What's New in SQL Server Installation
SQL Server 2012 introduces the following changes to SQL Server Setup:
Datacenter Edition: Datacenter edition which was introduced in SQL Server 2008 R2 is no longer available as a SQL Server 2012 edition. For more information on the available SQL Server editions, see Editions and Components of SQL Server 2012.
Business Intelligence edition: SQL Server 2012 includes a new edition of SQL Server – SQL Server Business Intelligence.
SQL Server 2012 Business Intelligence edition delivers comprehensive platform empowering organizations to build and deploy secure, scalable and manageable BI solutions. It offers exciting functionality such as browser based data exploration and visualization; powerful data mash-up capabilities, and enhanced integration management. For more information, see Features Supported by the Editions of SQL Server 2012.
Enterprise Editions: Starting SQL Server 2012, we have two editions for Enterprise differentiated based on licensing model.
Enterprise Edition: Server/Client Access License (CAL) based licensing
Enterprise Edition: Core-based Licensing
For more information on Compute capacity limits in SQL Server 2012, see Compute Capacity Limits by Edition of SQL Server.
Changes to Operating System Requirements: Starting with SQL Server 2012, Service Pack 1 is the minimum requirement for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 operating systems. For more information on operating system requirements, see Hardware and Software Requirements for Installing SQL Server 2012.
Data Quality Services: You can now install Data Quality Services (DQS) using the SQL Server Setup. For more information, see Install Data Quality Services.
Product Update: Product Update is a new feature in SQL Server 2012 Setup. It integrates the latest product updates with the main product installation so that the main product and its applicable updates are installed at the same time. For more information, see Product Updates in SQL Server 2012 Installation.
Server Core Installation: Starting with SQL Server 2012, we can install SQL Server on Windows Server 2008 R2 Server Core SP1. For more information, see Install SQL Server 2012 on Server Core.
SQL Server Data Tools (Formerly called Business Intelligence Development Studio): Starting with SQL Server 2012, you can install SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) which provides an IDE for building solutions for the Business Intelligence components: Analysis Services, Reporting Services, and Integration Services.
SSDT also includes “Database Projects”, which provides an integrated environment for database developers to carry out all their database design work for any SQL Server platform (both on and off premise) within Visual Studio. Database developers can use the enhanced Server Object Explorer in Visual Studio to easily create or edit database objects and data, or execute queries.
SQL Server multi-subnet clustering: You can now configure a SQL Server failover cluster using clustered nodes on different subnets. For more information, see SQL Server Multi-Subnet Clustering.
SMB file share is a supported storage option: System databases (Master, Model, MSDB, and TempDB), and Database Engine user databases can be installed on a file share on an SMB file server. This applies to both SQL Server stand-alone and SQL Server failover cluster installations. For more information, see Install SQL Server with SMB fileshare as a storage option.
Important
The account used to install SQL Server should have FULL CONTROL share and NTFS permissions on the SMB share folders. The SQL Server service account and SQL Server agent service account should have FULL CONTROL share permissions on the SMB share folders.
Local Disk is now a supported storage option for tempdb for SQL Server failover cluster installations. For more information, see Storage Types for Data Files.
BUILTIN\administrators and Local System (NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM) are not automatically provisioned in the sysadmin fixed server role.
The protection of operating services under a per-service SID is now extended to all operating systems. For more information, see Configure Windows Service Accounts and Permissions.
Setup now offers default accounts for the SQL Server services whenever possible. For more information on service accounts, see Configure Windows Service Accounts and Permissions.
The Active Directory Helper service is no longer installed because it is no longer needed.
Itanium support: SQL Server Itanium editions are no longer supported.
Microsoft Books Online for SQL Server: The SQL Server documentation is no longer included in the installation media, but must be either viewed online, or downloaded as a local help collection. For more information, see Use Microsoft Books Online for SQL Server. SQL Server 2012 Books Online uses the help viewer released with Microsoft® Visual Studio 2010 Service Pack 1 (SP1).
Microsoft Sync Framework: Microsoft Sync Framework is no longer included in the SQL Server 2012 installation media. You can download the appropriate version of Sync Framework from this Microsoft Download Center page (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=221788).
See Also
Reference
Hardware and Software Requirements for Installing SQL Server 2012
Concepts
Planning a SQL Server Installation