We Live In An Age Where Huge Amounts Of Data Are Generated Daily. It Is Why We Need A SQL Server Database To Organize Information So That Users Can Easily Access The Data. 

However, to access data quickly and correctly, we must first manage the databases. To do this, we need a tool called a database management system. One of the most popular options in this area is Microsoft SQL Server.

In this article, we will try to cover the details of SQL Server architecture, what and why SQL Server, how to use MS SQL Server, how to interact with Windows SQL Server, and problems related to SQL Server. First, let’s start with the basics and definitions.

What is SQL Server?

SQL Server is a relational database management system (RDBMS) developed by Microsoft. This tool is specifically designed to compete with My SQL and Oracle databases. SQL Server supports ANSI SQL, the standard SQL (Structured Search Language) language. However, inspired by SQL, SQL Server introduced a Microsoft language called T-SQL (or Transact-SQL) to the world of databases.

SQL servers provide high-performance data storage and manage large data sets on any computer connected to the network.

The main difference between SQL Server and Windows SQL Server is their usage. SQL servers store raw data, while Windows servers allow users to store formatted data such as spreadsheets, projects, images, and Word documents.

An important concept is the relational database management system, a set of capabilities and applications that help users create, manage, monitor, and interact with relational databases. Relational database management systems store data in tabular form. Most of them use SQL to work with databases.

SQL Server architecture

The three main components of a SQL Server architecture are the protocol layer, the relational engine, and the storage engine.

• Protocol layer: This layer supports three types of client-server architectures plus a stream and offers the following capabilities:
• Shared memory: The SQL client and run on one device can communicate with each other through a shared memory protocol.
• TCP / IP: This protocol allows the SQL client and server to communicate with each other if they are installed on separate machines and located remotely apart.
• Named Pipes. This protocol allows the SQL client and server to communicate over a local area network (LAN).
• TDS: All three protocols use Tabular Data Stream packages. These packages allow data to be transferred from the client machine to the server machine.

Relationship engine

The relational engine, also called the query processor, contains SQL Server components that specify precisely what a query should do and how to execute it. The relational engine runs user queries by requesting data from the backup storage and processing engine. The machine has the following three main components:

• CMD parser: The primary purpose of a CMD parser is to check queries for semantic and syntactic errors, then create a Query Tree. The parser is the first component of the relational engine that receives the dialog data.
• Optimizer: The optimizer works on comprehensive and internal heuristics algorithms to ultimately minimize query execution time and create an executable program. Note that Optimizer finds the cheapest template, not the best design.
• Query Executor: Supervises the process of building data retrieval logic. When the Executor receives the data from the Storage Engine, it publishes the processing result at the protocol layer. After publishing the results, the end-user provides the resulting data.

Storage engine

The Storage Engine stores data in a storage system such as a SAN or a disk and retrieves it when needed.

• File Types: The storage engine consists of three types of files which are primary, secondary, and report files.
• Access Method: This component is the interface between the query, the buffer manager, and the log report.
• Buffer Manager: This component manages the main functions of the following three modules:
• Plan Cache: The buffer manager looks for the existing executable program stored in Plan Cache.
• Data Parsing: The buffer manager then allows you to access the required data through the data parser and access the buffer module.
• Dirty Pages: These pages hold logical transaction processing data.
• Transaction Manager: The transaction manager module is activated when there are non-optional transactions, and these transactions must manage with Log and Lock Managers.

SQL Server Version History and Versions

SQL Server has been more than three decades since this version was released.

• 1989. Microsoft and Sybase have released version 1.0.
• 1993. Microsoft and Sybase terminated their partnership, but Microsoft retained the rights to SQL Server.
• 1998. Microsoft released SQL Server 7.0, which was a significant rewrite.
• 2000 . Microsoft released SQL Server 2000.
• 2005. Microsoft released SQL Server 2005.
• 2008. Microsoft released SQL Server 2008.
•  2010. Microsoft released SQL Server 2008 R2, adding new services and a core data management system.
• 2012. Microsoft released SQL Server 2012.
• 2014. Microsoft released SQL Server 2014.
• 2016. Microsoft released SQL Server 2016.
• 2017. Microsoft released SQL Server 2017 with Linux support.
• 2019. Microsoft introduced SQL Server 2019 with support for significant data clusters.

The following versions of SQL Server software are popular today:

• SQL Server Enterprise: Designed for high-level, large-scale business operations, it offers advanced analytics, high-level security, and machine learning capabilities.
• SQL Server Standard: The most suitable option for intermediate-level applications and data, including initial reporting and analysis.
• SQL Server WEB: Designed for web hosting and an affordable option, it is scalable and comes with the management capabilities needed to manage small to large websites.
• SQL Server Developer: Similar to the enterprise version but designed for non-production environments and used primarily for builds, tests, and demos.
• SQL Server Express: An open-source, a mid-range option designed for small-scale applications.

MS SQL Server based on client-server architecture

A client is a program that sends requests to MS SQL Server that must execute on a specific machine. The server can process the input data based on the received request. Finally, the server provides the processed data to the user as output.

With this description, we must say that the client is the requesting party, and the server is the party that starts the process that finally responds to that request.

SQL Server architecture components

• MS SQL Server consists of a series of services and components as follows:
• Database Engine: This component is responsible for storing, securing data, and fast processing transactions.
• SQL Server: This service starts, stops, suspends, and continues Microsoft Instance SQL Server instances. Its executable name is sqlservr.exe.
• SQL Server Agent: This factor is responsible for scheduling tasks triggered by any event or on-demand. Its executable name is sqlagent.exe.
• SQL Server Browser: This lender listens to incoming requests and connects them to the required SQL Server instance. Its executable name is sqlbrowser.exe.
• SQL Server Full-Text Search: This search component allows users to perform full-text queries on the character data contained in SQL tables. Its executable name is fdlauncher.exe.
• SQL Server VSS Writer: This component manages the ability to backup and restores data files when the SQL server is not running. Its executable name is sqlwriter.exe.
• SQL Server Analysis Services: This service provides data analysis, mining, and machine learning functions. R and Python programmers can use the capabilities of this module to interact with data hosted on SQL Server. Its executable name is msmdsrv.exe.
• SQL Server Reporting Services: This service provides reporting features and decision-making capabilities, including Hadoop integration. Its executable name is ReportingServicesService.exe.
• SQL Server Integration Services: This service provides the ability to extract, convert, and load different data types between sources. In short, it converts raw information into useful information. Its executable name is MsDtsSrvr.exe.

Separation of SQL Server instances and their importance

• SQL Server allows users to run multiple services simultaneously, each with its database, ports, logins, and applications. There are two types of samples: Primary and named.
• Primary service is the default, while the remaining services are registered. Users can access the leading service via IP address or server name, while registered services need to add a backlash and sample name.

The advantages of SQL Server instances are as follows:

You can install and run different versions on one machine

• You can run different versions of SQL Server on one device so that each installation works independently of the others.

You can reduce costs.

• Examples help reduce SQL Server performance costs, especially when purchasing a SQL Server license. Users receive different services from different samples, so you do not need to buy a permit for all services.

You can have development, production, and testing environments separately

• If you have many SQL Server instances on one machine, you can assign different instances to development, production, and testing tasks.

You can reduce temporary database problems.

• If you run all your services on one instance of SQL Server, you may have problems, but you will have fewer problems when your services run on different models.

You can separate permissions and permissions.

• You can pursue security more seriously and run discreet services in some instances.

You can have a standby server.

• If one instance of SQL Server fails, it can cause the service to terminate, but if you have a standby server, the latter will go into the circuit if the current server fails. Using SQL Server instances, you can easily access all of these services.

Uses of SQL Server

The modern world continuously generates new data with astonishing speed, so we need databases to store information and database management systems to use the data better.

As a database management system, SQL Server offers several services, the most important of which are:

• Create databases
• Maintenance of databases
• Data Analysis via Server Analysis Services (SSAS)
• Create reports with SSRS SQL Server Reporting Services
• Perform ETL operations, including (Extract, Transform and Load) with SSIS service called SQL Server Integration Services