How Do I Find Tutorials (Database Engine)

Microsoft SQL Server includes a complete set of graphical tools and command line utilities that allow users, programmers, and administrators to increase their productivity. The step-by-step tutorials listed below, help you learn to get the most out of SQL Server tools so you can work efficiently, right from the start. The following table describes the topics in this section. Click a link to start a tutorial.

Getting Started with the Database Engine

This tutorial is for users who are new to SQL Server. The tutorial reviews the basic tools, shows you how to start the Database Engine, and describes how to connect to the Database Engine on the same computer and also from another computer.

SQL Server Management Studio

Take this tutorial to review how SQL Server Management Studio provides a rich and flexible work surface. Learn to configure the SQL Server Management Studio to support the way you work. Learn how to get more space on the desktop, how to use the great new features of the SQL Editor, manage script projects, and more. This tutorial is suitable for anyone who has not worked extensively in the Microsoft Visual Studio environment.

sqlcmd Utility

The sqlcmd utility, a command line utility, runs ad hoc Transact-SQL statements and scripts. Take this tutorial to get started. sqlcmd replaces osql and isql from earlier versions of SQL Server.

Database Engine Tuning Advisor

This tutorial will teach you how to tune a workload file with the Database Engine Tuning Advisor, and how to perform some basic tasks with the dta.exe command prompt utility.

Writing Transact-SQL Statements

This tutorial is for novice Transact-SQL programmers. This tutorial shows you how to create database objects, access and change data, and configure secure access.

Using the HierarchyId Data Type

Shows you how to use the hierarchyid data type to expresses a hierarchy. This tutorial creates a new hierarchy from start to finish, and also shows how to convert from a table that used a self-join to maintain a hierarchy.

Administering Servers by Using Policy-Based Management Policies

This tutorial demonstrates how to manage a server by creating policies, applying them to a server, and testing server compliance.

Ownership Chains and Context Switching

Take this tutorial to learn how you can use ownership chains and context switching to manage the security context of stored procedures. Then users without direct access to database objects, such as tables or views, can access those objects through applications that use these stored procedures.

Signing Stored Procedures with a Certificate

This tutorial illustrates signing stored procedures using a certificate generated by SQL Server. This is is useful when you want to require permissions on the stored procedure but you do not want to explicitly grant a user those rights. It is particularly useful when auditing Data Definition Language (DDL) operations.