---
title: "DB24 Installation Guide - Step-by-Step Setup"
url: https://db24.ai/docs/installation-guide
description: "Step-by-step DB24 installation guide. Complete walkthrough for deploying the SQL Server automation platform including configuration and initial setup."
lang: en
---

# Installation Guide

Last updated: September 8, 2026

## DB24 – Installation Guide

## Introduction

This guide walks you through preparing your environment, installing DB24 and completing the first-time setup. It covers a standard installation as well as installations on **SQL Server Failover Cluster Instances (FCI)** and **Always On Availability Groups (AG)**.

DB24 consists of three parts:

- **DB24 Portal**
  The web application, hosted in IIS, where you monitor and manage your SQL Server environment.
- **DB24 Datastore**
  A centralized SQL Server database that stores collected data and configuration for the whole environment.
- **DB24 Runtime**
  Installed on each managed SQL Server instance. The Runtime collects data and performs maintenance and automation on that instance.

The installation is performed with the **DB24 Installer Wizard**, which installs the Portal and Datastore and adds Runtimes to your SQL Server instances.

* * *

## Before You Begin

### Review the Prerequisites

Make sure your environment meets all requirements before you start. The full list is available in Prerequisites (https://db24.ai/docs/prerequisites).

### Run the DB24 PreChecker

We recommend always running the **DB24 PreChecker** (Environment Readiness Wizard) before installing. The PreChecker:

- Validates server configuration
- Checks connectivity and permissions
- Highlights unmet requirements before installation

**Download:** DB24 PreChecker (https://db24commonst.blob.core.windows.net/resources/installer/DB24_PreChecker_1_5.exe)

### Download the Installer

- Always use the **latest installer** for new installations and upgrades.
- When adding a new Runtime **without upgrading**, use the installer version already running in your environment. The Runtime and Datastore versions must match.

**Download:** DB24 Installer (https://db24.ai/installer)

### Have Your License Key Ready

DB24 requires a valid **license key** for activation.

- **New customers**
  Contact `sales@db24.ai` to receive your license key.
- **Renewals**
  Contact your DB24 Customer Success Representative.

* * *

## Installation and Upgrade

Run the DB24 Installer Wizard on the server that will host the **DB24 Portal**, typically an IIS web server. The same wizard is used for new installations, upgrades and for adding Runtimes to an existing environment.

The wizard takes you through the following steps:

1. **Installer Prerequisites**
   The wizard installs required components and configures the services and IIS site as needed.
2. **License Agreement**
   Review and accept the license agreement to continue.
3. **DB24 Serial Number**
   Enter your license key.
4. **Connect to Your Datastore**
   Enter the connection details for the SQL Server instance that will host the centralized **DB24 Datastore**.
5. **First-Time Setup** (new installations only)
   Create the first **Portal Administrator** and choose the IIS port for the Portal.
6. **Add DB24 Runtimes**
   Add and validate the SQL Server instances that DB24 should manage. For each new Runtime, select the automation level:
   - **Immediate automation** – DB24 starts maintenance and automation right away.
   - **Monitoring only** – DB24 only collects data. Automation can be enabled later from the Portal.
   Instances that have already been added and enabled under **Settings → Organization → Instances** are picked up automatically by the wizard. Disabled instances are skipped.

When the wizard completes, the **DB24 Portal** opens automatically.

* * *

## Runtime Credentials and Mixed Authentication Scenarios

In the **Add DB24 Runtimes** step, the wizard connects to your SQL Server instances to install or upgrade the Runtime. It uses **one set of credentials per run**:

- **Integrated Security**
  The Windows account of the signed-in user running the installer. This is the default.
- **SQL Login**
  A SQL Server login and password entered in the wizard.

When you enter a SQL login, it is used for **all** Runtimes in that run. The wizard does not fall back to Integrated Security for instances where the SQL login does not work.

### Instances with Different Credentials

If your instances require different credentials, run the wizard **once per credential scenario**. Runtimes that cannot be reached with the credentials of the current run simply fail for that run. A failed Runtime installation makes no changes to the instance, so it is safe to run the installer multiple times.

Example: an environment with eight instances and three different credential requirements needs three installation (or upgrade) runs.

| Run | Credentials | Instances installed |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Integrated Security (signed-in user) | Instance 1, 2, 3 |
| 2 | SQL login `sa` | Instance 4, 5, 6 |
| 3 | SQL login `admin-login` | Instance 7, 8 |

In each run, the instances that require other credentials fail and are picked up in the next run. Repeat until every Runtime is installed or upgraded.

> **Note:** The credentials entered in the wizard are only used during installation and upgrade. How DB24 authenticates for ongoing data collection is configured separately in the Portal; see Data Collection Authentication (https://db24.ai/docs/collection-authentication).

* * *

## Installing on Failover Cluster Instances (FCI)

A SQL Server Failover Cluster Instance is one SQL Server instance that can run on any node in the Windows cluster. Each FCI is its own **cluster resource** with its own network name and its own shared disks. The DB24 databases and jobs for an FCI therefore exist only once, on that FCI's shared disks, and follow the instance when it fails over.

A single Windows cluster can host several FCIs, for example `SQLCLUSTER01\PROD01`, `SQLCLUSTER01\PROD02` and `SQLCLUSTER01\PROD03`. Each of them is a separate SQL Server instance from DB24's point of view.

- **Target the cluster resource, not the nodes**
  In the **Add DB24 Runtimes** step, add each FCI using the **SQL Server network name of its cluster resource** (also called the virtual server name), for example `SQLCLUSTER01\PROD01`. Do **not** add the individual cluster nodes, and do not use the Windows cluster name on its own.
- **One Runtime per FCI**
  Install the Runtime once per FCI, against its cluster resource name. If the cluster hosts several FCIs, add each of them. Because every FCI has its own shared disks, the Runtime is available regardless of which node currently owns the instance.
- **After a failover**
  No action is needed. DB24 continues to connect through the cluster resource name and the Runtime keeps running on the node that owns the instance.

> **Do not** install the Runtime on each node separately. That would create duplicate installations pointing to the same shared databases.

* * *

## Installing on Availability Groups (AG)

In an Always On Availability Group, each replica is a separate SQL Server instance with its own system databases, SQL Server Agent and local storage. DB24 therefore treats every replica as an individual instance.

- **Install on each replica, not on the AG**
  In the **Add DB24 Runtimes** step, add **every replica** by its own instance name, for example `SQLNODE01` and `SQLNODE02`. Do **not** add the Availability Group listener.
- **Keep the DB24 databases out of the Availability Group**
  The Runtime creates the databases **DB24**, **DB24_Data** and **DB24_MAC** locally on each replica. These databases must **not** be added to the Availability Group. Each replica keeps its own copy, since the DB24 Runtime and its jobs run locally on that replica.
- **After a failover**
  No action is needed. Each replica keeps collecting data for itself, and the Portal shows which replica currently holds the primary role.

> **Do not** install the Runtime through the listener. The Runtime would end up on whichever replica happens to be primary at the time, and the secondary replicas would be left without a Runtime.

### Summary

| Environment | Install the Runtime on | DB24 databases |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Standalone instance** | The instance | Local to the instance |
| **Failover Cluster Instance (FCI)** | The **cluster name** only, never the individual nodes | On the shared cluster disks, one copy |
| **Availability Group (AG)** | **Each replica** individually, never the listener | Local on every replica, **not** part of the AG |

* * *

## Post-Installation Setup

### 1. First Login

- Sign in to the Portal with the administrator account created during installation.
- The account is assigned the temporary password `password`.
- You are prompted to change the password on first login.

### 2. Initial Onboarding

- Set your **Organization Name**.
- Configure and test **Notification (SMTP) settings**. This step is optional during onboarding and can be completed later under **Settings**.

### 3. Enable TLS on the Portal

We strongly recommend enabling **TLS (HTTPS)** on the Portal with a valid certificate to secure all Portal communication. See the TLS Setup Guide (https://db24.ai/docs/portal-tls-certificate) for detailed instructions.

### 4. Review Your Instances

Open **Settings → Organization → Instances** to verify that all Runtimes are installed and collecting. Instances that are missing a Runtime are shown with the status **Not Installed**.

* * *

## Good to Know

- Runtime and Datastore must run compatible versions. A version mismatch is shown as **Dysfunctional Runtime** in the Portal until the Runtime is upgraded.
- The DB24 Runtime requires the **SQL Server Agent** to be running on the instance.
- Data collection of instances added manually in the Portal is disabled by default. Enable an instance to have it picked up by the Installer Wizard in the next deployment.
- By default, DB24 collects data using the SQL Agent service account of the DB24 Datastore. A dedicated SQL login can be configured instead; see Data Collection Authentication (https://db24.ai/docs/db24-data-collection).
* * *

## Need Help?

If you encounter any issues or have questions during installation, our support team is ready to assist.

**Support:** `support@db24.ai`

## Related Documentation

- Prerequisites (https://db24.ai/docs/prerequisites) - System requirements
- Data Collection Authentication (https://db24.ai/docs/collection-authentication) - How DB24 authenticates towards managed instances
- DB24 Central Sync (https://db24.ai/docs/central-sync) - Keeping SQL Server build and DB24 version data up to date

Previous Prerequisites: https://db24.ai/docs/prerequisites
Next Update DB24.Api Account: https://db24.ai/docs/update-db24-api-account

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