Chapter 1. The Microsoft SQL Server Environment

by Bennett McEwan and Ray Rankins

IN THIS CHAPTER

• Overview of Client/Server

• SQL Server 2000 Components and Features

What is SQL Server 2000, exactly? When you first install the product, what are all the pieces you get, what do they do, and which of them do you need?

The SQL Server 2000 is a client/server database product that is actually made up of a number of different client and server programs that, together, make up the entire product, which provides a broad range of features and capabilities. This first chapter provides a brief overview of the client/server model and then describes each of the pieces that make up the SQL Server 2000 product and what role each component plays. All of the topics discussed in this chapter are dealt with in more detail in subsequent chapters in this book.