SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) is Microsoft’s official tool for interacting with Microsoft SQL Server. SSMS is an essential for Database Administrators that need to both read/write T-SQL and review execution plans. Developers often utilize SSMS, but there are some plugins for Visual Studio Code, such as this one, but it doesn’t offer the same experience that SSMS does. I personally prefer SSMS over Visual Studio Code, but I do more DBA work than development work.
Downloading SSMS
The latest version of SSMS is always available from Microsoft’s official website. To ensure you’re getting the most up-to-date release, visit the SQL Server Management Studio download page.
From there, simply click the Download SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) link, which will begin downloading the installer (SSMS-Setup-ENU.exe). This file contains everything needed to install SSMS.
Installing SSMS
Once the download completes, navigate to the location where the installer was saved. Right-click the SSMS-Setup-ENU.exe file and select Run as Administrator to launch the installation process. If prompted, click Yes to allow the application to make changes to your system.
The installation wizard will open and present a few simple steps:
- Choose the Installation Location: By default, SSMS installs in the Program Files directory, but you can change this if needed.
- Click Install: Once you’ve selected your location, click Install to start the process.
The installation can take anywhere from a few minutes to half an hour, depending on your system. Be patient during this time and allow the process to complete.
Post-Installation
Once the installation is finished, you’ll see a message confirming the successful installation of SSMS. At this point, you can launch SSMS from the Start Menu or by searching for it on your system.
No reboot is typically required, but if you run into any issues or see a prompt to restart, it’s a good idea to go ahead and do so.
Next Steps
Now that you have SSMS installed, you can start managing your SQL Server instances, running queries, or configuring settings. Keep in mind that this guide is focused purely on installation. For additional tasks such as connecting to remote servers, database configuration, or security best practices, be sure to consult further resources.
Enjoy using SSMS, and feel free to reach out if you run into any issues along the way!