For many migrant Oracle DBAs, SQL Server, or at least its support structure, must seem like the Promised Land: here is a well-documented database, supported by a vast landscape of practical, community-contributed content. It’s a credit to Microsoft that they have built such a solid set of tools, content and community-support around their RDMBS. An experienced Oracle expert, such as Jonathan Lewis, only a short distance into a “journey of discovery” of the SQL Server database, can tap straight into these resources and is immediately dumping pages, peeking into extents, trying to work out exactly what SQL Server does under the cover when it is storing data.

However, the general sense of appreciation that an Oracle DBA may experience on coming to SQL Server doesn’t usually extend to SSMS. We’re used to it, but outsiders often find it irritating. Many Oracle DBAs were weaned on a simple programmer’s editor, in the form of SQL*Plus. When all you need is a fast way to explore and manipulate the basic structures of databases, SSMS can feel like an unnecessary encumbrance; an overcooked blancmange of an application, with unintuitive context menus, sluggish object explorer and unhelpful tab system for working on multiple files.

One’s first reaction to criticism of SSMS is to counter by deriding tools such as SQL*Plus as belonging to the stone age, suited only to old-school DBAS who emerge from the bowels of Unix, VAX/VMS and so on, and who are comfortable in the world of command lines and shell scripts. It’s true that “Real Oracle DBAs don’t use GUIs” is a joke that is losing relevance, as most of them do use TOAD, Oracle SQL Developer or Oracle Enterprise Manger for basic DBA tasks. However, most recognize the value of a simple, robust, tool for command line execution of SQL, and will also be very familiar with SQL*Plus as a result.

The same is not true in SQL Server, simply because there is no viable alternative to SSMS. Perhaps there really is a requirement for a simple SQL editor, in addition to SSMS, and that is closer in nature to the old iSQL. With a fraction of the effort that Microsoft has put into SSMS, they could develop a very powerful, lightweight version of iSQL, with a simple way to lay out code, provide context-sensitive help, and to maintain, search or execute code libraries. It should provide good Regex-based search and replace, an easy way to work efficiently with multiple files of scripts and templates, and not too much else: just get all that right.

A good, command line-style tool will be popular with DBAs who like as little ‘GUI’ as possible between themselves and the database, and could even help Microsoft in its stated goal of attracting Oracle DBAs over to the “other side”, and lessen the culture shock experienced by SQL Server people needing to find their way around the Oracle database.

Cheers,

Tony.