Installing Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express

What is Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express¶

SQL Server 2005 Express Edition is a free, lightweight version of SQL Server 2005, which is Microsoft's Enterprise Database Management System. HIS Server Lite uses SQL Server Express to host ODM databases, which are used to store and manipulate observations data. SQL Server Express Edition includes SQL Server 2005 Management Studio Express which is a graphical management tool that allows you to manage your SQL Server databases. Because SQL Server 2005 Express Edition is free, it can be used to host the ODM Databases for HIS Server Lite.

Installing Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express¶

Use the following steps to install SQL Server 2005 Express Edition:

Download the installation file for SQL Server Express from Microsoft http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/express/bb410792.aspx. It is recommended that you download the SQL Server 2005 Express Edition with Advanced Services SP2. This version includes both the database engine and the Management Studio in a sigle install.
Run the Microsoft installer by double clicking on the executable installation file that you downloaded.
On the "Feature Selection" form make sure that you change the option for the Management Studio Express so that it will be installed on your local hard drive (by default only the Database Services will be installed).
On the Instance Name form use the default of "Named Instance" with the name of SQLExpress.
On the Service Account form, select the "Use built-in system account" option and then select "Local System" from the drop down. You may have to choose Advanced Options during installation to see the option to choose "Local System".
On the Authentication Mode form, select "Mixed Mode (Windows Authentication and SQL Server Authentication)". Make sure you set a password for your sa account that you can remember.
Select the defaults on the rest of the forms.

Important Notes:

The Service Accounts that you select for the SQL Server services affect how secure your system will be. You may want to read the Microsoft Help regarding Service Accounts.
SQL Server 2005 Express will prompt you to install the Microsoft .Net Framework Version 2.0 if you do not have it already.
By default, SQL Server Express will not allow connections from remote machines. This means that you will be unable to use components like ODM Tools and the ODM Streaming Data Loader to connect to a SQL Server Express database unless these components are installed on the same machine as SQL Server Express (this is recommended). If you wish to install SQL Server Express on one machine and use ODM Tools and the ODM Streaming Data Loader on another machine, you will need to follow the instructions for configuring SQL Server Express to accect connections from remote machines.