Tag Archives: Learn SQL Server

How to Install Sample Databases in SQL Server 2008 R2

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In this blog, we shall learn “How to install sample databases in SQL Server 2008 R2”. Sample databases are really helpful,  when you want to practice what you have learnt in SQL Server be it from a text book or an online article, blog etc sample databases are readily available to test. Knowing that it is easy to start from scratch on these sample databases makes you play with and even try some things that you would not want to do on other databases. Database and Log file shrinking (which is not suggested on user databases) but in order to learn such topics, your best choice is a sample database. With that lets focus on our goal (Installing the sample databases, if you have already forgotten…)

The first step is downloading the sample database. Visit the Microsoft Database Product Samples website and choose the sample database for the version that you want. Since we are dealing with SQL Server 2008 R2 he is the link. Once you have downloaded the file (approx 80 MB). Go to the location where the downloaded file is residing. Right click on the file AdventureWorks2008R2_SR1.exe (if you have not renamed it) and select Open; you can also double click on the file.

The exe file starts extracting to a temporary location on your local drive and once the extraction is done, the SQL Server 2008R2 SR1 Database Installer is displayed. The below screen is the first screen in which you have to accept to the license terms. Choose the check box and click Next.

In the next screen, it will displays on which database Instance the Sample databases will be added. If you have multiple instances on the machine, you can choose the Instance name from the drop down list.

Note that for some databases there are warning (yellow triangle with exclamation) icon being displayed, those databases cannot be installed through this installed but they can be added manually using Business Intelligence Developer Studio. You can click more information to find details on how to perform that task.

By default all sample databases that can be added, will be selected, you can un-check those databases that you would not want to install. Once you are done, click Install

The installation of sample databases progress is displayed, you can click Show Details button to view the detailed information in text format..

Once the installation is done, the progress bar indicates that installation is complete.. Click Finish to close the Installer.

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— Bru Medishetty

What are SQL Server Developer Responsibilities?

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Couple of weeks back I published What are SQL Server DBA Responsibilities? After that blog, while I was writing notes for the section Learn SQL Server, I thought, why not post a blog that lists out the responsibilities of a SQL Server Developer too.This would also complete the topic of what responsibilities of these 2 positions (DBA and Developer) under my new section Learn SQL Server.

  • Create Entity Relationship (ER) Diagrams to the proposed database
  • Create database objects such as tables, views, stored procedures, Triggers etc.
  • Maintain referential integrity, domain integrity and column integrity by using the available options such as constraints etc.
  • Identify columns for Primary Keys in all the tables at the design time and create them.
  • Create functions to provide custom functionality as per the requirements.
  • Be aware of potential blocking, deadlocking and write code to avoid those situations.
  • Endure that the code is written keeping in mind any security issues such as SQL Injection.
  • Develop reports in SQL Server Reporting Services.
  • Design, Develop and Deploy SSIS Packages.
  • Identify and write best possible code in case of new deployments or when rewriting code when migrating to newer version of SQL Server.
  • participate in discussions involving the application creation and understand the requirements and provide the back-end functionality for the applications.
  • Participate in development and creation of Data warehouses.
  • Create cubes in SQL Server Analysis Services.

Since I primarily work as a SQL Server Database Admin, I might not be able to give an exhaustive list covering all responsibilities of a SQL Server Developer. If you feel something is missing, please feel free to post a comment.

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— Bru Medishetty

What are Versions and Editions in SQL Server?

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When I was adding (writing) new content in the recently started section Learn SQL Server for Beginners, I mentioned about SQL Server Versions and Editions. That section is written keeping in mind a beginner in SQL Server. In this blog post, I would like to explain in detail, and make things clear for those who have no prior knowledge of SQL Server Editions..

What are Versions and Editions?

When you read or listen something like SQL Server 2005, 2008, 2008 R2 and 2012, they are Versions of SQL Server.. Each time a major release of SQL Server is released, that is called a Version. With each of these new Versions, the SQL Server Software (a more simplistic term, instead of using terms like Database Engine and BI components) are designed for better performance, are more reliable and robust than the previous versions and these feature enhancements go on and on and on….

Now I hope you have a decent understanding of SQL Server Versions, so lets take a look at the what are Editions. Within those SQL Server Versions, there will be different flavors (Editions) of SQL Server released. Some of those Editions are Express, Workgroup, Standard, Developer and Enterprise Edition. Each of these Editions is released, keeping in view the end users requirements and the licensing cost for these Editions go higher as we move towards Enterprise Edition.

Express Edition is a free Edition, has various limitations (in terms of available features). It is most often installed on personal workstations, for example in situations where developers need the databases available when they are remote (at home) to write and test code for the applications.

Workgroup Edition has few more features that are suitable for smaller organizations (something like an individual store or a branch).

The next one is Standard Edition, which is good for mid-sized organization and has most of the features but not all. They are also used in large organizations for an individual group of applications which can be built and managed with those features available in Standard Edition.

Enterprise Edition is the most feature rich Edition and has all features and functionalities available in that SQL Server Version. Enterprise Edition is used Very Large Databases (VLDBs) and Mission-Critical Databases.

There are 2 more Editions, Enterprise Evaluation Edition which is has the same features as Enterprise Edition but expires after 180 days of installation. Developer Edition is a low cost (approx 50 bucks) Edition which does not expire, has no limitations and has the same features as Enterprise Edition. Important point to note, Microsoft does not recommend and support the usage of Developer Editions in a production Environment..

Note: This post is written focusing beginners so there is  no mention of the SQL Server features like Clustering, Database Mirroring, Database and backup Compression, Database Partitioning, Resource Governor, Policy Based Management etc. Lets keep that discussion for another time….

You might want to read a related blog, this is on Editions in SQL Server 2012.

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— Bru Medishetty