an External drive with 100GB of spare disk space
• Download all the software
• Obtain valid license keys
• Follow this guide

Important Hard Drive recommendation: VM’s run significantly better if they aren’t sharing a Hard Drive with the Host Operating System, so all installation should be on a secondary drive. If your machine has two internal drives, create the VM on the secondary one. If your machine only has one internal hard drive I strongly recommend getting an external USB drive to create the VM on.

Step 2: Download all the software you’ll need

These are the components you’ll need. You’ll need access to an MSDN subscription or the install media for core Microsoft components.

• Oracle VM VirtualBox – I used version 4.1.12
• Windows Server 2008R2 SP1 Enterprise (I’ve been informed Server 8 will also work)
• SQL Server 2012 Enterprise
• SharePoint 2010 Enterprise
• SharePoint 2010 Service Pack 1
• Office 2010 Professional  64 Bit Service Pack 1
• Excel Data Mining Add In – 64 Bit
• Excel PowerPivot Add In – 64 Bit

If you are a VMWare or other Virtualisation technology fan, use that instead. Be aware Microsoft’s own VirtualPC is of no use as it doesn’t support 64 bit guest OS’s.

Step 3: Build your base VM

Click here for the detailed walkthrough.

In summary we:

• Create a VM to host a Windows Server 2008R2 environment
• Give it a 80GB fixed disk to install to
• Give it at least 4GB RAM

Step 4: Install Windows Server 2008R2

Click here for the detailed walkthrough.

In summary we:

• Do a Full Installation of Windows Server 2008R2 SP1 – Enterprise Edition
• Make it a Domain Controller (guide here)
• Turn Off Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Configuration
• Install Silverlight (needed for PowerView)

Step 5: Install SQL Server 2012 twice

Click here for the detailed walkthrough.

In summary we:

• Do a Full Feature Install of SQL Server 2012 Enterprise Edition
• Do a Second Install of Analysis Services in Tabular Mode
• Configure Data Quality Services (added 01 May 2012)

Step 6: Install SharePoint and PowerPivot for SharePoint

Click here for the detailed walkthrough.

In summary we:

• Run the SharePoint 2010 Prerequisites Installer
• Install but do not configure SharePoint 2010
• Install SharePoint 2010 Service Pack 1
• Install SQL Server again for PowerPivot for SharePoint features
• Run the PowerPivot for SharePoint configuration tool
• Install and Start the Reporting Services SharePoint Service
• Create the Reporting Services SharePoint Application
• Enable Report Builder components in SharePoint (added 02 May 2012)

Step 7: Install Office Components

Click here for the detailed walkthrough.

In summary we:

• Install Office 2010 Professional components (notably Excel)
• Install the Data Mining for Excel AddIn
• Install the PowerPivot for Excel AddIn

 Step 8: Tweak Windows Server 2008R2 (optional)

Click here for the detailed walkthrough.

In summary we:

• Disable some unused services for performance reasons

Step 9: Use it!

This concludes what has been one of my most epic blog posts ever. I hope it helps you on your SQL Server journey

However there’s one table which I think I’ll let speak for itself, which is expected performance:

DQS Performance

You won’t be using this in a big DW anytime soon…

The key suggestions were:

• Configure the DQS Server to accept bigger chunks of data from SSIS (see the connect for details of how to)
• Increase the SSIS properties DefaultBufferMaxRows and DefaultBufferSize so bigger chunks can be sent by SSIS to the DQS server
  

I revised my original tests slightly, to change from 5 domains to 4 domains so that parallel processing would be counted properly (i.e. when splitting things up it would process the 4 domains in parallel to compare fairly to the single process – as opposed to doing 4+1, as the maximum parallel tasks my processing will allow is 4).

The tweaks I made was setting the DQS Server Chunk size to 100,000, DefaultBufferMaxRows to 104857600 (10 times the default) and DefaultBufferSize to 100,000 (also 10 times the default). This meant in my sample data set of 10,000 rows everything was passed through in one big chunk.

So to remind of my test approach, I did it 3 ways (to allow for previous performance tweaks mooted by the DQS team):

• All in one pass (4 domains in a single component)
• Separate domains (process each domain in a separate path)
• Split data (process the domains in 4 x 2,500k chunks)

The results of testing

Well… it helps. But there’s still a big gap between what can be achieved in the DQS client and what you can get via SSIS. The results are below, comparing the Tuned approach to the Untuned approach, and also the DQS client directly:

DQS Performance with SSIS

I’ve deliberately skipped out the actual numbers because I’m running on a clunky VM, and since I’ve read that Stephen Few book, I’ve learned a few things about conveying messages via data visualisation.

So, here’s the takeaways:

• The new tuning approaches makes a difference – it’s about 3 times faster
• The old tuning approaches still make negligible difference
• Even tuned, SSIS is 5 times slower than the client

I’ll be feeding this all into the DQS team… and see what they come up with next. It would be nice if we can reach a point where performance is comparable with the client.