Learn How To Install SQL Server on Ubuntu with These Easy Steps

If you’re planning to run a database on your Ubuntu machine, you might be interested in installing SQL Server. SQL Server is a powerful relational database management system developed by Microsoft. In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to install SQL Server on Ubuntu with just a few easy steps.

The process of installing SQL Server on Ubuntu is not as complicated as it might seem. With our easy-to-follow guide, you’ll be up and running in no time. We’ll cover everything from checking Ubuntu version compatibility to verifying your installation, so you can have the confidence to successfully install SQL Server on your Ubuntu machine.

Whether you’re a seasoned developer or just getting started, learning how to install SQL Server on Ubuntu is an essential skill. So, let’s dive in and get started!

Keep reading to discover the simple steps you need to take to install SQL Server on Ubuntu and start leveraging the power of this enterprise-grade database management system on your Linux machine.

Why Install SQL Server on Ubuntu?

If you are looking for a robust and reliable database management system for your Ubuntu machine, look no further than Microsoft SQL Server. While Ubuntu comes pre-installed with MySQL, SQL Server offers several advantages over MySQL, including support for high-performance transaction processing, improved data security, and efficient data backup and recovery.

One of the key benefits of using SQL Server on Ubuntu is that it enables seamless integration with the Microsoft ecosystem, allowing you to easily move data between Windows and Linux systems. Furthermore, SQL Server on Ubuntu provides extensive language support, including T-SQL, Python, R, and .NET, making it a flexible choice for a wide range of applications.

Another compelling reason to install SQL Server on Ubuntu is its extensive support for cloud computing. SQL Server can easily be integrated with Azure, Microsoft’s cloud platform, allowing you to quickly and easily migrate your databases to the cloud. Additionally, SQL Server provides native support for Kubernetes, an open-source container orchestration platform, enabling seamless integration with modern cloud-native architectures.

Improved Performance and Scalability

Installing SQL Server on Ubuntu can provide significant improvements in performance and scalability. The ability to use Linux’s multi-threading capabilities allows SQL Server to take advantage of multiple processors and cores. Additionally, SQL Server on Ubuntu can handle more memory and can handle larger databases, allowing for better scalability.

SQL Server on Ubuntu also benefits from the open-source nature of Linux. This allows for the use of various optimization tools and methods to improve performance, such as using solid-state drives and other hardware-specific optimizations.

Furthermore, SQL Server on Ubuntu can benefit from the containerization trend. Using containers can help to reduce overhead, simplify deployments, and provide consistent environments for development, testing, and production.

Check Ubuntu Version Compatibility

Before installing SQL Server on Ubuntu, it is important to check the compatibility of the Ubuntu version you are using. This ensures that the installation process goes smoothly and without any issues. The following steps will help you check the Ubuntu version compatibility:

Step 1: Open the terminal on your Ubuntu machine.

Step 2: Type the command “lsb_release -a” and press enter.

Step 3: Check the output for the “Description” field to find out the version of Ubuntu installed on your machine.

Step 4: Check the SQL Server release notes to confirm whether your Ubuntu version is supported by the SQL Server version you wish to install.

Step 5: If your Ubuntu version is not supported by the SQL Server version you wish to install, consider upgrading your Ubuntu version or installing a different version of SQL Server that is compatible with your Ubuntu version.

Checking Ubuntu version compatibility is a crucial step to ensure that SQL Server is installed successfully on your machine without any compatibility issues.

Checking the Ubuntu Version

Before installing SQL Server on Ubuntu, it’s important to check the compatibility of your Ubuntu version. Checking the Ubuntu version is easy and can be done using the command-line interface.

To check the Ubuntu version, open the terminal and type the command “lsb_release -a” and press enter. This will display the details of your Ubuntu distribution, including the version number, codename, and other relevant information.

If you’re using Ubuntu 16.04 or higher, you can proceed with the installation. However, if you’re using an older version, you may need to upgrade to a newer version or consider using a different Linux distribution.

Add Microsoft SQL Server Repository to Ubuntu

In order to install SQL Server on Ubuntu, you need to add the Microsoft SQL Server repository to your system. This repository contains the necessary packages and tools to install and configure SQL Server on your Ubuntu machine.

Step 1: Open the terminal on your Ubuntu machine by pressing the Ctrl+Alt+T key combination. This will open the terminal window.

Step 2: Enter the following command in the terminal to import the public repository GPG keys:

curl https://packages.microsoft.com/keys/microsoft.asc | sudo apt-key add -

Step 3: Add the Microsoft SQL Server Ubuntu repository:

sudo add-apt-repository "$(curl https://packages.microsoft.com/config/ubuntu/20.04/mssql-server-2019.list)"

Step 4: Update the package list:

sudo apt-get update

Now that you have added the Microsoft SQL Server repository to your Ubuntu machine, you can move on to installing SQL Server itself.

Adding the SQL Server Repository to Ubuntu

Step 1: Open the terminal on Ubuntu and run the following command to download the GPG key for the SQL Server repository.

Step 2: Next, add the Microsoft SQL Server Ubuntu repository to the system’s sources list by running the following command.

Step 3: Once you have added the SQL Server repository, update the packages list by running the following command.

Step 4: To install the SQL Server command-line tools, run the following command.

Step 5: Finally, verify that the repository is now listed in your sources list by running the following command.

Install SQL Server on Ubuntu

Now that you have added the SQL Server repository, you can install SQL Server on Ubuntu. Here are the steps:

Step 1: Update the packages on your Ubuntu machine. This ensures that you have the latest packages for SQL Server installation.

Step 2: Install SQL Server on Ubuntu by running the following command in the terminal: sudo apt-get install -y mssql-server.

Step 3: Once the installation is complete, run the configuration script to set up SQL Server: sudo /opt/mssql/bin/mssql-conf setup.

That’s it! You now have SQL Server installed on your Ubuntu machine.

Note: During the installation process, you will be prompted to create a system administrator (sa) password. Make sure to keep this password safe as it grants full access to your SQL Server instance.

Installing SQL Server on Ubuntu

Step 1: Once you have added the SQL Server repository to Ubuntu, run the following command to update the package list: sudo apt-get update.

Step 2: Install the SQL Server package using the following command: sudo apt-get install -y mssql-server. This will begin the installation process.

Step 3: Once the installation is complete, run the following command to configure SQL Server: sudo /opt/mssql/bin/mssql-conf setup. This will prompt you to enter and confirm a password for the system administrator (SA) account, configure network settings, and set the SQL Server edition.

Verify SQL Server Installation on Ubuntu

After the installation process, you can verify that SQL Server is running on your Ubuntu system by running a few commands. Here are the steps to do that:

Step 1: Open the terminal on your Ubuntu system.

Step 2: Run the following command to check the SQL Server service status:

systemctl status mssql-server

Step 3: If the service is running, you should see output similar to the following:

 mssql-server.service - Microsoft SQL Server Database Engine Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/mssql-server.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled) Active: active (running) since Tue 2023-03-28 15:17:08 UTC; 10s ago 

Step 4: You can also verify the installation by running the following command:

sudo systemctl is-active mssql-server

Step 5: If the installation is successful, you should see the following output:

 active 

By following the above steps, you can verify that SQL Server is installed and running on your Ubuntu system.

Verify SQL Server Service Status on Ubuntu

Once you have installed SQL Server on Ubuntu, it’s important to verify that the service is running. Here are the steps to check the status of the SQL Server service:

1. Open a terminal window.
2. Type the following command: sudo systemctl status mssql-server
3. The output will show the status of the SQL Server service. If the service is running, you should see “active (running)” in green text.

If the service is not running, you can start it using the following command: sudo systemctl start mssql-server

You can also stop the service using the command: sudo systemctl stop mssql-server

It’s recommended to check the status of the SQL Server service after any system updates or changes to ensure that the service is running correctly.

Connect to SQL Server on Ubuntu using sqlcmd

sqlcmd is a command-line tool for querying and managing SQL Server. To connect to SQL Server on Ubuntu using sqlcmd:

1. Open a terminal window
2. Enter the command sqlcmd -S localhost -U SA -P your_password to connect to SQL Server with the SA account and your chosen password. If you are connecting to a remote SQL Server, replace localhost with the IP address or hostname of the server.
3. Once you are connected, you can execute SQL commands directly in the terminal window. For example, you can use the USE command to switch to a specific database, and the SELECT command to query data.

Here are some additional options you can use when connecting to SQL Server with sqlcmd:

• -d database_name: Specifies the initial database to use
• -h rows_per_header: Specifies the number of rows to print in the result set header
• -s column_separator: Specifies the column separator character to use
• -W: Removes trailing spaces from columns in the result set
• -w column_width: Specifies the maximum column width for output

Using sqlcmd can be a powerful way to manage and query SQL Server on Ubuntu. With the right commands and syntax, you can perform a wide range of tasks, from creating tables and views to backing up and restoring databases.

Frequently Asked Questions