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SQL Sandbox

Timextender Data Integration 24.1+on-premise
Training module, integrated from timextender.training.

To use Timextender and complete the training, you need a target data storage resource.

Do I need a sandbox?

For whom What you do
Sandbox Individual learners Continue with this module to set up the free SQL Server Developer Edition on your local Windows machine. No cloud hosting or extra billing.
Reference architecture Multiple users A client-server setup is recommended: a central server such as a cloud VM hosts the database and the Ingest Service. Choose a platform below for a scalable, production-ready environment.

For the multi-user route, pick a reference architecture in these docs: Azure SQL · Azure Synapse · Snowflake · on-premise SQL Server · AWS RDS. Fabric storage is covered in Using Fabric SQL Database as Storage for Prepare Instances.

Start on your Windows machine

You can configure a sandbox on nearly any existing Windows machine — physical or virtual, with personal or server editions of Windows.

Minimum machine specification for a sandbox

Minimum specifications:

  • CPU: 2.0 GHz
  • Memory: 8 GB
  • Storage: 32 GB of available disk space

Download SQL Server

The SQL Server downloads page

  1. Go to the SQL Server Downloads page.
  2. Select SQL Server Developer.
  3. Run the installer.

Unpack the SQL installer

Unpacking the SQL Server installer

  1. Run the SQL Server installation.
  2. Click Custom.
  3. Click Install.

Select a new stand-alone SQL instance

SQL Server Installation Center

  1. SQL Server Installation Center opens.
  2. Click Installation.
  3. Click New SQL Server stand-alone installation.
  4. Click Next.

Select SQL Server features

Feature selection

  1. Under Feature Selection, select Database Engine Services.
  2. Select Analysis Services.
  3. Click Next.

Database configuration

Instance and database engine configuration

  1. Under Instance Configuration, select Default Instance, then Next.
  2. Under Database Engine Configuration, select Mixed Mode.
  3. Create a password.
  4. Note the username (sa) and password — you need them later.
  5. Click Add Current User, then Next, then Next.

SSAS configuration

Analysis Services configuration

  1. Under Analysis Services Configuration, select Tabular Mode.
  2. Click Add Current User, then Next.
  3. At Ready to Install, click Install.

Related: Use Azure Analysis Services for the cloud equivalent.

Next in the course

Install & Configure · Portal · Ingest Instance

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