An interview works in both directions. One candidate once asked me a useful question: How do I get started with SQL Server 2016? I did not want the answer to be “try it on production.” A small local lab is a better place to learn.
For this 2016-era learning path, I would do four things in order:
- Get the engine. My original SQL Server 2016 Developer Edition download guide explains the version used in this series. Treat its screenshots and download flow as historical because vendor pages can change.
- Install it in a lab. This two-minute installation video shows the setup I demonstrated at the time. Keep your experiment separate from any production instance.
- Install the management tool. My SSMS 2016 walkthrough covers the separate management tool. An engine install alone does not give you the same interface used in my screenshots.
- Add useful sample data. My AdventureWorks and WideWorldImporters install guide gets you beyond an empty instance; match the backup to the SQL Server version and edition you actually install.
Once the sample database opens, try one query, read its plan, and deliberately change the query. That is when the product stops being an installer and starts becoming something you can reason about. This post remains a route into SQL Server 2016, not a disguised recommendation to install an old engine on a live server today.
Published by Pinal Dave on SQLAuthority. More of my work at pinaldave.com.
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