# Install Microsoft SQL Server 2016 or earlier

To install a SQL Server instance (SQL Server 2016 or earlier):

1. Run the Microsoft SQL Server installation program and select the **Custom** installation type. Wait for the necessary files to be downloaded to your computer.
2. Once the files are downloaded, the **SQL Server Installation Center** window opens.
3. On the **Installation** page, select **New SQL Server stand-alone installation or add features to an existing installation**.
4. Click **Next** and follow onscreen instructions until you get to the **Feature Selection** page.
5. On the **Feature Selection** page, make sure that at least the following SQL Server features are selected for installation:
   * **Database Engine Services**
   * **Reporting Services - Native**
6. Click **Next**.
7. On the **Instance Configuration** page, select the **Named instance** option and enter an instance name. When naming the instance, you have the following options:
   * Enter "RASREPORTING", which is the default instance name used by Parallels RAS Reporting. If you use this name, you don't have to specify it later when installing RAS Reporting and configure it in the RAS Console. This is the recommended option.
   * If you would like to use a different name, you can do that, but you will have to make sure that you use this name when installing and configuring RAS Reporting. The instructions for installing RAS Reporting (described later in this chapter) indicate where the instance name must be specified, so if you follow the instructions, you won't miss it. Note that the instance name cannot contain dashes, dots and some other characters.

     After entering the instance name, make sure that it is also set in the **Instance ID** field.
8. Click **Next** and proceed to the **Database Engine Configuration** page.
9. On the **Database Engine Configuration** page, select the **Server Configuration** tab and add the following users to the **SQL Server administrators** list:
   * Local administrator (e.g. Administrator)
   * AD administrator (if you are just testing Parallels RAS Reporting on a local server, you can exclude this account).
   * SYSTEM (click **Add**, type "SYSTEM", click **Check Names** and click **OK**; the account will appear in the list as "NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM").
10. Complete the wizard using default settings on remaining pages.
11. Wait for the SQL Server installation to finish. On the **Complete** page, make sure that the installation was successful and exist the wizard.

## Install SQL Server Management Tools

You should also install SQL Server management tools, specifically the SQL Server Management Studio. It is not required by RAS Reporting, but it is an essential SQL Server management tool that you might find useful. If you've never worked with SQL Server Management Studio before and not sure whether you need it, we suggest you install it. For example, you can use it to view RAS Reporting database tables, constraints, and stored procedures, which may help you better understand the RAS Reporting database design. The installation link is provided on the **SQL Server Installation Center** window.

## Configure Microsoft SQL Server 2016 and earlier

When using Microsoft SQL Server 2016 and earlier version, it must be configured for remote connections as follows:

1. Open Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio.
2. Right-click on the server and select **Properties**.
3. Go to **Connections** and select **Allow Remote**.
4. Open SQL Server Configuration Manager and go to **SQL Server Network Configuration** > **Protocols** for RASREPORTING.
5. Right-click on **TCP/IP** and choose **Properties**.
6. Make sure the **Enabled** property is set to **Yes**.
7. Select the **IP Address** tab and locate the **IPAll** section. Set the **TCP Dynamic Ports** field to be blank and the **TCP Port** field to "1433".
8. Restart SQL Server. To do so, in the SQL Server Configuration Manager, right-click the SQL Server service and choose **Restart**.
9. After the restart, in the SQL Server Configuration Manager, right-click on **SQL Server Browser** and choose **Properties**.
10. Select the **Service** tab and set the **Start Mode** property to **Automatic**.
11. Start the SQL Server Browser.

## Configure Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services

To configure Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services, follow these steps:

1. Run the Reporting Service Configuration Manager (**Start** > **Apps** > **Microsoft SQL Server 2016** > **Reporting Services Configuration Manager**).
2. In the **Reporting Services Configuration Connection** dialog that opens, do the following:
   * Make sure the **Server Name** field contains the name of the server hosting the SQL Server instance.
   * Make sure the **Report Server Instance** field contains the name of the SQL Server instance that you've created earlier. If you used the default Parallels RAS name, it will appear as "RASREPORTING". If you used a different instance name, select that name.
3. Click **Connect**. If the connection is successful, the **Reporting Services Configuration Manager** window opens.
4. Select the **Web Service URL** category (not to be confused with Web Portal URL) in the left pane and set the following properties in the right pane:
   * **Virtual Directory:** Make sure that the directory name is "ReportServer\_RASREPORTING". If you used a different name for the SQL Server instance, you should see that name instead of the "RASREPORTING" part.
   * **TCP port:** Set the port number to 8085.
5. Click the **Apply** button to apply the settings.
6. Select the **Web Portal URL** category in the left pane and then do the following:
   * Make sure that the **Virtual Directory** field is set to "Reports\_\<InstanceName>", where "InstanceName" is the name of your SQL Server instance. The default Parallels RAS name would be "Reports\_RASREPORTING".
   * Examine the **URLs** field. Make sure that the port number after the server name is 8085. If it's not, click the **Advanced** button and change the port number.
7. Verify that you can access the Reporting Services Web Portal by clicking the URL on the **Web Portal URL** page. This should open the SQL Server Reporting Services home page in a web browser.
8. Click **Exit** to close the Reporting Services Configuration Manager.