What Is SQL Server?

SQL Server is a relational database management system used to store, manage, and retrieve data efficiently.

What Is SQL Server?

SQL Server Definition

Microsoft released SQL Server in 1989, building it on Structured Query Language (SQL). As a relational database management system, SQL Server organizes data into structured tables related to one another. This makes using queries and filters easier compared to non-relational databases and provides flexibility, data integrity, and consistency.

Microsoft SQL Server also supports atomicity, consistency, isolation, and durability transaction processing, resulting in increased data integrity and reliability. With the help of SQL Server, storing, retrieving, analyzing, and manipulating data is fast and easy. Thanks to its scalability and ability to handle complex data operations, SQL Server is used by countless organizations across various industries, from healthcare to finance.

Several versions of SQL Server have been developed, each adding new features, performance enhancements, and security improvements to support ever-evolving data management needs. It is available as an on-premises or cloud-based (through Azure) solution and has Database Engine, a Microsoft software component that handles storing, processing, and securing data at its core.

Key Features of SQL Server

SQL Server is a trusted database system known for its strong performance and reliability. It offers features such as Always On availability groups, which help keep your data safe and systems running smoothly by providing backups and automatic recovery if something goes wrong. It also supports failover clustering, where multiple servers work together to ensure your applications stay online, even if one server has an issue.

SQL Server is flexible and can grow with your business, whether you’re running a small app or managing a large system. It works well with other Microsoft offerings, such as Excel and Azure, making it easy to get more out of the tools you already use. SQL Server can also connect to other apps and systems, giving your business the freedom to build and expand without being limited.

SQL Server includes the Query Store, a built-in feature that tracks query performance over time. It helps identify and fix slow or problematic queries by providing a history of execution plans and performance metrics. This makes it easier to optimize database performance and ensure your applications run efficiently.

Besides, it offers several advanced security features, resulting in a high level of security and additional peace of mind. The “Always Encrypted” feature enables users to update encrypted data without requiring them to decrypt it, minimizing data vulnerability.

Meanwhile, row-level security allows users to control data access at a row level, and dynamic data masking automatically hides sensitive data from users who don’t have full access privileges. SQL Server also offers authentication and authorization features to help users ensure that only authorized individuals can access specific databases or perform certain actions.

SQL Server enables transparent data encryption, meaning users can encrypt data files within their databases and perform fine-grained auditing. This provides users with detailed information on their database and its usage, making it easier to monitor activity, detect potential security threats, and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements. It also simplifies reporting on regulatory compliance.

SQL Server Data Types

Every column, parameter, expression, and local variable within the SQL Server Database Engine has a data type. This indicates the type of data the object can hold. SQL Server data types include:

Exact numerics: Exact numerics refers to precise numerical values. This encompasses data types such as int, tinyint, smallint, bigint, bit, decimal, numerical, money, and smallmoney.
Approximate numerics: Data types such as float and real can store approximate values for numerical data.
Data and time: When handling temporal data, SQL Server has data types such as date, time, datetime2, datetimeoffset, datetime, and smalldate time. These can be used to store information about events, timestamps, and schedules.
Character strings: SQL Server objects can hold character strings, such as char, varchar, and text, allowing for the storage of textual data.
Unicode character strings: Objects in this SQL Server data type category can hold Unicode character strings, such as nchar, nvarchar, and ntext.
Binary strings: SQL Server objects can also fall under the binary strings data type category, meaning they can hold binary, varbinary, and image data.
Other data types: Other data types include cursor, geography, geometry, hierarchyid, json, vector, rowversion, sql_variant, table, uniqueidentifier, and xml.

Common Use Cases and Applications

Often, medium to large enterprises that handle a high volume of records, ranging from customer transactions and employee information to inventory data and financial records, turn to SQL Server, thanks to its ability to efficiently handle and retrieve large amounts of data. SQL Server offers high performance and the ability to handle large-scale queries, complex data processing tasks, and more without sacrificing reliability, integrity, or security.

Thanks to the high level of flexibility, reliability, and performance SQL Server offers, it is well suited for a variety of use cases and applications, including:

E-commerce platforms: SQL Server is a popular choice for managing online stores, customer data, order processing, sales transactions, and inventory. It is capable of handling high transaction volumes without sacrificing data integrity or security.
Web applications: Many web-based platforms also rely on SQL Server for managing user data, content, and backend operations.
Business intelligence tools: SQL Server is compatible with many business intelligence tools, including Microsoft Power BI, Tableau, Qlik, and MicroStrategy. Organizations can quickly and easily analyze large datasets, generate reports, and gain valuable insights to drive more effective decision-making.
Cloud-based solutions: SQL Server is commonly used by organizations that use cloud-based solutions because it seamlessly integrates with Microsoft Azure and various cloud-based Microsoft applications.
Healthcare organizations: SQL Server offers robust security, advanced compliance features, and the ability to quickly retrieve data from large databases, making it a go-to solution for many healthcare organizations. They can use SQL Server to manage sensitive patient data and rely on it to handle electronic medical records, medical imaging data, appointments, billing and insurance management, and other healthcare-related information and processes.
Finance institutions: SQL Server is also popular with financial services businesses. These businesses can use it to efficiently manage financial data, perform risk analysis, and more.

It is also worth noting that SQL Server has several available editions, including:

SQL Server Express: For those looking for an entry-level solution, SQL Server Express is ideal. It is free and best suited for building desktop or small server applications that rely on data (database size limit: 10 GB ). Hobbyists, independent software vendors, and developers may benefit from using SQL Server Express.
SQL Server Developer: This edition enables developers to build applications on top of SQL Server and is best for people who need to develop and test applications. It offers all the functionality of SQL Server Enterprise. However, it can’t be used as a production server because it is only licensed for use as a development and test system.
SQL Server Web: SQL Server Web is an affordable option for Web hosters and Web VAPs. It offers the scalability and management capabilities needed for small and large-scale web properties.
SQL Server Standard: This is the standard edition of SQL Server. It offers basic database management for running applications and supports many development tools for on-premises and cloud applications.
SQL Server Enterprise: The SQL Server Enterprise version goes a step further and is best for large organizations in need of extremely fast performance, end-to-end business intelligence, unlimited virtualization, and high-end data center capabilities.

SQL Server Performance Tuning and Monitoring

As with any relational database management system, SQL Server requires regular performance tuning and monitoring to maximize its capabilities and ensure optimal performance. Regular SQL Server performance tuning can help you identify and resolve issues keeping your database from operating at peak efficiency, such as slow and poorly written queries, excessively high resource consumption, and inefficient indexing. Engaging in close SQL Server monitoring to address these issues improves query execution times and enhances the overall responsiveness of applications dependent on the database.

SolarWinds^® SQL Sentry is an excellent performance monitoring solution for Microsoft SQL Server users. Designed to monitor SQL Server and Azure SQL databases, SQL Sentry offers comprehensive visibility, making root cause analysis fast and easy. With SQL Sentry, you can monitor your entire environment from a single, centralized dashboard. You’ll be able to see vital database performance metrics at a glance, helping you quickly pinpoint and resolve performance issues.

SQL Sentry provides advanced, intelligent alerts, which can warn you of database performance problems, allowing you to act before the issues escalate. SQL Sentry also has plenty to offer when it comes to improving SQL query performance, as the Top SQL feature can capture and analyze queries to identify those with the highest impact. As a result, you can locate which queries require further analysis, tuning, and optimization.

What Is SQL Server?

SQL Server Definition
Microsoft released SQL Server in 1989, building it on Structured Query Language (SQL). As a relational database management system, SQL Server organizes data into structured tables related to one another. This makes using queries and filters easier compared to non-relational databases and provides flexibility, data integrity, and consistency.
Microsoft SQL Server also supports atomicity, consistency, isolation, and durability transaction processing, resulting in increased data integrity and reliability. With the help of SQL Server, storing, retrieving, analyzing, and manipulating data is fast and easy. Thanks to its scalability and ability to handle complex data operations, SQL Server is used by countless organizations across various industries, from healthcare to finance.
Several versions of SQL Server have been developed, each adding new features, performance enhancements, and security improvements to support ever-evolving data management needs. It is available as an on-premises or cloud-based (through Azure) solution and has Database Engine, a Microsoft software component that handles storing, processing, and securing data at its core.
Key Features of SQL Server
SQL Server is a trusted database system known for its strong performance and reliability. It offers features such as Always On availability groups, which help keep your data safe and systems running smoothly by providing backups and automatic recovery if something goes wrong. It also supports failover clustering, where multiple servers work together to ensure your applications stay online, even if one server has an issue.
SQL Server is flexible and can grow with your business, whether you’re running a small app or managing a large system. It works well with other Microsoft offerings, such as Excel and Azure, making it easy to get more out of the tools you already use. SQL Server can also connect to other apps and systems, giving your business the freedom to build and expand without being limited.
SQL Server includes the Query Store, a built-in feature that tracks query performance over time. It helps identify and fix slow or problematic queries by providing a history of execution plans and performance metrics. This makes it easier to optimize database performance and ensure your applications run efficiently.
Besides, it offers several advanced security features, resulting in a high level of security and additional peace of mind. The “Always Encrypted” feature enables users to update encrypted data without requiring them to decrypt it, minimizing data vulnerability.
Meanwhile, row-level security allows users to control data access at a row level, and dynamic data masking automatically hides sensitive data from users who don’t have full access privileges. SQL Server also offers authentication and authorization features to help users ensure that only authorized individuals can access specific databases or perform certain actions.
SQL Server enables transparent data encryption, meaning users can encrypt data files within their databases and perform fine-grained auditing. This provides users with detailed information on their database and its usage, making it easier to monitor activity, detect potential security threats, and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements. It also simplifies reporting on regulatory compliance.
SQL Server Data Types
Every column, parameter, expression, and local variable within the SQL Server Database Engine has a data type. This indicates the type of data the object can hold. SQL Server data types include:
Exact numerics: Exact numerics refers to precise numerical values. This encompasses data types such as int, tinyint, smallint, bigint, bit, decimal, numerical, money, and smallmoney.
Approximate numerics: Data types such as float and real can store approximate values for numerical data.
Data and time: When handling temporal data, SQL Server has data types such as date, time, datetime2, datetimeoffset, datetime, and smalldate time. These can be used to store information about events, timestamps, and schedules.
Character strings: SQL Server objects can hold character strings, such as char, varchar, and text, allowing for the storage of textual data.
Unicode character strings: Objects in this SQL Server data type category can hold Unicode character strings, such as nchar, nvarchar, and ntext.
Binary strings: SQL Server objects can also fall under the binary strings data type category, meaning they can hold binary, varbinary, and image data.
Other data types: Other data types include cursor, geography, geometry, hierarchyid, json, vector, rowversion, sql_variant, table, uniqueidentifier, and xml.
Common Use Cases and Applications
Often, medium to large enterprises that handle a high volume of records, ranging from customer transactions and employee information to inventory data and financial records, turn to SQL Server, thanks to its ability to efficiently handle and retrieve large amounts of data. SQL Server offers high performance and the ability to handle large-scale queries, complex data processing tasks, and more without sacrificing reliability, integrity, or security.
Thanks to the high level of flexibility, reliability, and performance SQL Server offers, it is well suited for a variety of use cases and applications, including:
E-commerce platforms: SQL Server is a popular choice for managing online stores, customer data, order processing, sales transactions, and inventory. It is capable of handling high transaction volumes without sacrificing data integrity or security.
Web applications: Many web-based platforms also rely on SQL Server for managing user data, content, and backend operations.
Business intelligence tools: SQL Server is compatible with many business intelligence tools, including Microsoft Power BI, Tableau, Qlik, and MicroStrategy. Organizations can quickly and easily analyze large datasets, generate reports, and gain valuable insights to drive more effective decision-making.
Cloud-based solutions: SQL Server is commonly used by organizations that use cloud-based solutions because it seamlessly integrates with Microsoft Azure and various cloud-based Microsoft applications.
Healthcare organizations: SQL Server offers robust security, advanced compliance features, and the ability to quickly retrieve data from large databases, making it a go-to solution for many healthcare organizations. They can use SQL Server to manage sensitive patient data and rely on it to handle electronic medical records, medical imaging data, appointments, billing and insurance management, and other healthcare-related information and processes.
Finance institutions: SQL Server is also popular with financial services businesses. These businesses can use it to efficiently manage financial data, perform risk analysis, and more.
It is also worth noting that SQL Server has several available editions, including:
SQL Server Express: For those looking for an entry-level solution, SQL Server Express is ideal. It is free and best suited for building desktop or small server applications that rely on data (database size limit: 10 GB ). Hobbyists, independent software vendors, and developers may benefit from using SQL Server Express.
SQL Server Developer: This edition enables developers to build applications on top of SQL Server and is best for people who need to develop and test applications. It offers all the functionality of SQL Server Enterprise. However, it can’t be used as a production server because it is only licensed for use as a development and test system.
SQL Server Web: SQL Server Web is an affordable option for Web hosters and Web VAPs. It offers the scalability and management capabilities needed for small and large-scale web properties.
SQL Server Standard: This is the standard edition of SQL Server. It offers basic database management for running applications and supports many development tools for on-premises and cloud applications.
SQL Server Enterprise: The SQL Server Enterprise version goes a step further and is best for large organizations in need of extremely fast performance, end-to-end business intelligence, unlimited virtualization, and high-end data center capabilities.
SQL Server Performance Tuning and Monitoring
As with any relational database management system, SQL Server requires regular performance tuning and monitoring to maximize its capabilities and ensure optimal performance. Regular SQL Server performance tuning can help you identify and resolve issues keeping your database from operating at peak efficiency, such as slow and poorly written queries, excessively high resource consumption, and inefficient indexing. Engaging in close SQL Server monitoring to address these issues improves query execution times and enhances the overall responsiveness of applications dependent on the database.
SolarWinds^® SQL Sentry is an excellent performance monitoring solution for Microsoft SQL Server users. Designed to monitor SQL Server and Azure SQL databases, SQL Sentry offers comprehensive visibility, making root cause analysis fast and easy. With SQL Sentry, you can monitor your entire environment from a single, centralized dashboard. You’ll be able to see vital database performance metrics at a glance, helping you quickly pinpoint and resolve performance issues.
SQL Sentry provides advanced, intelligent alerts, which can warn you of database performance problems, allowing you to act before the issues escalate. SQL Sentry also has plenty to offer when it comes to improving SQL query performance, as the Top SQL feature can capture and analyze queries to identify those with the highest impact. As a result, you can locate which queries require further analysis, tuning, and optimization.