Logging In and Logging Off

If the server is set up to use integrated security (as described in Chapter 3, Configuring Servers), you will not need to supply a login ID or password (and if you do supply them, they will be ignored by SQL Server).

If the server is not set up to use integrated security, after you start the server computer, you must log in to SQL Server to administer it. When using the graphical management tools provided with SQL Server, if a login is required the application will prompt you to supply the server name, a login ID, and a password. When using the isql utility, log in as described in the following procedure.

    To log in to a SQL Server using isql

From the command line, type: isql /U login_id /P password /S servername

where

login_id

Is the login identification. Use sa the first time you log in. Depending on how you set up the sort order when you installed SQL Server, the login ID might be case-sensitive. For more information, see Microsoft SQL Server Setup.

password

Is the login password. The first time you log in as sa there is no password.

servername

Specifies which server you want to log in to.

For the full syntax of the isql utility, see the Microsoft SQL Server Transact-SQL Reference. For information about logging on using the graphical administrative tools provided with SQL Server, see the online Help for each application.

The first time you log in to a newly installed SQL Server, use sa as your login identification and no password. After you log in, change the SA password to prevent other users from using the system administrator's privileges. You can change your own password, and the SA can change any user's password, by using SQL Enterprise Manager or sp_password. For information on changing the SA password, see Chapter 3, Configuring Servers. or the Microsoft SQL Server Transact-SQL Reference.

You log off from SQL Server by exiting the application you are using to administer it.