Automate Microsoft SQL Server Developer Deployments on Amazon RDS

This article explains how to automate SQL Server Developer Edition deployments on Amazon RDS using AWS Systems Manager and CloudFormation.

• SQL Server Developer Edition is free, fully-featured for non-production use without licensing costs
• AWS Systems Manager Automation document automates the entire deployment workflow
• CloudFormation template creates necessary infrastructure including EC2, S3, Secrets Manager, and RDS
• Temporary EC2 instance downloads SQL Server installation files and uploads to S3
• Custom Engine Version (CEV) created from installation files for RDS deployment
• Solution supports SQL Server 2022 CU 21 and SQL Server 2019 CU 32 GDR
• Eliminates manual steps, reduces errors, and enables rapid scaling across accounts
• Subsequent deployments can reuse existing files and CEVs for faster execution

This automation enables teams to deploy SQL Server Developer Edition on RDS at scale without manual intervention, reducing deployment time and human error.