SQL Server 2005 Express Edition Feature Tour

SQL Server Express Edition helps developers build robust and reliable SQL Server database applications by providing an always free, easy to use, and robust database that any SQL Server database application developer can use.

In addition to building a SQL Server database application, developers can also ship a SQL Server database application. This is completed through a royalty-free SQL Server database application redistribution program. The program grants developers the right to redistribute with your SQL Server database application the following components:

• SQL Server 2005 Express Edition

• SQL Server 2005 Express Edition with Advanced Services

Microsoft SQL Server Express setup is a simplified version of the SQL Server installation. It is robust, reliable, and supports both graphical and the silent SQL Server installation modes.

The SQL Server Express Web download is packaged as a single executable using Microsoft SQL Server installation technology. Double-clicking the .exe automatically starts the SQL Server installation process.

Once the SQL Server installation setup starts, you can see that the screens are simplified to be accessible to developers of all levels of experience. For instance, some complicated SQL Server installation dialogs such as those handling collations and service accounts are hidden by default.

SQL Server Express is designed to be easy to use, and the graphical user interface (GUI) tools make it easy even for database novices to complete database management tasks and use other basic database functionalities in SQL Server Express. For example, to improve database management tasks, developers can download a powerful GUI tool, SQL Server 2005 Management Studio Express. SQL Server Management Studio Express is an easy-to-use, efficient database management tool for SQL Server Express. With this tool, developers not only enjoy a consistent database management experience across all SQL Server Editions, but also get SQL Server query analysis capabilities.

With SQL Server Express, developers get more than database management tools. SQL Server Configuration Manager allows administrators to configure basic service and network protocol configurations. Additionally, there are wizards for many common tasks, a query optimizer that optimizes queries to reduce execution time, and XCopy support, which allows you to copy or transfer a database along with its application.

Microsoft SQL Server security encompasses a robust set of features. SQL Server Express also provides a robust security package that includes several Microsoft SQL Server security features. This page defines some of these Microsoft SQL Server security features.

One Microsoft SQL Server security feature includes secure default for different components. For instance, the networking protocols such as TCP/IP and Named Pipes are turned off. As another Microsoft SQL Server security feature, SQL Browser service is not started unless you explicitly ask for this during setup The SA or System Admin account is disabled by default if Windows Authentication is used.

Yet another Microsoft SQL Server security feature includes pre-defined roles within SQL Server Express. These roles help to make securing your database quicker. These roles include: sysadmin, serveradmin, securityadmin, setupadmin, and others.

Principals, users who can access SQL Server databases, can exist at either the server or database level. Server-side logins include the Windows Login and the SQL Server Login. Database-level logins include User Login and Application Role login.

With SQL Server Express, you get a wide variety of SQL Server functionality that contributes to a rich development experience. Many database users prefer to manage their servers using T-SQL, since this approach offers finer-grained control than using the graphical user interface. The Query Editor in SQL Server Management Studio Express Edition is one SQL Server function that allows users to develop and execute T-SQL statements and scripts.

Additionally, SQL Server Express utilizes and supports a wide range of SQL Server functionality including stored procedures and triggers, and cursors.

Another useful SQL Server function enabled in SQL Server Express is support for views, which can be treated and included in queries just like other tables.

For Web development, SQL Server Express has several attractive SQL Server functions. It utilizes the advanced query optimization engine of SQL Server 2005 to deliver fast performance. Full-text search is included to provide powerful query capability over textual data. In addition, databases can easily be loaded into a hosted environment using the XCopy feature.

For storing hierarchical data, XML offers benefits not available in traditional relational databases. With SQL Server Express, you can create, store, and query XML data easily.

Other XML support includes nested queries for XML, indexing of XML data, and the ability to change portions of XML data.

SQL Server Express includes a set of powerful features, one of which is SQL Server Reporting Services. SQL Server Report Services provides a server-based platform for creating and delivering traditional and dynamic reports. For example, with SQL Server Reporting Services you can create a deliver interactive reports that include tables, charts and graphics.

SQL Server Reporting Services also includes a graphical management tool. Through this tool, SQL Server Reporting Services enables you to build visually appealing charts and reports right into your applications allowing you display data in new and powerful ways.

The goal of Visual Studio and SQL Server Express integration is to make database access to SQL Server Express as simple and easy as possible. Not only is SQL Server Express installed automatically with Visual Studio 2005 but it can also be used with Visual Studio Express Editions. With Microsoft Visual Studio Express Editions and SQL Server Express Edition, Microsoft brings the power of code to the growing community of 18 million recreational and hobbyist developers.

For instance, a database object, which is a template SQL Server database, is introduced in the Visual Studio or Visual Studio Express projects. This object is displayed when the user chooses the Add New Object option in a Visual Studio or Visual Studio Express project. Once a database is added to the project, the connection management to the database happens automatically so that you can click the database to gain access to the SQL Server database and see all the objects inside the database such as tables, stored procedures, etc.

SQL Server Express in conjunction with Visual Studio or Visual Studio Express also offers the ability to drag and drop relevant tables directly to a form. In the case of Visual Web Developer, the GridView, which renders data into a tabular format, and SqlDataSource, which can be used retrieve data from a relational database and to display, edit, and sort data on a web page with little or no code, are created automatically without the user typing in a line of code. You can also automatically bind a control such as a text box to a database value by just dragging and dropping.

When building applications, database performance and scalability are often key concerns. Because SQL Server Express is based on the latest SQL Server 2005 technology, scalability and database performance are intrinsic to SQL Server Express. For example, applications written to SQL Server Express can easily scale up to SQL Server Workgroup, Standard, or Enterprise editions. In addition, SQL Server Express applications can also deliver rich database performance.

SQL Server Express also supports Windows 2000 SP4, Windows XP SP1, and Windows 2003, further enhancing database performance and scalability.