MS Database Software - Cultural View

MS Database Software 

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Contents 

Articles 

Microsoft Access 1 

Microsoft SQL Server 10 

SQL CLR 23 

SQL Query Analyzer 24 

SQL Server Integration Services 24 

SQL Server Management Studio 27 

SQL Server Notification Services 28 

SQL Server Reporting Services 29 

Microsoft Query by Example 31 

Microsoft Analysis Services 32 

Professional Association for SQL Server 35 

AutoNumber 36 

Bulk Copy Program 38 

Business Intelligence Development Studio 39 

Scome 39 

Data Transformation Services 41 

Database engine tuning advisor 44 

Enterprise Manager 44 

Extensible Storage Engine 45 

FoxPro 2 54 

Microsoft Jet Database Engine 56 

Report Definition Language 63 

Upsizing (database) 64 

Visual FoxPro 65 

XLeratorDB 71 

References 

Article Sources and Contributors 76 

Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors 78 

Article Licenses 

License 79


Microsoft Access 

Developer(s) Microsoft 

Initial release 1.0 / November 1992 

Stable release 12.0.6425.1000 (2007 SP2) / April 28, 2009 

Operating 

system 

Type RDBMS 

Microsoft Windows 

License Proprietary EULA 

Website [1] [1] 

Microsoft Office Access, previously known as Microsoft Access, is a pseudo relational database management 

system from Microsoft that combines the relational Microsoft Jet Database Engine with a graphical user interface 

and software development tools. It is a member of the Microsoft Office suite of applications, included in the 

Professional and higher editions or sold separately. The current version is Microsoft Office Access 2007; Microsoft 

Access 2010 is in beta as of May 10, 2010. 

Access stores data in its own format based on the Access Jet Database Engine. It can also import or link directly to 

data stored in other Access databases, Excel, SharePoint lists, text, XML, Outlook, HTML, dBase, Paradox, Lotus 

1-2-3, or any ODBC-compliant data container, including Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, MySQL, and 

PostgreSQL.Software developers and data architects can use it to develop application software, and "power users" 

can use it to build simple applications. Like other Office applications, Access is supported by Visual Basic for 

Applications, an object-oriented programming language that can reference a variety of objects including DAO (Data 

Access Objects), ActiveX Data Objects, and many other ActiveX components. Visual objects used in forms and 

reports expose their methods and properties in the VBA programming environment, and VBA code modules may 

declare and call Windows operating system functions. 

History 

Access version 1.0 was released in 13 November 1992, quickly followed in May 1993 by an Access 1.1 release to 

improve compatibility with other Microsoft products and include the Access Basic programming language. 

Microsoft specified the minimum hardware requirements for Access v2.0: Microsoft Windows v3.1 with 4 MB of 

RAM required, 6 MB RAM recommended; 8 MB of available hard disk space required, 14 MB hard disk space 

recommended. The product was shipped on seven 1.44 MB diskettes. The manual shows a 1993 copyright date. 

Originally, the software worked well with relatively small databases but testing showed some circumstances caused 

data corruption. For example, file sizes over 10 MB were problematic (note that most hard disks were smaller than 

500 MB at the time this was in wide use), and the Getting Started manual warns about a number of circumstances 

where obsolete device drivers or incorrect configurations can cause data loss. With the phasing out of Windows 95, 

98 and ME, improved network reliability, and Microsoft having released 8 service packs for the Jet Database Engine, 

the reliability of Access databases has been vastly improved in both size and number of users. 

With Office 95, Microsoft Access 7.0 (a.k.a "Access 95") became part of the Microsoft Office Professional Suite 

joining Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint and transitioning from Access Basic to Visual Basic for 

Applications (VBA). Since then, there have been releases of Microsoft Access with each release of Office. This


includes Access 97 (version 8.0), Access 2000 (version 9.0), Access 2002 (version 10.0), Access 2003 (version 

11.5), and Access 2007 (version 12.0). 

The native Access database format (the Jet MDB Database) has also evolved over the years. Formats include Access 

1.0, 1.1, 2.0, 7.0, 97, 2000, 2002, and 2007. The most significant transition was from the Access 97 to the Access 

2000 format; which is not backward compatible with earlier versions of Access. At the time of this writing, all newer 

versions of Access support the Access 2000 format. New features were added to the Access 2002 format which can 

be used by Access 2002, 2003, 2007, and 2010. 

In Access 2007, a new database format was introduced: ACCDB. The ACCDB supports complex data types such as 

multivalue and attachment fields. These new field types are essentially recordsets in fields and allow the storage of 

multiple values in one field. 

Prior to the introduction of Access, the desktop database market was dominated by Borland with their Paradox and 

dBase programs, and FoxPro. Microsoft Access was the first mass market database program for Windows. With the 

purchase of FoxPro and incorporating its Rushmore query optimization routines into Access, Microsoft Access 

quickly became the dominant database for Windows effectively eliminating the competition which failed to 

transition from the MS-DOS world. [2] 

Access's initial codename was Cirrus; the forms engine was called Ruby. This was before Visual Basic - Bill Gates 

saw the prototypes and decided that the BASIC language component should be co-developed as a separate 

expandable application, a project called Thunder. The two projects were developed separately as the underlying 

forms engines were incompatible with each other; however, these were merged together again after VBA. 

Access was also the name of a communications program from Microsoft, meant to compete with ProComm and 

other programs. This proved a failure and was dropped. [3] Years later, Microsoft reused the name for its database 

software. 

Uses 

Microsoft Access is used to create simple database solutions. Access tables support a variety of standard field types, 

indices, and referential integrity. Access also includes a query interface, forms to display and enter data, and reports 

for printing. The underlying Jet database, which contains these objects, is multiuser-aware and handles 

record-locking and referential integrity including cascading updates and deletes. 

Simple tasks can be automated through macros with point-and-click options. Microsoft Access is very popular 

among non-programmers who can create visually pleasing and relatively advanced solutions on their own. It is also 

easy to place a database on a network and have multiple users share and update data without overwriting each other’s 

work. Data is locked at the record level which is significantly different from Excel which locks the entire 

spreadsheet. 

Microsoft offers a wide range of template databases within the program and for download from their website [4] . 

These options are available upon starting Access and allow users to quickly use and enhance a database with 

pre-defined tables, queries, forms, reports, and macros. Popular templates include tracking contacts, assets, issues, 

events, projects, and tasks. Templates do not include VBA code. 

Microsoft Access also offers the ability for programmers to create solutions using the programming language Visual 

Basic for Applications (VBA), which is similar to Visual Basic 6.0 (VB6) and used throughout the Microsoft Office 

programs such as Excel, Word, Outlook and PowerPoint. Most VB6 code including the use of Windows API calls, 

can be used in VBA. Power users and developers can extend basic end-user solutions to a professional solution with 

advanced automation, data validation, error trapping, and multi-user support. 

Database solutions created entirely in Microsoft Access are well suited for individual and workgroup use across a 

network. The number of simultaneous users that can be supported depends on the amount of data, the tasks being 

performed, level of use, and application design. Generally accepted limits are solutions with 1 GB or less of data


(Access supports up to 2 GB) and 50 or fewer simultaneous users. This is appropriate for workgroup and department 

solutions where the total number of users number a few hundred. 

Applications that simply view data or have simple data entry can support considerably more users. Applications that 

run complex queries or analysis across large datasets would naturally require greater bandwidth and memory. 

Microsoft Access is designed to scale to support more data and users by linking to multiple Access databases or 

using a back-end database like Microsoft SQL Server. With the latter design, the amount of data and users can scale 

to enterprise-level solutions. 

Microsoft Access' role in web development prior to version 2010 is limited. User interface features of Access, such 

as forms and reports, only work in Windows. The Microsoft Jet Database Engine, core to Access, can be accessed 

through technologies such as ODBC or OLE DB. The data (i.e., tables and queries) can be accessed by web-based 

applications developed in ASP.NET, PHP, or Java. Many ISPs offer Microsoft Access as a data storage option. 

Access 2010 will allow forms and reports to be published to web sites using what is called "access web services" that 

runs on Sharepoint software. These web based forms and reports run in any standard browser. The resulting web 

forms and reports when run in the browser don't require any ActiveX or add-ins like Silverlight. Thus, the resulting 

application can be used by running Firefox on Ubuntu Linux, for example. 

In enterprise environments, Microsoft Access is particularly appropriate for meeting end-user database needs and for 

rapid application development. Microsoft Access is easy enough for end users to create their own queries, forms and 

reports, laying out fields and groupings, setting formats, etc. This frees up the professional developers to focus on 

more complex portions of the application. 

A compiled MDE or ACCDE version of an Access database can be created to prevent users from getting to the 

design surfaces to modify module code, forms, and reports. This is often used in environments where end-user 

modifications are discouraged or the application's code should be kept private. 

Microsoft offers a runtime version of Microsoft Access 2007 for download [5] . This allows people to create Access 

solutions and distribute it for use by non-Microsoft Access owners (similar to the way DLLs or EXEs are 

distributed). Unlike the regular version of Access, the runtime version allows users to use the Access application but 

they cannot use its design surfaces. 

Microsoft also offers developer extensions [6] for download to help distribute Access applications, create database 

templates, and integrate source code control with Microsoft Visual SourceSafe. 

Features 

Users can create tables, queries, forms and reports, and connect them together with macros. Advanced users can use 

VBA to write rich solutions with advanced data manipulation and user control. 

The original concept of Access was for end users to be able to “access” data from any source. Other uses include: the 

import and export of data to many formats including Excel, Outlook, ASCII, dBase, Paradox, FoxPro, SQL Server, 

Oracle, ODBC, etc. It also has the ability to link to data in its existing location and use it for viewing, querying, 

editing, and reporting. This allows the existing data to change and the Access platform to always use the latest data. 

It can perform heterogeneous joins between data sets stored across different platforms. Access is often used by 

people downloading data from enterprise level databases for manipulation, analysis, and reporting locally. 

There is also the Jet Database format (MDB or ACCDB in Access 2007) which can contain the application and data 

in one file. This makes it very convenient to distribute the entire application to another user, who can run it in 

disconnected environments. 

One of the benefits of Access from a programmer's perspective is its relative compatibility with SQL (structured 

query language) — queries can be viewed graphically or edited as SQL statements, and SQL statements can be used 

directly in Macros and VBA Modules to manipulate Access tables. Users can mix and use both VBA and "Macros" 

for programming forms and logic and offers object-oriented possibilities. VBA can also be included in queries.


Microsoft Access offers parameterized queries. These queries and Access tables can be referenced from other 

programs like VB6 and .NET through DAO or ADO. From Microsoft Access, VBA can reference parameterized 

stored procedures via ADO. 

The desktop editions of Microsoft SQL Server can be used with Access as an alternative to the Jet Database Engine. 

This support started with MSDE (Microsoft SQL Server Desktop Engine), a scaled down version of Microsoft SQL 

Server 2000, and continues with the SQL Server Express versions of SQL Server 2005 and 2008. 

Microsoft Access is a file server-based database. Unlike client–server relational database management systems 

(RDBMS), Microsoft Access does not implement database triggers, stored procedures, or transaction logging. 

Access 2010 does now include table level triggers and stored procedures built into the ACE data engine. Thus a 

Client-server database system is not a requirement for using stored procedures or table triggers with Access 2010. 

Tables, queries, Forms, reports and Macros can now be developed specifically for web base application in Access 

2010. Integration with Microsoft SharePoint 2010 is also highly improved. 

Development 

All database tables, queries, forms, reports, macros, and modules are stored in the Access Jet database as a single 

file. 

For query development, Access offers a Query Designer, a graphical user interface that allows users to create queries 

without knowledge of the SQL programming language. In the Query Designer, users can "show" the datasources of 

the query (which can be tables or queries) and select the fields they want returned by clicking and dragging them into 

the grid. Joins can be created by clicking and dragging fields in tables to fields in other tables. Access allows users to 

view and manipulate the SQL code if desired. Any Access table, including linked tables from different data sources, 

can be used in a query. 

Access also supports the creation of Pass-Through queries. These are queries that can be linked to external data 

sources through the use of ODBC connections on the local machine. This enables users to interact with data stored 

outside the Access programme without using linked Tables. The Pass-Through queries are written using the SQL 

syntax supported by the external data source. 

When developing Reports that are linked to Queries placing or moving items in the design view of the Report, 

Access runs the linked query in the background on any placement or movement of an item in that Report. If the 

Report is linked to a Query that takes a long time to return records this forces you to wait until the query has run 

before you can add/edit or move the next item in the Report (this feature cannot be turned off). 

Non-programmers can use the macro feature to automate simple tasks through a series of drop down selections. 

Macros allow users to easily chain commands together such as running queries, importing or exporting data, opening 

and closing forms, previewing and printing reports, etc. Macros support basic logic (IF conditions) and the ability to 

call other macros. Macros can also contain sub-macros which are similar to subroutines. In Access 2007, macros are 

significantly enhanced with the inclusion of error handling and temporary variable support. Access 2007 also 

introduces embedded macros that are essentially properties of an object's event. This eliminates the need to store 

macros as individual objects. Macros however, are limited in their functionality by a lack of programming loops and 

advanced coding logic. Most professional Access developers use the VBA programming language for a richer and 

more powerful development environment. 

The programming language available in Access is, as in other products of the Microsoft Office suite, Microsoft 

Visual Basic for Applications, which is nearly identical to Visual Basic 6.0 (VB6). VBA code can be stored in 

modules and code behind forms and reports. Modules can also be classes. 

To manipulate data in tables and queries in VBA, two database access libraries of COM components are provided: 

the Data Access Objects (DAO), which is included in Access and Windows and evolved to ACE in Microsoft Access 

2007 for the ACCDE database format, and ActiveX Data Objects ActiveX Data Objects (ADO). Beside DAO and


ADO, developers can also use OLE DB and ODBC for developing native C/C++ programs for Access. [7] For ADPs 

and the direct manipulation of SQL Server data, ADO is required. DAO is most appropriate for managing data in 

Access/Jet databases, and the only way to manipulate the complex field types in ACCDB tables. 

In the database container or navigation pane of Access 2007, Access automatically categorizes each object by type. 

Many Access developers use the Leszynski naming convention, though this is not universal; it is a programming 

convention, not a DBMS-enforced rule. [8] It is particularly helpful in VBA where references to object names may not 

indicate its data type (e.g. tbl for tables, qry for queries). 

Microsoft Access is most often used for individual and workgroup projects (the Access 97 speed characterization 

was done for 32 users). [9] Since Access 97, and with Access 2003 and 2007, Microsoft Access and hardware have 

evolved significantly. Databases under 1 GB in size (which can now fit entirely in RAM) and 50 simultaneous users 

are well within the capabilities of Microsoft Access. Of course, performance depends on the database design and 

tasks. Disk intensive work such as complex searching and querying are the most time consuming. 

As data from a Microsoft Access database can be cached in RAM, processing speed may be substantially better 

when there is only a single user or if the data is not changing. In the past, the effect of packet latency on the record 

locking system caused Access databases to be too slow on Virtual Private Network (VPN) or Wide Area Network 

(WAN) against a Jet database. This is less of an issue now with broadband connections. Performance can also be 

enhanced if a continuous connection [10] is maintained to the back end database throughout the session rather than 

opening and closing it for each table access. If Access Database performance over VPN or WAN suffers, then 

Microsoft Terminal Services is an effective solution. Access databases linked to SQL Server or Access Data Projects 

work great over VPN and WAN. 

Split Database Architecture 

Microsoft Access applications can adopt a split database architecture. The database can be divided into a front end 

database that contains the application objects (queries, forms, reports, macros, and modules), and is linked to tables 

stored in a back end shared database containing the data. The 'back-end' database can be stored in a location shared 

by many users, such as a file server. The 'front-end' database is distributed to each user's desktop and linked to the 

shared database. Using this design, each user has a copy of Microsoft Access installed on their machine along with 

their application database. This reduces network traffic since the application is not retrieved for each use, and allows 

the front end database to contain tables with data that is private to each user for storing settings or temporary data. 

This split database design also allows development of the application independent of the data. When a new version is 

ready, the front end database is replaced without impacting the data database. Microsoft Access has two built-in 

utilities, Database Splitter and Linked Table Manager, to facilitate this architecture. 

Linked tables in Access use absolute paths rather than relative paths, so the development environment either has to 

have the same path as the production environment or a "dynamic-linker" routine can be written in VBA. 

This is not an economical setup across slow networks, or large organizations separated by great distances, as this will 

result in excessive lag to database users. SQL backend should be considered in these circumstances. 

Access to SQL Server Upsizing (SQL as a backend) 

To scale Access applications to enterprise or web solutions, a recommended technique is to migrate to Microsoft 

SQL Server or equivalent server database. A client–server design significantly reduces maintenance and increases 

security, availability, stability, and transaction logging. 

Access includes an Upsizing Wizard that allows users to upsize their databases to Microsoft SQL Server an ODBC 

client–server database. An additional solution, the SQL Server Migration Assistant for Access (SSMA), is also 

available for download from Microsoft. [11]


A variety of upsizing options are available. [12] After migrating the data and queries to SQL Server, the 

MDB/ACCDB Access database can be linked to the database. This is the easiest migration and most appropriate if 

the user does not have rights to create objects such as stored procedures on SQL Server. Retrieving data from linked 

tables is optimized to just the records needed, but are not as efficient for multi-table joins that may require copying 

the whole table across the network. 

Access databases can also be converted to an Access Data Projects (ADP) which is tied directly to one SQL Server 

database. ADPs support the ability to directly create and modify SQL Server objects such as tables, views, stored 

procedures, views, and SQL Server constraints. The views and stored procedures can significantly reduce the 

network traffic for multi-table joins. Unfortunately, ADPs do not support temporary tables or link to other data 

sources beyond the single SQL Server database. (MDB/ACCDB databases can link to a variety of data sources and 

let you perform heterogeneous queries across them). 

Finally, some Access databases are completely replaced by another solution such as ASP.NET or Java once the data 

is converted. 

In many cases, hybrid solutions are created where web interfaces are built by developers using ASP.NET, while 

administrative or reporting features that don't need to be distributed to everyone and/or change often, are kept in 

Access for information workers to maintain. 

While all Access data can migrate to SQL Server, some queries cannot migrate successfully. In some situations, you 

may need to translate VBA functions and user defined functions into TSQL or .NET functions / procedures. Crosstab 

queries can be migrated to SQL Server using the PIVOT command. 

Microsoft Access has a reputation among IT professionals as not being as economical on server resources when 

running large query transactions, especially if users force-terminate the application on the client side. Transactions 

that were running might still be running on the SQL server unbeknownst to the end user. [13] 

Protection 

Microsoft Access offers several ways to secure the application while allowing users to remain productive. 

The most basic is a database password. Once entered, the user has full control of all the database objects. This is a 

relatively weak form of protection which can be easily cracked. 

A higher level of protection is the use of workgroup security requiring a user name and password. Users and groups 

can be specified along with their rights at the object type or individual object level. This can be used to specify 

people with readonly or data entry rights but may be challenging to specify. A separate workgroup security file 

contains the settings which can be used to manage multiple databases. Workgroup security is not supported in the 

Access 2007 ACCDB database format, although Access 2007 still supports it for MDB databases. 

Databases can also be encrypted. The ACCDB format offers significantly advanced encryption from previous 

versions [14]. 

Additionally, if the database design needs to be secured to prevent changes, Access databases can be 

locked/protected (and the source code compiled) by converting the database to a .MDE file. All changes to the VBA 

project (modules, forms, or reports) need to be made to the original MDB and then reconverted to MDE. In Access 

2007, the ACCDB database is converted to an ACCDE file. Some tools are available for unlocking and 

'decompiling', although certain elements including original VBA comments and formatting are normally 

irretrievable.


File extensions 

Microsoft Access saves information under the following file formats: 

Versions 

Date Version Version 

File format Extension 

Access Project .adp 

Access Blank Project Template .adn 

Access Database (2007) .accdb 

Access Database Runtime (2007) .accdr 

Access Database Template (2007) .accdt 

Access Database (2003 and earlier) .mdb 

Access Database, used for addins (2,95,97), previously used for workgroups (2). .mda 

Access Database Template (2003 and earlier) .mdt 

Access Workgroup, database for user-level security. .mdw 

Access (SQL Server) detached database (2000) .mdf 

Protected Access Database, with compiled VBA (2003 and earlier) .mde 

Protected Access Database, with compiled VBA (2007) .accde 

Windows Shortcut: Access Macro .mam 

Windows Shortcut: Access Query .maq 

Windows Shortcut: Access Report .mar 

Windows Shortcut: Access Table .mat 

Windows Shortcut: Access Form .maf 

number 

1992 Access 1.1 1 Windows 3.0 

Supported OS Office suite version 

1993 Access 2.0 2.0 Windows 3.1x Office 4.3 Pro 

1995 Access for Windows 

95 

7.0 Windows 95 Office 95 Professional 

1997 Access 97 8.0 Windows 9x, NT 3.51/4.0 Office 97 Professional and Developer 

1999 Access 2000 9.0 Windows 9x, NT 4.0, 2000 Office 2000 Professional, Premium and Developer 

2001 Access 2002 10 Windows 98, Me, 2000, XP Office XP Professional and Developer 

2003 Access 2003 11 Windows 2000, XP, XP Professional x64, 

Vista 

2007 Access 2007 12 Windows XP SP2, XP Professional x64, 

Vista 

Office 2003 Professional and Professional Enterprise 

Office 2007 Professional, Professional Plus, Ultimate and 

Enterprise 

2010 Access 2010 14 Windows XP SP3, Vista, Windows 7 Office 2010 Professional, Professional Academic and 

Professional Plus 

There are no Access versions between 2.0 and 7.0 because the Windows 95 version was launched with Word 7. All 

of the Office 95 products have OLE 2 capabilities, and Access 7 shows that it was compatible with Word 7.


Alternative software 

• Alpha Five (Windows) 

• Borland Paradox (Windows/DOS) 

• DataEase (Windows/DOS) 

• dBase (Windows/DOS/CPM/MacOS/UNIX/VMS) 

• FileMaker Pro (formerly Claris Filemaker) (Windows/MacOS/DOS) 

• Kexi (Linux/UNIX/Windows/Solaris/MacOS) 

• Lotus Approach (Windows) 

• NeoOffice (MacOS) 

• OpenOffice.org Base (Linux/Windows/MacOS/FreeBSD/UNIX) 

• Oracle XE (Express Edition) (Linux/Windows) 

• Sun StarBase (Windows/Linux/MacOS/Solaris) 

• Foxpro (later acquired by Microsoft) 

• SQLite 

• Sybase PowerBuilder (Windows) 

• MySQL (Many) 

• nuBuilder (Linux/Windows) 

• PostgreSQL 

• Omnis Studio (Linux/Windows/MacOS) 

• Microsoft SQL Server Express (Windows) 

External links 

• Access Team Blog [15] 

• Free online user guide to Microsoft Access [16] 

• Microsoft Access Home Page [17] 

• Office 2010 product guide [18] 

• Microsoft Access Newsgroups [19] 

• Microsoft Access 3rd Party Tools [20] 

• FAQ site about Microsoft Access [21] 

• Microsoft Access within an Organization's Database Strategy [22] 

• Microsoft Access Performance Tips [23] 

• Microsoft Access Error Numbers and Description Reference [24] 

• Microsoft Access for Beginners [25] 

• AccessBlog.net - Tips and tricks on Microsoft Access [26] 

• MS Access Tutorials and Examples [27] 

This article was originally based on material from the Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, which is licensed 

under the GFDL.


References 

[1] http:/ / office. microsoft. com/ access 

[2] Microsoft Access History (http:/ / www. fmsinc. com/ MicrosoftAccess/ history/ index. html) 

[3] Where did the name for Microsoft Access come from? (http:/ / blogs. msdn. com/ oldnewthing/ archive/ 2006/ 04/ 13/ 575739. aspx) 

[4] http:/ / office. microsoft. com/ en-us/ templates/ default. aspx 

[5] http:/ / www. microsoft. com/ downloads/ details. aspx?FamilyID=d9ae78d9-9dc6-4b38-9fa6-2c745a175aed& DisplayLang=en 

[6] http:/ / www. microsoft. com/ downloads/ details. aspx?FamilyID=d96a8358-ece4-4bee-a844-f81856dceb67& DisplayLang=en 

[7] Aleksandar Jakšić (08 2008). "Developing Access 2007 Solutions with Native C or C++" (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ 

cc811599. aspx). Microsoft Corporation. . Retrieved 2008-09-22. 

[8] Naming Conventions for Microsoft Access (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ archive/ default. asp?url=/ archive/ en-us/ dnaraccess/ html/ 

msdn_20naming. asp) 

[9] Kevin Collins (Microsoft Jet Program Management), "Microsoft Jet 3.5 Performance Overview and Optimization Techniques", MSDN. 

Retrieved July 19, 2005. 

[10] http:/ / www. fmsinc. com/ MicrosoftAccess/ Performance/ LinkedDatabase. html 

[11] http:/ / www. microsoft. com/ sqlserver/ 2005/ en/ us/ migration-access. aspx 

[12] http:/ / www. fmsinc. com/ FMSUpsize/ docs/ EvolvingMicrosoftAccessApplications. pdf 

[13] http:/ / support. microsoft. com/ kb/ 835416 

[14] http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ bb421308. aspx 

[15] http:/ / blogs. msdn. com/ access 

[16] http:/ / www. about-access-databases. com 

[17] http:/ / office. microsoft. com/ en-us/ access/ default. aspx 

[18] http:/ / www. microsoft. com/ downloads/ details. aspx?familyid=E690BAF0-9B9A-4C47-88DA-3A84F3E9B247& displaylang=en 

[19] http:/ / www. microsoft. com/ office/ community/ en-us/ default. mspx?dg=microsoft. public. access& lang=en& cr=US 

[20] http:/ / office. microsoft. com/ en-us/ marketplace/ CE010737481033. aspx 

[21] http:/ / www. mvps. org/ access 

[22] http:/ / www. fmsinc. com/ microsoftaccess/ Strategy/ 

[23] http:/ / www. fmsinc. com/ microsoftaccess/ Performance. html 

[24] http:/ / www. fmsinc. com/ MicrosoftAccess/ Errors/ ErrorNumber_Description. html 

[25] http:/ / www. drewslair. com/ desk/ access/ beginners/ intro. shtml 

[26] http:/ / accessblog. net 

[27] http:/ / www. eraserve. com/ tutorials/


Microsoft SQL Server 


Stable release SQL Server 2008 R2 (10.50.1600.1) / April 21, 2010 

Written in C, C++ 

Operating system Microsoft Windows 

Available in Multi-lingual 

Development status Active 

Type RDBMS 

License Microsoft EULA 

Website 

www.microsoft.com/sqlserver [1] 

Microsoft SQL Server is a relational model database server produced by Microsoft. Its primary query languages are 

T-SQL and ANSI SQL. 

History 

Genesis 

SQL Server Release History 

Version Year Release Name Codename 

1.0 

(OS/2) 

1.1 

(OS/2) 

4.21 

(WinNT) 

1989 SQL Server 1.0 

(16bit) 

1991 SQL Server 1.1 

(16bit) 

1993 SQL Server 4.21 SQLNT 

6.0 1995 SQL Server 6.0 SQL95 

6.5 1996 SQL Server 6.5 Hydra 

7.0 1998 SQL Server 7.0 Sphinx 

- 1999 SQL Server 7.0 

OLAP Tools 

- 

- 

Plato 

8.0 2000 SQL Server 2000 Shiloh 

8.0 2003 SQL Server 2000 

64-bit Edition 

Liberty 

9.0 2005 SQL Server 2005 Yukon 

10.0 2008 SQL Server 2008 Katmai 

10.5 2010 SQL Server 2008 R2 Kilimanjaro (aka KJ)


The code base for MS SQL Server (prior to version 7.0) originated in Sybase SQL Server, and was Microsoft's entry 

to the enterprise-level database market, competing against Oracle, IBM, and, later, Sybase. Microsoft, Sybase and 

Ashton-Tate originally teamed up to create and market the first version named SQL Server 1.0 for OS/2 (about 1989) 

which was essentially the same as Sybase SQL Server 3.0 on Unix, VMS, etc. Microsoft SQL Server 4.2 was 

shipped around 1992 (available bundled with Microsoft OS/2 version 1.3). Later Microsoft SQL Server 4.21 for 

Windows NT was released at the same time as Windows NT 3.1. Microsoft SQL Server v6.0 was the first version 

designed for NT, and did not include any direction from Sybase. 

About the time Windows NT was released, Sybase and Microsoft parted ways and each pursued their own design 

and marketing schemes. Microsoft negotiated exclusive rights to all versions of SQL Server written for Microsoft 

operating systems. Later, Sybase changed the name of its product to Adaptive Server Enterprise to avoid confusion 

with Microsoft SQL Server. Until 1994, Microsoft's SQL Server carried three Sybase copyright notices as an 

indication of its origin. 

Since parting ways, several revisions have been done independently. SQL Server 7.0 was a rewrite from the legacy 

Sybase code. It was succeeded by SQL Server 2000, which was the first edition to be launched in a variant for the 

IA-64 architecture. 

In the eight years since release of Microsoft's previous SQL Server product (SQL Server 2000), advancements have 

been made in performance, the client IDE tools, and several complementary systems that are packaged with SQL 

Server 2005. These include: an ETL tool (SQL Server Integration Services or SSIS), a Reporting Server, an OLAP 

and data mining server (Analysis Services), and several messaging technologies, specifically Service Broker and 

Notification Services. 

SQL Server 2005 

SQL Server 2005 (codenamed Yukon), released in October 2005, is the successor to SQL Server 2000. It included 

native support for managing XML data, in addition to relational data. For this purpose, it defined an xml data type 

that could be used either as a data type in database columns or as literals in queries. XML columns can be associated 

with XSD schemas; XML data being stored is verified against the schema. XML is converted to an internal binary 

data type before being stored in the database. Specialized indexing methods were made available for XML data. 

XML data is queried using XQuery;CLR Integration was the main features with this edition where one could write 

SQL code as Managed Code these are those code which are being executed by CLR(Common Language Runtime). 

SQL Server 2005 added some extensions to the T-SQL language to allow embedding XQuery queries in T-SQL. In 

addition, it also defines a new extension to XQuery, called XML DML, that allows query-based modifications to 

XML data. SQL Server 2005 also allows a database server to be exposed over web services using TDS packets 

encapsulated within SOAP (protocol) requests. When the data is accessed over web services, results are returned as 

XML. [2] 

For relational data, T-SQL has been augmented with error handling features (try/catch) and support for recursive 

queries (Common Table Expressions). SQL Server 2005 has also been enhanced with new indexing algorithms and 

better error recovery systems. Data pages are checksummed for better error resiliency, and optimistic concurrency 

support has been added for better performance. Permissions and access control have been made more granular and 

the query processor handles concurrent execution of queries in a more efficient way. Partitions on tables and indexes 

are supported natively, so scaling out a database onto a cluster is easier. SQL CLR was introduced with SQL Server 

2005 to let it integrate with the .NET Framework. [3] 

SQL Server 2005 introduced "MARS" (Multiple Active Results Sets), a method of allowing usage of database 

connections for multiple purposes. [4]


SQL Server 2008 

The current version of SQL Server, SQL Server 2008, [5] [6] was released (RTM) on August 6, 2008 [7] and aims to 

make data management self-tuning, self organizing, and self maintaining with the development of SQL Server 

Always On technologies, to provide near-zero downtime. SQL Server 2008 also includes support for structured and 

semi-structured data, including digital media formats for pictures, audio, video and other multimedia data. In current 

versions, such multimedia data can be stored as BLOBs (binary large objects), but they are generic bitstreams. 

Intrinsic awareness of multimedia data will allow specialized functions to be performed on them. According to Paul 

Flessner, senior Vice President, Server Applications, Microsoft Corp., SQL Server 2008 can be a data storage 

backend for different varieties of data: XML, email, time/calendar, file, document, spatial, etc as well as perform 

search, query, analysis, sharing, and synchronization across all data types. [6] 

Other new data types include specialized date and time types and a Spatial data type for location-dependent data. [8] 

Better support for unstructured and semi-structured data is provided using the new FILE STREAM [9] data type, 

which can be used to reference any file stored on the file system. [10] Structured data and metadata about the file is 

stored in SQL Server database, whereas the unstructured component is stored in the file system. Such files can be 

accessed both via Win32 file handling APIs as well as via SQL Server using T-SQL; doing the latter accesses the file 

data as a BLOB. Backing up and restoring the database backs up or restores the referenced files as well. [11] SQL 

Server 2008 also natively supports hierarchical data, and includes T-SQL constructs to directly deal with them, 

without using recursive queries. [11] 

The Full-Text Search functionality has been integrated with the database engine, which simplifies management and 

improves performance. [12] 

Spatial data will be stored in two types. A "Flat Earth" (GEOMETRY or planar) data type represents geospatial data 

which has been projected from its native, spherical, coordinate system into a plane. A "Round Earth" data type 

(GEOGRAPHY) uses an ellipsoidal model in which the Earth is defined as a single continuous entity which does not 

suffer from the singularities such as the international dateline, poles, or map projection zone "edges". Approximately 

70 methods are available to represent spatial operations for the Open Geospatial Consortium Simple Features for 

SQL, Version 1.1. [13] 

SQL Server includes better compression features, which also helps in improving scalability. It also includes 

Resource Governor that allows reserving resources for certain users or workflows. It also includes capabilities for 

transparent encryption of data as well as compression of backups. [9] SQL Server 2008 supports the ADO.NET Entity 

Framework and the reporting tools, replication, and data definition will be built around the Entity Data Model. [14] 

SQL Server Reporting Services will gain charting capabilities from the integration of the data visualization products 

from Dundas Data Visualization Inc., which was acquired by Microsoft. [15] On the management side, SQL Server 

2008 includes the Declarative Management Framework which allows configuring policies and constraints, on the 

entire database or certain tables, declaratively. [8] The version of SQL Server Management Studio included with SQL 

Server 2008 supports IntelliSense for SQL queries against a SQL Server 2008 Database Engine. [16] SQL Server 2008 

also makes the databases available via Windows PowerShell providers and management functionality available as 

Cmdlets, so that the server and all the running instances can be managed from Windows PowerShell. [17]


SQL Server 2008 R2 

SQL Server 2008 R2 (formerly codenamed SQL Server "Kilimanjaro") was announced at TechEd 2009, and was 

released to manufacturing on April 21, 2010. [18] SQL Server 2008 R2 adds certain features to SQL Server 2008 

including master data management system branded as Master Data Services, a centralized console to manage 

multiple SQL Server instances, and support for more than 64 logical processors. [19] 

SQL Server 2008 R2 boasts a number of new services, [20] including PowerPivot for Excel and SharePoint, Master 

Data Services, StreamInsight, ReportBuilder 3.0, Reporting Services Add-in for SharePoint, a Data-tier function in 

Visual Studio that enables packaging of tiered databases as part of an application, and a SQL Server Utility that 

manages multiple SQL Servers. 

Editions 

Microsoft makes SQL Server available in multiple editions, with different feature sets and targeting different users. 

[21] [22] 

These editions are: 

SQL Server Compact Edition (SQL CE) 

The compact edition is an embedded database engine. Unlike the other editions of SQL Server, the SQL CE 

engine is based on SQL Mobile (initially designed for use with hand-held devices) and does not share the same 

binaries. Due to its small size (1MB DLL footprint), it has a markedly reduced feature set compared to the 

other editions. For example, it supports a subset of the standard data types, does not support stored procedures 

or Views or multiple-statement batches (among other limitations). It is limited to 4GB maximum database size 

and cannot be run as a Windows service, Compact Edition must be hosted by the application using it. The 3.5 

version includes considerable work that supports ADO.NET Synchronization Services. 

SQL Server Datacenter Edition 

SQL Server Developer Edition 

SQL Server Developer Edition includes the same features as SQL Server Enterprise Edition, but is limited by 

the license to be only used as a development and test system, and not as production server. This edition is 

available to download by students free of charge as a part of Microsoft's DreamSpark program. 

SQL Server 2005 Embedded Edition (SSEE) 

SQL Server 2005 Embedded Edition is a specially configured named instance of the SQL Server Express 

database engine which can be accessed only by certain Windows Services. 

SQL Server Enterprise Edition 

SQL Server Enterprise Edition is the full-featured edition of SQL Server, including both the core database 

engine and add-on services, while including a range of tools for creating and managing a SQL Server cluster. 

SQL Server Evaluation Edition 

SQL Server Evaluation Edition, also known as the Trial Edition, has all the features of the Enterprise Edition, 

but is limited to 180 days, after which the tools will continue to run, but the server services will stop. [23] 

SQL Server Express Edition 

SQL Server Express Edition is a scaled down, free edition of SQL Server, which includes the core database 

engine. While there are no limitations on the number of databases or users supported, it is limited to using one 

processor, 1 GB memory and 4 GB database files (10 GB database files from SQL Server Express 2008 R2 [24] 

). The entire database is stored in a single .mdf file, and thus making it suitable for XCOPY deployment. It is 

intended as a replacement for MSDE. Two additional editions provide a superset of features not in the original 

Express Edition. The first is SQL Server Express with Tools, which includes SQL Server Management 

Studio Basic. SQL Server Express with Advanced Services adds full-text search capability and reporting 

services. [25]


SQL Server Fast Track 

SQL Server Fast Track is specifically for enterprise-scale data warehousing storage and business intelligence 

processing, and runs on reference-architecture hardware that is optimized for Fast Track. [26] 

SQL Server Standard Edition 

SQL Server Standard edition includes the core database engine, along with the stand-alone services. It differs 

from Enterprise edition in that it supports fewer active instances (number of nodes in a cluster) and does not 

include some high-availability functions such as hot-add memory (allowing memory to be added while the 

server is still running), and parallel indexes. 

SQL Server Web Edition 

SQL Server Web Edition is a low-TCO option for Web hosting. 

SQL Server Workgroup Edition 

SQL Server Workgroup Edition includes the core database functionality but does not include the additional 

services. 

Architecture 

Protocol layer 

Protocol layer implements the external interface to SQL Server. All operations that can be invoked on SQL Server 

are communicated to it via a Microsoft-defined format, called Tabular Data Stream (TDS). TDS is an application 

layer protocol, used to transfer data between a database server and a client. Initially designed and developed by 

Sybase Inc. for their Sybase SQL Server relational database engine in 1984, and later by Microsoft in Microsoft SQL 

Server, TDS packets can be encased in other physical transport dependent protocols, including TCP/IP, Named 

pipes, and Shared memory. Consequently, access to SQL Server is available over these protocols. In addition, the 

SQL Server API is also exposed over web services. [22] 

Data storage 

The main unit of data storage is a database, which is a collection of tables with typed columns. SQL Server supports 

different data types, including primary types such as Integer, Float, Decimal, Char (including character strings), 

Varchar (variable length character strings), binary (for unstructured blobs of data), Text (for textual data) among 

others. The rounding of floats to integers uses either Symmetric Arithmetic Rounding or Symmetric Round Down 

(Fix) depending on arguments: SELECT Round(2.5, 0) gives 3. 

Microsoft SQL Server also allows user-defined composite types (UDTs) to be defined and used. It also makes server 

statistics available as virtual tables and views (called Dynamic Management Views or DMVs). In addition to tables, 

a database can also contain other objects including views, stored procedures, indexes and constraints, along with a 

transaction log. A SQL Server database can contain a maximum of 2 31 objects, and can span multiple OS-level files 

with a maximum file size of 2 20 TB. [22] The data in the database are stored in primary data files with an extension 

.mdf. Secondary data files, identified with an .ndf extension, are used to store optional metadata. Log files are 

identified with the .ldf extension. [22] 

Storage space allocated to a database is divided into sequentially numbered pages, each 8 KB in size. A page is the 

basic unit of I/O for SQL Server operations. A page is marked with a 96-byte header which stores metadata about the 

page including the page number, page type, free space on the page and the ID of the object that owns it. Page type 

defines the data contained in the page - data stored in the database, index, allocation map which holds information 

about how pages are allocated to tables and indexes, change map which holds information about the changes made to 

other pages since last backup or logging, or contain large data types such as image or text. While page is the basic 

unit of an I/O operation, space is actually managed in terms of an extent which consists of 8 pages. A database object


can either span all 8 pages in an extent ("uniform extent") or share an extent with up to 7 more objects ("mixed 

extent"). A row in a database table cannot span more than one page, so is limited to 8 KB in size. However, if the 

data exceeds 8 KB and the row contains Varchar or Varbinary data, the data in those columns are moved to a new 

page (or possibly a sequence of pages, called an Allocation unit) and replaced with a pointer to the data. [27] 

For physical storage of a table, its rows are divided into a series of partitions (numbered 1 to n). The partition size is 

user defined; by default all rows are in a single partition. A table is split into multiple partitions in order to spread a 

database over a cluster. Rows in each partition are stored in either B-tree or heap structure. If the table has an 

associated index to allow fast retrieval of rows, the rows are stored in-order according to their index values, with a 

B-tree providing the index. The data is in the leaf node of the leaves, and other nodes storing the index values for the 

leaf data reachable from the respective nodes. If the index is non-clustered, the rows are not sorted according to the 

index keys. An indexed view has the same storage structure as an indexed table. A table without an index is stored in 

an unordered heap structure. Both heaps and B-trees can span multiple allocation units. [28] 

Buffer management 

SQL Server buffers pages in RAM to minimize disc I/O. Any 8 KB page can be buffered in-memory, and the set of 

all pages currently buffered is called the buffer cache. The amount of memory available to SQL Server decides how 

many pages will be cached in memory. The buffer cache is managed by the Buffer Manager. Either reading from or 

writing to any page copies it to the buffer cache. Subsequent reads or writes are redirected to the in-memory copy, 

rather than the on-disc version. The page is updated on the disc by the Buffer Manager only if the in-memory cache 

has not been referenced for some time. While writing pages back to disc, asynchronous I/O is used whereby the I/O 

operation is done in a background thread so that other operations do not have to wait for the I/O operation to 

complete. Each page is written along with its checksum when it is written. When reading the page back, its 

checksum is computed again and matched with the stored version to ensure the page has not been damaged or 

tampered with in the meantime. [29] 

Logging and Transaction 

SQL Server ensures that any change to the data is ACID-compliant, i.e., it uses transactions to ensure that any 

operation either totally completes or is undone if fails, but never leaves the database in an intermediate state. Using 

transactions, a sequence of actions can be grouped together, with the guarantee that either all actions will succeed or 

none will. SQL Server implements transactions using a write-ahead log. Any changes made to any page will update 

the in-memory cache of the page, simultaneously all the operations performed will be written to a log, along with the 

transaction ID which the operation was a part of. Each log entry is identified by an increasing Log Sequence Number 

(LSN) which ensure that no event overwrites another. SQL Server ensures that the log will be written onto the disc 

before the actual page is written back. This enables SQL Server to ensure integrity of the data, even if the system 

fails. If both the log and the page were written before the failure, the entire data is on persistent storage and integrity 

is ensured. If only the log was written (the page was either not written or not written completely), then the actions 

can be read from the log and repeated to restore integrity. If the log wasn't written then integrity is also maintained 

although the database state remains unchanged as if the transaction never occurred. If it was only partially written, 

then the actions associated with the unfinished transaction are discarded. Since the log was only partially written, the 

page is guaranteed to have not been written, again ensuring data integrity. Removing the unfinished log entries 

effectively undoes the transaction. SQL Server ensures consistency between the log and the data every time an 

instance is restarted. [22]


Concurrency and locking 

SQL Server allows multiple clients to use the same database concurrently. As such, it needs to control concurrent 

access to shared data, to ensure data integrity - when multiple clients update the same data, or clients attempt to read 

data that is in the process of being changed by another client. SQL Server provides two modes of concurrency 

control: pessimistic concurrency and optimistic concurrency. When pessimistic concurrency control is being used, 

SQL Server controls concurrent access by using locks. Locks can be either shared or exclusive. Exclusive lock grants 

the user exclusive access to the data - no other user can access the data as long as the lock is held. Shared locks are 

used when some data is being read - multiple users can read from data locked with a shared lock, but not acquire an 

exclusive lock. The latter would have to wait for all shared locks to be released. Locks can be applied on different 

levels of granularity - on entire tables, pages, or even on a per-row basis on tables. For indexes, it can either be on 

the entire index or on index leaves. The level of granularity to be used is defined on a per-database basis by the 

database administrator. While a fine grained locking system allows more users to use the table or index 

simultaneously, it requires more resources. So it does not automatically turn into higher performing solution. SQL 

Server also includes two more lightweight mutual exclusion solutions - latches and spinlocks - which are less robust 

than locks but are less resource intensive. SQL Server uses them for DMVs and other resources that are usually not 

busy. SQL Server also monitors all worker threads that acquire locks to ensure that they do not end up in deadlocks - 

in case they do, SQL Server takes remedial measures, which in many cases is to kill one of the threads entangled in a 

deadlock and rollback the transaction it started. [22] To implement locking, SQL Server contains the Lock Manager. 

The Lock Manager maintains an in-memory table that manages the database objects and locks, if any, on them along 

with other metadata about the lock. Access to any shared object is mediated by the lock manager, which either grants 

access to the resource or blocks it. 

SQL Server also provides the optimistic concurrency control mechanism, which is similar to the multiversion 

concurrency control used in other databases. The mechanism allows a new version of a row to be created whenever 

the row is updated, as opposed to overwriting the row, i.e., a row is additionally identified by the ID of the 

transaction that created the version of the row. Both the old as well as the new versions of the row are stored and 

maintained, though the old versions are moved out of the database into a system database identified as Tempdb. 

When a row is in the process of being updated, any other requests are not blocked (unlike locking) but are executed 

on the older version of the row. If the other request is an update statement, it will result in two different versions of 

the rows - both of them will be stored by the database, identified by their respective transaction IDs. [22] 

Data retrieval 

The main mode of retrieving data from an SQL Server database is querying for it. The query is expressed using a 

variant of SQL called T-SQL, a dialect Microsoft SQL Server shares with Sybase SQL Server due to its legacy. The 

query declaratively specifies what is to be retrieved. It is processed by the query processor, which figures out the 

sequence of steps that will be necessary to retrieve the requested data. The sequence of actions necessary to execute a 

query is called a query plan. There might be multiple ways to process the same query. For example, for a query that 

contains a join statement and a select statement, executing join on both the tables and then executing select on the 

results would give the same result as selecting from each table and then executing the join, but result in different 

execution plans. In such case, SQL Server chooses the plan that is supposed to yield the results in the shortest 

possible time. This is called query optimization and is performed by the query processor itself. [22] 

SQL Server includes a cost-based query optimizer which tries to optimize on the cost, in terms of the resources it 

will take to execute the query. Given a query, the query optimizer looks at the database schema, the database 

statistics and the system load at that time. It then decides which sequence to access the tables referred in the query, 

which sequence to execute the operations and what access method to be used to access the tables. For example, if the 

table has an associated index, whether the index should be used or not - if the index is on a column which is not 

unique for most of the columns (low "selectivity"), it might not be worthwhile to use the index to access the data.


Finally, it decides whether to execute the query concurrently or not. While a concurrent execution is more costly in 

terms of total processor time, because the execution is actually split to different processors might mean it will 

execute faster. Once a query plan is generated for a query, it is temporarily cached. For further invocations of the 

[22] [30] 

same query, the cached plan is used. Unused plans are discarded after some time. 

SQL Server also allows stored procedures to be defined. Stored procedures are parameterized T-SQL queries, that 

are stored in the server itself (and not issued by the client application as is the case with general queries). Stored 

procedures can accept values sent by the client as input parameters, and send back results as output parameters. They 

can call defined functions, and other stored procedures, including the same stored procedure (up to a set number of 

times). They can be selectively provided access to. Unlike other queries, stored procedures have an associated name, 

which is used at runtime to resolve into the actual queries. Also because the code need not be sent from the client 

every time (as it can be accessed by name), it reduces network traffic and somewhat improves performance. [31] 

Execution plans for stored procedures are also cached as necessary. 

SQL CLR 

Microsoft SQL Server 2005 includes a component named SQL CLR ("Common Language Runtime") via which it 

integrates with .NET Framework. Unlike most other applications that use .NET Framework, SQL Server itself hosts 

the .NET Framework runtime, i.e., memory, threading and resource management requirements of .NET Framework 

are satisfied by SQLOS itself, rather than the underlying Windows operating system. SQLOS provides deadlock 

detection and resolution services for .NET code as well. With SQL CLR, stored procedures and triggers can be 

written in any managed .NET language, including C# and VB.NET. Managed code can also be used to define UDT's 

(user defined types), which can persist in the database. Managed code is compiled to .NET assemblies and after 

being verified for type safety, registered at the database. After that, they can be invoked like any other procedure. [32] 

However, only a subset of the Base Class Library is available, when running code under SQL CLR. Most APIs 

relating to user interface functionality are not available. [32] 

When writing code for SQL CLR, data stored in SQL Server databases can be accessed using the ADO.NET APIs 

like any other managed application that accesses SQL Server data. However, doing that creates a new database 

session, different from the one in which the code is executing. To avoid this, SQL Server provides some 

enhancements to the ADO.NET provider that allows the connection to be redirected to the same session which 

already hosts the running code. Such connections are called context connections and are set by setting context 

connection parameter to true in the connection string. SQL Server also provides several other enhancements to the 

ADO.NET API, including classes to work with tabular data or a single row of data as well as classes to work with 

internal metadata about the data stored in the database. It also provides access to the XML features in SQL Server, 

including XQuery support. These enhancements are also available in T-SQL Procedures in consequence of the 

introduction of the new XML Datatype (query,value,nodes functions). [33] 

Services 

SQL Server also includes an assortment of add-on services. While these are not essential for the operation of the 

database system, they provide value added services on top of the core database management system. These services 

either run as a part of some SQL Server component or out-of-process as Windows Service and presents their own 

API to control and interact with them. 

Service Broker 

Used inside an instance, it is used to provide an asynchronous programming environment. For cross instance 

applications, Service Broker communicates The Service Broker, which runs as a part of the database engine, 

provides a reliable messaging and message queuing platform for SQL Server applications. over TCP/IP and allows 

the different components to be synchronized together, via exchange of messages. [34]


Replication Services 

SQL Server Replication Services are used by SQL Server to replicate and synchronize database objects, either in 

entirety or a subset of the objects present, across replication agents, which might be other database servers across the 

network, or database caches on the client side. Replication follows a publisher/subscriber model, i.e., the changes are 

sent out by one database server ("publisher") and are received by others ("subscribers"). SQL Server supports three 

different types of replication: [35] 

Transaction replication 

Each transaction made to the publisher database (master database) is synced out to subscribers, who update 

their databases with the transaction. Transactional replication synchronizes databases in near real time. [36] 

Merge replication 

Changes made at both the publisher and subscriber databases are tracked, and periodically the changes are 

synchronized bi-directionally between the publisher and the subscribers. If the same data has been modified 

differently in both the publisher and the subscriber databases, synchronization will result in a conflict which 

has to be resolved - either manually or by using pre-defined policies. rowguid needs to be configured on a 

column if merge replication is configured. [37] 

Snapshot replication 

Snapshot replication published a copy of the entire database (the then-snapshot of the data) and replicates out 

to the subscribers. Further changes to the snapshot are not tracked. [38] 

Analysis Services 

SQL Server Analysis Services adds OLAP and data mining capabilities for SQL Server databases. The OLAP engine 

supports MOLAP, ROLAP and HOLAP storage modes for data. Analysis Services supports the XML for Analysis 

standard as the underlying communication protocol. The cube data can be accessed using MDX queries. [39] Data 

mining specific functionality is exposed via the DMX query language. Analysis Services includes various algorithms 

- Decision trees, clustering algorithm, Naive Bayes algorithm, time series analysis, sequence clustering algorithm, 

linear and logistic regression analysis, and neural networks - for use in data mining. [40] 

Reporting Services 

SQL Server Reporting Services is a report generation environment for data gathered from SQL Server databases. It 

is administered via a web interface. Reporting services features a web services interface to support the development 

of custom reporting applications. Reports are created as RDL files. [41] 

Reports can be designed using recent versions of Microsoft Visual Studio (Visual Studio.NET 2003, 2005, and 

2008) [42] with Business Intelligence Development Studio, installed or with the included Report Builder. Once 

created, RDL files can be rendered in a variety of formats [43] including Excel, PDF, CSV, XML, TIFF (and other 

image formats), [44] and HTML Web Archive. 

Notification Services 

Originally introduced as a post-release add-on for SQL Server 2000, [45] Notification Services was bundled as part of 

the Microsoft SQL Server platform for the first and only time with SQL Server 2005. [46] [47] with Sql Server 2005, 

SQL Server Notification Services is a mechanism for generating data-driven notifications, which are sent to 

Notification Services subscribers. A subscriber registers for a specific event or transaction (which is registered on the 

database server as a trigger); when the event occurs, Notification Services can use one of three methods to send a 

message to the subscriber informing about the occurrence of the event. These methods include SMTP, SOAP, or by 

writing to a file in the filesystem. [48] Notification Services was discontinued by Microsoft with the release of SQL 

Server 2008 in August 2008, and is no longer an officially supported component of the SQL Server database


platform. 

Integration Services 

SQL Server Integration Services is used to integrate data from different data sources. It is used for the ETL 

capabilities for SQL Server for data warehousing needs. Integration Services includes GUI tools to build data 

extraction workflows integration various functionality such as extracting data from various sources, querying data, 

transforming data including aggregating, duplication and merging data, and then loading the transformed data onto 

other sources, or sending e-mails detailing the status of the operation as defined by the user. [49] 

Full Text Search Service 

SQL Server Full Text Search service is a specialized 

indexing and querying service for unstructured text 

stored in SQL Server databases. The full text search 

index can be created on any column with character 

based text data. It allows for words to be searched for 

in the text columns. While it can be performed with the 

SQL LIKE operator, using SQL Server Full Text 

Search service can be more efficient. Full Text Search 

(FTS) allows for inexact matching of the source string, 

indicated by a Rank value which can range from 0 to 

1000 - a higher rank means a more accurate match. It 

also allows linguistic matching ("inflectional search"), 

i.e., linguistic variants of a word (such as a verb in a 

different tense) will also be a match for a given word 

(but with a lower rank than an exact match). Proximity 

The SQL Server Full Text Search service architecture 

searches are also supported, i.e., if the words searched for do not occur in the sequence they are specified in the 

query but are near each other, they are also considered a match. T-SQL exposes special operators that can be used to 

[50] [51] 

access the FTS capabilities. 

The Full Text Search engine is divided into two processes - the Filter Daemon process (msftefd.exe) and the Search 

process (msftesql.exe). These processes interact with the SQL Server. The Search process includes the indexer (that 

creates the full text indexes) and the full text query processor. The indexer scans through text columns in the 

database. It can also index through binary columns, and use iFilters to extract meaningful text from the binary blob 

(for example, when a Microsoft Word document is stored as an unstructured binary file in a database). The iFilters 

are hosted by the Filter Daemon process. Once the text is extracted, the Filter Daemon process breaks it up into a 

sequence of words and hands it over to the indexer. The indexer filters out noise words, i.e., words like A, And etc, 

which occur frequently and are not useful for search. With the remaining words, an inverted index is created, 

associating each word with the columns they were found in. SQL Server itself includes a Gatherer component that 

monitors changes to tables and invokes the indexer in case of updates. [52] 

When a full text query is received by the SQL Server query processor, it is handed over to the FTS query processor 

in the Search process. The FTS query processor breaks up the query into the constituent words, filters out the noise 

words, and uses an inbuilt thesaurus to find out the linguistic variants for each word. The words are then queried 

against the inverted index and a rank of their accurateness is computed. The results are returned to the client via the 

SQL Server process. [52]


Tools 

SQLCMD 

SQLCMD is a command line application that comes with Microsoft SQL Server, and exposes the management 

features of SQL Server. It allows SQL queries to be written and executed from the command prompt. It can also act 

as a scripting language to create and run a set of SQL statements as a script. Such scripts are stored as a .sql file, and 

are used either for management of databases or to create the database schema during the deployment of a database. 

SQLCMD was introduced with SQL Server 2005 and this continues with SQL Server 2008. Its predecessor for 

earlier versions was OSQL, which is functionally equivalent and many of the command line parameters are identical. 

Visual Studio 

Microsoft Visual Studio includes native support for data programming with Microsoft SQL Server. It can be used 

to write and debug code to be executed by SQL CLR. It also includes a data designer that can be used to graphically 

create, view or edit database schemas. Queries can be created either visually or using code. SSMS 2008 onwards, 

provides intellisense for SQL queries as well. 

SQL Server Management Studio 

SQL Server Management Studio is a GUI tool included with SQL Server 2005 and later for configuring, 

managing, and administering all components within Microsoft SQL Server. The tool includes both script editors and 

graphical tools that work with objects and features of the server. [53] SQL Server Management Studio replaces 

Enterprise Manager as the primary management interface for Microsoft SQL Server since SQL Server 2005. A 

version of SQL Server Management Studio is also available for SQL Server Express Edition, for which it is known 

as SQL Server Management Studio Express (SSMSE). [54] 

A central feature of SQL Server Management Studio is the Object Explorer, which allows the user to browse, select, 

and act upon any of the objects within the server. [55] It can be used to visually observe and analyze query plans and 

optimize the database performance, among others. [56] SQL Server Management Studio can also be used to create a 

new database, alter any existing database schema by adding or modifying tables and indexes, or analyze 

performance. It includes the query windows which provide a GUI based interface to write and execute queries. [22] 

Business Intelligence Development Studio 

Business Intelligence Development Studio (BIDS) is the IDE from Microsoft used for developing data analysis and 

Business Intelligence solutions utilizing the Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services, Reporting Services and 

Integration Services. It is based on the Microsoft Visual Studio development environment but customizes with the 

SQL Server services-specific extensions and project types, including tools, controls and projects for reports (using 

Reporting Services), Cubes and data mining structures (using Analysis Services). [57] 

Programmability 

T-SQL 

T-SQL (Transact-SQL) is the primary means of programming and managing SQL Server. It exposes keywords for 

the operations that can be performed on SQL Server, including creating and altering database schemas, entering and 

editing data in the database as well as monitoring and managing the server itself. Client applications, both which 

consume data or manage the server, leverage SQL Server functionality by sending T-SQL queries and statements 

which are then processed by the server and results (or errors) returned to the client application. SQL Server allows it 

to be managed using T-SQL. For this it exposes read only tables from which server statistics can be read.


Management functionality is exposed via system-defined stored procedures which can be invoked from T-SQL 

queries to perform the management operation. It is also possible to create linked Server using T-SQL. Linked server 

allows operation to multiple server as one query. [58] 

SQL Native Client 

SQL Native Client is the native client side data access library for Microsoft SQL Server, version 2005 onwards. It 

natively implements support for the SQL Server features including the Tabular Data Stream implementation, support 

for mirrored SQL Server databases, full support for all data types supported by SQL Server, asynchronous 

operations, query notifications, encryption support, as well as receiving multiple result sets in a single database 

session. SQL Native Client is used under the hood by SQL Server plug-ins for other data access technologies, 

including ADO or OLE DB. The SQL Native Client can also be directly used, bypassing the generic data access 

layers. [59] 

See also 

• Comparison of relational database management systems 

• List of object-relational database management systems 

• Database management system 

• List of relational database management systems 

References 

[1] http:/ / www. microsoft. com/ sqlserver 

[2] "Database Engine XML Enhancements" (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms170809. aspx). . Retrieved 2007-12-03. 

[3] "Database Engine Enhancements" (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms170910. aspx). . Retrieved 2007-12-03. 

[4] Multiple Active Result Sets (MARS) in SQL Server 2005 (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms345109(SQL. 90). aspx) (retrieved 

June 20, 2009) 

[5] "Microsoft SQL Server 2008" (http:/ / www. microsoft. com/ sql/ prodinfo/ futureversion/ default. mspx). . Retrieved 2007-04-06. 

[6] "ChannelWeb: Next SQL Server stop: Katmai" (http:/ / www. crn. com/ storage/ 170702999). . Retrieved 2005-11-05. 

[7] Announced to the SQL Server Special Interest Group at the ESRI 2008 User's Conference on August 6, 2008 by Ed Katibah (Spatial Program 

Manager at Microsoft) 

[8] "Microsoft Gives Peek At Next Version Of SQL Server" (http:/ / www. informationweek. com/ software/ showArticle. 

jhtml?articleID=199500164& subSection=Development). . Retrieved 2007-05-11. 

[9] "One more test build to go for SQL Server 2008" (http:/ / blogs. zdnet. com/ microsoft/ ?p=937). . Retrieved 2006-11-13. 

[10] "Guest Blogger: Ted Kummert" (http:/ / blogs. msdn. com/ stevengu/ archive/ 2007/ 11/ 13/ guest-blogger-ted-kummert. aspx). . Retrieved 

2007-11-20. 

[11] Christian Kleinerman. "SQL Server 2008 for developers" (http:/ / channel9. msdn. com/ Showpost. aspx?postid=387069). Channel9. . 

Retrieved 2008-03-07. 

[12] Fernando Azpeitia Lopez. "SQL Server 2008 Full-Text Search: Internals and Enhancements" (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ 

cc721269. aspx). . 

[13] "Microsoft Shares Details on SQL Server 2008 Spatial Support by Directions Staff" (http:/ / www. directionsmag. com/ editorials. 

php?article_id=2477& trv=1). . Retrieved 2007-09-07. 

[14] "SQL Server "Katmai" to Deliver Entity Data Platform and Support LINQ" (http:/ / oakleafblog. blogspot. com/ 2007/ 05/ 

sql-server-to-deliver-entity-data. html). . Retrieved 2007-05-12. 

[15] "Microsoft Details Dynamic IT Strategy at Tech-Ed 2007" (http:/ / www. earthtimes. org/ articles/ show/ news_press_release,115898. 

shtml). . Retrieved 2007-06-04. 

[16] "SQL Server IntelliSense" (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms173434. aspx). . Retrieved 2008-08-18. 

[17] "SQL Server Support for PowerShell!" (http:/ / blogs. msdn. com/ powershell/ archive/ 2007/ 11/ 13/ sql-server-support-for-powershell. 

aspx). . Retrieved 2007-12-03. 

[18] "SQL SQL Server 2008 R2 Launches!" (http:/ / blogs. technet. com/ sqlserverexperts/ archive/ 2010/ 04/ 21/ sql-server-2008-r2-launches. 

aspx). . Retrieved 2010-04-21. 

[19] SQL Server Team. "TechEd 2009 – new SQL Server Innovations" (http:/ / blogs. technet. com/ dataplatforminsider/ archive/ 2009/ 05/ 11/ 

teched-2009-new-sql-server-innovations. aspx). MSDN Blogs. . Retrieved 2009-05-12. 

[20] networkworld.com (http:/ / www. networkworld. com/ reviews/ 2010/ 050310-microsoft-sql-server-2008-test. html?ap1=rcb)


[21] "SQL Server 2005 Features Comparison" (http:/ / www. microsoft. com/ sql/ prodinfo/ features/ compare-features. mspx). . Retrieved 

2007-12-03. 

[22] Kalen Delaney. Inside Microsoft SQL Server 2005: The Storage Engine. Microsoft Press. ISBN 0-7356-2105-5. 

[23] "SQL Server 2008 Trial Software" (http:/ / www. microsoft. com/ sqlserver/ 2008/ en/ us/ trial-software. aspx). . Retrieved 2009-03-26. 

[24] "SQL Server 2008 R2 Express Database Size Limit Increased to 10GB" (http:/ / blogs. msdn. com/ sqlexpress/ archive/ 2010/ 04/ 21/ 

database-size-limit-increased-to-10gb-in-sql-server-2008-r2-express. aspx). . Retrieved 2010-04-23. 

[25] "What's up with SQL Server 2008 Express editions" (http:/ / blogs. msdn. com/ sqlexpress/ archive/ 2008/ 08/ 07/ 

what-s-up-with-sql-server-2008-express-editions. aspx). . Retrieved 2008-08-15. 

[26] "Microsoft SQL Server 2008: Fast Track Data Warehouse" (http:/ / www. microsoft. com/ Sqlserver/ 2008/ en/ us/ fasttrack. aspx). . 


[27] "Pages and Extents" (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms190969. aspx). . Retrieved 2007-12-02. 

[28] "Table and Index Organization" (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms189051. aspx). . Retrieved 2007-12-02. 

[29] "Buffer Management" (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ aa337525. aspx). . Retrieved 2007-12-02. 

[30] "Single SQL Statement Processing" (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms190623. aspx). . Retrieved 2007-12-03. 

[31] "Stored Procedure Basics" (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms191436. aspx). . Retrieved 2007-12-03. 

[32] "Overview of CLR integration" (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms131045. aspx). . Retrieved 2007-12-03. 

[33] "XML Support in SQL Server" (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms345117(SQL. 90). aspx). . Retrieved 2008-09-05. 

[34] "Introducing Service Broker" (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms166104. aspx). . Retrieved 2007-12-03. 

[35] "Types of Replication Overview" (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms152531. aspx). . Retrieved 2007-12-03. 

[36] "Transactional Replication Overview" (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms151176. aspx). . Retrieved 2007-12-03. 

[37] "Merge Replication Overview" (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms152746. aspx). . Retrieved 2007-12-03. 

[38] "Snapshot replication Overview" (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms151832. aspx). . Retrieved 2007-12-03. 

[39] "Analysis Services Architecture" (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms174918. aspx). . Retrieved 2007-12-03. 

[40] "Data Mining Concepts" (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms174949. aspx). . Retrieved 2007-12-03. 

[41] "SQL Server Reporting Services" (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms159106. aspx). . Retrieved 2007-12-03. 

[42] (https:/ / connect. microsoft. com/ VisualStudio/ feedback/ details/ 532664/ cannot-open-a-sql-reporting-services-rptproj-file?wa=wsignin1. 

0) 

[43] MSDN Library: Reporting Services Render Method (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ microsoft. wssux. 

reportingserviceswebservice. rsexecutionservice2005. reportexecutionservice. render. aspx) - See Device Information Settings (http:/ / msdn. 

microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms155397. aspx) 

[44] Image Device Information Settings (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms155373. aspx) - SSRS can render BMP, EMF, GIF, 

JPEG, PNG, and TIFF. 

[45] "An Introduction to SQL Server Notification Services" (http:/ / www. codeproject. com/ KB/ dotnet/ sqlns. aspx). . Retrieved 2008-11-14. 

[46] "SQL Server Notification Services Removed from SQL Server 2008" (http:/ / blog. desktopalert. net/ blogs/ da_blog/ archive/ 2008/ 02/ 16/ 

25. aspx). . Retrieved 2008-09-17. 

[47] "Discontinued Functionality in SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services" (http:/ / technet. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms144231. aspx). . 


[48] "Introducing SQL Server Notification Services" (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms166495. aspx). . Retrieved 2007-12-03. 

[49] "Integration Services Overview" (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms141263. aspx). . Retrieved 2007-12-03. 

[50] "Introduction to Full-Text Search" (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms142545. aspx). . Retrieved 2007-12-03. 

[51] "Querying SQL Server using Full-Text Search" (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms142559. aspx). . Retrieved 2007-12-03. 

[52] "Full-Text Search Architecture" (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms142541. aspx). . Retrieved 2007-12-03. 

[53] MSDN: Introducing SQL Server Management Studio (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms174173. aspx) 

[54] SQL Server Management Studio Express (http:/ / www. microsoft. com/ downloads/ details. 

aspx?FamilyId=C243A5AE-4BD1-4E3D-94B8-5A0F62BF7796& displaylang=en) 

[55] MSDN: Using Object Explorer (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms173849. aspx) 

[56] SQL Server 2005 Management Tools (http:/ / www. sqlmag. com/ articles/ index. cfm?articleid=46798& ) 

[57] "Introducing Business Intelligence Development Studio" (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ hi-in/ library/ ms173767. aspx). . Retrieved 

2007-12-03. 

[58] "Transact-SQL Reference" (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms189826. aspx). . Retrieved 2007-12-03. 

[59] "Features of SQL Native Client" (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms131456. aspx). . Retrieved 2007-12-03. 

• Lance Delano, Rajesh George et al. (2005). Wrox's SQL Server 2005 Express Edition Starter Kit (Programmer to 

Programmer). Microsoft Press. ISBN 0764589237 

• Delaney, Kalen, et al. (2007). Inside SQL Server 2005: Query Tuning and Optimization. Microsoft Press. ISBN 

0735621969. 

• Ben-Gan, Itzik, et al. (2006). Inside Microsoft SQL Server 2005: T-SQL Programming. Microsoft Press. ISBN 

0735621977.



• Review:SQL Server 2008 R2 (http:/ / www. networkworld. com/ reviews/ 2010/ 

050310-microsoft-sql-server-2008-test. html?ap1=rcb) 

• SQL Server Official Site (http:/ / www. microsoft. com/ sql/ default. mspx) 

• Longer version of the history from a dev team member (http:/ / blogs. msdn. com/ euanga/ archive/ 2006/ 01/ 19/ 

514479. aspx) 

SQL CLR 

SQL CLR or SQLCLR (SQL Common Language Runtime) is technology for hosting of the Microsoft .NET 

common language runtime engine within SQL Server. The SQLCLR allows managed code to be hosted by, and run 

in, the Microsoft SQL Server environment. 

This technology, introduced in Microsoft SQL Server 2005, allow users for example to create the following types of 

managed code objects in SQL Server in .NET languages such as C# or VB.NET. 

• Stored procedures (SPs) which are analogous to procedures or void functions in procedural languages like VB or 

C, 

• triggers which are stored procedures that fire in response to Data Manipulation Language (DML) or Data 

Definition Language (DDL) events, 

• User-defined functions (UDFs) which are analogous to functions in procedural languages, 

• User-defined aggregates (UDAs) which allow developers to create custom aggregates that act on sets of data 

instead of one row at a time, 

• User-defined types (UDTs) that allow users to create simple or complex data types which can be serialized and 

deserialized within the database. 

The SQL CLR relies on the creation, deployment, and registration of .NET assemblies, which are physically stored 

in managed code dynamic load libraries (DLLs). These assemblies may contain .NET namespaces, classes, functions 

and properties. 


• MSDN: Using CLR Integration in SQL Server 2005 [1] 

• MSDN Forum on .NET Framework in SQL Server [2] 

• SqlClr.net Independent site [3] 

• SQL CLR Team Blog (No posts since 2006, might be dead) [4] 

References 

[1] http:/ / msdn2. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms345136. aspx 

[2] http:/ / forums. microsoft. com/ MSDN/ ShowForum. aspx?ForumID=86& SiteID=1 

[3] http:/ / www. sqlclr. net/ 

[4] http:/ / blogs. msdn. com/ sqlclr/

SQL Query Analyzer 24 

SQL Query Analyzer 

SQL Query Analyzer is a tool that allows graphic creation of queries and SQL scripts. It makes use of templates. 

Microsoft® SQL Server 2000 SQL Query Analyzer is a graphical tool that allows you to: 

• Create queries and other SQL scripts and execute them against SQL Server databases. (Query window) 

• Quickly create commonly used database objects from predefined scripts. (Templates) 

• Quickly copy existing database objects. (Object Browser scripting feature) 

• Execute stored procedures without knowing the parameters. (Object Browser procedure execution feature) 

• Debug stored procedures. (T-SQL Debugger) 

• Debug query performance problems. (Show Execution Plan, Show Server Trace, Show Client Statistics, Index 

Tuning Wizard) 

• Locate objects within databases (object search feature), or view and work with objects. (Object Browser) 

• Quickly insert, update, or delete rows in a table. (Open Table window) 

• Create keyboard shortcuts for frequently used queries. (custom query shortcuts feature) 

• Add frequently used commands to the Tools menu. (customized Tools menu feature) 

You can run SQL Query Analyzer directly from the Start menu, or you run it from inside SQL Server Enterprise 

Manager. You can also run SQL Query Analyzer from the command prompt by executing the isqlw utility. [1] 

[1] http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ aa216945%28SQL. 80%29. aspx 

SQL Server Integration Services 

SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) is a component of the Microsoft SQL Server database software which can 

be used to perform a broad range of data migration tasks. 

SSIS is a platform for data integration and workflow applications. It features a fast and flexible data warehousing 

tool used for data extraction, transformation, and loading (ETL). The tool may also be used to automate maintenance 

of SQL Server databases and updates to multidimensional cube data. 

First released with Microsoft SQL Server 2005, SSIS replaced Data Transformation Services, which had been a 

feature of SQL Server since Version 7.0. Unlike DTS, which was included in all versions, SSIS is only available in 

the "Standard" and "Enterprise" editions. 

Features 

SSIS features a wizard that lets user create packages which move data from a single data source to a destination with 

no transformations. This tool is called the Import/Export Wizard. The Wizard is appropriate for use to quickly 

move data into or out of SQL Server from or to a variety of sources, including text files and other SQL Server 

instances. 

Developers tasked with creating or maintaining SSIS packages use a visual development tool based on Microsoft 

Visual Studio called the SQL Server Business Intelligence Development Studio (BIDS). It allows users to edit SSIS 

packages using a drag-and-drop user interface. A scripting environment in which to write programming code is also 

available in the tool. The package holds a variety of elements that define the workflow for the package. Upon 

package execution, the tool provides color-coded, real-time monitoring. 

Connections


Tasks 

A connection includes the information necessary to connect to a particular data source. Tasks can reference the 

connection by its name, allowing the details of the connection to be changed or configured at runtime. 

A task is an atomic work unit that performs some action. There are a couple of dozen tasks that ship in the 

box, ranging from the file system task (which can copy or move files) to the data transformation task. The data 

transformation task actually copies data; it implements the ETL features of the product. 

Precedence Constraints 

Tasks are linked by precedence constraints. The precedence constraint preceding a particular task must be met 

before that task executes. The runtime supports executing tasks in parallel if their precedence constraints so 

allow. Constraints may otherwise allow different paths of execution depending on the success or failure of 

other tasks. Together with the tasks, precedence constraints comprise the workflow of the package. 

Event Handlers 

Variables 

A workflow can be designed for a number of events in the different scopes where they might occur. In this 

way, tasks may be executed in response to happenings within the package —such as cleaning up after errors. 

Tasks may reference variables to store results, make decisions, or affect their configuration. 

A package may be saved to a file or to a store with a hierarchical namespace within a SQL Server instance. In either 

case, the package content is persisted in XML. 

Once completed, the designer also allows the user to start the package's execution. Once started, the package may be 

readily debugged or monitored. 

---- 

Features of the data flow task 

SSIS provides the following built-in transformations: 

• Conditional Split 

• Multicast 

• Union-All, Merge, and Merge Join 

• Sort 

• Fuzzy Grouping 

• Lookup and Fuzzy Lookup 

• Percentage Sampling and Row Sampling 

• Copy/Map, Data Conversion, and Derived Column 

• Aggregation 

• Data Mining Model Training, Data Mining Query, Partition Processing, and Dimension Processing 

• Pivot and 

• Slowly Changing Dimension 

• Script Component


Other included tools 

Aside from the Import/Export Wizard and the designer, the product includes a few other notable tools. 

DTEXEC executes a package from the command line wherever it may be stored. Before running the package, the 

tool may be instructed to apply configuration information, which will allow the same package to be reused with 

slightly different parameters, including different connection strings for its endpoints. 

DTUTIL provides the ability to manage packages, again from the command prompt. The tool can copy or move a 

package from a file into the server store, or back out again. Among a few other sundry functions, it can be used to 

delete, rename, encrypt, or decrypt packages. 

Extensibility and Programmability 

Users may write code to define their own connection objects, log providers, transforms, and tasks. 

SSIS features a programmable object model that allows developers to write their own hosts for package execution. 

Such a host can respond to events, start and stop packages, and so on. The object model also allows developers to 

create, store, and load packages, as well as create, destroy, and modify any of the contained objects. 

It can be used on all versions of SQL Server 2005 except Express and Workgroup. 

See also 

• Data Transformation Services 


• SQL Server Integration Services official site [1] 

• SQL Server Integration Services Discussion Forum [2] 

• SQLIS.com [3] 

• SSIS resources [4] 

• SSIS Scripts [5] 

• SQL Server 2005 version comparison [6] 

• SQL Server Integration Tools [7] 

References 

[1] http:/ / www. microsoft. com/ sqlserver/ 2008/ en/ us/ integration. aspx 


[3] http:/ / www. sqlis. com/ 

[4] http:/ / www. bi-dw. info/ microsoft-ssis. htm 

[5] http:/ / www. cozyroc. com/ search-scripts/ 

[6] http:/ / www. microsoft. com/ Sqlserver/ 2005/ en/ us/ compare-features. aspx 

[7] http:/ / pragmaticworks. com/ Products/ Business-Intelligence/ DTSxChange/ DTSxChange-Download. aspx

SQL Server Management Studio 27 

SQL Server Management Studio 

SQL Server Management Studio is a tool included with Microsoft 

SQL Server 2005 and later versions for configuring, managing, and 

administering all components within Microsoft SQL Server. The tool 

includes both script editors and graphical tools which work with 

objects and features of the server. [1] 

A central feature of SQL Server Management Studio is the Object 

Explorer, which allows the user to browse, select, and act upon any of 

the objects within the server. [2] 

Microsoft has also introduced a graphical configuration tool called 

SQL Server Management Studio Express (SSMSE) for SQL Server 

Express. [3] As with all of Microsoft's "Express" products, this is 

downloadable as a standalone tool or integrated with a SQL Server 

Express edition at no charge. The tool's limitations lie in the fact that it 

Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio 

showing a query, the results of the query, and the 

Object Explorer pane while connected to a SQL 

Server database engine instance. 

cannot manage SQL Server Analysis Services, Integration Services, Notification Services, Reporting Services, or 

SQL Server 2005 Mobile Edition. [4] 

See also 

• Comparison of database tools 

• Microsoft SQL Server 


• SQL Server 2008 Express With Management Tools [5] 

• SQL Server 2005 Management Tools (Subscription Required) [6] 

• Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio Express 2008 [7] 

References 

[1] MSDN: Introducing SQL Server Management Studio (http:/ / msdn2. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms174173. aspx) 

[2] MSDN: Using Object Explorer (http:/ / msdn2. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms173849. aspx) 

[3] SQL Server Management Studio Express (http:/ / www. microsoft. com/ downloads/ details. 

aspx?FamilyId=C243A5AE-4BD1-4E3D-94B8-5A0F62BF7796& displaylang=en) 

[4] Download details: Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio Express (http:/ / www. microsoft. com/ downloads/ details. 

aspx?FamilyID=c243a5ae-4bd1-4e3d-94b8-5a0f62bf7796& displaylang=en) 

[5] http:/ / www. microsoft. com/ downloads/ details. aspx?FamilyID=7522a683-4cb2-454e-b908-e805e9bd4e28& displaylang=en 

[6] http:/ / www. sqlmag. com/ articles/ index. cfm?articleid=46798& 

[7] http:/ / www. microsoft. com/ downloads/ details. aspx?FamilyID=08E52AC2-1D62-45F6-9A4A-4B76A8564A2B& displaylang=en


SQL Server Notification Services 

SQL Server Notification Services is being Removed from SQL Server 2008 [1], although SQL Server 2005 SP3 

allows for the Notification Services components to be run against the SQL Server 2008 Database Engine [2]. 

Notification Services is based on SQL Server Technology, and sits atop the Microsoft .NET Framework. 

Notification Services offers a scalable server engine on which to run notification applications, with multi-server 

capability-providing flexibility and scalability for deploying applications. 

Notification Services was designed to ease the pain of developing and deploying notification applications that 

generate personalized, timely information to subscribers. 

To design, code and test all of the components that make up a robust Notification Services Application-such as 

notification scheduling, failure detection, retry logic, time zone management, notification grouping, and queue 

management, adding Notification Services to software applications can be a daunting task. 

Extensibility and Programmability 

A programming framework based on Transact-SQL and XML, provides a declarative programming model, and lends 

itself to quick prototyping and deployment of robust notification applications. 

An API for creating subscription management applications is provided, plus standard components for collecting 

event data from files and SQL Server databases, for formatting notifications using XSLT, and for sending 

notifications via Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) or by writing notifications to a file. 

If the standard components do not meet the needs of an application, Notification Services is extendable by building 

custom components using the .NET family of programming languages, such as Microsoft Visual C# .NET and 

Microsoft Visual Basic .NET. 

Finally, Notification Services can communicate with a wide variety of Microsoft, third-party, and custom-built event 

providers and delivery protocols, enabling Notification Services to communicate with existing systems in 

heterogeneous environments. 


• Forums [3] 

• Microsoft Official Site [4] 

• TechNet [5] 

Books 

• Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Notification Services [6] 

• The Rational Guide to SQL Server Notification Services [7]


References 

[1] http:/ / social. msdn. microsoft. com/ forums/ en-US/ sqlnotificationservices/ thread/ 3f2dbd91-f223-411d-9c66-07be3ffcfed2/ 

[2] http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ dd353312(SQL. 90). aspx 


[4] http:/ / www. microsoft. com/ sql/ technologies/ notification/ default. mspx 

[5] http:/ / www. microsoft. com/ technet/ prodtechnol/ sql/ 2005/ technologies/ ntfcsvcs. mspx 

[6] http:/ / www. amazon. com/ dp/ 0672327791/ 

[7] http:/ / www. amazon. com/ dp/ 0972688811/ 

SQL Server Reporting Services 

SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) is a server-based report generation software system from Microsoft. It can 

be used to prepare and deliver a variety of interactive and printed reports. It is administered via a web interface. 

Reporting services features a web services interface to support the development of custom reporting applications. 

SSRS competes with Crystal Reports and other business intelligence tools, and is included in Express, Workgroup, 

Standard, and Enterprise editions of Microsoft SQL Server as an install option. Reporting Services was first released 

in 2004 as an add-on to SQL Server 2000. The second version was released as a part of SQL Server 2005 in 

November 2005. The latest version was released as part of SQL Server 2008 in August 2008. 

In SSRS, reports are defined in Report Definition Language (RDL), an XML markup language. Reports can be 

designed using recent versions of Microsoft Visual Studio, with the included Business Intelligence Projects plug-in 

installed or with the included Report Builder, a simplified tool that does not offer all the functionality of Visual 

Studio. Reports defined by RDL can be generated in a variety of formats [1] including Excel, PDF, CSV, XML, TIFF 

(and other image formats [2] ), and HTML Web Archive. SQL Server 2008 SSRS can also prepare reports in 

Microsoft Word (DOC) format. 

Third-party report generators offer additional output formats. 

Users can interact with the Report Server web service directly, or instead use Report Manager, a web-based 

application that interfaces with the Report Server web service. With Report Manager, users can view, subscribe to, 

and manage reports as well as manage and maintain data sources and security settings. Reports can be delivered via 

e-mail or placed on a file system. Security is role-based and can be assigned on an individual item, such as a report 

or data source, a folder of items, or site wide. Security roles and rights are inherited and can be overloaded. 

In addition to using the standalone Report Server that comes with SQL Server, RDL reports can also be viewed 

using the ASP.NET ReportViewer web control or the ReportViewer Windows Forms control. This allows reports to 

be embedded directly into web pages or .NET Windows applications. The ReportViewer control processes reports in 

one of two ways: (a) server processing, where the report is rendered by and obtained from the Report Server; and (b) 

local processing, where the control renders the RDL file itself. 

SQL Server Reporting Services also support ad hoc reports: the designer develops a report schema and deploys it on 

the reporting server, where the user can choose relevant fields/data and generate reports. Users can then download 

the reports locally. 

The next release of Reporting Services is scheduled to be released by May 2010 [3] , and is part of SQL Server 2008 

R2 a larger Business Intelligence release formerly code named Kilimanjaro.

SQL Server Reporting Services 30 

See also 

• Microsoft SQL Server 

• http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms159253(SQL. 90). aspx 


• Microsoft SQL Server: Reporting Services home page [4] 

• SSW: Rules to Better SQL Reporting Services 2005 [5] 

• SSW: Microsoft SQL Reporting Services Suggestions [6] 

• DNR TV: Reporting Services Part A [7] 

• DNR TV: Reporting Services Part B [8] 

• DNR TV: Reporting Services Part C [9] 

• ReportViewer Control in Visual Studio 2008: Got Report Viewer? [10] 

• Google Knol article on SSRS [11] 

References 

[1] MSDN Library: Reporting Services Render Method (http:/ / msdn2. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ microsoft. wssux. 

reportingserviceswebservice. rsexecutionservice2005. reportexecutionservice. render. aspx) - See Device Information Settings (http:/ / msdn2. 

microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms155397. aspx) 

[2] Image Device Information Settings (http:/ / msdn2. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms155373. aspx) - SSRS can render BMP, EMF, GIF, 

JPEG, PNG, and TIFF. 

[3] SQL Server 2008 R2 gets an official date (http:/ / blogs. technet. com/ dataplatforminsider/ archive/ 2010/ 01/ 19/ 

sql-server-2008-r2-gets-an-official-date. aspx), Microsoft SQL Server Team Blog, January 19, 2010 

[4] http:/ / www. microsoft. com/ sql/ technologies/ reporting/ default. mspx 

[5] http:/ / www. ssw. com. au/ Ssw/ Standards/ Rules/ RulesToBetterSQLReportingServices. aspx 

[6] http:/ / www. ssw. com. au/ SSW/ Standards/ BetterSoftwareSuggestions/ ReportingServices. aspx 

[7] http:/ / www. dnrtv. com/ default. aspx?showNum=26 



[10] http:/ / www. gotreportviewer. com/ 

[11] http:/ / knol. google. com/ k/ christian-eder/ microsoft-sql-server-reporting-services/ xfqw1gyel5ga/ 7#

Microsoft Query by Example 31 

Microsoft Query by Example 

Microsoft Query by Example (QBE) is a method of creating database queries using examples based on a text 

string, the name of a document or a list of documents. The QBE system converts the user input into a formal 

database query. This approach allows the user to perform powerful searches without the need of having to learn a 

more formalized query mechanism such as Structured Query Language (SQL). It is derived from Moshé M. Zloof's 

original Query by Example (QBE) implemented in the mid-1970s at IBM's Research Centre in Yorktown, New 

York. Microsoft Access is an example of Microsoft QBE. 

See also 

Microsoft SQL Server


Microsoft Analysis Services 


Stable release Analysis Services 2008 / August 6, 2008 

Operating 

system 

Microsoft Windows 

Type OLAP, Data Mining 


Website [1] 

Microsoft Analysis Services is part of Microsoft SQL Server, a database management system. Microsoft has 

included a number of services in SQL Server related to Business Intelligence and Data Warehousing. These services 

include Integration Services and Analysis Services. Analysis Services includes a group of OLAP and Data Mining 

capabilities. 

History 

In 1996, Microsoft began its foray into the OLAP Server business by acquiring the OLAP software technology from 

Israeli-based Panorama Software. [2] Just over two years later, in 1998, Microsoft released OLAP Services as part of 

SQL Server 7. OLAP Services supported MOLAP, ROLAP, and HOLAP architectures, and it used OLEDB for 

OLAP as the client access API and MDX as a query language. It could work in client-server mode or offline mode 

with local cube files. [3] 

In 2000, Microsoft released Analysis Services 2000. The rename from OLAP Services happened because the 

inclusion of Data Mining services broadened the scope of the product from just OLAP. Analysis Services 2000 was 

considered an evolutionary release, since it was built on the same architecture as OLAP Services and therefore 

backward compatible with it. Some of the major improvements included more flexibility in dimension design 

through support of parent child dimensions, changing dimensions, and virtual dimensions. Another major area of 

improvement was a greatly enhanced calculation engine with support for unary operators, custom rollups, and cell 

calculations. Other new features were dimension security, distinct count, connectivity over HTTP, session cubes, 

grouping levels, and many others. [4] 

In 2005, Microsoft released the next generation of OLAP and Data Mining technology as Analysis Services 2005. It 

maintained backward compatibility on the API level: although applications written with OLE DB for OLAP and 

MDX continue to work, the architecture of the product was completely different. The major change came to the 

model in the form of UDM - Unified Dimensional Model. [5]


Timeline 

The key events in the history of Microsoft Analysis Services cover a period starting in 1996. 

Microsoft Analysis Services Events 

Date Event 

1996-07-01 Microsoft opens new team to build an OLAP product, codenamed Plato (permutation of letters from OLAP) 

1996-07-15 Panorama Software delegation meets with Microsoft 

1996-10-27 Microsoft announces acquisition of Panorama Software development team 

1998-11 OLAP Services 7.0 (codename Sphinx) ships 

2000-08 Analysis Services 2000 (codename Shiloh) ships 

2001-11 XML for Analysis Software Development Kit 1.0 ships 

2003-04 ADOMD.NET and XML for Analysis SDK 1.1 ship 

2005-10-28 Analysis Services 2005 (codename Yukon) ships 

2008-08-06 Analysis Services 2008 (codename Katmai) ships 

Storage Modes 

Microsoft Analysis Services takes a neutral position in the MOLAP vs. ROLAP arguments among OLAP products. 

It allows all the flavors of MOLAP, ROLAP and HOLAP to be used within the same model. 

Partition Storage Modes 

• MOLAP - Multidimensional OLAP - Both fact data and aggregations are processed, stored, and indexed using a 

special format optimized for multidimensional data. 

• ROLAP - Relational OLAP - Both fact data and aggregations remain in the relational data source, eliminating the 

need for special processing. 

• HOLAP - Hybrid OLAP - This mode uses the relational data source to store the fact data, but pre-processes 

aggregations and indexes, storing these in a special format, optimized for multidimensional data. 

Dimension Storage Modes 

• MOLAP - dimension attributes and hierarchies are processed and stored in the special format 

• ROLAP - dimension attributes are not processed and remain in the relational data source. Partitions dimensioned 

by ROLAP dimensions must be in the ROLAP mode as well. 

APIs and Object Models 

Microsoft Analysis Services supports different sets of APIs and object models for different operations and in 

different programming environments


Querying 

• XML for Analysis - The lowest level API. It can be used from any platform and in any language which support 

HTTP and XML 

• OLE DB for OLAP - Extension of OLEDB. COM based and suitable for C/C++ programs on Windows platform. 

• ADOMD - Extension of ADO. COM Automation based and suitable for VB programs on Windows platform. 

• ADOMD.NET - Extension of ADO.NET. .NET based and suitable for managed code programs on CLR 

platforms. 

Administration and Management 

• DSO - For AS 2000. COM Automation based and suitable for VB programs on Windows platform. 

• AMO - For AS 2005. .NET based and suitable for managed code programs on CLR platforms. 

Query Languages 

Microsoft Analysis Services supports the following query languages 

Data Definition Language (DDL) 

DDL in Analysis Services is XML based and supports commands such as , , , 

etc. For Data Mining models import and export, it also supports PMML. 

Data Manipulation Language (DML) 

• MDX - for querying OLAP cubes 

• SQL - small subset of SQL for querying OLAP cubes and dimensions as if they were tables 

• DMX - for querying Data Mining models 

See also 

• Business intelligence 

• Comparison of OLAP Servers 

Bibliography 

• Sivakumar Harinath, Stephen Quinn: Professional SQL Server Analysis Services 2005 with MDX. ISBN 

0-7645-7918-5 

• Teo Lachev: Applied Microsoft Analysis Services 2005 : And Microsoft Business Intelligence Platform. ISBN 

0-9766353-0-5 

• Reed Jacobson: Microsoft(r) SQL Server(tm) 2000 Analysis Services Step by Step. ISBN 0-7356-0904-7 

• Claude Seidman: Data Mining with Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Technical Reference.'' ISBN 0-7356-1271-4 

• George Spofford: MDX-Solutions. Wiley, 2001, ISBN 0-471-40046-7 

• Mosha Pasumansky, Mark Whitehorn, Rob Zare: Fast Track to MDX. ISBN 1-84628-174-1 

• ZhaoHui Tang, Jamie MacLennan: Data Mining with SQL Server 2005. ISBN 0-471-46261-6 

• Edward Melomed, Irina Gorbach, Alexander Berger, Py Bateman: Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Analysis Services. 

ISBN 0-672-32782-1 

• Chris Webb, Marco Russo, Alberto Ferrary: Expert Cube Development with Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Analysis 

Services. ISBN 1-847-19722-1



• Microsoft Analysis Services [1] 

• Microsoft OLAP Information [6] 

• Microsoft Data Mining Information [7] 

• Analysis Services public forum [8] 

• Analysis Services information hub - FAQs,Webcasts,articles,etc [9] 

• Videos about Analysis Services [10] 

References 

[1] http:/ / www. microsoft. com/ sql/ technologies/ analysis/ default. mspx 

[2] "Microsoft Announces Acquisition Of Panorama Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) Technology" (http:/ / www. microsoft. com/ 

presspass/ press/ 1996/ oct96/ pan2pr. mspx). . 

[3] "MS SQL Server 7.0 OLAP Services" (http:/ / technet. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ cc966398. aspx). . 

[4] "SQL Server 2000 – Analysis Services" (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ sqlserver/ bb671229. aspx). . 

[5] "SQL Server 2005 Analysis Services" (http:/ / www. microsoft. com/ sqlserver/ 2005/ en/ us/ Analysis-Services. aspx). . 

[6] http:/ / www. mosha. com/ msolap 

[7] http:/ / www. sqlserverdatamining. com 


[9] http:/ / www. ssas-info. com 

[10] http:/ / www. learnmicrosoftbi. com 

Professional Association for SQL Server 

The Professional Association for SQL Server, also known as PASS, is the global community for Microsoft SQL 

Server professionals. An independent, not-for-profit, user-run association, PASS was founded in 1999 with funds 

from Microsoft and Computer Associates. PASS is run by a Board of Directors, elected by PASS members for 

two-year terms. 

There are currently over 200 local PASS Chapters around the world. Each fall PASS gathers at the annual PASS 

Summit, the largest conference in the world for SQL Server professionals. 

Global Summit Locations 

• 1999 - Chicago 

• 2000 - San Francisco 

• 2001 - scheduled for Orlando Sept 15,2001 - Canceled 

• 2002 - Jan Denver 

• 2002 - Nov Seattle 

• 2003 - Seattle 

• 2004 - Orlando 

• 2005 - Dallas 


• 2007 - Denver 



• 2010 - Seattle

Professional Association for SQL Server 36 

European Conference Locations 

• 2000 - London 

• 2005 - Munich 

• 2006 - Barcelona 

• 2008 - Neuss, Germany 




• Official site [1] 

References 

[1] http:/ / www. sqlpass. org/ 

AutoNumber 

AutoNumber is a type of data used in Microsoft Access tables to generate an automatically incremented numeric 

counter. It may be used to create an identity column which uniquely identifies each record in a table. Only one 

AutoNumber field is allowed in each table. 

The data type was called Counter in Access 2.0. [1] 

Forms 

There are three forms in which AutoNumbers can be generated: [2] 

start value plus increment 

random 

AutoNumbers generated by this mechanism start with the start number and increment with the increment 

value, checking for collision with existing table rows. [2] 

AutoNumbers generated by this mechanism are assigned using a pseudo-random number generator that 

generates long integers and checks for collisions with existing table rows. [2] 

replication IDs 

AutoNumbers generated by this mechanism are IDs generated in a manner to make it highly improbable that 

collisions will occur. [2] They are Microsoft Globally Unique Identifiers, and the probability of collision is low 

until the year AD 3400. [3] 

The default size of an AutoNumber is a 4-byte (long) integer. This is the size used for start+increment and random 

AutoNumbers. For replication ID AutoNumbers, the FieldSize property of the field is changed from long integer to 

Replication ID. [2] 

If an AutoNumber is a long integer, the NewValues property determines whether it is of the start+increment or 

random form. The values that this property can take are "Increment" and "Random". [4]

AutoNumber 37 

Use 

The default AutoNumber type is a start+increment counter, with a start value of 1 and an increment of 1. Although in 

many instances such an AutoNumber field will appear as if it contains the row count, it does not. Deletion of rows 

from a table, for example, does not cause AutoNumber fields to be re-numbered, but instead leaves "holes" in the 

numbering. Similarly, if a transaction to add a row to a table is begun but later aborted, the AutoNumber assigned for 

that row will not be re-used. [2] 

The default start+increment form with the start value of 1 and increment of 1 is not suitable for all circumstances. 

There are reasons to choose each form, and trade-offs in doing so. [2] 

The default start and increment values might reveal information about a table that it is desired not to reveal to people 

viewing individual table rows. For example, using an AutoNumber field for a customer ID might reveal information 

that it is desirable not to reveal to, say, customer number 6. This is one example of occasion where the start value of 

an AutoNumber field is raised, so that customer number 6 has, say, AutoNumber field value 10006. [2] 

Using random values is desirable in cases where it would be unfortunate if it were possible to guess the next values 

assigned to new rows in the table. This usage is rare, however. [2] 

A common problem with AutoNumber fields is encountered if tables are replicated. If multiple users are using 

multiple replicas of the table, then it is likely that they will end up assigning the same values to AutoNumber fields 

in new rows that they add, causing replication conflicts when the replicas are merged. [2] 

This problem is addressed in two ways. First, it is possible to use Replication IDs for such AutoNumbers. [2] Such 

replication IDs, being GUIDs, will be unique across replicas, with a low probability of collision. [3] Second, when 

Access creates table replicas, it automatically changes AutoNumbers of the start+increment form to the random 

form. [4] 

Manipulation of counters using DDL 

The following Data Definition Language (DDL) query creates an AutoNumber field with a start value and an 

increment: 

CREATE TABLE Table1 ( 

); 

Field1 COUNTER ([beginning_number], [increment_number]), 

[...] 

This query resets the counter: 

ALTER TABLE Table1 

ALTER COLUMN Field1 COUNTER ([beginning_number], [increment_number]); 

An alternative method of resetting the counter is to drop column re-add it (this has the side effect of renumbering 

existing rows in the table): 

ALTER TABLE Table1 DROP COLUMN Field1; 

ALTER TABLE Table1 ADD Field1 COUNTER;

AutoNumber 38 

Further reading 

• Microsoft (2009). ".NET Framework Developer's Guide: Retrieving Identity or Autonumber Values" [5] . MSDN. 

Microsoft. Retrieved 2009-07-05. 


• Set Autonumber field using VBA [6] 

References 

[1] Prague, Cary, and Michael Irwin. Access 2002 Bible. New York: Wiley Publishing, Inc. p. 109. 

[2] Chris Grover, Matthew MacDonald, and Emily A. Vander Veer (2007). Office 2007: The Missing Manual. O'Reilly. pp. 636–638. 

ISBN 0596514220. 

[3] Microsoft (2006-01-09). "KBID 170117: How to use GUID fields in Access from Visual C++" (http:/ / support. microsoft. com/ kb/ 170117). 

Microsoft KnowledgeBase. Microsoft. . 

[4] Microsoft (2009). "Microsoft Access Visual Basic reference: NewValues Property" (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ 

aa206753(office. 10). aspx). MSDN. Microsoft. . Retrieved 2009-07-05. 

[5] http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ks9f57t0(VS. 71). aspx 

[6] http:/ / www. eraserve. com/ tutorials/ MSACCESS_Autonumber_VBA_Example. asp 

Bulk Copy Program 

Bulk Copy Program [1] (BCP) is a command-line tool used to import or export data against a Microsoft SQL Server 

or Sybase database. The tool is often more efficient than more recent GUI-based applications, such as DTS, to 

import and extract data. 

Common Uses 

Some common uses of BCP are: 

• Stage a raw text file in a table for further data scrubbing. 

• Create a delimited or fixed-width file for exchange with another party. 

• Backup data from a database vendor specific format, to a common text format. 

Other Platforms 

• Oracle uses SQL*LOADER 

• DB2 uses the LOAD command 

References 

[1] "Microsoft SQL Server bcp Utility" (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms162802. aspx). Microsoft. April 2010. .

Business Intelligence Development Studio 39 

Business Intelligence Development Studio 

Business Intelligence Development Studio (BIDS) is the IDE from Microsoft used for developing data analysis and 

Business Intelligence solutions utilizing the Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services, Reporting Services and 

Integration Services. It is based on the Microsoft Visual Studio development environment but customizes with the 

SQL Server services-specific extensions and project types, including tools, controls and projects for reports, ETL 

dataflows, OLAP cubes and data mining structure. 


• Introducing Business Intelligence Development Studio [1] 

References 

[1] http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms173767%28SQL. 90%29. aspx 

Scome 

In database programming, the scome technique is a mechanism used to collect RDBMS system data from remote 

linked servers via a central SQL Server. This data can be used to monitor the status of managed database servers and 

their associated databases. The method comprises of two T-SQL stored procedures that together are used to iterate 

over records in SQL Server system tables and Dynamic Management Views. The stored procedures are typically 

executed from a central master SQL Server. 

Syntactic arrangement 

The central monitoring SQL Server communicates with the remote 

RDBMS through a linked server object [1] . A collecting stored 

procedure (known from here on as the collector) is created on the 

monitoring SQL Server. The remote linked server name is passed to 

the collector in the form of a stored procedure parameter [2] . 

CREATE STORED PROC Collect_system_data @Server_name N'VARCHAR(256) 

AS 

... 

SELECT [system data] FROM @Server_name.master.dbo.[system table] 

(Insert results into corresponding table) 

The iterating stored procedure (known from here on as the iterator) 

retrieves the name of all linked servers from a table through the means 

Using SCOME to collect Failed Jobs data 

of a cursor or memory table. The iterator executes the collector for each linked server, which in turn inserts the 

desired data into a corresponding table. 

CREATE STORED PROC Iterate_Collect_system_data 

AS 

DECLARE @Server_Name 

... 

(For each linked server name retrieved from the server name table)

Scome 40 

EXEC Collect_system_data @Server_name 

This results in a table with the desired data for all monitored linked RDBMS'. This data is then accessed directly 

through the RDBMS or via an interfacing platform such as one created using the .NET Framework. 

Advantages of the scome technique 

An advantage of using the scome technique is that a complete custom designed monitoring solution can be 

developed with only T-SQL skills, giving the database administrator flexibility to write monitoring reports based on 

any meta data available within system tables and views. This can be achieved out-of-the-box with the utilties 

provided by SQL Server. Monitored servers are not limited to being SQL Servers. Any RDBMS, such as Oracle, can 

be monitored using scome provided there is an OLE-DB provider from Microsoft to allow the linked server to be 

created for that RDBMS. 

Disadvantages of the scome technique 

Data is collected from often undocumented RDBMS system tables that may change from version to version, thus 

breaking the mechanism. 

History 

The term scome became prevalent after appearing on the SQL Server community website, SQLServerCentral. It is 

thought that the term scome originally stood for Servers Coming Outta My Ears. 

See also 

Administering Multiple Servers Using a SQL Server Central Management Server [3] 


• Dynamic Management Views and Functions [4] , Microsoft Technet. 

• Linking Servers [5] , Microsoft Developer Network. 

• Using DMVs with SCOME [6] , Monitoring SQL Server Centrally. 

References 

[1] "Linking Servers" (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms188279. aspx). Microsoft Developer Network. . Retrieved 2009-11-02. 

[2] Salem, Drew (April 20, 2009). "SCOME - Centralized monitoring with ASP.Net" (http:/ / www. sqlservercentral. com/ articles/ ASP. NET/ 

66319). SQL Server Central (Red Gate Software). . 

[3] http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ bb895144. aspx, 

[4] http:/ / technet. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms188754. aspx 

[5] http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms188279. aspx 

[6] http:/ / www. sqlservermonitor. com


Data Transformation Services 

Data Transformation Services, or DTS, is a set of objects and utilities to allow the automation of extract, transform 

and load operations to or from a database. The objects are DTS packages and their components, and the utilities are 

called DTS tools. DTS was included with earlier versions of Microsoft SQL Server, and was almost always used 

with SQL Server databases, although it could be used independently with other databases. 

DTS allows data to be transformed and loaded from heterogeneous sources using OLE DB, ODBC, or text-only 

files, into any supported database. DTS can also allow automation of data import or transformation on a scheduled 

basis, and can perform additional functions such as FTPing files and executing external programs. In addition, DTS 

provides an alternative method of version control and backup for packages when used in conjunction with a version 

control system, such as Microsoft Visual SourceSafe . 

History 

In SQL Server versions 6.5 and earlier, 

Database administrators (DBAs) used SQL 

Server Transfer Manager and Bulk Copy 

Program, included with SQL Server, to 

transfer data. These tools had significant 

shortcomings, and many DBAs used 

third-party tools such as Pervasive Data 

Integrator to transfer data more flexibly and 

easily. When SQL Server 7 was released, 

"Data Transformation Services" was packaged with it to replace all these tools. 

Here a DTS package is edited with DTS Designer in Windows XP. 

SQL Server 2000 expanded DTS functionality in several ways. Many new types of tasks were made, including the 

ability to FTP files, move databases or database components, and add messages into Microsoft Message Queue. DTS 

packages can be saved as a Visual Basic file in SQL Server 2000, and this can be expanded to save into any 

COM-compliant language. Packages were also integrated into Windows 2000 security, DTS tools were made more 

user-friendly, and tasks can accept input and output parameters. 

DTS comes with all editions of SQL Server 7 and 2000, but was superseded by SQL Server Integration Services in 

the Microsoft SQL Server 2005 release. 

DTS packages 

The DTS package is the fundamental logical component of DTS; every DTS object is a child component of the 

package. Packages are used whenever one modifies data using DTS. All the metadata about the data transformation 

is contained within the package. Packages can be saved directly in a SQL Server, or can be saved in the Microsoft 

Repository or in COM files. SQL Server 2000 also allows a programmer to save packages in a Visual Basic or other 

language file. (When stored to a VB file, the package is actually scripted -- that is, a VB script is executed to 

dynamically create the package objects and its component objects.) 

A package can contain any number of connection objects, but does not have to contain any. These allow the package 

to read data from any OLE DB-compliant data source, and can be expanded to handle other sorts of data. The 

functionality of a package is organized into tasks and steps. 

A DTS Task is a discrete set of functionalities executed as a single step in a DTS package. Each task defines a work 

item to be performed as part of the data movement and data transformation process or as a job to be executed.


Data Transformation Services supplies a number of tasks that are part of the DTS object model and that can be 

accessed graphically through the DTS Designer or accessed programmatically. These tasks, which can be configured 

individually, cover a wide variety of data copying, data transformation and notification situations. For example, the 

following types of tasks represent some actions that you can perform by using DTS: executing a single SQL 

statement, sending an email, and transferring a file with FTP. 

A step within a DTS package describes the order in which tasks are run and the precedence constraints that describe 

what to do in the case of failure. These steps can be executed sequentially or in parallel. 

Packages can also contain global variables which can be used throughout the package. SQL Server 2000 allows input 

and output parameters for tasks, greatly expanding the usefulness of global variables. DTS packages can be edited, 

password protected, scheduled for execution, and retrieved by version. 

DTS tools 

DTS tools packaged with SQL Server include the DTS wizards, DTS Designer, and DTS Programming Interfaces. 

DTS wizards 

The DTS wizards can be used to perform simple or common DTS tasks. These include the Import/Export Wizard and 

the Copy Database Wizard. They provide the simplest method of copying data between OLE DB data sources. There 

is a great deal of functionality that is not available by merely using a wizard. However, a package created with a 

wizard can be saved and later altered with one of the other DTS tools. 

A Create Publishing Wizard is also available to schedule packages to run at certain times. This only works if SQL 

Server Agent is running; otherwise the package will be scheduled, but will not be executed. 

DTS Designer 

The DTS Designer is a graphical tool used to build complex DTS Packages with workflows and event-driven logic. 

DTS Designer can also be used to edit and customize DTS Packages created with the DTS wizard. 

Each connection and task in DTS Designer is shown with a specific icon. These icons are joined with precedence 

constraints, which specify the order and requirements for tasks to be run. One task may run, for instance, only if 

another task succeeds (or fails). Other tasks may run concurrently. 

The DTS Designer has been criticized for having unusual quirks and limitations, such as the inability to visually 

copy and paste multiple tasks at one time. Many of these shortcomings have been overcome in SQL Server 

Integration Services, DTS's successor. 

DTS Query Designer 

A graphical tool used to build queries in DTS. 

DTS Run Utility 

DTS Packages can be run from the command line using the DTSRUN Utility. 

The utility is invoked using the following syntax: 

dtsrun /S server_name[\instance_name] 

] 

{ 

{ {/[~]U user_name [/[~]P password]} | /E } 

{/[~]N package_name } 

| {/[~]G package_guid_string}


] 

} 

| {/[~]V package_version_guid_string} 

[/[~]M package_password] 

[/[~]F filename] 

[/[~]R repository_database_name] 

[/A global_variable_name:typeid=value] 

[/L log_file_name] 

[/W NT_event_log_completion_status] 

[/Z] [/!X] [/!D] [/!Y] [/!C] 

When passing in parameters which are mapped to Global Variables, you are required to include the typeid. This is 

rather difficult to find on the Microsoft site. Below are the TypeIds used in passing in these values. 

Boolean 11 

Currency 6 

Date 7 

Decimal 14 

HRESULT 25 

Int 22 

Integer (1-byte) 16 

Integer (8-byte) 20 

Integer (small) 2 

Integer 3 

LPSTR 30 

LPWSTR 31 

Pointer 26 

Real (4-byte) 4 

Real (8-byte) 5 

String 8 

Unsigned int (1-byte) 17 




Unsigned int 23 

See also 

• OLAP 

• Data warehouse 

• Data mining 

• SQL Server Integration Services 

• Meta Data Services.


References 

• Chaffin, Mark; Knight, Brian; and Robinson, Todd (2003). Professional SQL Server 2000 DTS. Wrox Press 

(Wiley Publishing, Inc.). ISBN 0-7645-4368-7. 


• Microsoft SQL Server: Data Transformation Services (DTS) [1] 

• SQL DTS unique DTS information resource [2] 

• Understanding Microsoft Repository [3] 

• SSIS-DTS Package Search, a tool to search and document DTS packages. SSIS too! [4] 

References 

[1] http:/ / msdn2. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ aa933484(SQL. 80). aspx 

[2] http:/ / www. sqldts. com/ 

[3] http:/ / support. microsoft. com/ kb/ 238912 

[4] http:/ / www. dtspackagesearch. com 

Database engine tuning advisor 

The database engine tuning advisor is a tool for Microsoft SQL Server that enables database tuning. It can improve 

performance for query by tuning the indexes, creating, modifying and deleting partition and or indexes. 

It can be configured to enabled online or offline tuning. 

Enterprise Manager 

Enterprise Manager is the primary administrative tool for Microsoft SQL Server 2000 and provides a MMC–based 

user interface that allows users to: 

• Define groups of servers running Microsoft SQL Server. 

• Register individual servers in a group. 

• Configure all Microsoft SQL Server options for each registered server. 

• Create and administer all Microsoft SQL Server databases, objects, logins, users, and permissions in each 

registered server. 

• Define and execute all Microsoft SQL Server administrative tasks on each registered server. 

• Design and test SQL statements, batches, and scripts interactively by invoking SQL Query Analyzer. 

• Invoke the various wizards defined for Microsoft SQL Server. 

MMC is a tool that presents a common interface for managing different server applications in a Microsoft Windows 

network. Server applications provide a component called an MMC snap-in that presents MMC users with a user 

interface for managing the server application. Microsoft SQL Server Enterprise Manager is the Microsoft SQL 

Server 2000 MMC snap-in. 

In Microsoft SQL Server 2005, Enterprise Manager is replaced by SQL Server Management Studio, which provides 

a single interface to functionality provided by Enterprise Manager and Query Analyzer in Microsoft SQL Server 

2000.


Extensible Storage Engine 

Extensible Storage Engine (ESE), also known as JET Blue, is an Indexed Sequential Access Method (ISAM) data 

storage technology from Microsoft. ESE is notably a core of Microsoft Exchange Server and Active Directory. Its 

purpose is to allow applications to store and retrieve data via indexed and sequential access. Windows Mail and 

Desktop Search in the Windows Vista operating system also make use of ESE to store indexes and property 

information respectively. 

ESE provides transacted data update and retrieval. A crash recovery mechanism is provided so that data consistency 

is maintained even in the event of a system crash. Transactions in ESE are highly concurrent making ESE suitable 

for server applications. ESE caches data intelligently to ensure high performance access to data. In addition, ESE is 

lightweight making it suitable for auxiliary applications. 

The ESE Runtime (ESENT.DLL) has shipped in every Windows release since Windows 2000, with native x64 

version of the ESE runtime shipping with x64 versions of Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. Microsoft 

Exchange, up to Exchange 2003 shipped with only the 32 bit edition, as it was the only supported platform. With 

Exchange 2007, it ships with the 64 bit edition. 

Databases 

A database is both a physical and logical grouping of data. An ESE database looks like a single file to Windows. 

Internally the database is a collection of 2, 4, 8, 16, or 32 KB pages (16 and 32 KB page options are only available in 

Windows 7 and Exchange 2010), [1] arranged in a balanced B-tree structure. [2] These pages contain meta-data to 

describe the data contained within the database, data itself, indexes to persist interesting orders of the data, and other 

information. This information is intermixed within the database file but efforts are made to keep data used together 

clustered together within the database. An ESE database may contain up to 2 32 pages, or 16 terabytes of data, [3] for 8 

kilobyte sized pages. 

ESE databases are organized into groups called instances. Most applications use a single instance, but all 

applications can also use multiple instances. The importance of the instance is that it associates a single recovery log 

series with one or more databases. Currently, up to 6 user databases may be attached to an ESE instance at any time. 

Each separate process using ESE may have up to 1024 ESE instances. 

A database is portable in that it can be detached from one running ESE instance and later attached to the same or a 

different running instance. While detached, a database may be copied using standard Windows utilities. The database 

cannot be copied while it is being actively used since ESE opens database files exclusively. A database may 

physically reside on any device supported for directly-addressable I/O operations by Windows. 

Tables 

A table is a homogeneous collection of records, where each record has the same set of columns. Each table is 

identified by a table name, whose scope is local to the database in which the table is contained. The amount of disk 

space allocated to a table within a database is determined by a parameter given when the table is created with the 

CreateTable operation. Tables grow automatically in response to data creation. 

Tables have one or more indexes. There must be at least one clustered index for record data. When no clustered 

index is defined by the application, an artificial index is used which orders and clusters records by the chronological 

order of record insertion. Indexes are defined to persist interesting orders of data, and allow both sequential access to 

records in index order, and direct access to records by index column values. Clustered indexes in ESE must also be 

primary, meaning that the index key must be unique.


Clustered and non-clustered indexes are represented using B+trees. If an insert or update operation causes a page to 

overflow, the page is split: a new page is allocated and is logically chained in between the two previously adjacent 

pages. Since this new page is not physically adjacent to its logical neighbors, access to it is not as efficient. ESE has 

an on-line compaction feature that re-compacts data. If a table is expected to be frequently updated, space may be 

reserved for future insertions by specifying an appropriate page density when creating a table or index. This allows 

split operations to be avoided or postponed. 

Records and Columns 

A record is an associated set of column values. Records are inserted and updated via Update operations and can be 

deleted via Delete operations. Columns are set and retrieved via SetColumns and RetrieveColumns operations, 

respectively. The maximum size of a record is 8110 bytes for 8 kilobyte pages with the exception of long value 

columns. Column types of LongText and LongBinary do not contribute significantly to this size limitation, and 

records can hold data much larger than a database page size when data is stored in long value columns. When a long 

value reference is stored in a record, only 9 bytes of in-record data are required. These long values may themselves 

be up to 2 gigabytes (GB) in size. 

Records are typically uniform in that each record has a set of values for the same set of columns. In ESE, it is also 

possible to define many columns for a table, and yet have any given record contain only a small number of 

non-NULL column values. In this sense, a table can also be a collection of heterogeneous records. 

ESE supports a wide range of columns values, ranging in size from 1-bit to 2 GB. Choosing the correct column type 

is important because the type of a column determines many of its properties, including its ordering for indexes. The 

following data types are supported by ESE: 

Column Types 

Name Description 

Bit ternary value (NULL, 0, or 1) 

Unsigned Byte 1-byte unsigned integer 

Short 2-byte signed integer 

Unsigned Short 2-byte unsigned integer 

Long 4-byte signed integer 

Unsigned Long 4-byte unsigned integer 

LongLong 8-byte signed integer 

Currency 8-byte signed integer 

IEEE Single 4-byte floating-point number 

IEEE Double 8-byte floating-point number 

DateTime 8-byte date-time (integral date, fractional time) 

GUID 16-byte unique identifier 

Binary Binary string, length


Fixed, Variable and Tagged Columns 

Each ESE table can define up to 127 fixed length columns, 128 variable length columns and 64,993 tagged columns. 

• Fixed columns are essentially columns that take up the same amount of space in each record, regardless of their 

value. Fixed columns take up a 1-bit to represent NULLity of the column value and a fixed amount of space in 

each record in which that column, or a later defined fixed column, is set. 

• Variable columns are essentially columns that take up a variable amount of space in each record in which they are 

set, depending upon the size of the particular column value. Variable columns take up 2-bytes to determine 

NULLity and size, and a variable amount of space in each record in which that column is set. 

• Tagged columns are columns that take no space whatsoever if they are not set in a record. They may be single 

valued but can also be multi-valued. The same tagged column may have multiple values in a single record. When 

tagged columns are set in a record, each instance of a tagged column takes approximately 4-bytes of space in 

addition to the size of the tagged column instance value. When the number of instances of a single tagged column 

is large, the overhead per tagged column instance is approximately 2-bytes. Tagged columns are ideal for sparse 

columns because they take no space whatsoever if they are not set. If a multi-valued tagged column is indexed, 

the index will contain one entry for the record for each value of the tagged column. 

For a given table, columns fall into one of two categories: those which either occur exactly once in each of the 

records, with possibly a few NULL values; and those which occur rarely, or which may have multiple occurrences in 

a single record. Fixed and variable columns belong to the former category, while tagged columns belong to the latter. 

The internal representation of the two column categories is different, and it is important to understand the trade offs 

between the column categories. Fixed and variable columns are typically represented in every record, even when the 

occurrence has a NULL value. These columns can be quickly addressed via an offset table. Tagged column 

occurrences are preceded by a column identifier and the column is located by binary searching the set of tagged 

columns. 

Long Values 

Column types of Long Text and Long Binary are large binary objects. They are stored in separate B+tree from the 

clustered index keyed by long value id and byte offset. ESE supports append, byte range overwrite, and set size for 

these columns. Also, ESE has a single instance store feature where multiple records may reference the same large 

binary object, as though each record had its own copy of the information, i.e. without inter-record locking conflicts. 

The maximum size of a Long Text or Long Binary column value is 2 GB. 

Version, Auto-increment and Escrow Columns 

Version columns are automatically incremented by ESE each time a record containing this column is modified via an 

Update operation. This column cannot be set by the application, but can only be read. Applications of version 

columns include being used to determine if an in-memory copy of a given record needs to be refreshed. If the value 

in a table record is greater than the value in a cached copy then the cached copy is known to be out of date. Version 

columns must be of type Long. 

Auto increment columns are automatically set by ESE such that the value contained in the column is unique for 

every record in the table. These columns, like version columns, cannot be set by the application. Auto increment 

columns are read only, and are automatically set when a new record is inserted into a table via an Update operation. 

The value in the column remains constant for the life of the record, and only one auto increment column is allowed 

per table. Auto increment columns may be of type Long or type Currency . 

Escrow columns can be modified via an EscrowUpdate operation. Escrowed updates are numeric delta operations. 

Escrow columns must be of type Long. Examples of numeric delta operations include adding 2 to a value or 

subtracting 1 from a value. ESE tracks the change in a value rather than the end value of an update. Multiple sessions 

may each have outstanding changes made via EscrowUpdate to the same value because ESE can determine the


actual end value regardless of which transactions commit and which transactions rollback. This allows multiple users 

to concurrently update a column by making numeric delta changes. 

Indexes 

An index is a persisted ordering of records in a table. Indexes are used for both sequential access to rows in the order 

defined, and for direct record navigation based on indexed column values. The order defined by an index is 

described in terms of an array of columns, in precedence order. This array of columns is also called the index key. 

Each column is called an index segment. Each index segment may be either ascending or descending, in terms of its 

ordering contribution. Any number of indexes may be defined for a table. ESE provides a rich set of indexing 

features. 

Clustered Indexes 

One index may be specified as the clustered, or primary, index. In ESE, the clustered index must be unique and is 

referred to as the primary index. Other indexes are described as non-clustered, or secondary, indexes. Primary 

indexes are different from secondary indexes in that the index entry is the record itself, and not a logical pointer to 

the record. Secondary indexes have primary keys at their leaves to logically link to the record in the primary index. 

In other words, the table is physically clustered in primary index order. Retrieval of non-indexed record data in 

primary index order is generally much faster than in secondary index order. This is because a single disk access can 

bring into memory multiple records that will be access close together in time. The same disk access satisfies multiple 

record access operations. However, the insertion of a record into the middle of an index, as determined by the 

primary index order, may be very much slower than appending it to the end of an index. Update frequency must be 

carefully considered against retrieval patterns when performing table design. If no primary index is defined for a 

table, then an implicit primary index, called a database key (DBK) index is created. The DBK is simply a unique 

ascending number incremented each time a record is inserted. As a result, the physical order of records in a DBK 

index is chronological insertion order, and new records are always added at the end of the table. If an application 

wishes to cluster data on a non-unique index, this is possible by adding an autoincrement column to the end of the 

non-unique index definition. 

Indexing Over Multi-valued Columns 

Indexes can be defined over multi-valued columns. Multiple entries may exist in these indexes for records with 

multiple values for the indexed column. Multi-valued columns may be indexed in conjunction with single valued 

columns. When two or more multi-valued columns are indexed together, then the multi-valued property is only 

honored for the first multi-value column in the index. Lower precedence columns are treated as though they were 

single valued. 

Sparse Indexes 

Indexes can also be defined to be sparse. Sparse indexes do not have at least one entry for each record in the table. 

There are a number of options in defining a sparse index. Options exist to exclude records from indexes when an 

entire index key is NULL, when any key segment is NULL or when just the first key segment is NULL. Indexes can 

also have conditional columns. These columns never appear within an index but can cause a record not to be indexed 

when the conditional column is either NULL or non-NULL.


Tuple Indexes 

Indexes can also be defined to include one entry for each sub-string of a Text or Long Text column. These indexes 

are called tuple indexes. They are used to speed queries with sub-string matching predicates. Tuple indexes can only 

be defined for Text columns. For example, if a Text column value is “I love JET Blue”, and the index is configured to 

have a minimum tuple size of 4 characters and a maximum tuple length of 10 characters, then the following 

sub-strings will be indexed: 

“I love JET” 

“ love JET ” 

“love JET 

B” 

“ove JET 

Bl” 

“ve JET 

Blu” 

“e JET 

Blue” 

“ JET Blue” 

“JET Blue” 

“ET Blue” 

“T Blue” 

“ Blue” 

“Blue” 

Even though tuple indexes can be very large, they can significantly speed queries of the form: find all records 

containing “JET Blue”. They can be used for sub-strings longer than the maximum tuple length by dividing the 

search sub-string into maximum tuple length search strings and intersecting the results. They can be used for exact 

matches for strings as long as the maximum tuple length or as short as the minimum tuple length, with no index 

intersection. For more information on performing index intersection in ESE see Index Intersection. Tuple indexes 

cannot speed queries where the search string is shorter than the minimum tuple length. 

Transactions 

A transaction is a logical unit of processing delimited by BeginTransaction and CommitTransaction, or Rollback, 

operations. All updates performed during a transaction are atomic; they either all appear in the database at the same 

time or none appear. Any subsequent updates by other transactions are invisible to a transaction. However, a 

transaction can update only data that has not changed in the meantime; else the operation fails at once without 

waiting. Read-only transactions never need to wait, and update transactions can interfere only with one another 

updating transaction. Transactions which are terminated by Rollback, or by a system crash, leave no trace on the 

database. In general, the data state is restored on Rollback to what it was prior to BeginTransaction. 

Transactions may be nested up to 7 levels, with one additional level reserved for ESE internal use. This means that a 

part of a transaction may be rolled back, without need to roll back the entire transaction; a CommitTransaction of a 

nested transaction merely signifies the success of one phase of processing, and the outer transaction may yet fail. 

Changes are committed to the database only when the outermost transaction is committed. This is known as 

committing to transaction level 0. When the transaction commits to transaction level 0, data describing the 

transaction is synchronously flushed to the log to ensure that the transaction will be completed even in the event of a 

subsequent system crash. Synchronously flushing the log makes ESE transactions durable. However, in some cases 

application wish to order their updates, but not immediately guarantee that changes will be done. Here, applications 

can commit changes with JET_bitIndexLazyFlush. 

ESE supports a concurrency control mechanism called multi-versioning. In multi-versioning, every transaction 

queries a consistent view of the entire database as it was at the time the transaction started. The only updates it


encounters are those made by it. In this way, each transaction operates as though it was the only active transaction 

running on the system, except in the case of write conflicts. Since a transaction may make changes based on data 

read that has already been updated in another transaction, multi-versioning by itself does not guarantee serializable 

transactions. However, serializability can be achieved when desired by simply using explicit record read locks to 

lock read data that updates are based upon. Both read and write locks may be explicitly requested with the GetLock 

operation. 

In addition, an advanced concurrency control feature known as escrow locking is supported by ESE. Escrow locking 

is an extremely concurrent update where a numeric value is changed in a relative fashion, i.e. by adding or 

subtracting another numeric value. Escrow updates are non-conflicting even with other concurrent escrow updates to 

the same datum. This is possible because the operations supported are commutable and can be independently 

committed or rolled back. As a result, they do not interfere with concurrent update transactions. This feature is often 

used for maintained aggregations. 

ESE also extends transaction semantics from data manipulation operations to data definition operations. It is possible 

to add an index to a table and have concurrently running transactions update the same table without any transaction 

lock contention whatsoever. Later, when these transactions are complete, the newly created index is available to all 

transactions and has entries for record updates made by other transactions that could not perceive the presence of the 

index when the updates took place. Data definition operations may be performed with all the features expected of the 

transaction mechanism for record updates. Data definition operations supported in this fashion include AddColumn, 

DeleteColumn, CreateIndex, DeleteIndex, CreateTable and DeleteTable. 

Cursor Navigation and the Copy Buffer 

A cursor is a logical pointer within a table index. The cursor may be positioned on a record, before the first record, 

after the last record or even between records. If a cursor is positioned before or after a record, there is no current 

record. It is possible to have multiple cursors into the same table index. Many record and column operations are 

based on the cursor position. Cursor position can be moved sequentially by Move operations or directly using index 

keys with Seek operations. Cursors can also be moved to a fractional position within an index. In this way, the cursor 

can be quickly moved to a thumb bar position. This operation is performed with the same speed as a Seek operation. 

No intervening data must be accessed. 

Each cursor has a copy buffer in order to create a new record, or modify an existing record, column by column. This 

is an internal buffer whose contents can be changed with SetColumns operations. Modifications of the copy buffer 

do not automatically change the stored data. The contents of the current record can be copied into the copy buffer 

using the PrepareUpdate operation, and Update operations store the contents of the copy buffer as a record. The copy 

buffer is implicitly cleared on a transaction commit or rollback, as well as on navigation operations. 

RetrieveColumns may be used to retrieve column data either from the record or from the copy buffer, if one exists. 

Query Processing 

ESE applications invariably query their data. This section of the document describes features and techniques for 

applications to write query procession logic on ESE. 

Sorts and Temporary Tables 

ESE provides a sort capability in the form of temporary tables. The application inserts data records into the sort 

process one record at a time, and then retrieves them one record at a time in sorted order. Sorting is actually 

performed between the last record insertion and the first record retrieval. Temporary tables can be used for partial 

and complete result sets as well. These tables can offer the same features as base tables including the ability to 

navigate sequentially or directly to rows using index keys matching the sort definition. Temporary tables can also be


updatable for computation of complex aggregates. Simple aggregates can be computed automatically with a feature 

similar to sorting where the desired aggregate is a natural result of the sort process. 

Covering Indexes 

Retrieving column data directly from secondary indexes is an important performance optimization. Columns may be 

retrieved directly from secondary indexes, without accessing the data records, via the RetrieveFromIndex flag on the 

RetrieveColumns operation. It is much more efficient to retrieve columns from a secondary index, than from the 

record, when navigating by the index. If the column data were retrieved from the record, then an additional 

navigation is necessary to locate the record by the primary key. This may result in additional disk accesses. When an 

index provides all columns needed then it is called a covering index. Note that columns defined in the table primary 

index are also found in secondary indexes and can be similarly retrieved using 

JET_bitRetrieveFromPrimaryBookmark. 

Index keys are stored in normalized form which can be, in many cases, denormalized to the original column value. 

Normalization is not always reversible. For example, Text and Long Text column types cannot be denormalized . In 

addition, index keys may be truncated when column data is very long. In cases where columns cannot be retrieved 

directly from secondary indexes, the record can always be accessed to retrieve the necessary data. 

Index Intersection 

Queries often involve a combination of restrictions on data. An efficient means of processing a restriction is to use 

an available index. However, if a query involves multiple restrictions then applications often process the restrictions 

by walking the full index range of the most restrictive predicate satisfied by a single index. Any remaining predicate, 

called the residual predicate, is processed by applying the predicate to the record itself. This is a simple method but 

has the disdavantage of potentially having to perform many disk accesses to bring records into memory to apply the 

residual predicate. 

Index intersection is an important query mechanism in which multiple indexes are used together to more efficiently 

process a complex restriction. Instead using only a single index, index ranges on multiple indexes are combined to 

result in a much smaller number of records on which any residual predicate can be applied. ESE makes this easy by 

supplying an IntersectIndexes operation. This operation accepts a series of index ranges on indexes from the same 

table and returns a temporary table of primary keys that can be used to navigate to the base table records that satisfy 

all index predicates. 

Pre-joined Tables 

A join is a common operation on a normalized table design, where logically related data is brought back together for 

use in an application. Joins can be expensive operations because many data accesses may be needed to bring related 

data into memory. This effort can be optimized in some cases by defining a single base table that contains data for 

two or more logical tables. The column set of the base table is the union of the column sets of these logical tables. 

Tagged columns make this possible because of their good handling of both multi-valued and sparse valued data. 

Since related data is stored together in the same record, it is accessed together thereby minimizing the number of 

disk accesses to perform the join. This process can be extended to a large number of logical tables as ESE can 

support up to 64,993 tagged columns. Since indexes can be defined over multi-valued columns, it is still possible to 

index ‘interior’ tables. However, some limitations exist and applications should consider pre-joining carefully before 

employing this technique.


Logging and Crash Recovery 

The logging and recovery feature of ESE supports guaranteed data integrity and consistency in the event of a system 

crash. Logging is the process of redundantly recording database update operations in a log file. The log file structure 

is very robust against system crashes. Recovery is the process of using this log to restore databases to a consistent 

state after a system crash. 

Transaction operations are logged and the log is flushed to disk during each commit to transaction level 0. This 

allows the recovery process to redo updates made by transactions which commit to transaction level 0, and undo 

changes made by transactions which did not commit to transaction level 0. This type of recovery scheme is often 

referred to as a ‘roll-forward/roll-backward’ recovery scheme. Logs can be retained until the data is safely copied via 

a backup process described below, or logs can be reused in a circular fashion as soon as they are no longer needed 

for recovery from system crash. Circular logging minimizes the amount of disk space needed for the log but has 

implications on the ability to recreate a data state in the event of a media failure. 

Backup and Restore 

Logging and recovery also play a role in protecting data from media failure. ESE supports on-line backup where one 

or more databases are copied, along with log files in a manner that does not affect database operations. Databases 

can continue to be queried and updated while the backup is being made. The backup is referred to as a ‘fuzzy backup’ 

because the recovery process must be run as part of backup restoration to restore a consistent set of databases. Both 

streaming and shadow copy backup are supported. 

Streaming backup is a backup method where copies of all desired database files and the necessary log files are made 

during the backup process. File copies may be saved directly to tape or can be made to any other storage device. No 

quiescing of activity of any kind is required with streamed backups. Both the database and log files are check 

summed to ensure that no data corruptions exist within the data set during the backup process. Streaming backups 

may also be incremental backups. Incremental backups are ones in which only the log files are copied and which can 

be restored along with a previous full backup to bring all databases to a recent state. 

Shadow copy backups are a new high speed backup method. Shadow copy backups are dramatically faster because 

the copy is virtually made after a brief period of quiescing an application. As subsequent updates are made to the 

data, the virtual copy is materialized. In some cases, hardware support for shadow copy backups means that actually 

saving the virtual copies is unnecessary. Shadow copy backups are always full backups. 

Restore can be used to apply a single backup, or it can be used to apply a combination of a single full backup with 

one or more incremental backups. Further, any existing log files can be replayed as well to recreate an entire data set 

all the way up to the last transaction logged as committed to transaction level 0. Restoration of a backup can be made 

to any system capable of supporting the original application. It need not be the same machine, or even the same 

machine configuration. Location of files can be changed as part of the restoration process. 

History 

JET Blue was originally developed by Microsoft as a prospective upgrade for the JET Red database engine in 

Microsoft Access, but was never used in this role. Instead, it went on to be used by Exchange Server, Active 

Directory, File Replication Service (FRS), Security Configuration Editor, Certificate Services, Windows Internet 

Name Service (WINS) and a host of other Microsoft services, applications and Windows components. [4] For years, 

it was a private API used by Microsoft only, but has become a published API that anyone can use. 

Work began on Data Access Engine (DAE) in March 1989 when Allen Reiter joined Microsoft. Over the next year a 

team of four developers worked for Allen to largely complete the ISAM. Microsoft already had the BC7 ISAM (JET 

Red) but began the Data Access Engine (DAE) effort to build a more robust database engine as an entry in the then 

new client-server architecture realm. In the spring of 1990, BC7 ISAM and DAE teams were joined to become the


Joint Engine Technology (JET) effort; responsible for producing two engines a v1 (JET Red) and a v2 (JET Blue) 

that would conform to the same API specification (JET API). DAE became JET Blue for the color of the flag of 

Israel. BC7 ISAM became JET Red for the color of the flag of Russia. While JET Blue and JET Red were written to 

the same API specification, they shared no ISAM code whatsoever. They did both support a common query 

processor, QJET, which later together with the BC7 ISAM became synonymous with JET Red. 

JET Blue first shipped in 1994 as an ISAM for WINS, DHCP, and the now defunct RPL services in Windows NT 

3.5. It shipped again as the storage engine for Microsoft Exchange in 1996. Additional Windows services chose JET 

Blue as their storage technology and by 2000 every version of Windows began to ship with JET Blue. JET Blue was 

used by Active Directory and became part of a special set of Windows code called the Trusted Computing Base 

(TCB). The number of Microsoft applications using JET Blue continues to grow and the JET Blue API was 

published in 2005 to facilitate usage by an ever increasing number of applications and services both within and 

beyond Windows. 

A Microsoft Exchange Web Blog entry [5] stated that developers who have contributed to JET Blue include Cheen 

Liao, Stephen Hecht, Matthew Bellew, Ian Jose, Edward "Eddie" Gilbert, Kenneth Kin Lum, Balasubramanian 

Sriram, Jonathan Liem, Andrew Goodsell, Laurion Burchall, Andrei Marinescu, Adam Foxman, Ivan Trindev, 

Spencer Low and Brett Shirley. 

Comparison to JET Red 

While they share a common lineage, there are vast differences between JET Red and ESE. 

• JET Red is a file sharing technology, while ESE is designed to be embedded in a server application, and does not 

share files. 

• JET Red makes best effort file recovery, while ESE has write ahead logging and snapshot isolation for guaranteed 

crash recovery. 

• JET Red before version 4.0 supports only page level locking, while ESE and JET Red version 4.0 supports record 

level locking. 

• JET Red supports a wide variety of query interfaces, including ODBC and OLE DB. ESE does not ship with a 

query engine but instead relies on applications to write their own queries as C ISAM code. 

• JET Red has a maximum database file size of 2 GiB, while ESE has a maximum database file size of 8 TiB with 4 

KiB pages, and 16 TiB with 8 KiB pages. 

References 

[1] In this context 1 KB = 1024 B 

[2] "Extensible Storage Engine Architecture" (http:/ / technet. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ bb310772. aspx). TechNet. . Retrieved 2007-06-18. 

[3] In this context 1 TB = 1024 4 B 

[4] Extensible Storage Engine (http:/ / www. microsoft. com/ technet/ prodtechnol/ windows2000serv/ reskit/ distrib/ dsbi_add_ttpn. 

mspx?mfr=true) 

[5] "Here is your citation, Wikipedia" (http:/ / msexchangeteam. com/ archive/ 2008/ 12/ 18/ 450307. aspx). . Retrieved 2008-12-19. 

• "Exchange Terminology" (http:/ / www. techgalaxy. net/ Docs/ Exchange/ Exchange 2000 Acronyms and 

Terminology. htm). Retrieved 2007-06-18. 

• "Extensible Storage Engine" (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms684493. aspx). Retrieved 

2009-01-18. 

• "Understanding Information Store Essentials" (http:/ / www. messagingtalk. org/ content/ 227. html). Retrieved 

2007-06-18. 

• "Extensible Storage Engine Reference" (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms683072. aspx). Retrieved 

2009-01-18.



• iiobo ESE Library (http:/ / www. iiobo. com/ ExtensibleStorageEngine. aspx) - a C++ ESE library, toolkit and 

sample application using C# 

• ManagedEsent (http:/ / www. codeplex. com/ ManagedEsent) - a .NET managed interop library 

FoxPro 2 

FoxPro is a text-based procedurally-oriented programming language and 

DBMS, originally published by Fox Software and later by Microsoft, for 

MS-DOS, MS Windows, Apple Macintosh, and UNIX. 

Although FoxPro is a Database Management System (DBMS) and it does 

support relationships between tables, it is not considered a Relational 

Database Management System (RDBMS), lacking transactional processing. 

The final published release of FoxPro was 2.6, after which the name was 

changed to Visual FoxPro. 

Although no longer sold or supported by Microsoft, there is still an active 

worldwide community of FoxPro users and programmers. FoxPro 2.6 for 

UNIX (FPU26) has even been successfully installed on Linux and FreeBSD 

using the Intel Binary Compatibility Standard (ibcs2) support library. 

Version information 

Microsoft FoxPro running on Macintosh System 7.1 

Operating system compatibility 

Cover of the FoxPro 2.6 Developers 

Guide

FoxPro 2 55 

Technical aspects 

Version FP 2.0 FP 2.5 FP 2.6 

MS-DOS Yes Yes Yes 

Windows 3.1 to 

XP 

Yes Yes Yes 

Macintosh Yes Yes Yes 

SCO UNIX No No Yes 

Linux & FreeBSD No No 

Yes [1] 

Windows 2000 No No Yes 

FoxPro 2 included "Rushmore" optimizing engine, which used indices to accelerate data retrieval and updating. 

Rushmore technology examined every data-related statement, and looked for filter expressions. If one was used, it 

looked for an index matching the same expression. 

In addition, FoxPro2 was originally built on WatCOM C++, which had its own memory extensor - at that time 

state-of-the-art. FoxPro2 could access expanded and extended memory, using almost all available RAM (DOS). It 

used some interrupts in absence of the extended memory driver: if no HIMEM.SYS was loaded, FoxPro enabled that 

mechanism. 

Version Timeline 


• History of FoxPro - Timeline [2] 

• A site devoted to the history of FoxPro [3] 

Version VERSION() returns EXE 

Size 

EXE Date 

FPW 2.6a FoxPro 2.6a for Windows 2,444 kb 28-SEP-1994 

FPM 2.6a FoxPro 2.6a for Macintosh ? kb August 1994 

FPD 2.6a FoxPro 2.6a for DOS 1,788 kb August 1994 

FPW 2.6 FoxPro 2.6 for Windows 2.38 Mb 9 March 1994 

FPM 2.6 FoxPro 2.6 for Macintosh ? kb 1993 

FPD 2.6 FoxPro 2.6 for DOS ? kb March 1994 

FPU 2.6 FoxPro 2.6 for UNIX 2.3 Mb 1993 

FPW 2.5 FoxPro 2.5 for Windows 1.63 Mb Jan. 1993 

FPD 2.0 FoxPro 2.0 for DOS 465.86 kb 1991 

• Virtual FoxPro User Group [4] - Free online support resource 

• Microsoft: FoxPro (old versions 1 to 2.6) Forum [5] - Free online support resource 

• FoxPro FAQs [6] 

• User-defined functions FoxPro 2.6 DOS (written in C) [7]

FoxPro 2 56 

References 

[1] using the ibcs files from the Linux ABI project at Sourceforge. 

[2] http:/ / www. foxprohistory. org/ foxprotimeline. htm 

[3] http:/ / www. foxprohistory. org/ 

[4] http:/ / www. vfug. org/ 

[5] http:/ / www. tek-tips. com/ threadminder. cfm?pid=182 

[6] http:/ / www. intergate. com/ ~dallen24/ 

[7] http:/ / www. universalthread. com/ Report. 

aspx?Session=6633617A53617371576A493D20476E7430355250344D4843734336516C30675231585253714C555579344A5955 

Microsoft Jet Database Engine 

The Microsoft Jet Database Engine is a database engine on which several Microsoft products have been built. A 

database engine is the underlying component of a database, a collection of information stored on a computer in a 

systematic way. The first version of Jet was developed in 1992, consisting of three modules which could be used to 

manipulate a database. 

JET stands for Joint Engine Technology, sometimes being referred to as Microsoft JET Engine or simply Jet. 

Microsoft Access and Visual Basic use or have used Jet as their underlying database engine. It has since been 

superseded for general use, however, first by Microsoft Desktop Engine (MSDE), then later by SQL Server 2005 

Express Edition and most recently by SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition. Jet is now part of Microsoft Windows and 

is no longer a component of Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC). For larger database needs, Jet databases 

can be upgraded (or, in Microsoft parlance, "up-sized") to Microsoft's flagship database product, SQL Server 2005. 

Over the years, Jet has become almost synonymous with Microsoft Access, to the extent where many people 

incorrectly refer to a Jet database as an "Access database". Even Microsoft employees do this sometimes, but this 

nomenclature should always be seen as incorrect. Jet is a database and Access is a database application development 

tool (database builder). 

Architecture 

Jet allows the manipulation of a relational database and is part of a Relational Database Management System 

(RDBMS). It offers a single interface that other software can use to access Microsoft databases and provides support 

for security, referential integrity, transaction processing, indexing, record and page locking, and data replication. In 

later versions, the engine has been extended to be able to run SQL queries, store character data in Unicode format, 

create database views and allow bi-directional replication with Microsoft SQL Server. 

There are three modules to Jet: One is the 

Native Jet ISAM Driver, a dynamic link 

library (DLL) that can directly manipulate 

Microsoft Access database files (MDB) 

using Indexed Sequential Access Method 

(ISAM). Another one of the modules 

contains the ISAM Drivers, DLLs that allow 

access to a variety of ISAM databases, 

among them Xbase, Paradox, Btrieve and 

FoxPro, depending on the version of Jet. 

The final module is the Data Access Objects 

Jet DLLs 

(DAO) DLL. DAO provides an API that allows programmers to access JET databases using any programming 

language.


Locking 

Jet allows multiple users to access the database concurrently. To prevent that data from being corrupted or 

invalidated when multiple users try to write to the database, Jet employs a data write locking policy. Any single user 

can only modify those database records (that is, items in the database) to which they have applied a lock that gives 

them exclusive access to the record until the lock is released. Up to Jet 4, a page locking model was used, and in Jet 

4 a record locking model is employed. Microsoft databases are organized into data "pages", which are fixed length 

(2 kB before Jet 4, 4 kB in Jet 4) data structures that divide up the database. Data is stored in "records", but these are 

of variable length and so may take up less or more than one page. The page locking model worked by locking the 

pages, instead of individual records, which though less resource intensive also meant that more than one record 

might be locked at any one time. 

There were two mechanisms that Microsoft uses for locking: pessimistic locking, and optimistic locking. With 

pessimistic locking, the record or page is locked immediately when the lock is requested, while with optimistic 

locking, the update is delayed until all the editing operations on the record have been completed. Conflicts are less 

likely to occur with optimistic locking, since the record is locked only for a short period of time. However, with 

optimistic locking one cannot be certain that the update will succeed because another user could update the record 

first. With pessimistic locking, the update is guaranteed to succeed once the lock is obtained. Other users must wait 

until the update is made and the lock released in order to make their changes. Lock conflicts, which either require the 

user to wait, or cause the request to fail (usually after a timeout) are more common with pessimistic locking. 

Transaction processing 

Jet supports transaction processing for database systems that have this capability (ODBC systems have one level 

transaction processing, while several ISAM systems like Paradox do not have transaction processing capability). A 

transaction is a series of operations performed on a database that must be done together — this is known as atomicity 

and is a part of ACID (Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, and Durability), concepts considered to be the key 

transaction processing features of a database management system. For transaction processing to work (until Jet 3.0), 

the programmer needed to begin the transaction manually, perform the operations needed to be performed in the 

transaction, and then commit (save) the transaction. Until the transaction is committed, changes are made only in 

memory and not actually written to disk. TransactionMemory Transactions have a number of advantages over 

independent database updates. One of the main advantages is that transactions can be abandoned if a problem occurs 

during the transaction. This is called rolling back the transaction, or just rollback, and it restores the state of the 

database records to precisely the state before the transaction began. Transactions also permit the state of the database 

to remain consistent if a system failure occurs in the middle of a sequence of updates required to be atomic. There is 

no chance that only some of the updates will end up written to the database; either all will succeed, or the changes 

will be discarded when the database system restarts. With ODBC's in-memory policy, transactions also allow for 

many updates to a record to occur entirely within memory, with only one expensive disk write at the end. 

Implicit transactions were supported in Jet 3.0. These are transactions that are started automatically after the last 

transaction was committed to the database. Implicit transactions in Jet occurred when an SQL DML statement was 

issued. However, it was found that this had a negative performance impact in 32 bit Windows (Windows 95, 

Windows 98), so in Jet 3.5 Microsoft removed implicit transactions when SQL DML statements were made. 

JET 4.0


Data integrity 

Jet enforces entity integrity and referential integrity. 

Entity integrity is one of the key concepts of relational 

databases, and ensures that no record is able to be 

duplicated and also ensures that no field (or group of 

fields) that identify the record (the primary key) are 

NULL. Thus, Jet supports primary keys. Referential 

integrity is where the fields that identify data that exist 

in a database table (the foreign key) must correspond 

with an existing primary key in that database. If a 

foreign key value exists that does not have a 

corresponding primary key in the referenced table, then 

the referential integrity is broken and the data between 

tables will no longer be synchronised. 

For instance, a music lover may have a database that 

stores information about a record collection, and need 

to store data about an artist and his/her music. In this 

example, the artist can record many albums, but the 

album is only recorded by one artist, so two database 

tables are created: Artist and Album. The Artist table 

uses the field artist_id as its primary key, and the 

Album table uses album_id. The album table references 

An example of a database that has not enforced referential integrity. 

In this example, there is a foreign key (artist_id) value in the album 

table that references a non-existent artist — in other words there is a 

foreign key value with no corresponding primary key value in the 

referenced table. What happened here was that there was an artist 

called "Aerosmith", with an artist_id of "4", which was deleted from 

the artist table. However, the album Eat the rich referred to this artist. 

With referential integrity enforced, this would not have been 

possible. 

the artist table using artist_id as a foreign key. If, for some reason, an artist is deleted and there is an album in the 

system that contains a reference to that artist then the referential integrity of this record would be broken. Jet will by 

default prevent this from happening. Jet is also capable of doing cascading updates and deletes. With cascading 

deletes enabled for the Album table, if the artist in the previous example were deleted, then all the artists' albums 

would also be deleted. 

Jet also supports "business rules" (also known as "constraints"), or rules that apply to any column to enforce what 

data might be placed into the table or column. For example, a rule might be applied that does not allow a date to be 

entered into a date_logged column that is earlier than the current date and time, or a rule might be applied that forces 

people to enter a positive value into a numeric only field. 

Security 

Access to Jet databases is done on a per user-level. The user information is kept in a separate system database, and 

access is controlled on each object in the system (for instance by table or by query). In Jet 4, Microsoft implemented 

functionality that allows database administrators to set security via the SQL commands CREATE, ADD, ALTER, 

DROP USER and DROP GROUP. These commands are a subset of ANSI SQL 92 standard, and they also apply to 

the GRANT/REVOKE commands. [1] When Jet 2 was released, security could also be set programmatically through 

DAO.


Queries 

Queries are the mechanisms that Jet uses to retrieve data from the database. They can be defined in Microsoft QBE 

(Query By Example), through the Microsoft Access SQL Window or through Access Basic's Data Access Objects 

(DAO) language. These are then converted to an SQL SELECT statement. The query is then compiled — this 

involves parsing the query (involves syntax checking and determining the columns to query in the database table), 

then converted into an internal Jet query object format, which is then tokenized and organised into a tree like 

structure. In Jet 3.0 onwards these are then optimised using the Microsoft Rushmore query optimisation technology. 

The query is then executed and the results passed back to the application or user who requested the data. 

Jet passes the data retrieved for the query in a dynaset. This is a set of data that is dynamically linked back to the 

database. Instead of having the query result stored in a temporary table, where the data cannot be updated directly by 

the user, the dynaset allows the user to view and update the data contained in the dynaset. Thus, if a university 

lecturer queries all students who received a distinction in their assignment and finds an error in that student's record, 

they would only need to update the data in the dynaset, which would automatically update the student's database 

record without the need for them to send a specific update query after storing the query results in a temporary table. 

History 

Jet 

version 

Jet engine DLL file name MDB version 

1.0 ?? ?? 1.0 

1.1 1.10.0001 MSAJT110.DLL 1.0 / 1.1 

2.0 2.00.0000 MSAJT200.DLL 1.0 / 1.1 / 2.0 

2.5 2.50.1606 MSAJT200.DLL 1.0 / 1.1 / 2.0 

3.0 3.0.0.2118 MSJT3032.DLL 1.0 / 1.1 / 2.0 / 3.0 

3.5 ?? MSJET35.DLL 1.0 / 1.1 / 2.0 / 3.0 

4.0 SP8 4.0.8015.0 MSJET40.DLL 1.0 / 1.1 / 2.0 / 3.0 / 4.0 

ACE 12.0 12.0.xxxx.xxxx ACECORE.DLL 1.0 / 1.1 / 2.0 / 3.0 / 4.0 / ACE 

ACE 14.0 14.0.xxxx.xxxx ACECORE.DLL 3.0 / 4.0 / ACE 

Sources: 

• [2] 

• [3] 

• [4] 

Application/Version Jet version 

Microsoft Access 1.0 1.0 



Microsoft Access 2.0 Service Pack 2.5 

Microsoft Access 95 / Excel 95 3.0 

Microsoft Access 97 / Excel 97 / PowerPoint 97 / Word 

97 

Microsoft Access 2000 4.0 SP1 


3.5 

[5]


Microsoft Access 2003 – 

Microsoft Access 2007 ACE 12.0 

Microsoft Access 2010 ACE 14.0 

Visual Basic 3.0 1.1 

Visual Basic Compatibility Layer 2.0 

Visual Basic 4.0 16-bit 2.5 

Visual Basic 4.0 32-bit 3.0 

Visual Basic 5.0 3.5 

Visual C++ 4.X 3.0 

Visual C++ 5.0 3.5 

Microsoft Project 4.1 / Project 95 3.0 

Internet Information Server 3.0 3.5 

SQL Server 7.0 4.0 

Redistributable installers 

Jet 3.51 web download 3.5+ 

MDAC 2.1 4.0 SP1 

MDAC 2.5 4.0 SP3 to SP6+ 

Jet 4.0 4.0 SP3 to SP8 

2007 Office System Driver ACE 12.0 

Microsoft Access Database Engine 2010 ACE 14.0 

Operating systems 

Windows Me 4.0 SP3 

Windows 2000 4.0 SP3 

Windows XP 4.0 SP5+ 

Windows Server 2003 4.0 SP6+ 

Windows Vista 4.0 SP8+ 

Windows Server 2008 4.0 SP8+ 

Windows 7 4.0 SP8+ 

Sources: 

• Microsoft Jet Database Engine Programmer's Guide - Introduction [6] 

• INFO: Identifying the Jet Database Engine Components [2] 

• Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) release history [7] 

• Release manifest for MDAC 2.1 (2.1.1.3711.11) (GA) [8] 

• INFO: MDAC Version 2.6 and Later Do Not Contain Jet or Desktop ODBC Drivers [9] 

• Release manifest for MDAC 2.5 Service Pack 3 (2.53.6200.2) [10] 

• Wrong Autonumber [11] 

• How to obtain the latest service pack for the Microsoft Jet 4.0 Database Engine [4] 

Jet originally started in 1992 as an underlying data access technology that came from a Microsoft internal database 

product development project, code named Cirrus. Cirrus was developed from a pre-release version of Visual Basic 

code and was used as the database engine of Microsoft Access. Tony Goodhew, who worked for Microsoft at the 

time, says


"It would be reasonably accurate to say that up until that stage Jet was more the name of the team that 

was assigned to work on the DB engine modules of Access rather than a component team. For VB 

[Visual Basic] 3.0 they basically had to tear it out of Access and graft it onto VB. That's why they've had 

all those Jet/ODBC problems in VB 3.0." 

Jet became more componentised when Access 2.0 was released because the Access ODBC developers used parts of 

the Jet code to produce the ODBC driver. A retrofit was provided that allowed Visual Basic 3.0 users to use the 

updated Jet issued in Access 2.0. [12] 

Jet 2.0 was released as several dynamic linked libraries (DLLs) that were utilised by application software, such as 

Microsoft's Access database. DLLs in Windows are "libraries" of common code that can be used by more than one 

application—by keeping code that more than one application uses under a common library which each of these 

applications can use independently code maintenance is reduced and the functionality of applications increases, with 

less development effort. The three DLLs that were comprised by Jet 2.0 were the Jet DLL, the Data Access Objects 

(DAO) DLL and several external ISAM DLLs. The Jet DLL determined what sort of database it was accessing, and 

how to perform what was requested of it. If the data source was an MDB file (a Microsoft Access format) then it 

would directly read and write the data to the file. If the data source was external, then it would call on the correct 

ODBC driver to perform its request. The DAO DLL was a component that programmers could use to interface with 

the Jet engine, and was mainly used by Visual Basic and Access Basic programmers. The ISAM DLLs were a set of 

modules that allowed Jet to access three ISAM based databases: Xbase, Paradox and Btrieve. MicrosoftJet2Overview 

Jet 3.0 included many enhancements, including a new index structure that reduced storage size and the time that was 

taken to create indices that were highly duplicated, the removal of read locks on index pages, a new mechanism for 

page reuse, a new compacting method for which compacting the database resulted in the indices being stored in a 

clustered-index format, a new page allocation mechanism to improve Jet's read-ahead capabilities, improved delete 

operations that speeded processing, multithreading (three threads were used to perform read ahead, write behind, and 

cache maintenance), implicit transactions (users did not have to instruct the engine to start manually and commit 

transactions to the database), a new sort engine, long values (such as memos or binary data types) were stored in 

separate tables, and dynamic buffering (whereby Jet's cache was dynamically allocated at start up and had no limit 

and which changed from a first in, first out (FIFO) buffer replacement policy to a least recently used (LRU) buffer 

replacement policy). [13] Jet 3.0 also allowed for database replication. 

Jet 4.0 gained numerous additional features and enhancements. [1] 

• Unicode character storage support, along with an NT sorting method that was also implemented in the Windows 

95 version; 

• Changes to data types to be more like SQL Server's (LongText or Memo; Binary; LongBinary; Date/Time; Real; 

Float4; IEEESingle; Double; Byte or Tinyint; Integer or Integer synonyms Smallint, Integer2, and Short; 

LongInteger or LongInteger synonyms Int, Integer, and Counter; Auto-Increment support was dropped; Currency 

or Money; Boolean and GUID); a new decimal data type 

• Memo fields could now be indexed 

• Compressible data types 

• SQL enhancements to make Jet conform more closely to ANSI SQL-92 

• Finer grained security; views support; procedure support 

• Invocation and termination (committing or rolling back) of transactions 

• Enhanced table creation and modification 

• Referential integrity support 

• Connection control (connected users remain connected, but once disconnected they cannot reconnect, and new 

connections cannot be made. This is useful for database administrators to gain control of the database) 

• A user list, which allows administrators to determine who is connected to the database 

• Record-level locking (previous versions only supported page-locking)


• Bi-directional replication with MS SQL Server. 

Jet 4 databases can be "upsized" (upgraded) to "an equivalent database on SQL Server with the same table structure, 

data, and many other attributes of the original database" if the developer has a copy of Microsoft Office 2000 

Professional Edition via a Microsoft Access Upsizing Wizard utility. Reports, queries, macros and security are not 

handled by this tool, meaning that some manual modifications may need to be done if the developer has been heavily 

reliant on these Jet features. [14] 

Jet has been included in every version of Windows from Windows 2000 to Windows 7, and therefore is no longer 

distributed separately with the Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC). Access 2003 relied on the Jet engine 

component of the operating system for its data storage and query processing. [15] 

With version 2007 onwards, Access includes an Office-specific version of Jet, initially called the Office Access 

Connectivity Engine (ACE), but which is now called the Access Database Engine. This engine is fully 

backward-compatible with previous versions of the Jet engine, so it reads and writes (.mdb) files from earlier Access 

versions. It introduces a new default file format, (.accdb), that brings several improvements to Access, including 

complex data types such as multivalue fields, the attachment data type and history tracking in memo fields. It also 

brings security and encryption improvements and enables integration with Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services 

[16] [17] [18] 

3.0 and Microsoft Office Outlook 2007. 

The engine in Microsoft Access 2010 discontinued support for Access 1.0, Access 2.0, Lotus 1-2-3 and Paradox 

files. [19] A 64-bit version of the ACE Driver/Provider has been introduced, which in essence provides a 64-bit 

version of Jet. The driver is not part of the Windows operating system, but is available as a redistributable. [20] 

Previously the Jet Database Engine was only 32-bit and did not run natively under 64-bit versions of Windows. This 

meant that native 64-bit applications (such as the 64-bit versions of SQL Server) could not access data stored in 

MDB files through ODBC, OLE DB, or any other means, except through intermediate 32-bit software (running in 

WoW64) that acted as a proxy for the 64 bit client. [21] 

From a data access technology standpoint, Jet is considered a deprecated technology by Microsoft, but it is an 

intrinsic part of Windows, and therefore Microsoft continues to support it. [22] 

References 

[1] MS KB article 275561 (2007-01-29). "Description of the new features that are included in Microsoft Jet 4.0" (http:/ / support. microsoft. com/ 

kb/ 275561/ en). Microsoft. . Retrieved 2008-06-19. 

[2] http:/ / support. microsoft. com/ kb/ 178880/ en 



[5] The Access 2002 setup program only updates system files on certain versions of Windows and to a certain level. 

[6] http:/ / technet. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ cc966378. aspx 





[11] http:/ / groups. google. co. uk/ group/ microsoft. public. access. gettingstarted/ msg/ 84584fde3ef99112?hl=en 

[12] Goodhew, Tony (11 1996). "Jet Engine: History" (http:/ / www. avdf. com/ nov96/ acc_jet. html). . Retrieved 2008-06-19. 

[13] MS KB article 137039 (2003-12-03). "New Features in Microsoft Jet Version 3.0" (http:/ / support. microsoft. com/ kb/ 137039/ en). 

Microsoft. . Retrieved 2008-06-19. 

[14] Microsoft, "Microsoft Access 2000 Data Engine Options", white paper. 

[15] MS KB article 239114 (2008-05-29). "How to obtain the latest service pack for the Microsoft Jet 4.0 Database Engine" (http:/ / support. 

microsoft. com/ kb/ 239114/ en). Microsoft. . Retrieved 2010-01-02. 

[16] Aleksandar Jakšić (08 2008). "Developing Access 2007 Solutions with Native C or C++" (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ 

cc811599. aspx). Microsoft Corporation. . Retrieved 2008-08-26. 

[17] Andy Baron, Optimizing Microsoft Office Access Applications Linked to SQL Server (http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ 

bb188204(SQL. 90). aspx), November 2006. 

[18] Microsoft, New features of the Access 2007 file format (http:/ / office. microsoft. com/ en-us/ access/ HA100678311033. aspx).


[19] Microsoft, Discontinued features and modified functionality in Access 2010 (http:/ / office2010. microsoft. com/ en-gb/ access-help/ 

discontinued-features-and-modified-functionality-in-access-2010-HA101806473. aspx?CTT=1). 

[20] Adam W. Saxton, Microsoft SQL Server Escalation Services (21 01 2010). "How to get a x64 version of Jet?" (http:/ / blogs. msdn. com/ 

psssql/ archive/ 2010/ 01/ 21/ how-to-get-a-x64-version-of-jet. aspx). . Retrieved 2010-02-06. 

[21] Gorm Braarvig. "Access database from SQL 2005/64" (http:/ / gorm-braarvig. blogspot. com/ 2005/ 11/ access-database-from-sql-200564. 

html). . Retrieved 2007-06-18. 

[22] Shirolkar, Prash; Henry, Alyssa; Pepitone, Stephen; Bunch, Acey J.; (01 2008). "Data Access Technologies Road Map" (http:/ / msdn. 

microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms810810. aspx). Microsoft Corporation. . Retrieved 2008-06-19. 

Report Definition Language 

Report Definition Language (RDL) is a standard proposed by Microsoft for defining reports. 

RDL is an XML application primarily used with Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services. RDL is usually written 

using Visual Studio, although there are also third-party tools; it may also be created or edited by hand in a text editor. 

SQL Server Reporting Services or other 3rd party reporting frameworks use RDL to define charts, graphs, 

calculations, text, images (through links) and other report objects and render them in a variety of formats. 

There are three high-level sections in a typical RDL file: 

• Page style - The objects to display including fields, images, graphs, tables. 

• Field definitions - The extended attributes of fields which are populated with formulas, dynamic data, or Database 

derived data. 

• Parameters and Database connections - Parameters that may be furnished by the user or passed in from another 

application; and database connections and queries for pulling data into the report. 


• Report Definition Language Specification [1] 

References 

[1] http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ dd297486. aspx

Upsizing (database) 64 

Upsizing (database) 

Upsizing is the term coined by Microsoft to describe the process of upgrading Microsoft Access Database to a 

Microsoft SQL Server. This allows to continue using Microsoft Access as a database front-end whereas the actual 

back-end is served by a separate local or remote SQL Server allowing much higher productivity and data volumes. 

Microsoft Access from the version 2000 on has a special Upsizing Wizard which facilitates the data migration to the 

proprietary Microsoft SQL Server. No other RDBMS are currently supported for upsizing. 

Upsizing strategies 

There are two strategies how database can be migrated from Access to a SQL Server. 

1. Using ODBC from Microsoft to get access to a remote database via ADO. 

2. Using Access Projects (available in Microsoft Access 2000 and higher) which allow more "native" integration 

with Microsoft SQL Server. 

The first strategy is often seen as the first step towards complete migration on a SQL server on the stage 2 [1] , and 

can be seen as a part of the strategy 2. For peculiarities of every strategy see the table. 

Parameter Strategy 1 Strategy 2 

Database 

access 

Via ODBC using ADO, somewhat slower 

than strategy 2. 

Integration Can be integrated with (almost) any 

The role of 

Access 

RDBMS 

Serves as database front-end with full 

features of Microsoft Access JET Engine 

and VBA. (compare to thick client) 

Performing the upsizing 

Native integration with Microsoft SQL Server using Access Project (.adp), data access 

using ADO 

Native support only for Microsoft SQL Server 

Serves as database front-end with limited functionality. Local tables are not allowed [2] 

. Queries are generally transformed into database views, VBA code manipulating the 

data is transformed into procedures stored on server. (compare to thin client). 

As any data migration procedure Microsoft Access database upsizing requires fundamental refactoring of the 

database structure and source code. Even though some aspects of this procedure seem to be automatized by the 

Upsizing Wizard, there are still many points requiring human intervention. Following changes have to be done on 

upsizing 

1. Complete change of data access interface from DAO to ADO. 

2. Substantial change of Microsoft JET SQL to Transact-SQL. 

3. Substantial adaptation of object (e.g. tables, columns etc) names. 

4. Reconception of the source code to optimally employ the new functionality of ADO and Microsoft SQL Server of 

the "upsized" solution. 

References 

[1] Thomas Groß,Claudia Clemens "Upsizing von Access zu SQL Server", dotnetpro 6/2004 

[2] There are though the ways to store some data locally using the save methods of recordset object


Visual FoxPro 

Typical VFP9 editing session 

Original author(s) Microsoft Corporation 

Stable release Visual FoxPro 9.0 Service Pack 2 (SP2) / October 11, 2007 

Operating system Microsoft Windows 

Platform x86 and greater 

Available in IDE: English, German, Spanish 

Runtime: Above, French, Chinese, Russian, Czech, Korean 

Development status Maintenance mode 

Type Database Programming language 


Website 

msdn.microsoft.com/vfoxpro [1] 

Visual FoxPro is a data-centric object-oriented and procedural programming language produced by Microsoft. It is 

derived from FoxPro (originally known as FoxBASE) which was developed by Fox Software beginning in 1984. 

Fox Technologies merged with Microsoft in 1992, after which the software acquired further features and the prefix 

"Visual". The last version of FoxPro (2.6) worked under Mac OS, DOS, Windows, and Unix: Visual FoxPro 3.0, the 

first "Visual" version, dropped the platform support to only Mac and Windows, and later versions were 

Windows-only. The current version of Visual FoxPro is COM-based and Microsoft has stated that they do not intend 

to create a Microsoft .NET version. 

FoxPro originated as a member of the class of languages commonly referred to as "xBase" languages, which have 

syntax based on the dBase programming language. Other members of the xBase language family include Clipper and 

Recital. (A history of the early years of xBase can be found in the dBase entry.) 

Visual FoxPro, commonly abbreviated as VFP, is tightly integrated with its own relational database engine, which 

extends FoxPro's xBase capabilities to support SQL query and data manipulation. Unlike most database management 

systems, Visual FoxPro is a full-featured, dynamic programming language that does not require the use of an 

additional general-purpose programming environment. It can be used to write not just traditional "fat client" 

applications, but also middleware and web applications.


Recent history 

In late 2002, it was demonstrated that Visual FoxPro can run on Linux under the Wine Windows compatibility suite. 

In 2003, this led to complaints by Microsoft: it was claimed that the deployment of runtime FoxPro code on 

non-Windows machines violates the End User License Agreement. [2] 

In December 2005, VFP broke into the top 20 on Tiobe index [3] for the first time. In March 2007 it was at position 

19, making it a "B" language. As of April, 2010, VFP (combined with xBase) is at position 39. 

In March 2007, Microsoft announced that there will be no VFP 10 [4] , thus making VFP9 (released to manufacturing 

on December 17, 2004) the last commercial VFP release from Microsoft. The support of Version 9 is ongoing with 

service packs that were released December 8, 2005 and October 11, 2007. 

At the time of the end of life announcement, work on the next release codenamed Sedna (named after a recently 

discovered dwarf planet) which was built on top of the VFP9 codebase had already begun. "Sedna" is a set of 

add-ons to VFP 9.0 of XBase components to support a number of interoperability scenarios with various Microsoft 

technologies including SQL Server 2005, .NET Framework, Windows Vista, Office 2007, Windows Search and 

Team Foundation Server (TFS). Microsoft released Sedna under the Shared source license on the CodePlex site. 

Microsoft has clarified that the VFP core will still remain closed source. Sedna was released on January 25, 2008 [5] . 

As of March 2008, all XBase components of the VFP 9 SP2 (including Sedna) were available for 

community-development on CodePlex. 

In late March 2007 a grassroots campaign was started by the Spanish-speaking FoxPro community at MasFoxPro [6] 

(MoreFoxPro in English) to sign a petition to Microsoft to continue updating Visual FoxPro or release it to the 

community as Open Source. On April 3, 2007 the movement was noted by the technical press [7] 

Also on April 3, 2007 Microsoft responded to the petitioner's requests with this statement from Alan Griver: 

"We're very aware of the FoxPro community and that played a large 

part in what we announced on March 13th. It's never an easy decision to 

announce that we're not going to release another version of a product 

and it's one that we consider very carefully. 

"We're not announcing the end of FoxPro: Obviously, FoxPro 

applications will continue to work. By some of our internal estimates, 

there are more applications running in FoxPro 2.6 than there are in 

VFP and FoxPro 2.6 hasn't been supported in many years. Visual FoxPro 

9 will be supported by Microsoft through 2015. 

"For Microsoft to continue to evolve the FoxPro base, we would need 

to look at creating a 64-bit development environment and that would 

involve an almost complete rewrite of the core product. We've also 

invested in creating a scalable database with SQL Server, including the 

freely available SQL Server Express Edition. As far as forming a 

partnership with a third-party is concerned, we've heard from a number 

of large FoxPro customers that this would make it impossible for them 

to continue to use FoxPro since it would no longer be from an approved 

vendor. We felt that putting the environment into open source on 

CodePlex, which balances the needs of both the community and the large 

customers, was the best path forward."


Version information 

Operating system compatibility 

Supported Windows Versions 

Version VFP 3.0 VFP 5.0 VFP 6.0 VFP 7.0 VFP 8.0 VFP 9.0 

Windows 3.x Yes No No No No No 

Windows NT 4.0 Yes Yes Yes Yes No 

Windows 95 Yes Yes Yes Runtime 

Windows 98 Yes Yes Yes Yes Runtime 

Windows Me Yes Yes Yes Yes Runtime 

only 

No [8] 

No No 

only 

only 

Runtime 

only 

Runtime 

Windows 2000 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 

Windows XP Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 

Windows Server 2003 ? ? Yes Yes Yes Yes 

Windows Vista Compatibility Mode Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 

Windows 7 (Build 

7600) 

Information on executable files 

Version VERSION() returns EXE 

only 

? No Yes Yes Yes Yes 

Size 

EXE Date DLL Size DLL Name 

VFP 9 SP2 with Hotfixes Visual FoxPro 09.00.0000.7423 for Windows 5,648 kb April 3, 2009 4,624 kb VFP9R.DLL 

VFP 9 SP2 Visual FoxPro 09.00.0000.5721 for Windows 5,648 kb September 21, 2007 4,624 kb VFP9R.DLL 

VFP 9 Visual FoxPro 09.00.0000.2412 for Windows 5,620 kb December 13, 2004 4,600 kb VFP9R.DLL 

VFP 8 Visual FoxPro 08.00.0000.3117 for Windows 5,236 kb September 25, 2003 4,200 kb VFP8R.DLL 

VFP 7 Visual FoxPro 07.00.0000.9465 for Windows 4,260 kb January 4, 2002 3,344 kb VFP7R.DLL 

VFP 6 Visual FoxPro 06.00.8961.00 for Windows 4,091 kb August 18, 2000 3,295 kb VFP6R.DLL 

VFP 5 Visual FoxPro 5.0.0.415 for Windows 4,065 kb January 24, 1997 3,148 kb VFP500.DLL 

VFP 3 Visual FoxPro 03.00.00.0711 for Windows 4,374 kb December 16, 1995 3,657 kb VFP300.ESL 

FPW 2.6a FoxPro 2.6a for Windows 2,444 kb September 28, 1994 2,946 kb FOXW2600.ESL


Code samples 

Hello World example: 

MESSAGEBOX("Hello World") 

Object 

loForm = CREATEOBJECT("HiForm") 

loForm.Show(1) 

DEFINE CLASS HiForm AS Form 

AutoCenter = .T. 

Caption = "Hello, World" 

ADD OBJECT lblHi as Label WITH ; 

Caption = "Hello, World!" 

ENDDEFINE 

loMine = CREATEOBJECT("MyClass") 

Output of the Hello World program. 

? loMine.cProp1 && This will work. (Double-ampersand marks an end-of-line comment) 

? loMine.cProp2 && Program Error: Property CPROP2 is not found. 

? loMine.MyMethod1() && This will work. 

? loMine.MyMethod2() && Program Error: Property MYMETHOD2 is not found. 

DEFINE CLASS MyClass AS Custom 

cProp1 = "My Property" && This is a public property 

HIDDEN cProp2 && This is a private (hidden) property 

PROCEDURE Init() && Class constructor 

This.cProp2 = "This is a hidden property." 

ENDPROC 

PROCEDURE MyMethod1() 

* This is a public method, calling a hidden method that returns 

* the value of a hidden property. 

RETURN This.MyMethod2() 

ENDPROC 

HIDDEN PROCEDURE MyMethod2() && This is a private (hidden) method 

RETURN This.cProp2 

ENDPROC 

ENDDEFINE


Data handling 

&& Create a table 

CREATE TABLE randData (iData I) 

&& Populate with random data using xBase and SQL DML commands 

FOR i = 1 TO 50 

APPEND BLANK 

REPLACE iData WITH (RAND() * 100) 

INSERT INTO randData (iData) VALUES (RAND() * 100) Output of the Data handling program. 

ENDFOR 

&& Place a structural index on the data 

INDEX ON iData TAG iData 

CLOSE ALL 

&& Display ordered data using xBase-style commands 

USE randData 

SET ORDER TO iData 

GO TOP 

LIST NEXT 10 && First 10 

SKIP 81 

LIST NEXT 10 && Last 10 

CLOSE ALL 

&& Browse ordered data using SQL DML commands 

SELECT * ; 

FROM randData ; 

ORDER BY iData DESCENDING 

ODBC access using SQL passthrough 

&& Connect to an ODBC data source 

LOCAL nHnd 

nHnd = SQLCONNECT ("ODBCDSN", "user", "pwd") 

&& Execute a SQL command 

LOCAL nResult 

nResult = SQLEXEC (nHnd, "USE master") 

IF nResult < 0 

MESSAGEBOX ("MASTER database does not exist!") 

RETURN 

ENDIF 

&& Retrieve data from the remote server and stores it in 

&& a local data cursor


nResult = SQLEXEC (nHnd, "SELECT * FROM authors", "QAUTHORS") 

&& Update a record in a remote table using parameters 

LOCAL cAuthorID, cAuthorName 

cAuthorID = "1001" 

cAuthorName = "New name" 

nResult = SQLEXEC (nHnd, "UPDATE authors SET auth_name = ?cAuthorName WHERE auth_id = ?cAuthorID") 

&& Close the connection 

SQLDISCONNECT(nHnd) 

Beta code names 

• VFP 3 - Taz 

• VFP 5 - RoadRunner 

• VFP 6 - Tahoe 

• VFP 7 - Sedona 

• VFP 8 - Toledo 

• VFP 9 - Europa 

• VFP Next - Sedna 


Microsoft pages 

• Main Visual FoxPro Microsoft page [9] 

• MSDN FoxPro support board [10] 

• VFP's online help [11] 

• Microsoft VFP 9 support [12] 

• Visual FoxPro Downloads page [13] 

Other pages 

• Visual FoxPro Wiki [14] A repository of FoxPro information (written in VFP) 

• A site devoted to the history of FoxPro [15] 

• VFPx [16] A Visual FoxPro Community effort to create open source add-ons for VFP 9.0 

References 

[1] http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ vfoxpro 

[2] VFP and Linux - Visual FoxPro Wiki (http:/ / fox. wikis. com/ wc. dll?Wiki~VFPandLinux) 

[3] Tiobe Index History for FoxPro (http:/ / www. tiobe. com/ index. php/ paperinfo/ tpci/ FoxPro_xBase. html) 

[4] A Message to the Community (http:/ / msdn2. microsoft. com/ en-us/ vfoxpro/ bb308952. aspx) 

[5] Microsoft SEDNA download (http:/ / www. microsoft. com/ downloads/ details. 

aspx?FamilyId=C04BCF8C-0944-49F0-AC2B-563518CE1D70& displaylang=en) 

[6] MasFoxPro (http:/ / www. masfoxpro. com) 

[7] Developers petition Microsoft to reconsider FoxPro phase out (http:/ / blogs. zdnet. com/ microsoft/ ?p=361) Posted by Mary Jo Foley (April 

3rd, 2007) - All about Microsoft - ZDNet.com 

[8] - The free patch for VFP 9.0 has been created by the German FoxPro User Group (dFPUG) and is available at the dFPUG document portal in 

the directory http:/ / portal. dfpug. de/ dFPUG/ Dokumente/ Freeware/ . It allows you to run VFP 9.0 applications on NT 4.0. Microsoft has 

indicated that this will be addressed in VFP 9.0 SP1. 

[9] http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ vfoxpro/


[10] http:/ / forums. microsoft. com/ msdn/ showforum. aspx?forumid=60& siteid=1 


[12] http:/ / support. microsoft. com/ vfp9 

[13] http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ vfoxpro/ bb190230. aspx 

[14] http:/ / fox. wikis. com 

[15] http:/ / www. foxprohistory. org 

[16] http:/ / vfpx. codeplex. com 

XLeratorDB 

XLeratorDB is a suite of database function libraries that enable Microsoft SQL Server to perform a wide range of 

additional (non-native) business intelligence and ad hoc analytics. The libraries, which are embedded and run 

centrally on the database, include more than 300 individual functions similar to those found in Microsoft Excel 

spreadsheets. The individual functions are grouped and sold as six separate libraries based on usage: finance, 

statistics, math, engineering, unit conversions and strings. WestClinTech, the company that developed XLeratorDB, 

claims it is "the first commercial function package add-in for Microsoft SQL Server." [1] 

Company history 

WestClinTech (LLC), founded by software industry veterans Charles Flock and Joe Stampf in 2008, is located in 

Irvington, New York, USA. Flock was a co-founder of The Frustum Group, developer of the OPICS enterprise 

banking and trading platform, which was acquired by London-based Misys, PLC in 1996. [2] Stampf joined Frustum 

in 1994 and with Flock remained active with the company after acquisition, helping to develop successive 

generations of OPICS now employed by over 150 leading financial institutions worldwide. [3] 

Following a full year of research, development and testing, WestClinTech introduced and recorded its first 

commercial sale of XLeratorDB in April 2009. [4] [5] In September 2009, XLeratorDB became available to all 

Federal agencies through NASA's Strategic Enterprise-Wide Procurement (SEWP-IV) program, a government-wide 

acquisition contract. [6] 

Technology 

XLeratorDB uses Microsoft SQL CLR(Common Language Runtime) technology. [7] SQL CLR allows managed 

code to be hosted by, and run in, the Microsoft SQL Server environment. SQL CLR relies on the creation, 

deployment and registration of .NET Framework assemblies that are physically stored in managed code 

dynamic-link libraries (DLL). The assemblies may contain .NET namespaces, classes, functions, and properties. 

Because managed code compiles to native code prior to execution, functions using SQL CLR can achieve significant 

performance increases versus the equivalent functions written in T-SQL in some scenarios. [8] 

XLeratorDB requires Microsoft SQL Server 2005 or SQL Server 2005 Express editions, or later (compatibility 

mode 90 or higher). [9] The product installs with PERMISSION_SET=SAFE. SAFE mode, the most restrictive 

permission set, is accessible by all users. Code executed by an assembly with SAFE permissions cannot access 

external system resources such as files, the network, the internet, environment variables, or the registry. [10]

XLeratorDB 72 

Functions 

In computer science, a function is a portion of code within a larger program which performs a specific task and is 

relatively independent of the remaining code. As used in database and spreadsheet applications these functions 

generally represent mathematical formulas widely used across a variety of fields. While this code may be 

user-generated, it is also embedded as a pre-written sub-routine in applications. These functions are typically 

identified by common nomenclature which corresponds to their underlying operations: e.g. IRR identifies the 

function which calculates Internal Rate of Return on a series of periodic cash flows. 

Function uses 

As sub-routines functions can be integrated and used in a variety of ways, and in a wide variety of larger, more 

complicated applications. Within large enterprise applications they may, for example, play an important role in 

defining business rules or risk management parameters, while remaining virtually undetected by end users. Within 

database management systems and spreadsheets, however, these kinds of functions also represent discrete sets of 

tools; they can be accessed directly and utilized on a stand-alone basis, or in more complex, user-defined 

configurations. In this context, functions can be used for business intelligence and ad hoc analysis of data in fields 

such as finance, statistics, engineering, math, etc. 

Function types 

XLeratorDB uses three kinds of functions to perform analytic operations: scalar, aggregate, and a hybrid form 

which WestClinTech calls Range Queries. Scalar functions take a single value, perform an operation and return a 

single value. [11] An example of this type of function is LOG, which returns the logarithm of a number to a specified 

base. [12] Aggregate functions operate on a series of values but return a single, summarizing value. An example of 

this type of function is AVG, which returns the average of values in a specified group. [13] 

In XLeratorDB there are some functions which have characteristics of aggregate functions (operating on multiple 

series of values) but cannot be processed in SQL CLR using single column inputs, such as AVG does. For example, 

irregular internal rate of return (XIRR), a financial function, operates on a collection of cash flow values from one 

column, but must also apply variable period lengths from another column and an initial iterative assumption from a 

third, in order to return a single, summarizing value. WestClinTech documentation notes that Range Queries specify 

the data to be included in the result set of the function independently of the WHERE clause associated with the 

T-SQL statement, by incorporating a SELECT statement into the function as a string argument; the function then 

traps that SELECT statement, executes it internally and processes the result. [14] 

Some XLeratorDB functions that employ Range Queries are: NPV, XNPV, IRR, XIRR, MIRR, 

MULTINOMIAL, and SERIESSUM. Within the application these functions are identified by a "_q" naming 

convention: e.g. NPV_q, IRR_q, etc. [15] 

Analytic functions 

SQL Server functions 

Microsoft SQL Server is the #3 selling database management system (DBMS), behind Oracle and IBM. [16] (While 

versions of SQL Server have been on the market since 1987 [17] , XLeratorDB is compatible with only the 2005 

edition and later.) Like all major DBMS, SQL Server performs a variety of data mining operations by returning or 

arraying data in different views (also known as drill-down). In addition, SQL Server uses Transact-SQL (T-SQL) [18] 

to execute four major classes of pre-defined functions in native mode. [19] Functions operating on the DBMS offer 

several advantages over client layer applications like Excel: they utilize the most up-to-date data available; they can 

process far larger quantities of data; and, the data is not subject to exporting and transcription errors [20] .

XLeratorDB 73 

SQL Server 2008 includes a total of 58 functions that perform relatively basic aggregation (12), math (23) and string 

manipulation (23) operations useful for analytics; it includes no native functions that perform more complex 

operations directly related to finance, statistics or engineering. [21] 

Excel functions 

Microsoft Excel, a component of Microsoft Office suite, is one of the most widely used spreadsheet applications on 

the market today. [22] In addition to its inherent utility as a stand-alone desktop application, Excel overlaps and 

complements the functionality of DBMS in several ways: storing and arraying data in rows and columns; performing 

certain basic tasks such as pivot table [23] and aggregating values; and facilitating sharing, importing and exporting of 

database data. Excel’s chief limitation relative to a true database is capacity; Excel 2003 is limited to some 65k rows 

and 256 columns; Excel 2007 extends this capacity to roughly 1million rows and 16k columns. [24] By comparison, 

SQL Server is able to manage over 500k terabytes of memory. [25] 

Excel offers, however, an extensive library of specialized pre-written functions which are useful for performing ad 

hoc analysis on database data. Excel 2007 includes over 300 of these pre-defined functions, although customized 

functions can also be created by users, or imported from third party developers as add-ons. Excel functions are 

grouped by type: [26] 

Excel Functions 

Financial Statistical Engineering Math and trig 

Information Date and time Text and 

Add-ins 

and 

automation 

Excel business intelligence functions 

Lookup and 

reference 

data 

Logical 

Cube Database and 

list 

management 

Operating on the client computing layer Excel plays an important role as a business intelligence tool [27] because it: 

• performs a wide array of complex analytic functions not native to most DBMS software 

• offers far greater ad hoc reporting and analytic flexibility than most enterprise software 

• provides a medium for sharing and collaborating because of its ubiquity throughout the enterprise 

Microsoft reinforces this positioning with Business Intelligence documentation that positions Excel in a clearly 

pivotal role. [28] 

XLeratorDB vs. Excel functions 

While operating within the database environment, XLeratorDB functions utilize the same naming conventions and 

input formats, and in most cases, return the same calculation results as Excel functions. [29] XLeratorDB, coupled 

with SQL Server's native capabilities, compares to Excel's function sets as follows:

XLeratorDB 74 


Function 

Type 

• XLeratorDB website [30] 

Excel 2007 XLeratorDB + SQL Server 

Total Total Match New Native 

Financial 52 63 50 13 0 

Statistics 83 131 65 54 12 

Math 59 73 34 16 23 

Engineering 39 42 38 4 0 

Conversions* 49 77 0 77 0 

Strings 26 58 11 24 23 

*Microsoft includes these functions within Engineering using variable input configurations 

• Microsoft SQL Server Documentation [31] 

• Microsoft Excel Documentation [32] 

References 

[1] http:/ / WestClinTech. com/ Home/ tabid/ 36/ Default. aspx 

[2] http:/ / www. fundinguniverse. com/ company-histories/ Misys-PLC-Company-History. html 

[3] http:/ / www. misys. com/ tcm/ markets/ otc_derivative_trading_solutions-opics_plus. html 

[4] http:/ / www. sqlmag. com/ Articles/ ArticleID/ 102126/ 102126. html?Ad=1 

[5] http:/ / WestClinTech. com/ CaseStudyNewlandCommunities/ tabid/ 178/ Default. aspx 

[6] http:/ / www. sewp. nasa. gov/ index. shtml 

[7] http:/ / WestClinTech. com/ wct_local/ Documentation/ AboutXLeratorDB/ tabid/ 148/ topic/ Technology/ Default. aspx 

[8] This needs a reference 

[9] http:/ / WestClinTech. com/ Support/ FAQ/ tabid/ 143/ Default. aspx#PL_A1_RequiredToInstall 

[10] See SQL Server DBMS documentation at: http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms130214. aspx 

[11] Also see: http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms174318. aspx 

[12] Excel definition at: http:/ / office. microsoft. com/ en-us/ excel/ HP100624401033. aspx 

[13] SQL Server definition at: http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms177677. aspx 

[14] http:/ / WestClinTech. com/ wct_local/ Documentation/ AboutXLeratorDB/ tabid/ 148/ topic/ Range%20Queries/ Default. aspx 

[15] See XLeratorDB Function Packages information box, above 

[16] IDC COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS: Worldwide Relational Database Management Systems 2007 Vendor Shares, Carl W. Olofson, June 

2008, IDC #212840, Volume: 1, Tab: Markets 

[17] http:/ / e-articles. info/ e/ a/ title/ A-Brief-History-of-Microsoft-SQL-Server/ 

[18] http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms166026%28SQL. 90%29. aspx 


[20] IBM refers to this as "no-paste analytics. See Data Warehousing documentation. 

[21] http:/ / msdn. microsoft. com/ en-us/ library/ ms174318%28v=SQL. 100%29. aspx 

[22] Various sources suggest Office/Excel market share exceeds 90%, but this needs a specific source/citation 

[23] http:/ / searchsqlserver. techtarget. com/ sDefinition/ 0,,sid87_gci875976,00. html 

[24] See Excel documentation 


[26] http:/ / office. microsoft. com/ en-us/ excel/ HA102775241033. aspx 

[27] See general Business Intelligence documentation Microsoft and IBM, for example: http:/ / download. boulder. ibm. com/ ibmdl/ pub/ 

software/ data/ sw-library/ cognos/ pdfs/ factsheets/ fs_cognos8bi_analysis_for_microsoft_excel. pdf 

[28] http:/ / www. microsoft. com/ presspass/ newsroom/ office/ BusinessIntelligenceFS. mspx 

[29] http:/ / www. WestClinTech. com/ Blog/ tabid/ 132/ EntryID/ 19/ Default. aspx 

[30] http:/ / www. WestClinTech. com/ 

[31] http:/ / www. microsoft. com/ sqlserver/ 2008/ en/ us/ default. aspx

XLeratorDB 75 

[32] http:/ / office. microsoft. com/ en-us/ excel/ default. aspx


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AgentCDE, Ahoerstemeier, Ajcomeau, Alaudo, Albert Kallal, Aldaron, AlexDybenko, Alexander.hugh.george, Alexdyb, Amelia Hunt, Amicron, Anonymoues, Antalas, Antandrus, Aruton, 

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SQL Query Analyzer Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=357751831 Contributors: Cnovy, GeorgeLouis, Mseliw, Phalseid 

SQL Server Integration Services Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=361606781 Contributors: Brammp, Conscious, CosineKitty, Cwolfsheep, Extremesanity, FleetCommand, 

Flstc07, Fred Bradstadt, Freecyprus, Fuhghettaboutit, Ggoli, Haakon, Inquam, J mareeswaran, Kai 92604, Leigh, Longshot14, Lsavidge, MaggotArt, Mahesh Bakal, Mcharper, Mikeblas, 

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SQL Server Management Studio Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=362936463 Contributors: Anas2048, Anton Gutsunaev, Balasionut, Bebo930, Brianga, Dawynn, 

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SQL Server Notification Services Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=317989811 Contributors: Aldryd, Chowbok, Crazy Boris with a red beard, Cwolfsheep, FleetCommand, 

Kendallsoft, Torc2, 9 anonymous edits 

SQL Server Reporting Services Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=361637781 Contributors: AdamCogan, Bobblehead, Bwelcker, Cwolfsheep, Deimorz, Ffaint, Gary King, 

Genericprodigy, Geverend, Karthikshanth, Kgwikipedian, Kuru, MER-C, Macrakis, Max max mir, Northgrove, Paul Foxworthy, Raviking001, Reportrunner, Rodders147, Rror, ShatteredArm, 

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Microsoft Query by Example Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=346069771 Contributors: Dawynn, Jni, KeyStroke, Pegship, RedWolf, Schmiteye, ScottDavis, Ta bu shi da 

yu, TurboGiant, 11 anonymous edits 

Microsoft Analysis Services Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=363628054 Contributors: Andy Dingley, Angelo.romano, Colonies Chris, Cutley, Cwolfsheep, Drewgut, 

EbenVisher, Edwardmel, Exprexxo, FleetCommand, JLaTondre, Ketiltrout, Mikeblas, Nricardo, Ropez, Schmiteye, Soumyasch, Tntdj, Warren, Wikiolap, ZMerLynn, Île flottante, 60 anonymous 

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Professional Association for SQL Server Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=359202830 Contributors: Darklilac, Hotfusioncommunications, Nfomi, PaulNielsenSQL, 

RedWolf, 1 anonymous edits 

AutoNumber Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=351132016 Contributors: Dawynn, Moverton, Santryl, Tckma, Thnder, Uncle G, 1 anonymous edits 

Bulk Copy Program Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=360123498 Contributors: Alephnot, Alksub, Danosmith, Fabrictramp, Gary King, Kalotus, Leolaursen, Mattisse, Norm 

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Business Intelligence Development Studio Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=346064517 Contributors: Dawynn, Soumyasch, Wikiolap, 5 anonymous edits 

Scome Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=331620358 Contributors: MuffledThud, RP459, Smile4mo, The drewster 

Data Transformation Services Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=352022060 Contributors: 10stone5, Can't sleep, clown will eat me, Downtown dan seattle, Fbd, Ggoli, 

Jaglog2, Joinarnold, Ketiltrout, Kiore, Kmorozov, Margyl, Megaman en m, Michael Hardy, Mikeblas, Nite eagle, Oleg Alexandrov, Quadell, Rjwilmsi, Sarnholm, Seany72, Stevage, Tonicblue, 

TurningWork, UnitedStatesian, Veyklevar, Warren, Wikiolap, 62 anonymous edits 

Database engine tuning advisor Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=354342312 Contributors: Buddy23Lee, Ciphers, Nicholasethier, Tejmur


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Soumyasch, Tabletop, TheParanoidOne, UC Bill, Warren, 9 anonymous edits 

Extensible Storage Engine Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=363664253 Contributors: CDV, CarolGray, Comps, Cwolfsheep, DLOD, DRE, Dccwilliams, Family Guy Guy, 

FleetCommand, Kubanczyk, Moocha, Mtlk, Nerdrew, Nono64, OmerMor, Pozcircuitboy, Reporter32123, Rimefrost, Rjwilmsi, SeanBDurkin, Sharcho, Soumyasch, Sydbarrett74, Thalter, 

Thunderbird2, Volt42, Warren, Winterheat, 32 anonymous edits 

FoxPro 2 Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=349382734 Contributors: Alexf, BillWSmithJr, CRGreathouse, Cander0000, Fragglet, Georgeryp, GregorB, Gurch, Igor2004, 

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Microsoft Jet Database Engine Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=363103658 Contributors: AP61, Alaudo, AlistairMcMillan, Am088, Bdog42, Borgx, Cander0000, Causa 

sui, Charles Matthews, Chowbok, Chris the speller, Christopher G Lewis, Conscious, Cwolfsheep, DOSGuy, Echoray, EdGl, FleetCommand, Flydpnkrtn, GPHemsley, GraemeL, Howcheng, 

Hpce, IntoCom, Ivan Pozdeev, Jleedev, JonH, Kim Bruning, Kubanczyk, Lschwa01, Lupo, Mdmatney, Michael Greiner, Michael412, Mild Bill Hiccup, P Ingerson, Pavel Vozenilek, Peterl, 

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Report Definition Language Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=352998102 Contributors: Emurphy42, Kingturtle, Largoplazo, Macrakis, Polluks, Rodders147, Scottwilleke, 

Ver, 22 anonymous edits 

Upsizing (database) Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=247137470 Contributors: Alaudo, Bunnyhop11, CRGreathouse, Gjbakker, 2 anonymous edits 

Visual FoxPro Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=361705326 Contributors: Aivosto, Albanaco, Ale jrb, Alexf, Andre Engels, Andrzej P. Wozniak, AnimalFriend, 

ArmadilloFromHell, Aspnetajax, Audriusa, Auntof6, AxelBoldt, Balrog-kun, Bigown, BillWSmithJr, Brat32, CBM, CRGreathouse, Cander0000, Captain Trips, Cdw1952, CraigBailey, 

CraigoJazz, Danakil, Dkalweit, EEMIV, EdBever, Ekjon Lok, Elwhitney, Ericsalim, Eurleif, Faisal.akeel, Fazilati, Funke, Galaad2, GeorgeMoney, Gioto, Gombang, Greenrd, Grstain, Gudeldar, 

Haggisbingo, Halleyscomet, HedgeHog, Hilmarz, Icseaturtles, Igor2004, Imroy, Introvert, JCLately, Jasabella, Jeltz, JesseHogan, Jutiphan, Jvhertum, Kentcurtis, Kesla, Kuru, Lexie 40, Lovelac7, 

Luna Santin, Mathmo, Maury Markowitz, Mellery, Mikaey, Mikeblas, Mikenolte, Mlaffs, Mmerlinn, Modster, Mxn, Norm mit, Notbyworks, Notinthisworld, Pol098, Pro bug catcher, Rboatright, 

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Surv1v4l1st, Ta bu shi da yu, Thalter, TheCatalyst31, Thingg, Tiffer, ToddClausen, ToolmakerSteve, Topbanana, Ubzy, VX, Vespina, Waza, Wik, William Allen Simpson, Wizardman, Zaiken, 

247 anonymous edits 

XLeratorDB Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=355575851 Contributors: Belovedfreak, Cander0000, Difu Wu, Drbreznjev, Dthomsen8, J04n, Jpbowen, R'n'B, Sqltool, 1 

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Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors 78 

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AutumnSnow 

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Sqltool

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