Ok I know SQL 2005 has been around for a while, and I know SQL express has been available for a eons if you count how fast techno time travels, but for the life of me, I find working with SQL 2005 and SQL express a foreign language to me. Perhaps I've been spoilt with SQL 2000 and it's 'enterprise' tools that assist me in setting up DBs for DNN 1, 2 3 & 4.

But having redone my computer system, even I admit that it's time to upgrade, so along with my MVP MSDN collection, I downloaded the SQL 2005 server and installed locally.  You see, I'm upgrading my Development machine.  All it does is manage my mail and serve up the SQL for my DNN sites.  But it's running SQL 2000 with enterprise manager attached.

This is where I got undone when I installed SQL 2005 and thought - where are these tools? How am I going to get a familiar interface, I can't get DNN running on all these dang instructions given and I'm supposed to be an expert...OMG I felt dumb - I don't use Visual Studio 2005 to setup my sites, I just do the 'non coders' approach.  I download the install files, unzip them, thank goodness I'm not running 2005, until my decision a few days ago to bite the bullet.

And I'm a practical sort of person - I confess, I'll use a wizard here and there to get the job done. I'm not about how the cake is made at times, I just want to eat the dang thing.  So below I've got some screen shots that show how different the interface is between SQL 2000 and SQL 2005.  And how you can easily manage CONNECTING your db through a nice interface from Microsoft that incorporates both SQL 2005 & SQL Express to work with.

As you can see below - There are two ways to access your SQL 2000 server and there is a degree of flexiblity in working with it.

This image is access through Computer Management (which I don't ever do since I've got Enterprise, but I was looking for similarities between 2000 & 2005)

The image below shows how you can manage your databases through Enterprise Manager with SQL 2000 Enterprise manager.
All looks good and we can see some form of recognition as to where the files are.

Now, here is the SQL 2005 interface - when I installed it - I clicked on the configuration tools and expected to a certain extent to see something like the SQL 2000 Enterprise Interface.   I'm looking for where I create the databases.  Do I create an alias? The protocols - what are they for?  And because I'd installed SQL 2005, but had SQL Express installed as well and could see in the window there but didn't know how to make it work.

So I did a little searching - I think the trick these days is to be able to know the right words to search for - and my search on SQL 2005 management tools brought me up to the Microsoft Site - and I downloaded this very handy SQL Management Tool. 

Here's a screen shot of it and why I think if you're struggling with SQL Express, you'll love this handy app.  As you can see here, you are not connected to any SQL databse.

But clicking on the Connect Object Explorer link - under the File button you'll see another window.



In this window you are prompted to which SQL connection you want to connect to (well it was that way for me because I have both SQL 2005 and SQL Express installed, so if you only see one window- I guess you know why)  You can choose your option for connection - SQL or Windows.  When I'm working locally - I prefer to use Windows.  If i'm going to be working on a site that will go live in the future, then I'll use a configured SQL connection I've got to make porting to my live install easier.

It's important you make note of your decision, since, these things will affect your connection strings in your web.config file.  And the connection strings in the web.config file are the major reason people can't get their sites working. 

Now, you have an interface that allows you to work comfortably in both SQL and SQL express. And for those who are not as experienced in DNN, this is a nice tool to have to make your life easier and in particular setting up the db, backing it up, attaching, detaching and adding users.  ... It's easy.

And by right clicking the Database you can see how your options become visible. I think this will make any newcomer to DNN and SQL happy to work with.  

I've yet to go through the whole process of the installation, but I will be giving it a good work out with about 80 db's on my dev machine to go through, but in reality, it will be easier now that I have an interface that I'm familiar with.

So if you're new to DotNetNuke, want to learn how to create databases without having to faff around too much, then download this handy app and you'll be carving through it.

Nina Meiers