Download:

• http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=29066

SQL Server 2012 capabilities and highlights are as follows ( from Microsoft site directly)

• Greater availability. Deliver the required 9s and data protection with AlwaysOn, delivering added functionality over CTP1 that allows customers to experience even more of the flexibility and value.
• Breakthrough insight. Unlock new insights with rapid data exploration across the organization with Power View, available to customers for the first time.
• Credible, consistent data. Provide a consistent view across heterogeneous data sources with the BI Semantic Model (BISM) a single model for Business Intelligence applications. Make data quality apart of everyday life with the Master Data Services add-in for Excel and new Data Quality Services that is integrated with 3rd party data providers through Windows Azure Marketplace Datamarket. Customers can test this functionality for the first time.
• Productive development experience. Optimize IT and developer productivity across server and cloud with Data-tier Application Component (DAC) parity with SQL Azure and SQL Server Data Tools for a unified and modern development experience across database, BI, and cloud functions. Additionally, Express customers can test a new LocalDB version for fast, zero-configuration installation.

Installation

After downloading the ISO, run it and Accept the Terms and click Next

If your internet connection is ok, it will search for updates, you can skip it, or leave for searching.

In my case I leaved, but it return nothing, so again NEXT

SQL Server 2012 will run some tests, in my case it showed a warning on the FIREWALL, because it was enabled. The warning was for "not forgetting" to open the specific ports for the communication.

You can use the Evaluation Version or insert a Product Key and NEXT

Again (!) accept the License Terms

We chose the role "SQL SERVER Feature Installation"

Check all these features from the list. It's just amazing that they putted "Reporting Services Add-in for SharePoint". We don't have to download the add-in separatly and install. just priceless..

Again some tests, if passed just click NEXT

You can give a named instance or leave the default. In my case default.

Again wonderfull, I don't have to create users for my services.. Priceless !

Be sure to set the startup type to "Automatic" for each service (exlude Full Text Filter Daemon Launcher ).

Select Mixed Mode and give a Password for sa account.

Add the Administrator and Farm administrator.

Add the Administrator and Farm administrator. NEXT

Install Reporting Services but do not configure it.

Just NEXT

Some tests, there should be no erros, so NEXT

Ready to Install? so NEXT

Installation progress bar. ( I had to wait 1 hour, hope not you .. )

It will ask to restart your Server, just do it.

SharePoint Configuration

Everything ran smoothly until I started the SharePoint 2010 Products Configuration Wizard. Initially, the wizard started smoothly, asked me DB Name and other details but suddenly while it was processing it threw an error:

Failed to create a database. An exception of type System.Data.SqlClient.SqlException was thrown. Additional exception information: Could not find stored procedure ‘sp_dboption’.

After a bit of reading I found that SharePoint Server 2010 needs SP1 to be installed before I could configure it with SQL Server 2012. I reached to the Microsoft Knowledge Base article : http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2460045 , downloaded the SharePoint Server 2010 SP1 and executed it.

My Farm is being created.

And as you can see, on Central Administration My content DB is ending with 75d09 and under DENALI Server, you can find the same GUID.

This is meaning that you can use Denali server with SharePoint ONLY if you have SP1