SQL Server® 2008 Administration: Real World Skills for MCITP Certification and Beyond

Chapter Essentials

Data Types SQL Server supports many data types, and Microsoft has categorized the data types to make them easier to understand and document. Choosing the right data type is an essential step in creating well-performing databases and tables. If you choose the wrong data type, storage space may be wasted and data integrity may suffer.

Collations Collations define the character set used for data presentation. They also define the sort order and case sensitivity of data. Collations are usually set at the server instance level, but may also be set at the database level or the column level. Column-level collations should be avoided where possible because they add complexity to database management. When no collation is specified at ...