SQL Server Objects – Object Explorer

All Microsoft SQL Server components can be configured, managed, and administered using SQL Server Management Studio, a software that was initially released with Microsoft SQL Server 2005.

All of the components that are available in your SQL Server are visible in the hierarchy in the object explorer once you have logged into your local computer or a server. The Object Explorer should launch as soon as you launch SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS). If not, try pressing the shortcut key F8 OR choose View > Object Explorer from the options.

After extending each item group, the image below shows all the components.

ObjectExplorer

Group objects are-

Databases
Security
Server Objects
Replication
PolyBase
AlwaysOn High Availability
Management
Integration Services Catalogs
SQL Server Agent

To view the contents of the group objects mentioned above, you must expand them.

Databases:
Here, a list of both system and user-created databases is shown. You can create a new database by right-clicking on it if there are none already. In the event that the databases already exist, you can expand them to see the database objects, such as Tables (Columns, Keys, Constraints, Triggers, Indexes, Statistics), Views, Storage, and Programmability (Procedures and Functions). The security at the database level is also visible.

expand_databases_objectExplorer

Once you expand the Table:
expand_table_object_explorer

Security:
When you open Security in the object explorer, you’ll notice the logins, server roles, credentials, cryptographic providers, audits, and server audit specifications. These are used to supply login information so that clients can connect to the server, create roles, or assign logins to roles, among other things.

expand_security_objectExplorer

Server Objects:
When you expand the Server Objects in the explorer, you’ll see Backup devices, End Points, Linked Servers, and Triggers. These are used to construct linked servers as well as the backup destination location or backup device.

ServerObjects_ObjectsExplorer

Replication:
If there is any replication configured, it will be displayed here. You can establish a replication using the wizard.

Replication_ObjectExplorer

PolyBase:
Without the need to install additional client connection software, PolyBase enables your SQL Server instance to query data with T-SQL straight from SQL Server, Oracle, Teradata, MongoDB, Hadoop clusters, Cosmos DB, and S3-compatible object storage.

polybase_ssms

AlwaysOn High Availability:
The management and monitoring of existing “Always On availability groups,” “availability replicas,” and “availability databases” is done here. If no “Availability Group” has been established, you can create one by performing a right-click and choosing “New Availability Group Wizard” or “New Availability Group”.

HighAvailability_ObjectExplorer1

The Google image below shows how “Always On objects” are displayed after they are created.

HighAvailability_ObjectExplorer2

Management:
The objects of Management can be used to create and manage the policies as well as manage various aspects of data collection, including enabling or disabling data collection, changing a collection set configuration, viewing data in the management data warehouse, creating or managing maintenance plans, configuring database mails for alerting purposes, etc.

management_explorer

Integration Services Catalogs:
The SSISDB catalog is the central point for working with Integration Services (SSIS) projects that you’ve deployed to the Integration Services server

SSIS in SSMS
SQL Server Agent:
You can schedule and automate database and server management activities with SQL Server Agent, a crucial part of SQL Server. The future articles will discuss SQL Server Agent in depth.