[00:00] In this video, I'll show you how to install Microsoft SQL Server Express so that it's ready to connect to Ignition. Specifically, I'll be installing SQL Server Express 2019 on a PC with Windows 10. To start, head over to the download page. I'll show the URL on the screen now. Once on the downloads page, scroll down to the Express section and click Download now. Once the download's complete, run the installer. The installer will prompt you to choose an installation type, click Custom. On the next window here, you can leave the default location and click Install. Now we wait for it to download the install packages. The SQL Server Installation Center window should appear.

[01:15] Click the option for a new SQL Server standalone installation. Click the I accept check box, and click Next. Click Next on the Microsoft Update window. Click Next once more. At this point, it should start installing setup files. Once that's complete, the setup will identify any potential problems that may occur during the setup process. Mine is warning me that I may need to configure Windows Firewall to accept remote connections. As long as nothing has failed, click Next. You can choose the features to install on this next window.

[02:04] Some of these other ones aren't necessary, so I'm gonna uncheck the Machine Learning Services and Language extensions. You can rerun the installer in the future to add or remove features. Once you're finished with this window, click Next. I'm gonna leave the default name of SQL Express for the instance, but be aware that this may be different for you if you're installing a different version. Go ahead and click Next. On the Server Configuration window, you'll see a service named SQL Server Browser. This will need to be running when connecting to Ignition. So to make things simple, click the dropdown menu and change it to startup automatically. Once done, you can click Next. In the next window, you can specify the authentication mode for this instance. We can use either method when connecting from Ignition.

[03:04] However, authenticating from a Windows account requires some additional steps. Choose Mixed Mode to set the instance for Windows authentication and SQL authentication. You'll need to enter a strong password for the system administrator account. To learn more about strong password requirements, you can refer to Microsoft's documentation online. Search for Database Engine Configuration, Account Provisioning. After entering a password, click Next. The next window will display the installation progress, which I'll fast forward through. Once the installation's complete, you can close out of the window and go back to the SQL Server Installation Center. The next piece of software you'll wanna install is the SQL Server Management Studio, which is a graphical user interface for SQL Server administration. Click Install SQL Server Management Tools. This will open the downloads page in your web browser.

[04:06] Click the free download link under the Download SSMS section. Once the download's complete, run the installer. A window should open up asking you where you'd like to install your files. Go ahead and click Install here. Once the installer's finished loading packages, you'll be asked to reboot in order to finish the installation. I'll go ahead and skip through this. Okay, I've rebooted my machine and open SQL Server Management Studio. Change your authentication method to SQL Server Authentication, and enter in the system administrator credentials from the installation process. Once entered, click Connect. Once connected, you'll see your instance in the Object Explorer pane on the left side of the window. I don't have any databases yet, so I'll right click the Databases folder and click New Database.

[05:11] A default connection from Ignition expects a database named Test. This can be changed, but I'm gonna go ahead and name mine test and click Okay. SQL Server Express is now installed and ready to be connected to Ignition.