When installing SQL Server in preparation to host the site database, you should consider the following information to ensure proper site installation and function:

• The only SQL Server component required to host the Configuration Manager 2007 site database is SQL Server Database Services. When you install the optional SQL Server Workstation components, you can manage the SQL Server instance from the site database server computer. These components are not necessary if you manage the site database from a different computer with the Workstation components installed.
  
  
• You can install either a default instance or named instance during SQL Server Setup to host the site database.
  
  
• If you configure a domain user account to run the SQL Server service instead of the local system account (SQL Server best practice), a Service Principal Name (SPN) must be configured for the domain user account in Active Directory Domain Services. For more information about configuring a SQL Server service account SPN in Active Directory Domain Services, see How to Configure an SPN for SQL Server Site Database Servers.
  
  
• We recommend SQL Server Windows Authentication Mode (default) because Configuration Manager site systems require Windows authentication to SQL Server hosting the site database. Because both authentication methods that can be selected when installing SQL Server support Windows authentication, either can be used.
  
  
• Dictionary order, case-insensitive, for use with 1252 Character Set (default) should be selected as the SQL Server collation if possible. While using a case-sensitive SQL Server collation is supported, we recommend using a case-insensitive collation to avoid any possible future case sensitivity issues during site database operations.
  
  

The TCP/IP protocol is required for SQL Server network communications to allow Kerberos authentication. The named pipes protocol is not required for Configuration Manager 2007 site database operations and should only be used to troubleshoot any Kerberos authentication issues encountered when using TCP/IP protocol communication.

The default instance of SQL Server uses TCP port 1433 for network communications. When you use a named instance, the port number is dynamically assigned. Configuration Manager does not support manually changing or defining the port number for either the default instance or named instances of SQL Server.

Configuration Manager 2007 Setup automatically creates the site database, using SQL Server defaults, on the SQL Server computer and instance specified during setup. If the configured SQL Server default settings are not sufficient to manage your site database, we recommend that you pre-create the database and set the required settings. If you are using a remote SQL Server to host the site database, you should ensure that the site server's computer account has sufficient administrative credentials on the SQL Server computer to create the site database before beginning the installation process.

Typically, performance is better if the Configuration Manager 2007 site server and the site database are installed on the same computer. However, if the intervening network connection is a high-availability, high-bandwidth network connection, you might be able to install SQL Server on a remote server from the Configuration Manager 2007 site server. You might also consider installing a second network adapter in both the site server and the computer running SQL Server and then dedicating this second card for communications between the site server and the computer running SQL Server.

Although SQL Server can be installed on a FAT32 formatted partition, we recommend installing the site database on an NTFS formatted partition. Installing the site database on a FAT32 formatted partition does not allow the proper file and folder permissions to be applied to the site's database, and they are required to secure the site's database information.

Configuration Manager 2007 supports hosting the site database on the default instance or a named instance of SQL Server. The instance name can be entered during Configuration Manager 2007 installation for primary sites.

Configuration Manager 2007 supports hosting the site database on a clustered SQL Server instance configured for active/passive or failover support. The SQL Cluster must configured before beginning Configuration Manager 2007 setup. A clustered SQL Server instance can be entered during Configuration Manager 2007 installation for primary sites.

SQL Server database replication can be used to improve performance on the Configuration Manager 2007 site database server. If you plan to implement SQL Server database replication, ensure that you plan to deploy a server that is running SQL Server to host the replicated tables. You can configure a server locator point or management point to connect to the SQL Server computer hosting the site database replica instead of the Configuration Manager 2007 site database server. For more information about configuring SQL Server database replication, see How to Configure SQL Server Site Database Replication.

Other Resources