By Otoniel Diaz
We are always looking our databases as a bunch of tables and columns designed to store the data according to an application requirements. But when you are in charge of talking care of these tables and rows you actually need to review you start to wonder how to do it, and how SQL Server does manage the so called Metadata.
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 metadata is represented in system views which are divided in 16 main categories.
System views objects can belong to a different type of objects which can be:
1. Dynamic Management View
2. Dynamic Management Function ()
3. Catalog View
4. System Administration
The most famous view may be is the sys.objectsformerly known as sysobjectsin SQL Server 2000, this objects belong to the Objects, Types And Indexes category
The columns returned by this table are:
Let’s say for example that we want all the bales that are in the sales schema from the AdventureWorks Database.
We would need to try to find first which Id does the Sales schema have.
We can see here that the Sales Schema Have an Id = 9
Now let try on thyesysobjects System View
This way you can create queries, reports or an application that can handle your metadata to control how you are managing your Database objects
Many system views belong to different System Views Categories. In the future we will be reviewing with a deeperlook each of the System Views and also some queries examples that will help you to administrate your Metadata.