Microsoft SQL Server Classroom - Lesson 01: Introduction to Microsoft SQL Server

	Introduction to Microsoft SQL Server

Microsoft SQL Server Setup

Introduction

Microsoft SQL Server is an application used to create computer databases for the Microsoft Windows family of server operating systems. Microsoft SQL Server provides an environment used to generate databases that can be accessed from workstations, the Internet, or other media such as a personal digital assistant (PDA).

To follow our lessons, you must have access to a computer in which Microsoft SQL Server 2008 is installed. To start, you must have a computer that runs an appropriate operating system. If you are just learning, you can use a computer that runs Microsoft Windows XP Professional, Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows 7 (Professional or Ultimate), Microsoft Windows Server 2003, or Microsoft Windows Server 2008.

For our lessons, we will work from Microsoft Windows 7 (Professional and Ultimate) and a server. To get the server together:

We purchased a Dell PowerEdge T105 (from the www.dell.com web site) with an AMD Athlon (tm) Dual Core Processor 4450B 2.30 GHz with 4.00 GB memory and 2 hard drives of 160GB each (it had cost us roughly $320)
We ordered a trial copy of Windows Small Business Server 2008 from Microsoft (free)
We installed the server operating system (http://www.functionx.com/networking/sbs2008.htm)
In the next lesson, we will see how to install Microsoft SQL Server 2008

Before installing Microsoft SQL Server 2008, make sure you have installed all service packs on your operating system.

Introduction to Security

One of the main concerns of a database is security, and this is central to Microsoft SQL Server. To install and use Microsoft SQL Server, you must use a computer account that must be authenticated to the computer. To start, you must create an appropriate user account.

Practical Learning: Creating User Accounts

L(et the teacher l)og in to Microsoft Windows Server 2003 or 3008 with an account that can create accounts

From now on, in our lessons, when a task must be performed on the server, we will start the instruction with Server:
Server: To create an account in Microsoft Windows Server 2003 or 2008, on the taskbar, click Start -> Administrative Tools -> Active Directory Users and Computers.
If you receive a message box, click Continue
Server: In the left frame, expand the node of the domain if necessary.
Right-click Users, position the mouse on New, and click User
Server: Enter the First Name as Patricia and press Tab
Server: Enter the Initials as H and press Tab
Server: Enter the Last Name as Katts (the domain name will be different from yours)
Server: Click Next
Server: Type the password as Password1 and press Tab
Server: Type the password again as Password1 (accept the options in the check boxes)
Server: Click Next (in the summary, the domain name will be different from yours)
Server: Read the summary in the last page of the wizard and click Finish

Server: In the same way, create three other accounts as follows:

First Name	Initials	Last Name	User Logon Name	Password
Gertrude	D	Monay	gmonay	Password1
Raymond		Kouma	rkouma	Password1
Orlando		Perez	operez	Password1

Server: After creating the accounts, Click Close
Each Student: Let each of four students log in at his or her computer using the above user logon names and the password as Password1

From now on, in our lessons, when a task must be performed on the client computer by each student, we will start the instruction with Each Student:
Each Student: When asked to provide the new password, let the student type a new password (like P@ssword1)

Security Principals

A security principal is a person or an object that needs access to a database. The security principal can be considered as one entity or as a group of entities:

Security Principals

This means that a security principal can be considered as a lone entity or as member of a group. For example, a person who accesses a database can be considered an entity. A group of people who perform the same job and have been give the same accecss(s) to a database (or to an object of a database) is considered a collection.

To create a group, you use the New Object - Group dialog box. You must specify at least a name. The dialog box provides other options. After providing and checking the options, you can click OK. In order to use a group, you should add at least one user to it. To do this, locate the group and double-click it or right-click the group and click Properties. When the dialog box opens, click the Members tab. Click Add. In the bottom text box, enter the (complete) user name of the account. Click Check Names. When the name has been resolved, click OK.

You can control the type of access that a security principal can exercise on a machine or a database, based on a level of accecss. There are three levels: Windows, server, and database:

Security Principals

Based on the functionality of a security principal, it can be considered as belonging to a collection.

To help the operating system identify them, each security principal uses a unique number called a security identifier (SID).

Practical Learning: Creating User Accounts

Server: Open the Active Directory Users and Computers
Server: Right-click Users -> New -> Group
Server: Type the name of the group as Clerks
Server: Click OK
Server: In the right frame, right-click Clerks and click Properties
Server: In the General tab, click Description and type Applications Testers
Server: Click Members
Server: Click Add...
Server: Type operez
Server: Click Check Names
Server: Click OK
Server: Click Add again
Server: Type rkouma
Server: Click Check Names
Server: Click OK
Server: Click OK

An Administrator Account to Install Microsoft SQL Server

To actually install Microsoft SQL Server 2008, you must use a user account that has the ability to install an application. If you are using Microsoft Windows XP, Vista, or 7, you should use the Administrator account or create a new account that has administrative rights. The account must also use/have a password.

For the rest of our lessons, we will consider that you have five accounts on the computer where Microsoft SQL Server is installed. The accounts are:

Administrator: This is just an account that has administrative rights in the computer where Microsoft SQL Server is installed.
In our lessons, the steps performed by this account will start with Server:
pkatts: This account will always have all rights on the computer and on Microsoft SQL Server.
In our lessons, the steps performed by this account will start with pkatts (you can use another user name of your choice and substitute it with this one):
gmonay (you can use another user name of your choice and substitute it with this one): This account will usually have all rights on the computer and on Microsoft SQL Server.
In our lessons, the steps performed by this account will start with gmonay (you can use another user name of your choice and substitute it with this one):
rkouma (you can use another user name of your choice and substitute it with this one): This account will sometimes have all rights on the computer and on Microsoft SQL Server.
In our lessons, the steps performed by this account will start with rkouma (you can use another user name of your choice and substitute it with this one):
operez (you can use another user name of your choice and substitute it with this one): This account will be used as a regular user with limited rights. It is used to test things.
In our lessons, the steps performed by this account will start with operez (you can use another user name of your choice and substitute it with this one):

We will strive to always indicate the types of rights an account needs for what the lesson wants you to do.

In our lessons:

When an instruction must be performed on all computers (on the server and the client workstations), the instruction will start with All Computers:
When an instruction must be performed on all client workstations excluding the server, the instruction will start with All Students:

Exercises

National Health Care Management

Using the Internet, do some research to find out what a private health care company does, what services it provides, how it generates revenues, and what types of customers such a company has
Make a list of 3 private health care companies in different parts of the country or of the world

Metropolitan Area Electric Company

Using the internet to find out the names of three different electric companies. Find out what their customers invoices (or the monthly bills they send to customers) look like
Using either Microsoft Windows XP-7 or Microsoft Windows Server 2003-2008, create a user (or domain user). The first name is Ibrahima. The last name is Draman. The user name is idraman. The password is Password1. The user must change the password the next time he logs in