Beginning T-SQL with Microsoft® SQL Server® 2005 and 2008

Chapter 3. SQL Server Tools

It's said that a craftsman's work is only as good as his tools. To some degree, this principle applies to SQL Server. However, many database professionals from the old school choose not to use sophisticated tools, just as many craftsmen use old manual tools (chisels, carving knives, and so on) to do the work that is often simplified through automation. Many would even argue that the results are different, perhaps even better, when you remove automation from the equation. Regardless of the ideals to which you subscribe, a number of tools and applications are available that you can use to create and debug queries. Which tools do you need? This depends a great deal on what you need to do.

Common SQL Server Tasks

Here's a breakdown of some of the common tasks you may need to perform with SQL Server:

• Administrative tasks

  • Creating databases

  • Creating and managing server logins and database roles and users

  • Granting and managing security permissions

  • Scheduling backups

  • Auditing and error checking

  • Diagnosing failures and application errors

  • Performance tuning

  • Configuring data replication

  • Managing disk space and data files

• Database management tasks

  • Adding and managing tables, views, stored procedures, and functions

  • Creating indexes

  • Creating views, stored procedures, and functions

  • Importing, exporting, or transforming data

• Data operations

  • Inserting, updating, and deleting records

  • Supporting application features

  • Defining business rules

  • Selecting records from a table or multi-table join