Metadata is
data that describes other data. SQL Server exposes a vast array of metadata including structural metadata, which describes every object, and descriptive metadata, which describes the data itself. Metadata is exposed through a series of
Catalog views
Information schema views
Dynamic management views and functions
System functions
System stored procedures
In this chapter, we will discuss how metadata can be used to perform actions at the instance level, such as expose registry values, examine how metadata can assist in capacity planning, and discuss how metadata can be ...
