Summary

Yes, this has been a long chapter and, no, there's lots more to know about SQL Server that I simply don't have the bandwidth to pass on herenot without completely re-creating the documentation (much of which is pretty good). However, there is more than enough information here to help you get a healthy start to using and configuring SQL Server. I've touched on many of the standard features found in all versions of SQL Server, as I tried to focus on those features you're most likely to use. I talked about versions, setup, writing T-SQL, selecting data, making changes, and managing your database. Subsequent chapters leverage the understanding of SQL Server you gained from this chapter. As I said, there are a lot more features in SQL Server 2005, so I suggest that before reinventing any wheels, you should check out BOL or simply go up to the support web site and ask. I or some other reader might be able to help you directly.