The steps in this topic are for installing SQL Server 2012 enterprise edition, but you can use the same steps for installing the standard edition. The steps for SQL 2014 are also very similar to these. We’ll install all the SQL Server 2012 features that TFS requires on the same server as TFS, but this isn’t a requirement. TFS is very flexible with regard to SQL Server topologies. See
Tip:
You can also use an existing installation of SQL Server for TFS, but to do this you’ll need the SQL Server administrator to grant you a lot of administrative credentials. You must be a member of the sysadmin Server role in SQL Server to install and configure TFS. Why does TFS need so much privilege on the SQL Server? (blog post)
One server or two?
If you’re going to use only one server for TFS, you can safely ignore this section.
If you plan to have more than 500 users accessing your TFS server, the recommendation is to put SQL Server on a second server. This splits the load between TFS and its configuration database. You could install all the SQL Server features that TFS requires on the second server, or you could split the features up. Some teams like to put the report server on the TFS server, and the Database engine, Full text search, and Analysis services on the second server, splitting HTTP traffic from SQL Server traffic.
There are many different topology choices you could make. In general, TFS allows you to install SQL Server instance features (Database engine, Reporting Services, Analysis Services) on different servers. Here are some caveats for various SQL Server topologies to keep in mind:
- TFS requires the Database Engine and Full text search features on the same instance.
- TFS reporting is optional, but if you want reporting you must install Reporting Services and Analysis Services (each can go on its own server, if you want that topology). If you skip reporting, you don’t have to set up Reporting Services or Analysis Services.
- If you don’t install any SQL Server instances on the TFS server, you must at least install the SQL Server feature Client Tools Connectivity on TFS. If you have a SQL Server instance on the TFS server (either the Database Engine, Reporting Services or Analysis Services) you don’t have to install Client Tools Connectivity.
If you want to install SQL Server features on different servers, run the SQL Server installation on each server where you want to install a feature. Use the same instructions below for each installation, but at step 9, only install the features that you require.
Tip:
A multiple-server installation of TFS requires an Active Directory domain and domain accounts or the Network Service account. You cannot use local accounts for service accounts.
To install SQL Server
Required Permissions
You must be a member of the Windows Administrators security group on the server on which you are installing SQL Server. To manually configure a report server, you must also be a member of the Windows Administrators security group on the SQL Server that hosts the report server database, if this instance of SQL Server is not on your report server.
Tip:
If you are installing SQL Server 2014 on Windows Server 2012 or Windows Server 2012 R2, you must have the .NET Framework 3.5 installed. You can install the .NET Framework 3.5 by using the Add Features Wizard from Server Manager. For more information, see the following page on the Microsoft website: Adding Server Roles and Features (Windows 2012/Windows 2012 R2), Adding Server Roles and Features (Windows Server 2008 R2)
