The SQL Server database architecture

SQL Server maps the database over a set of operating system files that store the database objects. Physically, a SQL Server database is a set of two or more operating system files. Each database file has two names:

  • A logical filename: This is the name you reference in Transact-SQL statements
  • A physical filename: This is the name that you can view in the operating system directory tree

SQL Server database files can be stored on either a FAT or an NTFS filesystem. You can create three types of SQL Server database files, listed as follows:

  • Primary data file: This is the initial default file that contains the configuration information for the database, pointers to the other files in the database, and all of the database ...

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