VMWare has a tool called vFabric Data Directory which allows you to automate building SQL, Postgress and Oracle servers using VMWare. Is there something simular to this that will work for Hyper-V? I was thinking of using a base Windows 2012 Core install, Sys-prepping it and running a script to install required components, but before re-inventing the wheel, is there a automated way of doing this already?
I do not have System Center in my infrastructure, and currently do not have VMM either, but if they are required, I can go down that route...
[Tweaking the question]
Just to clarify, i only need SQL Server (2008 and above) to be installed, and the Base OS. I was thinking a syspreped image of 2008 R2 or 2012 Core would do that job, its just the Automating SQL install that i have the query about...
Without using something System Center related, and its small volume, SysPrep'ing your machines would be a good option. Check out this link to include SQL in the prep.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee210754.aspx
You could probably do this with Windows Deployment Services as well, which is pretty simple to set up and use.
Create your reference VM (including roles, features and applications), Sysprep it, and capture it with WDS. Then deploy the reference image to other VM's with WDS.