For the first time, SQL Server 2017 allows users to install the product on Linux. This opens the doors for working with fully-featured SQL Server database engines on MacOS through freely distributable Docker containers. With the addition of a new graphical user interface that's in public preview, Mac users can now leverage the same industry-leading database platform that has previously only been available to Windows users, all on their local computer. Let me show you how to get started in three easy steps.
- SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) is an integrated environment for managing any SQL infrastructure. Use SSMS to access, configure, manage, administer, and develop all components of SQL Server, Azure SQL Database, and Azure Synapse Analytics.
- If you see a message like this, congratulations — SQL Server is now up and running on your Mac! If you prefer to use a GUI to manage SQL Server, read on. Azure Data Studio The Azure Data Studio dashboard. Azure Data Studio is a free GUI management tool that you can use to manage SQL Server on your Mac. You can use it to create and manage.
1. Install Docker
The first step is to install Docker. Start at https://store.docker.com/editions/community/docker-ce-desktop-mac, and click the Get Docker button on the top right. That will download a disc image containing the application. Drag Docker.app into your Applications folder and give it a double-click to launch. Look for the Docker icon in the top menu bar. When the animation stops, Docker is ready to go. Step one: done.
2. Pull the SQL Server 2017 container
Next, start up Terminal.app. This is where you'll issue commands to Docker. Microsoft provides pre-configured images that include the Developer edition of SQL Server 2017 running on Ubuntu Linux. You can pull the most recent version with the following command.
A SQL Server GUI for your Mac – Azure Data Studio The Azure Data Studio dashboard. Azure Data Studio (formerly SQL Operations Studio) is a free GUI management tool that you can use to manage SQL Server on your Mac. You can use it to create and manage databases, write queries, backup and restore databases, and more.
After supplying your MacOS Administrator password, the image is downloaded.
Docker images need to be unpacked into containers, and a single image can be used to create as many identical containers as you'd like; just be sure to give them unique names. The following command will create a single container called 'sqlserver1' from the image you just downloaded. A couple of points:
Note that you'll want to provide your own strong password for the SQL Server System Administrator account. Just replace 'YourStrong!Passw0rd' with something better.
Port 1401 on the local computer will be forwarded to SQL Server's default listening port of 1433 inside the container. This will be important to remember later.
Make sure that you forward a different port to 1433 if you decide to create additional containers.
To verify that everything is working as intended, you can check the status of Docker's containers.
You should see a line for the container and, hopefully, a status of 'up.' If you see 'exited' here, go back and double check the previous commands were typed correctly. You can also try 'docker stop sqlserver1' followed by 'docker start sqlserver1' to reset the server. With the container now running, you're done with step two.
3. Install SQL Operations Studio
Microsoft is in the beginning stages of developing a cross-platform graphical user interface for SQL Server called SQL Operations Studio. Though it's still in an early public preview, SQL Ops Studio is already showing promise as a robust, lightweight interface that brings the best of SQL Server Management Studio (a venerable workhorse, but sadly Windows-only) over to the Mac and Linux platforms. The Ops Studio GitHub page will be your source of information as the project progresses. Head over to the GitHub repository, scroll down to the first section of the readme and download the MacOS zip containing the latest stable preview.
Upon Operations Studio's first launch, the Connection window will automatically prompt you for login credentials. Use 'localhost' as the name of the server, 'SA' as the user name, and fill in the password that you established when the Docker container was created. Then press the Advanced button, and scroll through the properties list until you get to the General section. Fill in the port number of 1401 here, or whichever port you're passing to SQL Server's 1433 listening port. Press OK, then Connect.
That should connect, and pass you back to the main interface. If you've ever seen Visual Studio Code, then you'll instantly recognize the interface's clean and well-organized layout. On the left is a listing of servers you're connected to. Expand the server folder to explore databases, security items and so on.
You're now up and running with the SQL Server database engine running in a Docker container, and you can manage it with Operations Studio on your Mac!
Bonus step 4. Start working with your new SQL Database Engine
What good is a server without a database? Right-click the Databases folder, and choose New Query. In the SQLQuery1 tab, type in the following command.
Press the Run button to create your first database, which you should see pop up under the Databases folder. You might need to right-click the databases folder and choose Refresh if it doesn't show up immediately.
Operations Studio has a great feature called Snippets that help you quickly write common T-SQL commands. Clear out the CREATE DATABASE statement and change the Connection drop-down at the top to MyDatabase. Type 'sql' to see the list of included snippets presented in the IntelliSense popup box.
Arrow down to sqlCreateTable and press Return. Operations Studio fills in all of the T-SQL to help you create a table in the database.
Notice that all of the TableName placeholders are selected, ready for you to overwrite them with your own name. Type it once, and each one gets updated simultaneously. Press the tab key to move over to SchemaName and change that to 'dbo' (since we haven't created any other schemas at this point). Then all that's left is to modify the Column1 and Column2 placeholders on lines 10 and 11, choose appropriate data types, and add additional columns as needed.
Press the Run button when done to create your first table, in your first database, on your SQL Server instance, running on Ubuntu Linux, inside of a Docker container, on your Mac.
You're done!
Welcome from SQL Server 2017: Linux, Docker, and macOS by Adam Wilbert
','resolvedBy':'manual','resolved':true}'>Welcome from SQL Server 2017: Linux, Docker, and macOS by Adam Wilbert
Dig in deeper with my course SQL Server 2017: Linux, Docker, and MacOS
I go into way more detail on the process of working with SQL Server on these newly available platforms in my newest course here on LinkedIn Learning. In it, I demonstrate the process of setting up SQL Server on Linux, use the sqlcmd command line tool, dive deeper into Docker, and connect instances to and from other machines on the network. Or, for more information on how to use SQL Server now that you're up and running, check out Learn SQL Server 2017.
Adam Wilbert is a LinkedIn Learning / Lynda.com author of over forty courses on SQL Server, Microsoft Access, database design and development, and mapping with ArcGIS. Come say 'hi' on Twitter: @awilbert.
-->Applies to:
SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) is an integrated environment for managing any SQL infrastructure. Use SSMS to access, configure, manage, administer, and develop all components of SQL Server, Azure SQL Database, and Azure Synapse Analytics. SSMS provides a single comprehensive utility that combines a broad group of graphical tools with a number of rich script editors to provide access to SQL Server for developers and database administrators of all skill levels.
SQL Server Management Studio components
| Description | Component |
|---|---|
| Use Object Explorer to view and manage all of the objects in one or more instances of SQL Server. | Object Explorer |
| How to use Template Explorer to build and manage files of boilerplate text that you use to speed the development of queries and scripts. | Template Explorer |
| How to use the deprecated Solution Explorer to build projects used to manage administration items such as scripts and queries. | Solution Explorer |
| How to use the visual design tools included in Management Studio. | Visual Database Tools |
| How to use the Management Studio language editors to interactively build and debug queries and scripts. | Query and Text Editors |
SQL Server Management Studio for Business Intelligence
Sql Server Management Studio 2014 Download
To access, configure, manage, and administer Analysis Services, Integration Services, and Reporting Services, use SQL Server Management Studio. Although all three business intelligence technologies rely on SQL Server Management Studio, the administrative tasks associated with each of these technologies are slightly different.
Note
To create and modify Analysis Services, Reporting Services, and Integration Services solutions, use SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT), not SQL Server Management Studio. SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) is a development environment that is based on MicrosoftVisual Studio.
Managing Analysis Services Solutions Using SQL Server Management Studio
SQL Server Management Studio enables you to manage Analysis Services objects, such as performing back-ups and processing objects.
Management Studio provides an Analysis Services Script project in which you develop and save scripts written in Multidimensional Expressions (MDX), Data Mining Extensions (DMX), and XML for Analysis (XMLA). You use Analysis Services Scripts projects to perform management tasks or re-create objects, such as database and cubes, on Analysis Services instances. For example, you can develop an XMLA script in an Analysis Services Script project that creates new objects directly on an existing Analysis Services instance. The Analysis Services Scripts projects can be saved as part of a solution and integrated with source code control.
For more information about how to use SQL Server Management Studio, see Developing and Implementing Using SQL Server Management Studio.
Managing Integration Services Solutions Using SQL Server Management Studio
SQL Server Management Studio enables you to use the Integration Services service to manage packages and monitor running packages. You can also use Management Studio to organize packages into folders, run packages, import and export packages, migrate Data Transformation Services (DTS) packages, and upgrade Integration Services packages.
Managing Reporting Services Projects Using SQL Server Management Studio
Use SQL Server Management Studio to enable Reporting Services features, administer the server and databases, and manage roles and jobs.
You manage shared schedules by using the Shared Schedules folder, and manage report server databases (ReportServer, ReportServerTempdb). You also create a RSExecRole in the Master system database when you move a report server database to a new or different SQL Server Database Engine (SQL Server Database Engine). For more information about these tasks, see the following articles:
You also manage the server by enabling and configuring various features, setting server defaults, and managing roles and jobs. For more information about these tasks, see the following articles:
Non-English language versions of SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)
The block on mixed languages setup has been lifted. You can install SSMS German on a French Windows. If the OS language doesn't match the SSMS language, the user needs to change the language under Tools > Options > International Settings. Otherwise, SSMS shows the English UI.
For more information about different locale with previous versions, reference Install non-English language versions of SSMS.
Support Policy for SSMS
- Starting with SSMS 17.0, the SQL Tools team has adopted the Microsoft Modern Lifecycle Policy.
- Read the original Modern Lifecycle Policy announcement. For more information, see Modern Policy FAQs.
- For information on diagnostic data collection and feature usage, see the SQL Server privacy supplement.
Cross-platform tool
SSMS runs on Windows (AMD or Intel) only. If you need a tool that runs on platforms other than Windows, take a look at Azure Data Studio. Azure Data Studio is a cross-platform tool that runs on macOS, Linux, as well as Windows. For details, see Azure Data Studio.
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