S

Scalar

An atomic quantity, such as a field or variable, that can hold only one value at a time.

Schema

A grouping mechanism for objects inside a database. A schema is owned by a user, and various users can be assigned permission to use objects in a schema. In SQL Server 2005 the schema is separated from the object owner and is used as the third part of the four-part naming system for objects, which is server.database.schema.object.

Scope

The range under which a particular command or function operates. Inside SQL Server 2005 there are events and commands that execute at the server scope, meaning they affect the entire server, or at a database scope, meaning they are limited to a particular database.

Secondary data file

The second or subsequent file used by SQL Server’s storage engine to store the database. A secondary data file stores only data.

Securable

A SQL Server resource that can be accessed by a principal and thus have security permissions assigned to it.

Security principal

Any user or process that can request resources from SQL Server and run commands. Permissions are assigned to security principals.

Selectivity

The degree of unique values for the data contained in a table column.

Self-mapping

The default mapping for a linked server configuration that emulates the current security credentials of the login. Self-mapping requires that Microsoft Windows authentication be used and requires that accounts are trusted for delegation.

Semistructured data

Data that has flexible metadata, such as XML.

Sensitive data

Any data that would be harmful if exposed to other users, such as passwords. SSIS flags certain data as sensitive by default, such as connection managers, but you can flag data manually.

Service account

On a Windows operating system, a service is a software program that runs automatically without requiring a login to the console. The service account is the account under whose security context the software program is run.

Service Broker

A component of SQL Server 2005 that facilitates asynchronous messaging. Can be used to build SOA-based database solutions.

Service master key

The first key created by the SQL Server 2005 instance; it is bound to that instance. It is used to encrypt all database master keys.

Snapshot Agent

Replication agent that prepares the snapshot files. These files contain the schema and data of the tables and database objects you have decided to publish.

Snapshot replication

Replication type that relies on a snapshot of the entire article (table) to be automatically sent from a published database to the subscriber database(s). Distributes data exactly as it appears at a given time.

SOA

Service Oriented Architecture. An application architecture that uses a loosely coupled or asynchronous paradigm.

SOAP

Simple Object Access Protocol. A protocol used to exchange XML-based messages over the network, usually using HTTP.

Sort order

The rules SQL Server uses to return a record set in an ordered fashion.

SQL injection attack

An attack on a database made by inserting escape characters or additional commands into a batch, allowing the attacker to run commands on the database server. This exploits poor validation or weak designs in application code that allow extra commands to be submitted to the server.

SQL Mail

A SQL Server 2000 component used to send email messages. Included in SQL Server 2005 for backward compatibility only. (See Database Mail.)

SQL Profiler

A SQL Server 2005 utility used to capture network traffic/trace activity between client applications and a SQL Server instance.

SQL Server Agent

A component of SQL Server 2005 that runs as a Windows service and is responsible for running scheduled tasks, notifying operators of events, and generating alerts based on SQL Server performance object counters.

SQL Server authentication

An authentication process that relies on SQL Server as the repository of the credentials in the form of a username and password.

SQL Trace

A set of SQL Server stored procedures that allow you create a trace of SQL Server activity without relying on SQL Server Profiler.

SQLXML

Designed for SQL Server 2000, it allows databases to be viewed via XPath as XML documents. Deprecated with MDAC 2.6.

SSIS

SQL Server Integration Services. A component of SQL Server 2005 designed to extract, transform, and load data.

Statement permission

A permission on a Transact-SQL statement that controls who can execute it.

Stored procedure

An executable code module in SQL Server.

Structured data

Data that has a strict metadata defined, such as a SQL Server table’s column.

Subreport

A component of a report used in SQL Server Reporting Services to display a report within a report.

Subscriber

A client that has requested a notification to be sent to them in a SQL Server Notification Services solution when a particular event of interest occurs.

Also, a role played by a SQL Server instance in a replication topology. The Subscriber will receive the replicated data from a Publisher.

Subscription

An expressed interest in a specific type of event.

SVF

Scalar-Valued Function. A user-defined function that returns a single value.

Symmetric encryption

An encryption key that is used to both encrypt and decrypt plain text into cipher text.

Symmetric key

An encryption key (shared secret) that is shared between multiple parties to encrypt and decrypt data.

Synonym

An alternative name for a schema-scoped object.

System Monitor

A Windows operating system utility used to monitor performance object counters.