TestRail’s installer will automatically create all required database tables and initial data in the next step, but you first need to create an empty database and database user. You can use a SQL Server database when you install TestRail on Windows.
Installing SQL Server
You can either install the free Microsoft SQL Server 2017 Express edition or use a full SQL Server installation. If you download the Express edition, make sure to download and install the version with Advanced Services, as it is very likely that TestRail will make use of the database’s full-text search feature in the future. Also make sure to use Mixed Mode Authentication, as this is required by TestRail. After installing the database and management tool (Management Studio), continue with creating an empty database and user.
Creating the database in Management Studio
Once you open Management Studio, right-click the Server in the Object Explorer and click Properties.
Change the Server Authentication type to SQL Server and Windows Authentication mode, and click OK.
Create a new TestRail login by expanding Security in the left tree, right-clicking Logins, and selecting New Login. You need to specify SQL Server authentication as the authentication method, specify a password, and deselect all three password checkboxes below.
Go to the Server Roles tab, and enable the public and sysadmin roles.
Go to the User Mapping tab and make sure master and TestRail are enabled in the upper pane. Also, make sure db_owner is enabled in the lower pane.
Go to the Securables tab to ensure that Grant is enabled for the Connect SQL Permission in the lower pane.
To create the empty TestRail database, start the SQL Server Management Studio, then right-click Databases in the left tree and select New Database. The Database name should be ‘TestRail’ and the owner should be left as ‘<default>’.