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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

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Table of Contents
  1. Challenge

    Install the express version of MSSQL and the necessary tools onto the provided CentOS 7 server.
    1. 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
    
    1. Run the configuration and select the Express edition:
    sudo /opt/mssql/bin/mssql-conf setup
    
    1. 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
    
    1. Export the tools path:
    export PATH=$PATH:/opt/mssql-tools/bin
    
  2. Challenge

    Restore the Adventure Works database and validate that "Kevin Perry" is a contact.
    1. Download the backup:
    wget https://github.com/Microsoft/sql-server-samples/releases/download/adventureworks/AdventureWorksDW2017.bak
    
    1. Copy it to /var/opt/mssql:
    sudo cp AdventureWorksDW2017.bak /var/opt/mssql
    
    1. Connect to the instance with SQLCMD using the password you specified.
    sqlcmd -S localhost -U SA -P 'YourAwesomePassword!'
    
    1. 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
    
    1. Validate that "Kevin Perry" is in 'Contacts':
    use AdventureWorksDW2017
    
    select FirstName,LastName from DimCustomer where FirstName='Kevin' AND LastName='Perry'
    
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