SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) is the SQL Server Client tool for managing the SQL Server as the name indicates.
SSMS is a software based application developed by Microsoft and first launched with the Microsoft SQL Server 2005 that is used for configuring, managing, and administering of all components within Microsoft SQL Server 2005 and upwards. This tool can connect to even SQL 200o instance if needed.
SSMS has both script editors and graphical tools which work with objects and features of the server like query analyzer and enabling various database features like database mirroring etc.
It also has an “express” version that can be freely downloaded.
1. We have a object explorer to view various objects after connecting to a instance of SQL Server.
2. We have a Query Analyser to run/develop various SQL Queries. It is colour coded for better presentation.
3. The SSMS enables us to use various GUI to enable various database features like log shipping, mirroring etc.
SSMS tool has Activity monitor tool which is very useful in monitoring active connections to SQL Server with performance metrics like CPU usage, memory usage, expensive queries etc…