Introduction
SQL Server containers are hot right now and if you are trying to understand the technology better, get to your nearest PC and get started with containers. I’ll be posting guides on working with SQL Server containers in the future, but first we’ll need an operating system to work with. Since Ubuntu Server 18.04.1 is the latest LTS, that is where we will begin. For this guide, see the following prerequisites:
- Access to a computer (didn’t see that one coming)
- Hyper-V (feel free to substitute in your favorite virtualization platform)
- A virtual network adapter with internet access
Note: At this time, Microsoft resources list Ubuntu 16.04 in their docs for SQL Server in Docker. However, with Ubuntu 18.04 being the latest LTS, it’s probably just a matter of time until Microsoft officially supports it.
Download the ISO Image
Get the latest copy of Ubuntu Server 18.04.1 LTS.
Virtual Machine Preparation
Create a virtual machine and attach a hard disk.
Attach the Ubuntu image file to the virtual machine.
Add a virtual network adapter with access to the internet. In Hyper-V, this is an External virtual network.
Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS Setup
Chose your preferred language and keyboard layout.
Select the top option Install Ubuntu.
Edit the IPv4 network configuration. Choose an IP address on the same subnet as your host’s network.
If you are familiar with Windows network configuration, things are a little different here. The Subnet field is actually not the subnet mask, but rather the CIDR notation. Since I’m using a Class C network and my assigned IP address is 10.2.110.250, my Subnet is 10.2.110.0/24. Learn more about classful networks.
Add a proxy if your network requires it.
Configure the Ubuntu archive mirror. I left mine on the default option.
Partition the disk and confirm the results.
This sounds serious.
I did not install any additional packages from Featured Server Snaps.
Create your user account and name your server.
Complete the installation. This could take a few minutes. Grab a beverage and a snack and let the installation finalize.
When the install completes, you’ll need to perform a reboot. You are now ready to start exploring your new operating system.
Next Steps
- Basic Terminal Command in Ubuntu
- Linux Training on Pluralsight by @nocentino – Great recommendation from @GFritchey.