SqlServer

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SQL Server

SQL Server Links

SQL Server 2008

Official landing page for SQL Server 2008.

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 Backup/Restore Links

SQLSafe - Freeware edition

"Idera’s SQLsafe Freeware Edition is free SQL Server database backup and recovery tool based on our award-winning SQLsafe product. SQLsafe Freeware Edition gives you a really high-performance backup and recovery engine, a scriptable interface (command line and XSP) and the ability to backup and compress any size and any number of databases, all for free."

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

If I've dropped a DB which used to be my default Db, and I can no longer login, can I solve it?

How do I list all tables in a database?

How do you use OSQL or SqlCmd to sign in to SQL Server from the command line?

Where does the |DataDirectory| macro (in connection strings) expand to?

FAQs about using SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)

How can I recover or change the SA password?

FAQs about using Visual Studio to manage Databases (via Server Explorer)

Did I miss it -- or is there a way to create Relationships between tables, using Visual Studio's tools?

Can I use Visual Studio 2008 to create a LINQ to SQL *.dbml file to work with a Sql Server Compact (*.sdf) file?

FAQs: On using SQLCMD

How do I switch databases?

How do I use SqlCmd to log on?

How do I list the *mounted* databases?

How do I mount and unmount databases?

How do I load *.sql scripts?

How do I do a quick backup?

How do I do a backup when RecoverMode=Simple?

How do I do a backup when RecoveryMode=Full?

How do I restore a database?

What are the default system databases and what are they for?

How do I list the tables in a database?

How do I create a new table?

SQL Optimization FAQs

Where can I find general SQL optimization tips?

Misc Knowledge

FAQs: Backup and Restore Questions

FAQs: Stored Procedure Questions

Why use the NOCOUNT in every transaction?

How do I compare against a passed in argument that could be null?

What's good advice when checking passed args?

Not about DB's, but related -- how do I round up, for showing page numbers?

FAQs: Regarding common TSQL Methods/Functions/built in StoredProcs

How do I work with Dates (@@LANGUAGE, @@DATEFORMAT, @@DATEFIRST, GETDATE(), GETUTCDATE(), CONVERT(), YEAR(),MONTH(),DAY(),DATEPART(), DATEADD(), DATEDIFF(), etc) ?

How do I use NEWID()/NEWSEQUENTIALID() to generate IDs, @@ROWCOUNT to get the number of rows affected, @@IDENTITY/@@SCOPE_IDENTITY to return the last generated ID, or use ROW_NUMBER to control the returned rows?

How do I use LEFT, RIGHT, SUBSTRING, LTRIM, RTRIM, LEN, DATALENGTH, UPPER,LOWER, REPLACE, etc on Strings?

How do I use IF / ELSE, ISNULL, or CASE, WHEN, THEN, END, or GOTO for branching?

How do I use DECLARE, SET, and DALLOCATE with custom variables?

How do I work with Transactions in TSQL?

How do I work with Cursors?

How do I work with numbers in TSQL?

How do I use the FOR XML options?

How do I work with TRY, CATCH and RAISEERROR() for Error Handling?

How do I setup and use SQL Server 2005's Database Mail?

FAQs: Common Queries using TSQL

How do I page data, using the ROW_NUMBER?

How do I return a set of values as a CSV in one column?

How do I work with in memory table variables?

How do I create Temp Tables?

Getting a SQL Server RowCount Without doing a Table Scan

How do I count the number of distinct items in a table?

How do I generate a running total?

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