What is SQL Server?

SQL Server is a relational database management system (RDBMS) created by Microsoft to facilitate a range of transaction processing, analytics applications, and business intelligence tasks. In this overview, you’ll learn more about what SQL Server is, what it can do, who uses it, and how to learn it so you can determine how to add this skill to your professional toolbox.

What Can You Do with SQL Server?

SQL Server has many uses for those tasked with managing and storing information in relational databases. It supports core operations in analytics, transaction process, and business intelligence. Any information on the server is stored in the relational database. However, the system comprises more than a database; it also includes a management system. 

Microsoft SQL Server is especially useful in the business sector. The database stores and manages a variety of business information. This system also facilitates data sharing by computers in the same network, which can increase reliability. Not only that, but SQL Server can also improve the speed at which data is processed, which makes it easier to execute large operations. In addition to creating and maintaining databases, SQL Server also analyzes data through SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS). It creates reports using SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS). It executes ETL operations using SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS).

Another benefit to working with SQL Server is that it provides a range of features for advanced performance. This system has encryption features, as well as transparent data compression. In addition, users don’t need to modify programs to secure and encrypt their data. SQL Server also includes efficient management tools for permission and access controls that can secure sensitive business data.

How Do You Download SQL Server? How Much Does it Cost?

If you’re interested in downloading SQL Server, it’s available on Microsoft’s website. SQL Server is easy to install with the help of the setup wizard. Unlike other database servers requiring complicated command-line configuration, SQL Server has a user-friendly installation interface. Not only is there a one-click installation process, but this product also includes a readable GUI and detailed instructions. 

In terms of cost, SQL Server is available for different price points:

• SQL Enterprise is available for $13,748. This price includes a two-core pack licensing model. 

• SQL Standard (per core) costs $3,586 for a two-core pack.

• SQL Standard (server) is offered for $899 for a server licensing model.

• SQL Standard (CAL) can be downloaded for $209 for a CAL licensing model.

• SQL Web pricing is unavailable on Microsoft’s site; those who want to download this version can consult their hosting partner for pricing.

In addition to the SQL Server versions available for purchase, free versions are also offered. SQL Server 2019 Developer is a free, full-featured edition licensed for non-production environments. SQL Server 2019 Express is also available for free. This edition has a range of applications for production and development for desktop, web, and small servers.

What Are the Benefits of Learning SQL Server?

In 2020, Stack Overflow listed SQL Server as one of the top three most popular databases. This trend is expected to continue in the coming years, so there will be a demand for those trained to use SQL Server. In addition, working with Microsoft software is a good choice for entrepreneurs because of benefits such as clear licenses, excellent customer service and support, and how easy it is to implement. SQL Server remains a popular option because it’s been on the market for 35 years. Because of its longevity, it’s possible to find experts familiar with this RDBMS. This is not always possible with newer products and solutions like NoSQL.

There are many benefits to working with SQL Server. This product has a one-click installation procedure, which includes instructions that are easy to understand. This product offers excellent encryption and compression capabilities, which can help improve retrieval functions and data storage. In addition, Microsoft SQL Server is one of the most secure database servers; its encryption algorithms make it extremely difficult to crack the user’s security layers. Because SQL Server isn’t an open-source database server, this also mitigates the possibility of database server attacks. Another reason many individuals appreciate working with SQL Server is that multiple editions are available with different price points for enterprise, standard, workgroup, express, and developer usage. 

Read more about why you should learn SQL Server.

SQL Server Careers

Microsoft SQL Server is used across a range of industries and professions. Currently, it is used by over 400,000 companies. SQL Server is used by organizations such as Amtrak, Cigna, PNC, Humana, John Deere, Garmin International, Morgan Stanley, and Bank of America. The following are just some of the careers in which SQL Server skills are valuable, as well as how these skills are used:

• Database Administrators are in charge of creating, administering, and maintaining a SQL Server database. 

• ETL Developers often work with SQL Server Integration Services for the ETL process of extracting, transforming, and loading data.

• Database Developers design and implement databases for various applications. This often requires a sound knowledge of ETL solutions and T-SQL. 

• BI Developers are often involved with data transformations, warehousing, and reporting tasks. They sometimes use SSAS, SSIS, and SSRS when working with SQL Server.

• Developers who write code in Java or another programming language often need to connect to SQL Server to complete projects. The more familiar you are with the database, the easier it will be to complete work. In addition, some tasks are more efficient using T-SQL rather than UI. 

• Data Analysts gather and analyze data to find actionable insights that can help their organization make more informed business decisions. Data Analysts sometimes use Microsoft Power BI for these tasks, which can require understanding technologies such as multidimensional Tabular models or SSAS data mining.

• BI Administrators perform tasks such as creating backups, running ETL processes, and processing cubes. These professionals often have SQL Server skills, such as a background working with SSAS, which can help them monitor the environment’s security.

How to Learn SQL Server

If you are interested in studying SQL Server, a variety of excellent learning options are available in person and online. Choosing which one is best for you will likely depend on certain variables, such as your ability to commute to class and the demands of your current schedule.

For those who thrive in the traditional classroom environment, in-person SQL Server classes are a great option. Participants in this engaging learning format have access to a computer lab, which has computers loaded with the most up-to-date software and applications. In addition, courses are led by an expert instructor with industry experience working with SQL Server. You can ask questions as they arise and receive guidance along the way. The small class setting is also an excellent opportunity to connect with other learners, which can facilitate networking. Although in-person study does require attending regularly scheduled meetings, which may require taking off work, this engaging learning format is ideal for extroverted learners who cherish the opportunity to receive feedback and help with complicated database questions.

In addition to in-person study, live online SQL Server courses are also available. Like in-person classes, students receive instruction from an expert instructor in real time. This provides a platform where students can ask questions as they arise and receive immediate feedback. One of the main benefits of live online coursework is that you can complete it remotely from the comfort of your home or office. While this study option requires attending courses that meet regularly, which may require taking off work to attend, you won’t have to drive across town at rush hour or search for parking to study SQL Server.

Another online learning format for SQL Server study is self-paced SQL Server coursework. Whereas live online classes require meeting at a recurring, regularly scheduled time, asynchronous study occurs entirely on your own. Video content and tutorials are typically pre-recorded. This means that they can be watched as often as necessary, as well as paused and rewound to facilitate note taking. The flexibility of this learning option makes it a good option for those who have to balance their SQL Server study with travel, work, and family commitments. While self-paced SQL Server study is a good starting point for those new to this field, since no instructor is available to answer questions, it can be challenging to learn complicated database skills in this format. This is why on-demand study is a good starting point, but to master more advanced concepts, it’s crucial to have access to an instructor.

If you want to learn about SQL, you can visit Noble Desktop’s free Learn SQL Hub. Content is available on various SQL topics, such as using SQL for business analytics, working with SQL queries, and installing SQL Server Express. Noble also has an Intro to SQL free seminar, a great starting point for your SQL studies. Noble’s Python, Data Science, & SQL YouTube playlist is also a rich resource for content on SQL and related topics. 

You can also browse SQL Server classes close to home if you’re interested in finding local learning options.

Read the full guide on how to learn SQL Server. 

A Brief History of SQL Server

SQL Server v1.0 was the first Microsoft SQL Server database released in 1989. This 16-bit relational database was created for OS/2 operating systems. More than 20 versions of SQL Server have been released over the past decades. The following is a brief history of the evolution of SQL Server from this first version to the current 2019 version, noting the most important versions:

• SQL Server 7.0 Splash Screen was released in 1998. This was a rewrite in C++ of a prior Sybase engine. This new version included improvements such as increasing the size of data pages from 2k to 8k bytes and expanding extents from 16k bytes to 64k bytes. This was the last version that ran on the DEC Alpha platform.

• SQL Server 2000 had additional extensions and modifications, such as support for IA-C4 architecture. This version also introduced improvements to the T-SQL language, like user-defined functions, table variables, and basic XML support.

• SQL Server 2005 provided native support for XML data management and relational data. In addition, common language runtime integration was included with this version, which allowed users to write SQL code as Managed Code by the common language runtime. T-SQL was also augmented to include error-handling features. New indexing algorithms and a better error recovery system were added as well.

• SQL Server 2008 provided support for structured and semi-structured data, such as audio, video, and pictures.

• SQL Server 2012 was the last version that natively supported OLE DB. This version included features like Always On SQL Server Failover Cluster Instances and Availability Groups, which offered options for better database availability, programming enhancements, and new Dynamic Management Views and Functions.

• SQL Server 2014 included new in-memory capability for tablets. This version also offered the SSD Buffer Pool Extension, which improved the performance between spinning media and RAM by cache.

• SQL Server 2016 was only supported on x64 processors rather than x86 processors.

• SQL Server 2019 is the most current SQL Server version available from Microsoft. This version offers Big Data Clusters for SQL Server, as well as improvements to SQL Server Analysis Services, SQL Server database engine, and SQL Server Machine Learning Services, among others.

Comparable Relational Database Management Systems

If you’re interested in exploring other relational database management systems beyond SQL Server, one alternative is MySQL. MySQL is the most popular open-source database available. It powers a range of the most widely accessed applications, such as Twitter, Facebook, Uber, Netflix, Booking.com, Airbnb, and Shopify. Because MySQL is open source, it offers a variety of features that have been developed with users' input for 25 years. This means that MySQL likely supports your favorite programming language or application.

When comparing MySQL to SQL Server, there are many similarities and differences. Both use the standard table model found in relational databases, the column-and-row-based data storage model. Both offer fast performance speeds and have a similar syntax. In addition, both MySQL and SQL Server can scale with your organization as it grows. This means they can be used for projects of any size and support millions of daily transactions. Another commonality is that both support core programming languages like Java, Python, Ruby, C++, PHP, and Virtual Basic. 

MySQL and SQL Server also have many differences. In terms of pricing, MySQL is open-source and free. However, you must pay for support as needed. SQL Server, however, requires purchasing licenses for servers that run on the platform. This makes it a more expensive option. Regarding operating system compatibility, Microsoft created SQL Server for Windows OS, which is now available for macOS and Linux. On the other hand, MySQL performs smoothly on several popular operating systems, like Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows. 

Learn SQL Server with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop

Those who want to learn how to use SQL Server choose from a variety of excellent in-person and live online study options available through Noble Desktop. If you’re new to SQL Server and want to learn the basics, Noble’s in-person and live online SQL Server Bootcamp is for you. Participants in this program receive expert instruction about using MS SQL Server to locate information in databases using SQL queries. Students also receive instructions on joining tables, aggregating data, and filtering results. This class covers SQL Server and the free SQL Server Management Studio app. All participants have the option of a free course retake for up to a year after completing this bootcamp to revisit the material. 

Noble’s in-person or live online SQL Bootcamp is also available. This program prepares participants to use PostgreSQL. This hands-on class also teaches students to work with the free DBeaver app for exploring the database and executing queries. These concepts can be applied to other SQL flavors, such as MySQL and Microsoft SQL Server, with minor syntax changes.

If you want to browse Noble’s course offerings that provide SQL training, you can search for in-person and live online SQL courses. In addition to SQL Bootcamp and SQL Server Bootcamp, Noble also has courses such as the Data Science Certificate and Data Analytics Certificate, in which PostgreSQL training is provided. The content taught in these lessons can be applied to SQL Server.

Key Insights

• SQL Server is an RDBMS designed by Microsoft for analytics applications, BI tasks, and transaction processing.
• SQL Server has been around since 1989. Over 20 versions have been released in the time since.
• One alternative to working with SQL Server is MySQL. This open-source database is the most popular RDBMS in the world.
• You can receive comprehensive SQL Server training through an in-person or live online course with Noble Desktop.