SQL Server Express

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SQL Server Express Edition

Microsoft's bringing of a desktop version of SQL Server onto the market started off a bit rockily with MSDE, and has matured into a very powerfuul solution with SQL Server 2008 Express Edition.

Below you'll find links to articles that cover how to configure SQL Server Express, as well as links to various tools to manage the server on a daily basis.

SQL Server Express Edition - Links

SQL Server Express 2008

The official landing page for SQL Server 2008.
Download, and install with Tools.

SQL Server 2005 Samples and Sample Database

The samples and sample databases are not hosted on codeplex...

SQL Server Express Edition - EE Specific Tools

Express Agent

Express Agent from Vale Software is a SQL Express job scheduler lets you create and schedule jobs to backup SQL Server databases and run SQL batches and stored procedures in seconds on SQL Express 2005. E-mail notification can be configured so you get notified when your jobs run, succeed or fail. You can fully schedule hourly, daily, weekly and monthly jobs in SQL Express - exactly the same as in the full version of SQL Server. As seen in SQL Server Magazine & Microsoft's MSDN Magazine.
Express Agent comes in two parts, the job builder client is suitable for Windows 95,98,Me, NT, 2000, XP, 2003 and Vista.
Price: $79.00

Profiler for Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition

Microsoft SQL Server Express edition does not include SQL profiler.
This is a freeware replacement.

SQL Server Express Utility

I generally use SqlCmd, but SSEUtil.exe is an alternate tool that lets you easily interact with SQL Server Express, adding a couple of Express specific commands.
Comes with a *.doc describing how to use it.
Among other things, it allows you to:

Connect to the main instance or user-instance of SQL Server.
Create, attach, detach, and list databases on the server.
Upgrade database files to match the version of the server.
Execute SQL statements via the console (similar to SQLCMD).
Retrieve the version of SQL Server running.
Enable and disable trace flags (for example, to trace SQL statements sent to the server by any client application).
List the instances of SQL Server on the local machine or on remote machines.
Checkpoint and shrink a database.
Measure the performance of executing specific queries.
Create and playback lists of SQL commands for the server to execute.
Log all input and output.

SQL-Clockwork for SQL Express

A *free* replacement for SQL Agent.
SQL-Clockwork for SQL Express is a replacement for Microsoft® SQL Agent for Microsoft® SQL Server Express Edition.
SQL-Clockwork automates routine and repetitious tasks by executing scheduled tasks (jobs).
Properties of all jobs are defined and stored in system tables in MS SQL Server. Every job consists of a number of steps being integral task themselves (for example, creation of a database backup).
Tasks are executed as scheduled - it can be a one time execution or recurring events.

Teratrax Job Scheduler

Automate SQL Server & SQL Server Express tasks with Teratrax Job Agent.
Receive e-mail notification of job status every time a job is executed.
Schedule SQL Server backups and manage history of backup files Schedule SQL batches and stored procedures to run locally or remotely.
Price: $99.00

SQL Server Express Edition - Learning Links

MSDN: SQL Server 2005 Express Edition Overview

Essential reading.

MSDN: SQL Server 2005 Express Edition User Instances

Absolutely essential reading when dealing with SQL Server Express Edition.

A crash course on how to use SqlCmd to manage SQL Server Express

This is long post that I wrote, demonstrating how to use SqlCmd to manage SqlServer Express.
The post covers how to login in, configure SQL Server to accept remote connections, create, manage, and delete databases and tables, backup and restore databases, etc.
A pretty complete introduction to managing SQL Server from the command line.

SQL Server Management Tools

CA Database Management for Distributed Databases

Price: Free.

Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio Express

Basically a stripped down version of SSMS, Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio Express (SSMSE) is a free, easy-to-use graphical management tool for managing SQL Server 2005 Express Edition.
In 2005 this GUI was a separate download, but in 2008, just install SQL Server Express 2008 with Tools to get it.

Nautilus Web based SQL Server Admin/Navigator.

Nautilus is a tool for developers, advanced users and auditors. It allows users to navigate SQLServer 2000 & 2005 databases. With a browser you can locate records and follow foreign keys to related records. You can also generate many scripts.

SQL Server Web Based RDBMS Management Tools

SQL Web Data Administrator

A Microsoft Public License (Ms-PL)web based alternative to SSMSE.
Not brilliant -- but free.

SQL Server Schema Dump and Diff Tools

CompareData

CompareData is a native Windows cross-dbms application that allows you to visually compare and synchronize data between two SQL databases using ODBC drivers. You can retrieve some/all data for a table/view from two databases and compare the data visually to see differences highlighted on the screen. You can also compare data of two sql queries and dbms metadata.
Price: $395

DataFrom

This software enables you to do data conversion across various database/file management systems.
Price: $259

DBTYP.NET

DBTYP.NET 2009 is tool for visual cross database comparison and synchronization that performs both, structure and data comparisons of SQL Server, MySQL and Oracle databases.
Price: $199

ScriptDB Console application.

ScriptDb is a simple console app written in C# that uses SQL Management Objects (SMO) to script all the objects in a database.
It will work against any SQL Server 2000 or 2005 database. It creates a directory tree structure with a similar hierarchy to that in Object Explorer in SSMS, with a separate file for each object.
It will also (optionally) script the *data* using bcp.exe.
Price: $0.00

SQLDBDiff and other free tools

SQLDBDiff is a tool that compares the schema and the data of SQL Server databases.
Price: $30.00

SQLScripter

The data export and scripting utility for Microsoft SQL Server.
Cost: 79 Euros.

TableDiff

A utility that compares two tables for differences in data and schema.
Works with SQL Server 2000/2005/2008.
Price: $0.00

SQL Server Extensions

SQLSharp

CLR based extension methods for SQL Server.

Transact SQL Resources

SQLServer Examples

A portal containing nothing but TSQL examples.
"The examples on this portal will provide you with the building blocks necessary to quickly resolve different TSQL coding issues."

SQL Server Community Links

MS SQL Tips

The MSDN SqlServer Forums

FAQs about SQL Server Express 2008

Can a SQL Server Express 2008 database be a merge replication Publisher, rather than just a Subscriber?

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