This is Part 3 in Sitecore 9 - Multi Server Installation series and in this blog I will go through steps on how to setup a dedicated SQL server. Fortunately, this is the easiest part to do, so let's get to it.

Steps

1. Make sure Microsoft SQL Server 2016 SP1 is installed and remote access is enabled.
2. In SQL Server, create a new sysadmin user or use sa user to remotely connect to the SQL server and confirm connectivity. This sysadmin user is needed so Sitecore can deploy required databases.
   (Sysadmin user can be disabled or removed after installation has been completed.)
3. Launch SQL Server Management Studio and login as an administrator
4. Execute following on the SQL Server
   

   
   sp_configure 'contained database authentication', 1;
   GO
   RECONFIGURE;
   GO
   
   

5. You are done with the SQL Server

Summary

Next blog article in this series will address setting up a dedicated Web server.