SQL Management Studio Download 2018: A Guide for Beginners
If you are looking for a powerful and versatile tool to manage your SQL Server infrastructure, you might want to consider SQL Management Studio. SQL Management Studio is an integrated environment that allows you to access, configure, manage, administer, and develop all components of SQL Server, Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Managed Instance, SQL Server on Azure VM, and Azure Synapse Analytics. In this article, we will show you how to download and install SQL Management Studio 2018, as well as how to use some of its basic features.
What is SQL Management Studio?
SQL Management Studio (SSMS) is a graphical user interface (GUI) tool that provides a unified experience for working with various SQL Server components. SSMS enables you to perform common tasks such as creating and editing databases, tables, views, stored procedures, functions, triggers, indexes, users, roles, permissions, backups, restores, and more. SSMS also supports advanced features such as debugging, profiling, auditing, monitoring, tuning, reporting, integration services, analysis services, and machine learning services.
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Features and benefits of SQL Management Studio
Some of the main features and benefits of SSMS are:
It supports multiple versions of SQL Server from 2008 to 2022.
It can connect to local or remote instances of SQL Server or Azure SQL Database.
It can execute queries and scripts in multiple languages such as T-SQL, MDX, DAX, XMLA, PowerShell, R, Python, and C#.
It can manage and administer various SQL Server components such as databases, data warehouses, data lakes, big data clusters, polybase nodes, replication agents, log shipping servers, availability groups, failover clusters, etc.
It can design and deploy database objects such as tables, views, stored procedures, functions, triggers, indexes, constraints, etc.
It can import and export data from various sources and destinations such as flat files, Excel files, XML files, JSON files, ODBC sources, Azure Blob Storage , Azure Data Lake Storage , etc.
It can generate reports and dashboards using Reporting Services or Power BI Report Server.
It can integrate with other tools such as Visual Studio , Azure Data Studio , Data Migration Assistant , SQL Server Migration Assistant , etc.
Requirements and compatibility of SQL Management Studio
To use SSMS 2018 , you need to have the following requirements:
A Windows operating system that supports .NET Framework 4.7.2 or later. The supported operating systems are Windows 10 , Windows 8.1 , Windows 7 (SP1) , Windows Server 2019 , Windows Server 2016 , Windows Server 2012 (R2) , Windows Server 2008 R2 (SP1) .
A minimum of 1 GB of RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB of RAM (64-bit).
A minimum of 6 GB of hard disk space.
A screen resolution of 1024 x 768 or higher.
SSMS 2018 is compatible with the following versions of SQL Server:
SQL Server 2008 - 2022 (including Express edition)
Azure SQL Database
Azure SQL Managed Instance
<li How to download and install SQL Management Studio 2018?
Now that you know what SSMS is and what it can do, you might be wondering how to get it on your computer. The good news is that SSMS 2018 is a free and standalone tool that does not require a SQL Server license or installation. You can download it from the official Microsoft website and install it on your Windows machine. Alternatively, you can also run SSMS 2018 on Linux or Docker containers using a remote desktop connection.
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Download options for SQL Management Studio 2018
There are different editions of SSMS 2018 that you can download depending on your needs and preferences. The main difference between the editions is the level of features and functionalities they offer. Here is a brief overview of the available editions:
Free editions: Developer and Express
If you are looking for a free and lightweight version of SSMS 2018, you can choose between the Developer edition and the Express edition. Both editions are suitable for learning, development, and testing purposes, but they have some limitations in terms of scalability, performance, and security.
The Developer edition is a full-featured version of SSMS 2018 that supports all the features of the Enterprise edition, except for the license terms. You can use the Developer edition to connect to any edition of SQL Server or Azure SQL Database, but only for non-production environments.
The Express edition is a reduced version of SSMS 2018 that supports only the basic features of SQL Server. You can use the Express edition to connect to SQL Server Express instances or Azure SQL Database, but only for databases that are up to 10 GB in size.
You can download the Developer edition or the Express edition from .
Paid editions: Standard, Enterprise, and Web
If you are looking for a more robust and comprehensive version of SSMS 2018, you can choose between the Standard edition, the Enterprise edition, and the Web edition. These editions are suitable for production environments that require high availability, scalability, performance, and security.
The Standard edition is a mid-range version of SSMS 2018 that supports most of the features of SQL Server, except for some advanced features such as online indexing, data compression, transparent data encryption, etc.
The Enterprise edition is a high-end version of SSMS 2018 that supports all the features of SQL Server, including the advanced features that are not available in the Standard edition.
The Web edition is a low-cost version of SSMS 2018 that supports only the essential features of SQL Server for web hosting and web application development.
You can download the Standard edition, the Enterprise edition, or the Web edition from , but you will need to purchase a SQL Server license or subscription to use them.
Installation steps for SQL Management Studio 2018
Once you have downloaded the appropriate edition of SSMS 2018 for your needs, you can proceed to install it on your machine. The installation process may vary slightly depending on your operating system and your preferences, but here are some general steps to follow:
Windows installation
Run the SSMS-Setup-ENU.exe file that you downloaded from the Microsoft website.
Accept the license terms and click Install.
Wait for the installation to complete and click Close.
Launch SSMS 2018 from the Start menu or the desktop shortcut.
Linux installation
Install a remote desktop client such as xrdp or xfreerdp on your Linux machine.
Connect to a Windows machine that has SSMS 2018 installed using your remote desktop client.
Launch SSMS 2018 from the Windows machine and use it as if you were on a local machine.
Docker installation
Pull the mcr.microsoft.com/windows/servercore:ltsc2019 image from Docker Hub using the docker pull command.
Create a container from the image using the docker run command with the -d option to run it in detached mode.
Copy the SSMS-Setup-ENU.exe file that you downloaded from the Microsoft website to the container using the docker cp command.
Connect to the container using the docker exec command with the -it option to run it in interactive mode.
Run the SSMS-Setup-ENU.exe file from the container and follow the installation steps as described for the Windows installation.
Launch SSMS 2018 from the container and use it as if you were on a local machine.
How to use SQL Management Studio 2018?
After you have successfully installed SSMS 2018 on your machine or container, you can start using it to manage your SQL Server infrastructure. SSMS 2018 has a user-friendly interface that consists of several components such as the Object Explorer, the Query Editor, the Results Pane, the Properties Window, the Solution Explorer, the Toolbox, and the Activity Monitor. You can use these components to perform various tasks such as connecting to a SQL Server instance or database, executing queries and scripts, managing and administering SQL Server components, and more. Here are some examples of how to use SSMS 2018:
Connect to a SQL Server instance or database
To connect to a SQL Server instance or database using SSMS 2018, you need to follow these steps:
Click the Connect button on the toolbar or select Connect from the File menu.
Select the type of server you want to connect to, such as Database Engine, Analysis Services, Reporting Services, Integration Services, or Azure Storage.
Enter the server name or IP address of the SQL Server instance or Azure SQL Database you want to connect to. You can also browse for a server using the Browse button.
Enter the authentication mode and credentials for the server. You can choose between Windows Authentication or SQL Server Authentication. If you are connecting to Azure SQL Database, you need to use SQL Server Authentication and enter your Azure account name and password.
Optionally, you can select a database to connect to from the Connect to database drop-down list. You can also change other connection properties such as network protocol, connection timeout, encryption, etc.
Click Connect to establish the connection. You will see the server name and database name appear in the Object Explorer pane on the left side of SSMS 2018.
Execute queries and scripts
To execute queries and scripts using SSMS 2018, you need to follow these steps:
Select a database to work with from the Object Explorer pane or from the Available Databases drop-down list on the toolbar.
Click the New Query button on the toolbar or press Ctrl+N to open a new Query Editor window.
Type or paste your query or script in the Query Editor window. You can use various languages such as T-SQL, MDX, DAX, XMLA, PowerShell, R, Python, and C#. You can also use IntelliSense, code snippets, syntax highlighting, error checking, and other features to help you write your code.
Click the Execute button on the toolbar or press F5 to run your query or script. You will see the results in the Results Pane below the Query Editor window. You can also see messages, execution plans, statistics, and other information in different tabs of the Results Pane.
You can save your query or script as a file using the Save button on the toolbar or by selecting Save from the File menu. You can also open an existing file using the Open button on the toolbar or by selecting Open from the File menu.
You can print your query or script using the Print button on the toolbar or by selecting Print from the File menu.
Manage and administer SQL Server components
To manage and administer SQL Server components using SSMS 2018, you need to use the Object Explorer pane and the Properties window. The Object Explorer pane shows a hierarchical view of all the objects and resources that belong to a SQL Server instance or database. You can expand or collapse the nodes to see the details of each object or resource. The Properties window shows the properties and settings of the selected object or resource. You can modify the properties and settings using the Properties window or by right-clicking on the object or resource and selecting an option from the context menu. Here are some examples of how to manage and administer SQL Server components:
To create a new database, right-click on the Databases node and select New Database. Enter a name for the database and configure other options such as size, collation, recovery model, etc. Click OK to create the database.
To backup a database, right-click on the database name and select Tasks > Back Up. Select a backup type, destination, options, etc. Click OK to perform the backup.
To restore a database, right-click on the database name and select Tasks > Restore. Select a restore source, destination, options, etc. Click OK to perform the restore.
To create a new table, right-click on the Tables node and select New > Table. Enter a name for the table and add columns, constraints, indexes, etc. Click Save to create the table.
To edit a table, right-click on the table name and select Design. Modify the columns, constraints, indexes, etc. Click Save to save the changes.
To delete a table, right-click on the table name and select Delete. Confirm that you want to delete the table by clicking OK.
Conclusion
In this article, we have learned how to download and install SQL Management Studio 2018, as well as how to use some of its basic features. SSMS 2018 is a powerful and versatile tool that can help you manage your SQL Server infrastructure with ease and efficiency. Whether you are a beginner or an expert, SSMS 2018 can help you perform common tasks such as creating and editing databases, tables, views, stored procedures, functions, triggers, indexes, users, roles, permissions, backups, restores, and more. SSMS 2018 also supports advanced features such as debugging, profiling, auditing, monitoring, tuning, reporting, integration services, analysis services, and machine learning services. SSMS 2018 is a free and standalone tool that does not require a SQL Server license or installation. You can download it from the official Microsoft website and install it on your Windows machine. Alternatively, you can also run SSMS 2018 on Linux or Docker containers using a remote desktop connection.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about SSMS 2018:
Q: What is the difference between SSMS 2018 and Azure Data Studio?
A: SSMS 2018 is a GUI tool that focuses on SQL Server management and administration. Azure Data Studio is a cross-platform tool that focuses on data exploration and development. Both tools can connect to SQL Server and Azure SQL Database , but they have different features and functionalities.
Q: How can I update SSMS 2018 to the latest version?
A: You can check for updates in SSMS 2018 by selecting Check for Updates from the Tools menu. You can also download the latest version of SSMS 2018 from .
Q: How can I customize SSMS 2018 to suit my preferences?
A: You can customize SSMS 2018 by selecting Options from the Tools menu. You can change various settings such as fonts, colors, themes, keyboard shortcuts, IntelliSense, code snippets, etc.
Q: How can I get help and support for SSMS 2018?
A: You can get help and support for SSMS 2018 by selecting Help from the Help menu. You can access the online documentation, tutorials, videos, forums, blogs, feedback, and more.
Q: How can I uninstall SSMS 2018 from my machine?
A: You can uninstall SSMS 2018 from your machine by selecting Uninstall from the Start menu or the Control Panel. You can also use the SSMS-Setup-ENU.exe file that you downloaded from the Microsoft website and select Remove to uninstall SSMS 2018.
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