Connect with Registered Servers and Object Explorer
This tutorial demonstrates the use of Registered Servers and Object Explorer.
This tutorial uses the AdventureWorks2012 database. To help enhance security, by default, the sample databases are not installed. For more information, see Installing SQL Server Samples and Sample Databases.
Connecting to Servers
The toolbar of the Registered Servers component has buttons for the Database Engine, Analysis Services, Reporting Services, and Integration Services. You can register one or more of these server types for convenient management. Try the following exercise to register the AdventureWorks2012 database.
To register the database
On the Registered Servers toolbar, click Database Engine if you have to. (It may already be selected.)
Expand Database Engine.
Right-click Local Server Groups, and then click New Server Registration.
In the New Server Registration dialog box, in the Server name text box, type the name of your instance of SQL Server.
In the Registered server name box, type AdventureWorks2012 .
On the Connection Properties tab, in the Connect to database list, select <Browse server…>.
In the Browse for Databases dialog box, click Yes.
In the Browse Server for Database dialog box, select AdventureWorks2012 , and then click OK.
To verify that the server has been registered correctly, click Test.
In the New Server Registration dialog box, click Save.
Connecting with Object Explorer
Like Registered Servers, Object Explorer can connect to the Database Engine, Analysis Services, Integration Services, and Reporting Services.
To connect with Object Explorer
On the toolbar of Object Explorer, click Connect for a list of possible connection types, and then select Database Engine.
In the Connect to Server dialog box, in the Server name text box, type the name of your instance of SQL Server.
Click Options and explore the choices.
To connect to the server, click Connect. If you are already connected, this action just returns you to Object Explorer and sets the focus on that server.
With Object Explorer you can administer SQL Server Security, SQL Server Agent, Replication, and Database Mail. Object Explorer can only manage some of the features of Analysis Services, Reporting Services, and SSIS. Each of those components has additional specialized tools.
In Object Explorer, expand the Databases folder and select AdventureWorks2012 .
Notice that SQL Server Management Studio presents the system databases in a separate folder.