1. SSMS to Azure Data Studio
Jason Hall
VP Product Management – SentryOne

2. Topics Brief History Why Switch? Managing Connections Managing Scripts
Interesting Features
Cool Extensions

3. Brief History Prior to 2005 Enterprise Manager Query Analyzer
Folks, I don’t have a demo for this – I thought about trying to put one together, but I am hoping you all wouldn’t want me to suffer like that.

4. Brief History Prior to 2005 Enterprise Manager Query Analyzer
Used to interact with and manage servers and server objects visually
Also used to launch other tools like Query Analyzer and Profiler
Query Analyzer
Used to write and execute T-SQL
The problem
For me, the problem was using 2 tools – plus it didn’t seem that Microsoft was very interested in improving the experience at the time
Led to a wide array of third-party query editors
Some still around, but many are gone or integrated into other things now

5. Brief History 2005 – Now SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)
Bonus points if you remember it being called “workbench”
Before second click – Does anyone remember what this was called briefly, before it was SSMS?

6. Brief History 2005 – Now SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)
15 years of maturity
43 builds here, just since
Very mature at this time, we’ve suffered through the worst, and frankly it will be hard to switch
Combined server management & T-SQL development
Derived from Visual Studio
The Problem
Only for Windows
Difficult/Painful integration model
With a “new kid” in town, I don’t imagine SSMS will be getting tons of new features for us

7. Brief History 2017 – Now Azure Data Studio
Bonus points if you remember it being named “SQL Operations Studio”
Stop after load – Does anyone remember what this was called prior to Azure Data Studio?

8. Brief History 2017 – Now Azure Data Studio The Problem
Started as SQL Operations Studio
Open Source, derived (forked) from Visual Studio Code
Electron App (HTML5/Node.js) runs locally and cross platform (Yes, runs on Mac)
Open to more than SQL Server (PostgreSQL extension already)
The Problem
A new thing after 15 years of SSMS
Not *truly* meant to be an SSMS replacement
It’s a data management/dev IDE directed at Azure data platforms
Adoption rate (see 2 bullets up)

9. Why Switch? You’re ready for something different
You aren’t using exclusively Windows
You want magic updates
If you can’t think of a good reason, don’t force it
Azure Data Studio isn’t replacing SSMS
Even if it does, it won’t be very soon
I recommend trying it out regardless

10. Why Switch?

11. Managing Connections Comparison SSMS Azure Data Studio
Registered Servers
Central Management Server
TBH I see most people just connecting on demand
Azure Data Studio
Connections
Servers
Azure
Central Management Server coming
Demo connections and compare with SSMS

12. Managing Connections What I like What I don’t like Server grouping
Colors and friendly names
Possible in SSMS, just not obvious
Azure subscriptions
What I don’t like
Organizing groups
Reordering groups
Still a lot of missing dialogs
I don’t have every script syntax memorized

13. Managing Scripts Explorer Open Editors Folder Outline Workspaces
Way better than tabs, but we still have tabs 
Folder
Only one at a time, but still cool
Use workspaces
Outline
Works with JSON
Doesn’t seem to speak XML
Workspaces
Easy enough to save and load
I use these sort of like projects
Like SSMS solutions, but I never used those, and I do use workspaces
Not 100% sure why
Demo script management

14. Interesting Features Evergreen Custom dashboard widgets Smart snippets
Notebooks
Terminal

15. Cool Extensions Microsoft SQL Server Agent PostreSQL PowerShell
Redgate SQL Search
sp_whoisactive
Dark Theme
Plan Explorer
Make your own!