Chapter 19. SQL Server

Easily the most popular database on Windows systems today, SQL Server originated in 1989 as a joint project between Microsoft, Sybase, and Ashton-Tate. It was essentially an OS/2 port of Sybase's SQL Server on Unix. SQL Server 4.2, the first version on Windows, shipped in 1992.

This chapter was contributed by Scott Harris. Scott is a brand new father who's wondering how old his son Zach needs to be before he starts teaching him how to write Perl.

The partnership between Sybase and Microsoft began to break down due to differences of opinion on NT-specific code. Microsoft understandably wanted to customize the code for NT, and Sybase understandably wanted to maintain as generic a codebase as possible. SQL Server is now entirely produced by Microsoft and is completely different from the product produced by Sybase for the Windows platform. (Sybase changed the name of their product to Sybase Adaptive Server to avoid confusion with SQL Server on Windows.) Major versions include SQL Server 7.0, the first completely GUI-based database server, and SQL Server 2000, which was the first database written for the Intel IA64 architecture.

SQL Server code has changed significantly from its Sybase origins. As evidence of that, it's been 12 years since SQL Server has carried Sybase copyright notices. Nevertheless, with concepts like the master database and commands like dump database, Sybase users may occasionally feel a sense of déjà vu.

SQL Server 2005, the currently shipping version at this writing, has grown beyond the standard basic database package that includes only the database engine. SQL Server 2005 also offers a wealth of additional features such as services for analysis, data integration, notification, and reporting as well as the service broker. Combined, these elements make up a complete relational database system that can be used for simple tasks such as a database-driven web application or for more advanced needs such as data mining, complex business intelligence gathering, specialized reporting and notification, and a host of additional needs.

When referring to specific versions, this chapter often uses just the version numbers. For example, 2000 refers to SQL Server 2000, and 2005 refers to SQL Server 2005. When referring to both SQL Server 2000 and 2005, I use the term SQL Server.