Windows Azure Pack requires an instance of Microsoft SQL Server to handle the management databases. Windows Azure Pack supports the following versions.

1.   SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 3

2.   SQL Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 2

3.   SQL Server 2012 Service Pack 1

For an express deployment, you can use SQL Server Express on a machine in the Windows Azure Pack topology. For a distributed deployment in production, use the full version of SQL Server.

You must enable SQL authentication on the SQL server before installing other Windows Azure Pack components. Also, if you are going to use Windows authentication during configuration you must add the current user as an administrator on the SQL server.