Working with MSSQL

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Working with MSSQL

In this hands-on lab, we have been tasked with installing and configuring an MSSQL Express server on CentOS 7. Once this is done, we will set up the server instance for use by the development teams.

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Lab Info

Level

Intermediate

Last updated

Aug 30, 2025

Duration

1h 0m

Challenge

Install the express version of MSSQL and the necessary tools onto the provided CentOS 7 server.

Add the repo for the mssql-server and install:

sudo curl -o /etc/yum.repos.d/mssql-server.repo https://packages.microsoft.com/config/rhel/7/mssql-server-2017.repo

sudo yum install -y mssql-server

Run the configuration and select the Express edition:

sudo /opt/mssql/bin/mssql-conf setup

Add the repo for the mssql-tools and install:

sudo curl -o /etc/yum.repos.d/msprod.repo https://packages.microsoft.com/config/rhel/7/prod.repo

sudo yum install -y mssql-tools unixODBC-devel

Export the tools path:

export PATH=$PATH:/opt/mssql-tools/bin

Challenge

Restore the Adventure Works database and validate that "Kevin Perry" is a contact.

Download the backup:

wget https://github.com/Microsoft/sql-server-samples/releases/download/adventureworks/AdventureWorksDW2017.bak

Copy it to /var/opt/mssql:

sudo cp AdventureWorksDW2017.bak /var/opt/mssql

Connect to the instance with SQLCMD using the password you specified.

sqlcmd -S localhost -U SA -P 'YourAwesomePassword!'

Restore the database:

restore database AdventureWorksDW2017
from disk = '/var/opt/mssql/AdventureWorksDW2017.bak'
with move 'AdventureWorksDW2017' to '/var/opt/mssql/data/AdventureWorksDW2017.mdf',
move 'AdventureWorksDW2017_log' to '/var/opt/mssql/data/AdventureWorksDW2017.ldf'
GO

Validate that "Kevin Perry" is in 'Contacts':

use AdventureWorksDW2017

select FirstName,LastName from DimCustomer where FirstName='Kevin' AND LastName='Perry'

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