Installing SQL Express

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The following description assumes that you do not have any instance of SQL Server installed on your computer. To determine whether you do have such an installation, go to the Windows Control Panel and check "Programs and Features".

Microsoft recommends that SQL Express be installed with a limited permission set and/or as a limited user. For information on this process, see

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms143504.aspx

If you ever intend to have multiple MainBoss users, we offer the following suggestions as options to choose during installation. Your site might decide to make different choices, but our suggestions should help typical users find their way through the many possibilities.

Unless otherwise stated below, we recommend that you accept the default options in each phase of the installation.

• In the Instance Configuration phase of the installation, specify a suitable name for this instance of the server. The default is SQLEXPRESS; however, if you are only going to use this instance of the server for MainBoss, you might specify the name MAINBOSS to make it clear what the instance is being used for.
• In the Database Engine Configuration phase, in the Data Directories section, you have the ability to specify a backup directory: the default location for backup files. Ideally, this should be a directory on a different computer than the one holding the original database files—you don't want your originals and your backups to be on the same computer, because if something happens to that computer, you lose everything.
  
  Also in the Database Engine Configuration phase, in the Account Provisioning section, you can specify who will have administration permissions on this instance of SQL Server. By default, the list will only contain your own name (i.e. the name of the person installing SQL Express). If someone else will be in charge of adding new users to MainBoss, that person will also need SQL Server administration permissions and should be added to the list.
• In the Server Configuration phase, set the SQL Server Browser's startup type to Automatic.

The options above constitute a standard configuration for use with MainBoss Advanced. They match Microsoft's recommendations for SQL Server. If you make different configuration choices, you may find you have to make changes in future. Also, if you run into trouble, MainBoss Technical Support may recommend that you reset your SQL Server options as listed above.

SQL Express Installation Notes: After installing SQL Express, you must enable TCP/IP connections. This process is described later in this guide in the section SQL Server Configuration.

If you intend to connect with SQL Express from other computers, you must also adjust the Server computer's firewall to allow remote users to connect with the SQL Server and the SQL Server Browser. This process is explained in Adjusting the Firewall.

Finally, you may have to adjust your local security settings to allow access to shared files. This process is explained in Local Security Settings.

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