Chapter 14. SQL Server
This chapter covers
- Configuring SQL Server
- Creating and administering databases
- Creating and managing database objects such as tables and indexes
- Manipulating data in a SQL Server database
Any Windows-based environment is more than likely to have SQL Server installed somewhere. In addition to being used as a database in its own right, it also appears as a data store for a number of other Microsoft products including SharePoint, Operations Manager, and Configuration Manager.
SQL Server has a powerful scripting language in the shape of T-SQL. Many SQL Server experts will say they don’t need PowerShell, as they can administer SQL Server quite happily using T-SQL.
Unfortunately, in many organizations the opportunity to specialize in one product, such as SQL Server, is disappearing. The phrase “Do more with less” seems to crop up frequently. I’ve even been known to use it myself when talking about PowerShell. Chad Miller discussed this in a blog posting “The Value Proposition of PowerShell to DBAs.” The following was one of my comments in the follow-up discussion:
Chad gives a number of benefits of learning PowerShell. I think that one of the most compelling reasons is that it’ll be a part of all future Microsoft server products—look what is happening with Windows 2008 R2—and provides a common automation platform across your Microsoft estate. PowerShell gives us the possibility of integrated, automated administration across your servers and applications.