Get Started with Microsoft SQL Server on Your Mac: A Step-by-Step Guide

Are you looking for a way to run Microsoft SQL Server on your Mac without using virtualization software? You're in luck! With the latest release of SQL Server, you can now install and run it directly on your Mac using Docker. In this article, we'll show you how to get started with Microsoft SQL Server on your Mac.

Why Run SQL Server on Your Mac?

Microsoft SQL Server is a powerful database management system that's widely used in many industries. With the ability to run it on your Mac, you can take advantage of its features and functionality without needing a Windows machine or virtualization software.

Prerequisites

Before we get started, make sure you have Docker installed on your Mac. If not, download and install it from the official website.

Step 1: Download the SQL Server Image

Head over to the Microsoft Docker Hub repository and download the latest SQL Server image for Linux. Once downloaded, navigate to the directory where you saved the image file.

Step 2: Run the Docker Container

Open your terminal and run the following command to launch an instance of the SQL Server container:

`docker run -d --name sql_server_demo -e ACCEPT_EULA=Y -e SA_PASSWORD=reallyStrongPwd123 -p 1433:1433 mssql/server:2019-latest`

Replace `sql_server_demo` with your desired container name, and `reallyStrongPwd123` with a strong password of your choice.

What's Happening in the Command?

This command runs the SQL Server container in detached mode (`-d`), names it `sql_server_demo`, sets the acceptance of the EULA to `Y`, sets the SA password to `reallyStrongPwd123`, and maps port 1433 on the host machine to port 1433 inside the container.

Step 3: Connect to Your SQL Server Instance

Once the container is running, you can connect to your SQL Server instance using any SQL client tool. In this example, we'll use the default port `1433`. You can use the following command to test your connection:

`sqlcmd -S localhost,1433 -U SA -P reallyStrongPwd123`

Replace `localhost` with the hostname or IP address of your Mac.

In this article, we've shown you how to get started with Microsoft SQL Server on your Mac using Docker. With these simple steps, you can have a fully functional SQL Server instance up and running in no time. No more need for virtualization software or complicated setup processes!

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