Appendix A. Glossary

A

ADO (ActiveX Data Objects)

An easy-to-use application programming interface (API) that wraps OLE DB for use in languages, such as Visual Basic, Visual Basic for Applications, Active Server Pages, and Microsoft Internet Explorer Visual Basic Scripting.

aggregate functions

Functions that provide summary data over sets returning a singular value.

alert

A user -defined response to a SQL Server event. Alerts can either execute a defined task or send an email and/or pager message to a specified operator.

ALTER

A command used to change a database object, such as a function or procedure. Using ALTER allows the object to be changed without losing permissions and other database settings.

ALTER TRIGGER

The ALTER TRIGGER statement is used to change the definition of a trigger. Its syntax and arguments are similar to CREATE TRIGGER .

ALTER VIEW

The ALTER VIEW statement is used to easily reshape the definition of a view without affecting permissions granted. Its syntax is similar to the CREATE VIEW statement's syntax.

analysis server

The server component of Analysis Services that is specifically designed to create and maintain multidimensional data structures and provide multidimensional data in response to client queries.

articles

Data structures made from selected columns from a table, or an entire table, that need to be bundled into a publication to be used for replication. A publication is composed of one or more articles. An article represents some or all columns, and some or all rows in a single table.

attributes

The characteristics given to an entity, such as PhoneNumber and State; they are usually represented as rows inside an entity. An attribute in data modeling can be thought of as the columns of a table implemented in SQL Server.

B

batch

Multiple batches can be combined in a single script or procedure using the GO Keyword to separate the batches. A collection of zero, one, or more T-SQL statements sent to SQL Server to be run together.

BCP

A command prompt bulk copy utility that copies SQL Server data to or from an operating system file in a user-specified format.

binding

In SQL application programming interfaces (APIs), binding is associating a resultset column or a parameter with a program variable, so that data is moved automatically into or out of a program variable when a row is fetched or updated.

blocked process

A process that cannot continue until a lock that another process holds is released.

Books Online

A comprehensive help facility and electronic reference manual.

built-in function

A group of predefined functions provided as part of the T-SQL and Multidimensional Expressions (MDX) languages.

C

cascading actions

Cascading delete or cascading update operations that either delete a row containing a Primary Key or updates a Primary Key value referenced by Foreign Key columns in existing rows in other tables. On a cascading delete , all the rows whose Foreign Key values reference the deleted Primary Key value are also deleted. On a cascading update, all the Foreign Key values are updated to match the new Primary Key value.

CASE expression

A complex expression that handles multiple-branch conditional logic.

CAST

The CAST function converts data from one type to another and is based on the ANSI SQL-92 standard as opposed to the CONVERT function.

CHECK constraint

Defines what values are acceptable in a column. You can apply CHECK constraints to multiple columns, and you can apply multiple CHECK constraints to a single column. When a table is dropped, CHECK constraints are also dropped.

Client Network utility

The Client Network utility is used to manage the client net-libraries and define server alias names . It can also be used to set the default options used by DB-Library applications.

client/server

A physically or logically implemented system where a device or application called the server requests services or data from another device or application and the server fulfills the request.

clustered index

A clustered index in SQL Server is a type of index in which the logical order of key values determines the actual data rows; thereby the data rows are kept sorted. Using a clustered index causes the actual data rows to move into the leaf level of the index.

collation (sequence)

A set of rules that determines how data is compared, ordered, and presented. Character data is sorted using collation information, including locale, sort order, and case sensitivity.

column list

The column list, or select list, is the part of the SELECT statement that specifies the columns being accessed.

comment

Inline documentation used to explain what a set of T-SQL statements is doing. This is also a technique used to temporarily prevent statements from running for diagnostic and troubleshooting reasons; usually used in the sense "comment out."

constraint

A property assigned to a table column that prevents certain types of invalid data values from being placed in the column. For example, a UNIQUE or PRIMARY KEY constraint prevents you from inserting a value that is a duplicate of an existing value; a CHECK constraint prevents you from inserting a value that does not match a search condition; and NOT NULL prevents you from inserting a NULL value.

CREATE

A command used to create a database object, such as a view or stored procedure.

CREATE TRIGGER

Using the CREATE TRIGGER statement is the T-SQL way to create a trigger, but they can also be created using the Enterprise Manager. As with CREATE VIEW , you can specify useful arguments, such as WITH ENCRYPTION .

Current Activity window

The window view in the Enterprise Manager that enables you to see current processes, objects, and locks held by SQL Server.

cursor

A construct that holds a rowset from a SELECT statement, which can then be stepped through row by row for various operations.

D

data warehouse

A database specifically structured for query and analysis. A data warehouse typically contains data representing the business history of an organization.

database lock

The largest of locking increments affecting the entire database.

DBRE DBREINDEX

A Database Console Command used to rebuild indexes. Out of the different ways of rebuilding an index, the preferred is DBREINDEX because it does not require that you rebuild indexes individually, but it enables you to rebuild multiple indexes in a single shot.

deadlock

A state in which two users or processes cannot continue processing because they each have a resource that the other needs.

DELETE

The DELETE T-SQL statement can be used to delete data from a table. A fast way to delete all rows is TRUNCATE TABLE .

DELETE trigger

DELETE triggers are FOR or AFTER triggers that can restrict data from being deleted from a table, or to perform any other action with the deleted data ”such as logging the deletion or generating an alert. They fire automatically when a DELETE statement is executed against the table.

denormalization

The process of adding planned redundancy to an already fully normalized data model.

derived table

In a FROM clause, you can use a SELECT statement in parentheses as one of the tables you are selecting from. This is called a derived table.

deterministic

A function is deterministic if it always returns the same output when presented with the same input. Mathematical functions, such as SQRT, are deterministic because they always return the same output given the same input.

distributed partitioned view

A distributed partitioned view collects data from two or more instances of SQL Server; a new feature to SQL Server 2000.

distributor

In SQL Server terminology, the Distributor is the server that contains the distribution database, data history, and transactions; as its name implies, its job is to distribute data to Subscribers.

DROP

A command used to drop a database object, such as a view or stored procedure. Using DROP removes all the permissions for the object, as well as the object itself. For example, the DROP VIEW statement is used to remove a view or indexed view from the database. Dropping a view removes the definition of a view from the database and an entry in the sysobjects while not affecting the underlying tables and views.

E

encryption

A method for keeping sensitive information confidential by changing data into an unreadable form.

English Query

Refers to a Microsoft application development product that enables users to ask questions in English, rather than in a computer language, such as SQL. For example, you might ask, "How many customers bought products last year?" rather than prepare an equivalent SQL statement.

entity

The main object in an entity-relationship model, which can be deduced by case study examination. Entities represent the things, places, people, concepts, and things involved in a real-world situation, and contain within them properties or attributes that relate to them.

entity decomposition

The breaking down of attributes so that they are made into a more basic form. Entity decomposition needs to be undertaken before applying attributes into the final data model.

execution plan

The method in which the query optimizer has chosen to execute a SQL operation.

extent lock

A lock covering eight contiguous data or index pages.

F

filegroups

In SQL Server, a named collection of one or more files that forms a single unit of allocation. Also for administration of a database.

FILLFACTOR

An attribute of an index that defines the amount of free space allotted to each page of the index. FILLFACTOR can be used to allocate space for future expansion. FILLFACTOR is a value from 1 through 100 that specifies the percentage of the index page to be left empty.

filter

A set of criteria that controls the set of records returned as a resultset. Filters can also define the sequence in which rows are returned.

Foreign Key

A column or multiple columns whose values match the Primary Key of another table. Foreign Keys help in the relational process between two entities by connecting the foreign attribute in the child entity to a Primary Key in a parent entity.

fragmentation

Occurs when data modifications are made. You can reduce fragmentation and improve read-ahead performance by dropping and re-creating a clustered index.

FROM

The FROM part of the SELECT statement specifies the tables being accessed. Specifying what tables are being accessed is compulsory for any SELECT data retrieval statement.

full-text catalog

A full-text catalog is a special storage space used to house full-text indexes. By default, all full-text indexes are housed in a single catalog.

full-text index

A special index that efficiently tracks the words you're looking for in a table. They help in enabling special searching functions that differ from those used in regular indexes.

G

GROUP BY operator

The operator that creates aggregated sets from a single select statement.

H

HTML (Hypertext Markup Language)

A system of marking up, or tagging, a document so that it can be published on the World Wide Web. Documents prepared in HTML include reference graphics and formatting tags. You use a web browser (such as Microsoft Internet Explorer) to view these documents.

I

identity

A column in a table that has been assigned the identity property. The identity property generates unique numbers .

IIS

Microsoft Internet Information Server.

IN operator

The operator that compares a single value to a set, and returns true if the single value occurs within the set.

index

In a relational database, a database object that provides fast access to data in the rows of a table, based on key values. Indexes can also enforce uniqueness on the rows in a table. SQL Server supports clustered and non-clustered indexes. The primary key/unique constraint automatically causes an index to be built. In full-text searches, a full-text index stores information about significant words and their location within a given column.

Index Tuning wizard

A graphical tool that enables you to select and create powerful indexes and statistics for a Microsoft SQL Server 2000 database without prior knowledge of index and database internal structural designs.

indexed view

A view that has an index defined onto it. Indexes on views enable view resultsets to be stored in the database's physical storage after an index is created. In contrast to this, in a non-indexed view, the view is activated at runtime and the resultset is dynamically built.

INSERT

T-SQL command used to add one or more records to a table.

INSERT INTO

The INSERT INTO T-SQL statement can be used to insert rows of data into a table when needed.

INSERT trigger

FOR or AFTER triggers that can be used to verify the data being inserted or to perform any other action with the data. They fire automatically when an INSERT statement is made against the underlying table.

INSTEAD OF trigger

A trigger new to SQL Server 2000, which replaces the action that an INSERT , DELETE , or UPDATE trigger might take.

Internet host name (DNS name)

Fully qualified name that is associated with the computer on the Internet (for example, mycomputer.mydomain.com )

J

job

A specified series of operations, called steps, performed sequentially by a SQL Server agent.

join

The act of combining the data in two tables based on values found in each of the tables.

K-L

LIKE

The LIKE predicate is used to search through character strings by specifying a search string. A LIKE search is primarily used for searches based on wildcard characters , such as the percent sign (%).

linked server

A database object that represents a particular data source and the attributes, including security and collation attributes, necessary to access the data source.

local partitioned view

A partitioned view where all member tables reside on the local instance of SQL Server.

lock

A method of ensuring concurrency. Locking enables users to temporarily "check out" an object, preventing other users from changing the object, for the purpose of ensuring consistency.

log file

A file or set of files containing a record of the modifications made in a database.

M

many-to-many relationship

This type of relationship occurs when many rows or things in an entity (many instances of an entity) are associated with many rows or things in another entity. This type of relationship is not uncommon in the real world. SQL Server doesn't actually allow direct implementation of many-to-many relationships; nevertheless, you can do so by creating two one-to-many relationships to a new entity.

Master database

The database that controls the operation of each instance of SQL Server. It is installed automatically with each instance of SQL Server and keeps track of user accounts, remote user accounts, and remote servers that each instance can interact with. It also tracks ongoing processes, configurable environment variables , system error messages, tapes and disks available on the system, and active locks.

merge replication

The process of transferring data from the Publisher to the Subscriber, allowing the Publisher and Subscriber to update data while connected or disconnected and then merging the updates after they both are connected. Merge replication begins with a snapshot. Thereafter, no data is replicated until the Publisher and Subscriber do a "merge." The merge can be scheduled or done via an ad-hoc request. Merge replication's main benefit is that it supports subscribers who are not on the network much of the time. Transactions, which are committed, however, may be rolled back as the result of conflict resolution.

meta data

Information about the properties of data, such as the type of data in a column (numeric, text, and so on) or the length of a column. It can also be information about the structure of data or information that specifies the design of objects, such as cubes or dimensions.

MIB ( Management Information Base)

The SNMP protocol used to define a hierarchical list of objects

MMC (Microsoft Management Console)

A common console framework for server and network management applications known as snap-ins.

Model database

A database installed with SQL Server that provides the template for new user databases. SQL Server 2000 creates a new database by copying the contents of the Model database and then expanding it to the size requested .

msdb database

The msdb database is used by the SQL Server agent for scheduling alerts and jobs and for recording server operator information.

N

NetBIOS computer name

The Windows network name associated with the computer.

non-clustered index

An index in which the logical order of the index is different than the physical, stored order of the rows on disk. In contrast to clustered indexes, non-clustered indexes are totally separated from the actual data rows, causing an unsorted order of data based on non-clustered keys. Non-clustered indexes differ from the clustered indexes at the leaf level. The leaf level of a non-clustered index contains the key value and the row locator. The row locator is either the physical row address (if there is no clustered index) or the clustered index key value (if a clustered index exists).

non-deterministic

A function is non-deterministic if it can return different results when provided with the same input. The RAND function is non-deterministic because it returns a different randomly generated number each time it is called.

normalization

Developed by Dr. E. F. Codd in 1970, database normalization is the process of simplifying data and database design to achieve maximum performance and simplicity. This process involves the removing of useless and redundant data.

O

ODBC (Open Database Connectivity)

A data access application programming interface (API) that supports access to any data source for which an ODBC driver is available. ODBC is aligned with the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and International Standards Organization for (ISO) standards for a database Call Level Interface (CLI).

OLE-DB

A COM-based application programming interface (API) for accessing data. OLE-DB supports accessing data stored in any format (databases, spreadsheets, text files, and so on) for which an OLE-DB provider is available.

one-to-many relationships

These relationships exist when a single instance of an entity (the parent entity) relates to many instances of another entity (the child entity). One-to-many relationships are the most common relationships in the real world.

one-to-one relationship

Occurs when one row or thing of an entity is associated with only one row or thing of another. One-to-one relationships are uncommon in the real world.

Online Analytical Processing ( OLAP )

A technology that uses multidimensional structures to provide rapid access to data for analysis. The source data for OLAP is commonly stored in data warehouses in a relational database.

Online Transaction Processing ( OLTP )

A data processing system designed to record all the business transactions of an organization as they occur. An OLTP system is characterized by many concurrent users actively adding and modifying data.

operator

An individual that can potentially receive messages from SQL Server via email, pager, or Net send.

ORDER BY

A sub-statement found in the SELECT statement used to order the rows in the resultset in either descending or ascending order: DESC and ASC , respectively.

OSQL (ODBC Structured Query Language)

An interactive command prompt utility provided with SQL Server that enables users to execute T-SQL statements or batches from a server or workstation and view the results returned.

P

page lock

A lock that covers 8KB of data.

partitioned view

A table that has been replaced with multiple, smaller tables. Each smaller table has the same format as the original table, but with a subset of the data. Each partitioned table has rows allocated to it based on some characteristic of the data, such as specific key ranges. The rules that define into which table the rows go must be unambiguous. For example, a table is partitioned into two tables. All rows with Primary Key values lower than a specified value are allocated to one table, and all rows equal to or greater than the value are allocated to the other. Partitioning can improve application processing speeds and reduce the potential for conflicts in multi-site update replication. You can improve the usability of partitioned tables by creating a view. The view, created by a union of select operations on all the partitioned tables, presents the data as if it all resided in a single table.

performance monitor

The NT implementation of system monitor.

Primary Key

A column or set of columns that uniquely identify all the rows in a table. Primary Keys do not allow null values. No two rows can have the same Primary Key value; therefore, a Primary Key value always uniquely identifies a single row. More than one key can uniquely identify rows in a table; each of these keys is called a candidate key. Only one candidate can be chosen as the Primary Key of a table; all other candidate keys are known as alternate keys. Although tables are not required to have Primary Keys, it is good practice to define them. In a normalized table, all the data values in each row are fully dependent on the Primary Key. For example, in a normalized employee table that has EmployeeID as the Primary Key, all the columns should contain data related to a specific employee. This table does not have the column DepartmentName because the name of the department is dependent on a department ID, not on an employee ID.

Profiler

SQL Profiler is a tool that captures SQL Server 2000 events from a server. The events are saved in a trace file that can later be analyzed or used to replay a specific series of steps when you want to diagnose a problem.

publication

A container for articles that is capable of being replicated. A publication, which may include one or more articles, is the basic unit of replication. A publication has a single, specific replication type: either snapshot, transactional, or merge. When a subscriber chooses a publication, all the articles contained within the publication are part of the subscription.

Publisher

In respect with replication, the Publisher is the server that produces data so that it can be replicated to Subscribers.

Q

Query Analyzer

SQL Query Analyzer is an interactive, graphical tool that enables a database administrator or developer to write queries, execute multiple queries simultaneously , view results, analyze the query plan, and receive assistance to improve the query performance.

query optimizer

The SQL Server database engine component responsible for generating efficient execution plans for SQL statements.

R

RAID (redundant array of independent disks)

A disk system that comprises multiple disk drives (an array) to provide higher performance, reliability, storage capacity, and lower cost. Fault-tolerant arrays are categorized in six RAID levels: 0 through 5. Each level uses a different algorithm to implement fault tolerance.

rebuilding indexes

Helps in collecting the defragmented pages of information and bringing index data back to its original form. This increases the overall performance by making it easier for SQL Server to read pages to get data.

recompile

The queries used by stored procedures and triggers are optimized only when they are compiled. As indexes or other changes that affect statistics are made to the database, compiled stored procedures and triggers may lose efficiency. By recompiling stored procedures and triggers that act on a table, you can reoptimize the queries.

reconfigure

Command used to update the currently configured value of a configuration option changed with the sp_configure system stored procedure.

recursive trigger

A recursive trigger is a trigger that updates, deletes, or inserts data into its own table or another table, which houses a trigger, and then fires another trigger.

relational database

A collection of information organized in tables. Each table models a class of objects of interest to the organization (for example, Customers , Parts , Suppliers ). Each column in a table models an attribute of the object (for example, LastName , Price , Color ). Each row in a table represents one entity in the class of objects modeled by the table (for example, the customer name John Smith or the part number 1346). Queries can use data from one table to find related data in other tables.

Relational Database Management System

The controlling software for databases in which data is organized into related objects within a database rather than tied to a file. Each of these objects is related to another in some way.

relationship

A connection between entities ties a parent entity to a child entity through the Primary Key in one entity to a Foreign Key in another.

replication

A process that copies and distributes data and database objects from one database to another and then synchronizes information between databases for consistency.

Replication agent

Tool that enables SQL Server to perform the different types of replication processes when distributing data.

replication configurations

Different physical scenarios in which replication is set up; these provide specific benefits and uses that are relevant to the configuration you use. Replication models, which include Single Publisher/Multiple Subscriber, Single Subscriber/Multiple Publishers, and Multiple Publishers/Multiple Subscribers, are the physical implementation. Each of the replication types may be implemented using any of the these models.

roles

A SQL Server security account is a collection of other security accounts that can be treated as a single unit when managing permissions. A role can contain SQL Server logins, other roles, and Windows logins or groups.

row lock

The finest granularity of locking available on SQL Server allowing for a single data record to be locked.

rules

A database object that is bound to columns or user-defined data types, and specifies what data values are acceptable in a column. CHECK constraints provide the same functionality and are preferred because they are in the SQL-92 standard.

S

schema

In the SQL-92 standard, a collection of database objects that are owned by a single user and form a single namespace. A namespace is a set of objects that cannot have duplicate names. For example, two tables can have the same name only if they are in separate schemas; no two tables in the same schema can have the same name. In T-SQL, much of the functionality associated with schemas is implemented by database user IDs. In database tools, schema also refers to the catalog information that describes the objects in a schema or database. In analysis services, a schema is a description of multidimensional objects, such as cubes and dimensions.

SCHEMABINDING

An option for a user-defined function or a view that prevents changes to the objects referenced by the function or view unless you first drop the view. This makes the views and functions more reliable, because they can rely on their database objects always being present.

scope

The lifetime of an object. Specifically, a variable has a scope within a single batch, which means it ceases to exist outside the batch.

script

A collection of batches, usually stored in a text file.

SELECT

The T-SQL statement used to return data to an application or another T-SQL statement, or to populate a cursor. The SELECT statement returns a tabular result set consisting of data that is typically extracted from one or more tables. The result set contains data from only those rows that match the search conditions specified in the WHERE or HAVING clauses.

Server Network utility

The Server Network utility is used to manage the server net-libraries.

Service Manager

SQL Server Service Manager is used to start, stop, and pause the SQL Server 2000 components on the server. These components run as services on Microsoft Windows NT or Microsoft Windows 2000 and as separate executable programs on Microsoft Windows 95 and Microsoft Windows 98.

SET

The statement used to alter environment settings for a session.

snapshot replication

A type of replication wherein data and database objects are distributed by copying published items via the Distributor and on to the Subscriber exactly as they appear at a specific moment in time. Snapshot replication provides the distribution of both data and structure (tables, indexes, and so on) on a scheduled basis. It may be thought of as a "whole table refresh." No updates to the source table are replicated until the next scheduled snapshot.

SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol)

Used for troubleshooting and querying TCP/IP servers.

SQL Profiler

A tool used to trace SQL Server activity.

statement permissions

An attribute that controls whether a user can execute CREATE or BACKUP statements.

statistics

SQL Server keeps statistics about the distribution of the key values in each index and uses these statistics to determine what index(es) to use in query processing.

stored procedure

A collection of T-SQL statements with a well-defined set of inputs, called input parameters, and a well-defined set of outputs, which may be output parameters, return values, or cursors . Stored procedures allow the encapsulation of various database operations.

string concatenation

Combining of two strings, such as the results of the first name and last name columns. String concatenation can be performed using the plus (+) operator.

Structured Query Language ( SQL )

A language used to insert, retrieve, modify, and delete data in a relational database. SQL also contains statements for defining and administering the objects in a database. SQL is the language supported by most relational databases, and is the subject of standards published by the International Standards Organization (ISO) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). SQL Server 2000 uses a version of the SQL language called T-SQL.

Subscriber

The server that receives replicated data (in the form of publications ) from the Publisher.

System Monitor

The performance monitoring tool available in Windows 2000 operating systems.

T

table

A two-dimensional object, consisting of rows and columns, used to store data in a relational database. Each table stores information about one of the types of objects modeled by the database.

table lock

A lock on a table, including all data and indexes.

TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol)

An industry standard network protocol used by most companies for internetworking computer equipment.

tempdb

The database that provides a storage area for temporary tables, temporary stored procedures, and other temporary working storage needs.

TOP

The TOP keyword can be used in conjunction with the SELECT statement to select the top n rows or a percentage of the resultset rows.

trace

The SQL Profiler method for recording server events.

trace flags

Flags that can be enabled to aid in troubleshooting.

transactional replication

A type of replication where data and database objects are distributed by first applying an initial snapshot at the Subscriber and then later capturing transactions made at the Publisher and propagating them to individual Subscribers. Transactional replication, as with all replication types, begins with a synchronizing snapshot. After the initial synchronization, transactions, which are committed at the Publisher, are automatically replicated to the Subscribers.

Transact -SQL ( T-SQL )

The language containing the commands used to administer instances of SQL Server, create and manage all objects in an instance of SQL Server, and to insert, retrieve, modify, and delete all data in SQL Server tables. T-SQL is an extension of the language defined in the SQL standards published by the International Standards Organization (ISO) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

trigger

A trigger is a stored procedure that is fired when data is modified from a table using any of the three modification statements: DELETE , INSERT , or UPDATE . FOR and AFTER are synonymous, and are usually implied when referring to triggers, rather than INSTEAD OF triggers. Triggers are often created to enforce referential integrity or consistency among logically related data in different tables.

T-SQL

See [Transact-SQL]

U

UNION operator

An operator that can combine two SELECT statements into one large rowset.

UNIQUE constraint

Constraints that enforce entity integrity on a non-Primary Key. UNIQUE constraints ensure that no duplicate values are entered and that an index is created to enhance performance.

UNIQUE index

An index in which no two rows are permitted to have the same index value, thus prohibiting duplicate index or key values. The system checks for duplicate key values when the index is created and checks each time data is added with an INSERT or UPDATE statement.

UPDATE

The act of modifying one or more data values in an existing row or rows, typically by using the UPDATE statement. Sometimes, the term update refers to any data modification, including INSERT , UPDATE , and DELETE operations.

UPDATE STATISTICS

A command that updates statistical information for an index. Index statistics need to be up to date for the optimizer to decide upon the fastest route of access.

UPDATE trigger

UPDATE triggers are FOR or AFTER triggers that can be used to evaluate UPDATE statements issued against a table to modify existing data. They can be used to allow or reject data modification attempts, to log the attempt, or to generate an alert. They fire automatically when an UPDATE statement is executed against the table.

updateable Subscribers

Subscribers that are capable of updating and modifying data when it is replicated. This option can be used with snapshot replication and transactional replication. A transactional or snapshot publication may allow updateable Subscribers. Changes made on the Subscriber's replica are propagated to the Publisher either in real time via DTC, or near real time via a queue.

user

A user is a database-wide security context.

user-defined function

A collection of T-SQL statements with a well-defined set of input parameters, but only one output ”which can be a scalar value or a table. User-defined functions allow the encapsulation of various logical and database operations, but cannot be used to affect changes to a database.

V

variable

A construct that can temporarily hold values for use in a Transact-SQL batch.

view

A view is a relational database object that can be referenced and built by using SELECT statements to join data from one or more base tables. Views are similar to tables in that data can be retrieved and modified and indexes can be built.

W

WHERE

A sub-statement found in the SELECT statement that uses any of various filter conditions, such as BETWEEN , IN , and LIKE , to limit the number of rows retrieved.

Windows application log

The operating system event log used to record application events sent by SQL Server services.

WITH ENCRYPTION

The WITH ENCRYPTION clause protects the definition of your view. If you specify this, you encrypt the definition of your view because you may not want users to display it. Encrypting using WITH ENCRYPTION disallows anyone from using sp_heptext to display your view or viewing it via the Enterprise Manager.

WITH SCHEMABINDING

The WITH SCHEMABINDING option specifies that the view be bound to the schema. This has to be specified when you want to create views with indexes. Also, when WITH SCHEMABINDING is specified, you have to adhere to the owner.object syntax when referencing tables or views in the creation of your view.

X-Z

XML (Extensible Markup Language)

A hypertext programming language used to describe the contents of a set of data and how the data should be output to a device or displayed in a web page. Used to move data between systems.