Obtaining Microsoft SQL Server

Applies to:

  • Forcepoint Web Security and Forcepoint URL Filtering, v8.5.x
  • Forcepoint DLP, v8.5.x, v8.6.x, v8.7.x, v8.8.x, v8.9.x, v9.0, v10.0, v10.1
  • Forcepoint Email Security, v8.5.x
  • Forcepoint appliances, v8.5.x
Prior to installing Forcepoint components, Microsoft SQL Server must be installed and running on a machine in your network.
  • See System requirements for this version, for supported versions of SQL Server.
  • Standard and Enterprise versions of Microsoft SQL Server are not included in your Forcepoint subscription, and must be obtained separately. Refer to Microsoft documentation for installation and configuration instructions.
If you do not have SQL Server, in some cases you can use the Forcepoint Security Installer to install SQL Server Express, a free-of-charge, limited performance version of SQL Server. If you choose this option:
  • When available, use the Forcepoint Security Installer to install SQL Server Express. Download and install it from Microsoft if not available in the installer.
  • Keep in mind that the performance limitations of SQL Server Express make it more appropriate for evaluation environments or small organizations than for larger deployments.

SQL Server Express can be installed either on the Forcepoint management server or on a separate machine. For larger enterprises, run the Forcepoint Security Manager and a Standard or Enterprise edition of SQL Server on separate physical machines.

See Administering Forcepoint Databases for more information about selecting a database platform.

To install SQL Server Express on the Forcepoint management server, select it when prompted during Forcepoint Management Infrastructure installation.

Important:

Forcepoint has removed the ability to install SQL Server Express as an option for new deployments of Forcepoint Security Manager. This change was made via a revised version of Forcepoint Security Installer introduced in July 2019, which can be found on the Downloads page.

The change was required to reduce the risk of deploying SQL Server Express without the latest security updates. Forcepoint Security Manager still supports and will work with the latest version of SQL Server Express. You may use SQL Server Express for small deployments, but it must be installed independently.

To install SQL Server Express on any other machine, run the Forcepoint Security Installer in custom installation mode and select SQL Server Express or download the appropriate version of SQL Server Express from Microsoft. See Installing SQL Server Express (without Forcepoint Infrastructure).