Chapter 6. Using Management Studio
IN THIS CHAPTER
A UI worthy of SQL Server 2008
Navigating SQL Server's objects
Organizing projects
Maximizing productivity with Query Editor
SQL Server's primary user interface is SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), a powerful set of tools within a Visual Studio shell that enables the developer or DBA to create database projects and manage SQL Server with either a GUI interface or T-SQL code. For business intelligence (BI) work with Integration Services, Reporting Services, and Analysis Services, there's a companion tool called SQL Server Business Intelligence Development Studio (BIDS).
Like many things in life, Management Studio's greatest strength is also its greatest weakness. Its numerous tasks, tree nodes, and tools can overwhelm the new user. The windows can dock, float, or become tabbed, so the interface can appear cluttered, without any sense of order.
However, once the individual pages are understood, and the interface options mastered, the studios are very flexible, and interfaces can be configured to meet the specific needs of any database task. Personally, I love Management Studio—it's one of my favorite features of SQL Server 2008.
Much of using Management Studio is obvious to experienced IT professionals, and subsequent chapters in this book explain how to accomplish tasks using Management Studio, so I'm not going to explain every feature or menu item in this chapter. Instead, this chapter is a navigational guide to the landscape, pointing ...
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