Linux - PHP 7.0 and MSSQL (Microsoft SQL)

Question

Yes, I know that PHP 7.0 removed the extensions needed to connect to MSSQL. FreeTDS was my option prior to PHP 7.0 but now there really is no obvious upgrade path for those needing to still connect to MSSQL.

Stupid question, but given that MSSQL is most certainly well used in enterprise environments, how are we supposed to connect to those databases beginning with PHP 7.0?

Am I overlooking something blatantly obvious or did the release of PHP 7 basically give a slap in the face to anyone needing to connect to MSSQL?

For clarity, I am NOT talking about connecting from a Windows server running PHP, I am needing to connect to MSSQL from a Linux server and thus would need a Linux ODBC driver.

Does anyone make such a thing that works with MSSQL 2012 and PHP 7.0 that can be had freely or for a fee?

It is odd to me that there isn't much PHP 7 and MSSQL info to be had out there. Granted that PHP 7 is fresh off the presses, but there has to be more MSSQL shops out there (FWIW we use both).

Answer 1

Microsoft has PHP Linux Drivers for SQL Server for PHP 7 and above on PECL. These are production ready. To download them, follow these steps:

Ubuntu 16.04:

sudo su 
curl https://packages.microsoft.com/keys/microsoft.asc | apt-key add -
curl https://packages.microsoft.com/config/ubuntu/16.04/prod.list > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mssql-release.list
exit
sudo apt-get update
sudo ACCEPT_EULA=Y apt-get install -y msodbcsql mssql-tools unixodbc-dev
sudo pecl install sqlsrv
sudo pecl install pdo_sqlsrv
echo "extension=sqlsrv" >> `php --ini | grep "Loaded Configuration" | sed -e "s|.*:\s*||"`
echo "extension=pdo_sqlsrv" >> `php --ini | grep "Loaded Configuration" | sed -e "s|.*:\s*||"`

CentOS 7:

sudo su
curl https://packages.microsoft.com/config/rhel/7/prod.repo > /etc/yum.repos.d/mssql-release.repo
exit
sudo yum update
sudo ACCEPT_EULA=Y yum install -y msodbcsql mssql-tools unixODBC-devel 
sudo yum groupinstall "Development Tools"
sudo pecl install sqlsrv
sudo pecl install pdo_sqlsrv
echo "extension=sqlsrv" >> `php --ini | grep "Loaded Configuration" | sed -e "s|.*:\s*||"`
echo "extension=pdo_sqlsrv" >> `php --ini | grep "Loaded Configuration" | sed -e "s|.*:\s*||"`

This will install the PHP SQL Server Drivers and register them in the php.ini folder.

Verify that it works by using the following sample

<?php
$serverName = "localhost";
$connectionOptions = array(
    "Database" => "SampleDB",
    "Uid" => "sa",
    "PWD" => "your_password"
);
//Establishes the connection
$conn = sqlsrv_connect($serverName, $connectionOptions);
if($conn)
    echo "Connected!"
?>

Links for reference:

• https://pecl.php.net/package/sqlsrv

• https://pecl.php.net/package/pdo_sqlsrv

• https://github.com/Microsoft/msphpsql