Create Python apps using SQL Server on RHEL

In this section, you will get SQL Server 2017 running on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). After that you will install the necessary dependencies to create Python apps with SQL Server

Step 1.1 Install SQL Server

Note: To ensure optimal performance of SQL Server, your machine should have at least 4 GB of memory.

1. Register the Microsoft Linux repository.

    curl https://packages.microsoft.com/config/rhel/7/mssql-server-2017.repo | sudo tee /etc/yum.repos.d/mssql-server-2017.repo
   

2. Install SQL Server.

    sudo yum update
    sudo yum install mssql-server
   

3. Setup your SQL Server.

    sudo /opt/mssql/bin/mssql-conf setup
   

    Microsoft(R) SQL Server(R) Setup
   
    To abort setup at anytime, press Ctrl-C.
   
    The license terms for this product can be downloaded from http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=746388 and
    found in /usr/share/doc/mssql-server/LICENSE.TXT.
   
    Do you accept the license terms? If so, please type YES:
    Please enter a password for the system administrator (SA) account:
    Please confirm the password for the system administrator (SA) account:
   

You now have SQL Server running locally on your RHEL machine! Check out the next section to continue installing prerequisites.

Step 1.2 Install Python and other required packages

wget https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/epel/epel-release-latest-7.noarch.rpm
sudo rpm -ivh epel-release-latest-7.noarch.rpm
sudo yum install python python-pip python-wheel python-devel
sudo yum group install "Development tools"

You now have Python installed! The next section will walk you through getting the tools to interact with your database.

Step 1.3 Install the ODBC Driver and SQL Command Line Utility for SQL Server

SQLCMD is a command line tool that enables you to connect to SQL Server and run queries.

sudo su

#Download appropriate package for the OS version
#Choose only ONE of the following, corresponding to your OS version

#RedHat Enterprise Server 6
curl https://packages.microsoft.com/config/rhel/6/prod.repo > /etc/yum.repos.d/mssql-release.repo

#RedHat Enterprise Server 7
curl https://packages.microsoft.com/config/rhel/7/prod.repo > /etc/yum.repos.d/mssql-release.repo

#RedHat Enterprise Server 8 and Oracle Linux 8
curl https://packages.microsoft.com/config/rhel/8/prod.repo > /etc/yum.repos.d/mssql-release.repo

exit
sudo yum remove unixODBC-utf16 unixODBC-utf16-devel #to avoid conflicts
sudo ACCEPT_EULA=Y yum install msodbcsql17
# optional: for bcp and sqlcmd
sudo ACCEPT_EULA=Y yum install mssql-tools
echo 'export PATH="$PATH:/opt/mssql-tools/bin"' >> ~/.bash_profile
echo 'export PATH="$PATH:/opt/mssql-tools/bin"' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc
# optional: for unixODBC development headers
sudo yum install unixODBC-devel

After installing SQLCMD, you can connect to SQL Server using the following command:

sqlcmd -S localhost -U sa -P yourpassword
1> # You're connected! Type your T-SQL statements here. Use the keyword 'GO' to execute each batch of statements.

This how to run a basic inline query. The results will be printed to the STDOUT.

sqlcmd -S localhost -U sa -P yourpassword -Q "SELECT @@VERSION"

--------------------------------------------------------
Microsoft SQL Server vNext (CTP2.0) - 14.0.500.272 (X64) 
	Apr 13 2017 11:44:40 
	Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation
    on Linux (Red Hat Enterprise Linux)

1 rows(s) returned

Executed in 1 ns

You have successfully installed SQL Server Command Line Utilities on your Red Hat machine!