---
title: "Administer Servers with SQL Server Management Studio | Microsoft Docs"
ms.custom: ""
ms.date: "03/06/2017"
ms.prod: "sql-server-2014"
ms.reviewer: ""
ms.technology: ssms
ms.topic: conceptual
helpviewer_keywords: 
  - "SQL Server Management Studio [SQL Server], servers"
  - "servers [SQL Server], administering"
ms.assetid: 938bb035-e07a-4082-9f93-229d9feb6b06
author: stevestein
ms.author: sstein
manager: craigg
---
# Administer Servers with SQL Server Management Studio
  [!INCLUDE[msCoName](../includes/msconame-md.md)] [!INCLUDE[ssManStudioFull](../includes/ssmanstudiofull-md.md)] is a rich, integrated administrative client designed to meet the [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] administrator's server management requirements. In [!INCLUDE[ssManStudio](../includes/ssmanstudio-md.md)], administrative tasks are accomplished using Object Explorer, which allows you to connect to any server in the [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] family and graphically browse its contents. A server can be an instance of the [!INCLUDE[ssDE](../includes/ssde-md.md)], [!INCLUDE[ssASnoversion](../includes/ssasnoversion-md.md)], or [!INCLUDE[ssRSnoversion](../includes/ssrsnoversion-md.md)], [!INCLUDE[ssISnoversion](../includes/ssisnoversion-md.md)].  
  
 The tool components of [!INCLUDE[ssManStudio](../includes/ssmanstudio-md.md)] include Registered Servers, Object Explorer, Solution Explorer, Template Explorer, the Object Explorer Details page, and the document window. To display a tool, on the **View** menu, click the tool name. To display the Query Editor tool, click the **New Query** button on the toolbar.  
  
> [!IMPORTANT]  
>  Network traffic between [!INCLUDE[ssManStudio](../includes/ssmanstudio-md.md)] and [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] is unencrypted by default. Do not work with sensitive data (including passwords) in [!INCLUDE[ssManStudio](../includes/ssmanstudio-md.md)] unless you have established an encrypted connection. For more information, see [Enable Encrypted Connections to the Database Engine (SQL Server Configuration Manager)](../database-engine/configure-windows/enable-encrypted-connections-to-the-database-engine.md).  
  
 Use [!INCLUDE[ssManStudio](../includes/ssmanstudio-md.md)] to:  
  
-   Register servers.  
  
-   Connect to an instance of the [!INCLUDE[ssDE](../includes/ssde-md.md)], [!INCLUDE[ssAS](../includes/ssas-md.md)], [!INCLUDE[ssRS](../includes/ssrs.md)], or [!INCLUDE[ssIS](../includes/ssis-md.md)].  
  
-   Configure server properties.  
  
-   Manage database and [!INCLUDE[ssAS](../includes/ssas-md.md)] objects such as cubes, dimensions, and assemblies.  
  
-   Create objects, such as databases, tables, cubes, database users, and logins.  
  
-   Manage files and filegroups.  
  
-   Attach or detach databases.  
  
-   Launch scripting tools.  
  
-   Manage security.  
  
-   View system logs.  
  
-   Monitor current activity.  
  
-   Configure replication.  
  
-   Manage full-text indexes.  
  
 To start and stop [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] or [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] Agent, use [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] Configuration Manager.  
  
## See Also  
 [Use SQL Server Management Studio](../database-engine/use-sql-server-management-studio.md)   
 [View or Change Server Properties (SQL Server)](../database-engine/configure-windows/view-or-change-server-properties-sql-server.md)