Introduction
SQL Server 6.5 provides many command-line and graphical tools and
utilities that enhance the capabilities of the server and ease tuning
and maintenance. Not all of these tools and utilities appear in Start
menu, many of them don’t have Start menu shortcuts.
In this article, I want to tell you about these tools and utilities.
SQL Server 6.5 Program Group
You can see the most of the available tools in the SQL Server 6.5
program group in your Start menu. Click Start, Programs, Microsoft SQL Server 6.5.
SQL Server 6.5 program group.
This is the main group of tools and utilities you will work with when
building database applications or when administering SQL Server 6.5.
ISQL_w
ISQL_w – is your primary interface for running Transact-SQL queries
or stored procedures. With this utility, you can analyze the plan of
a query, view statistics information, and manage multiple queries in
different windows simultaneously.
Microsoft ODBC SQL Server Driver
Microsoft ODBC SQL Server Driver – is an online Help file providing
information about the Microsoft ODBC SQL Server Driver.
MS Query
MS Query – is an utility, which provides a query interface to relational
databases and allows users to create, open, or edit a query.
Readme.txt
Readme.txt – is a file contains important information you should read
before you install SQL Server. This file contains information about
platform support, about some setup parameters, and about some new
features and enhancements.
SQL Client Configuration Utility
SQL Client Configuration Utility – is an utility, which sets the default
Net-Library and server connection information on clients, and displays
the DB-Library version number.
SQL Distributed Management Objects
SQL Distributed Management Objects – is an online Help file displaying
the Microsoft SQL Server Distributed Management Object Model.
SQL Enterprise Manager
SQL Enterprise Manager – is a main graphical utility, which allows you
to perform system administration tasks using a graphical interface.
This utility is used for configure servers, manage databases and
database objects, schedule events, configure and manage replication,
and so on.
SQL Performance Monitor
SQL Performance Monitor – is the Windows NT Performance Monitor
utility (perfmon.exe file) with integrated SQL Server counters.
You can configure SQL Performance Monitor to display statistics
about the number of Transact-SQL command batches executed per
second, about the number of physical page reads per second,
about the number of user connections and so on.
SQL Security Manager
SQL Security Manager – is an utility, which allows you to manage
user accounts for SQL Servers that are using security integration
with Windows NT. You can use SQL Security Manager to map Windows NT
users and groups to SQL Server users.
SQL Server Books Online
SQL Server Books Online – is an online access to the SQL Server
documentation set. SQL Server Books Online provides all documented
information about all aspects of SQL Server working.
SQL Server Web Assistant
SQL Server Web Assistant – is an utility, that you can use to generate
standard HTML files from SQL Server data by using Transact-SQL queries,
stored procedures, and extended stored procedures.
SQL Service Manager
SQL Service Manager – is a toll, which used to start, stop and pause
MSDTC, MSSQLServer and SQLExecutive services.
SQL Setup
SQL Setup – is an utility, that you can use to change network support
options, add a language, change the character set or sort order, set
server options, set security options, rebuild the master database,
and remove SQL Server.
SQL Trace
SQL Trace – is a graphical utility that monitors and display all
SQL Server activity in real time or create filters that focus on
the actions of particular users, applications, or host servers.
SQL Trace is a graphical user interface to the extended stored
procedure xp_sqltrace.
Other SQL Server 6.5 Tools and Utilities
These SQL Server 6.5 command-line utilities is placed by installation
into C:\MSSQL\BINN directory by default. These utilities have not
graphical user interface, and some of them are not documented in
SQL Server Books Online.
ISQL
ISQL – is a command-line utility which provides a query interface,
and allows you to perform system administration tasks and execute
batch files that contain one or more SQL statements. It uses the
DB-Library network library to connect to SQL Server.
bcp
bcp – is a command-line utility used to copy data to or from an
operating-system file.
makepipe and readpipe
makepipe and readpipe – diagnostic utilities checks to see if the
named pipes are working. Use them if you cannot connect to SQL Server.
odbcping
odbcping – is a command-line utility to check whether ODBC is properly
installed by connecting to a server using the ODBC SQL Server driver.
textcopy
textcopy – is a command-line utility used to copy a single text or
image value into or out of SQL Server. This utility is not documented
in SQL Server Books Online.
For more information, see this article (from Alexander Chigrik):
Copy text or image into or out of SQL Server
charset
charset – is a command-line utility used by SQL Setup to install
character set and order information.
console
console – is a command-line utility used with the Transact-SQL DUMP
statement to back up databases to diskette dump devices.
langinst
langinst – is a command-line utility used by SQL Setup to install
additional language information, such as localized messages and
country information.
