Create a VMware vSphere 6.7 infrastructure by installing vCenter Server with an external database (SQL Server)

4.3. Download and install SQL Server administrative tools

With SQL Server 2016, SQL Server administrative tools are not installed automatically and are not available in the list of features offered by the SQL Server installer (as was previously the case).
To install them, open the SQL Server Installation Center again (by double-clicking the CD/DVD drive), then click: Install SQL Server Management Tools.

This link will redirect you to the “Download SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)” page on the Microsoft site.

At the top of this page, you will find a download link "Free Download for SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) xx.x" to download the latest version of SQL Server Administration Tools.
In our case, version 18.9.1.

If you are looking for a language other than the one offered by default, scroll down a little and you will find a "Available languages" section with different languages, including French.

Once the exe file is downloaded, launch it and you will see a “Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio with Azure Data Studio” window appear.
Just click Install.

Wait while the packages load.

Then this installer will install the prerequisites of these SQL administration tools (Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio).

Wait while Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio installs.

Once the installation is complete, click Restart.

4.4. Configuring SQL database for VMware vCenter Server

Now that the SQL Server administration tools are installed, we will be able to create a database for VMware vCenter Server, create a new SQL user and grant him rights to it.
To do this, go to the Windows Server 2016 start menu and launch the program: Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio.

A “Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio” window appears.

Then, a “Connect to Server” window appears.
Since we had added our account to SQL Server Administrators during the installation of this database server, we can directly click "Connect".

Then, in the list on the left, right-click "Databases" and click "New Database".

For example, specify "VCDB" (for vCenter Database) as the name for the database, then click OK.

Then go to “Security” and right-click “New Connection” on “Connections”.

In the “New Connection” window that appears:

• indicate for example "vpxuser" as the access name. Just FYI: vpxuser is the name of the user account that VMware vCenter Server uses to manage your VMware ESXi (vSphere) servers.
• select "SQL Server authentication" and provide a secure password for this user. Remember these credentials, because you will need them a little later.
• uncheck the box “User must change password at next login” to avoid having to change it too quickly.

Next, click on “Server Roles” in the left column and check the “sysadmin” box in the right part to give full rights to this user.

Finally, click "User Mapping" in the left column and check only the "VCDB" box on the right.
In other words, this user will only be able to access your new VCDB database.

Now click OK.

Your new SQL user "vpxuser" appears in the list of available connections.