SQL Server 2008 provides several types of tools for administration . The graphi- cal administration tools are the ones you use most often . In R1, you can access these tools by clicking Start, choosing All Programs, and then using the Microsoft SQL Server 2008 menu . In R2, you can access these tools by clicking Start, choos- ing All Programs, and then using the Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 menu . With a full instance and shared feature installation, the Microsoft SQL Server 2008 and Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 menus have the following options and suboptions:
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■ Import And Export Data ■
■ SQL Server Business Intelligence Studio ■
■ SQL Server Management Studio ■ ■ Analysis Services ■ ■ Deployment Wizard ■ ■ Configuration Tools ■
■ Reporting Services Configuration Manager ■
■ SQL Server Configuration Manager ■
■ SQL Server Error And Usage Reporting ■
■ SQL Server Installation Center ■
■ Documentation And Tutorials ■
■ Microsoft SQL Server Samples Overview ■
■ SQL Server Books Online ■
■ SQL Server Tutorials ■
■ Integration Services ■
■ Data Profile Viewer ■
■ Execute Package Utility ■
■ Performance Tools ■
■ Database Engine Tuning Advisor ■
■ SQL Server Profiler
SQL Server Management Studio is the tool you use to perform most core SQL Server administration tasks . SQL Server Management Studio provides several differ- ent views . When you start working with this tool, you see the Object Explorer view, shown in Figure 1-1 . If this view is not displayed, you can access it (and other views) from the View menu . The following descriptions explain how to use each view:
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■ Object Explorer Allows you to view and connect to SQL Server, Analysis Services, Integration Services, Reporting Services, and SQL Server Compact edition . Once you have connected to a particular server, you can view its
components as an object tree and can expand nodes to work your way to lower levels of the tree .
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■ Registered Servers Shows the currently registered servers . The top bar of the view allows you to quickly switch between servers of a particular type (SQL Server, Analysis Server, Integration Server, Report Server, SQL Server Compact Edition) .
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■ Template Explorer Provides quick access to the default Query Editor tem- plates and any custom templates you create . You can create templates in any script language supported by SQL Server Management Studio . SQL Server, Analysis Server, and SQL Server Compact edition support templates . ■
■ Solutions Explorer Provides quick access to existing SQL Server, Analysis Server, and SQL Compact edition projects . A project details the connec- tions, queries, and other functions that are performed when the project is executed .
FIGURE 1-1 Use SQL Server Management Studio to perform core administration tasks .
If you have worked with SQL Server 2000 or SQL Server 2005, you will find that SQL Server Management Studio is very different from the tools it replaces . Most of the friendly wizards are gone and have been replaced with nonmodal dialog boxes that provide quick access to configuration elements . As shown in Figure 1-2, Script and Help options are provided on the top bar of these dialog boxes to make it easy for you to generate a script based on your configuration choices and get help when you need it .
FIGURE 1-2 Use the top bar options to quickly perform key tasks .
Another important tool is SQL Server Configuration Manager, shown in Fig- ure 1-3 . SQL Server Configuration Manager replaces Server Network Utility, Client Network Utility, and Services Manager . As a result, you can use SQL Server Configu- ration Manager to perform many essential service, setup, and network configuration tasks . When you select a service under the Services node, you can manage the ser- vice in the details pane by right-clicking it and then choosing an appropriate option, such as Start, Stop, or Restart . You can also choose Properties to configure the related settings, such as startup mode, login account, and login account password .
FIGURE 1-3 Use SQL Server Configuration Manager to manage services and network configurations . SQL Server 2008 is designed for local and remote management . You can use most of the administration tools to manage local resources as well as remote resources . For example, in SQL Server Management Studio, you can register a new
server and then connect to it . Afterward, you can remotely manage the server and all its databases from your system . Table 1-2 provides a summary of the graphical administration tools discussed, as well as other useful graphical tools .
TABLE 1-2 Quick Reference for Key SQL Server 2008 Administration Tools
ADMINISTRATION TOOL PURPOSE
Analysis Services Deployment Wizard
Allows you to deploy the output from an Analy- sis Services project to a target server by using specified deployment configuration settings and options .
Business Intelligence Develop- ment Studio
Allows you to develop and manage business intelligence objects . This feature includes SSIS Designer, which you can use to create and maintain SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) packages .
Database Engine Tuning Advisor Helps you tune the performance of SQL Server databases .
Import And Export Data Wizard Allows you to define SSIS Services packages for importing and exporting data .
SQL Server Configuration Manager
Allows you to configure the client and server network libraries and manage SQL Server services . Replaces Server Network Utility, Client Network Utility, and Services Manager . This feature is covered in Chapter 3 .
SQL Server Installation Center Provides a central interface for upgrading to SQL Server 2008 from SQL Server 2000 or SQL Server 2005, installing instance and shared features, and configuring SQL Server clusters . SQL Server Management Studio The main administration tool for SQL Server
2008 . This feature manages SQL servers, databases, security, and more . Key aspects are discussed in Chapter 7 . It replaces SQL Server Enterprise Manager, Query Analyzer, and Analy- sis Manager .
SQL Server Profiler Allows you to analyze user activity and gener- ate audit trails . SQL Server Profiler is a graphical interface to SQL Trace . This feature is covered in Chapter 14, “Profiling and Monitoring SQL Server 2008 .”