SQL Server Management Studio 2016: Everything You Need to Know Before You Download
How to Download and Install SQL Server Management Studio 2016
SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) is an integrated environment for managing any SQL infrastructure, from SQL Server to Azure SQL Database. SSMS provides tools to configure, monitor, and administer instances of SQL Server and databases. You can also use SSMS to query, design, and manage your databases and data warehouses, wherever they are - on your local computer or in the cloud.
In this article, you will learn how to download and install SSMS 2016, the latest version of SSMS that supports SQL Server 2016 and earlier versions. You will also learn about the features and benefits of SSMS 2016, the supported SQL offerings and languages, the installation guide and steps, the installation tips and troubleshooting, and how to use SSMS 2016 for your data management needs.
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What is SQL Server Management Studio 2016?
SQL Server Management Studio 2016 is a software application that is used for configuring, managing, and administering all components within Microsoft SQL Server. It includes both script editors and graphical tools which work with objects and features of the server.
Features and benefits of SQL Server Management Studio 2016
Some of the features and benefits of SSMS 2016 are:
It supports SQL Server 2016 and earlier versions, as well as Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Managed Instance, Azure Synapse Analytics, Azure Data Factory, Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2, Azure Cosmos DB, Azure Key Vault, Azure Kubernetes Service, Azure Resource Manager, Azure Storage Explorer, Azure Virtual Machines.
It provides a single comprehensive utility that combines a broad group of graphical tools with many rich script editors to provide access to SQL Server for developers and database administrators of all skill levels.
It allows you to deploy, monitor, and upgrade the data-tier components used by your applications.
It enables you to build queries and scripts using IntelliSense, code snippets, syntax highlighting, code formatting, code navigation, code refactoring, error checking, debugging, execution plans, etc.
It offers visual design tools to create and modify tables, views, indexes, keys, constraints, triggers, functions, stored procedures, etc.
It supports various data sources such as ODBC, OLE DB, ADO.NET, etc.
It integrates with other Microsoft products such as Visual Studio, PowerShell, Excel, etc.
It has a user-friendly interface that can be customized according to your preferences.
It has a built-in help system that provides documentation and tutorials on how to use SSMS.
Supported SQL offerings and languages
SSMS 2016 can be installed in the following languages:
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
English (United States)
French
German
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Portuguese (Brazil)
Russian
Spanish
SSMS 2016 supports the following SQL offerings:
Azure Data Factory
Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2
Azure Cosmos DB
Azure Key Vault
Azure Kubernetes Service
Azure Resource Manager
Azure Storage Explorer
Azure Synapse Analytics
Azure Virtual Machines
SQL Server 2016 and earlier versions
Azure SQL Database
Azure SQL Managed Instance
How to download SQL Server Management Studio 2016
To download SSMS 2016, you need to have a computer that meets the following requirements:
Operating system: Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7 (SP1), Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2012 (64-bit), Windows Server 2012 R2 (64-bit), Windows Server 2008 R2 (64-bit)
Processor: Intel or compatible 1.6 GHz or faster processor (2 GHz or faster is recommended)
Memory: Minimum of 1 GB of RAM (4 GB or more is recommended)
Hard disk space: Minimum of 6 GB of available hard disk space
Display: Minimum of 1024 x 768 screen resolution
Internet connection: Required for downloading and installing SSMS
Download link and requirements
You can download SSMS 2016 from the following link:
This link will take you to the Microsoft Docs website, where you can find the latest version of SSMS and the release notes. You can also find previous versions of SSMS in case you need them.
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The download file is a self-extracting executable file that has a name like SSMS-Setup-ENU.exe. The file size is about 800 MB. You need to have administrator privileges on your computer to run the file.
Installation media and options
You can install SSMS 2016 from the following media and options:
Online installation: This is the recommended option, as it will download and install the latest version of SSMS and any updates automatically. You just need to run the executable file and follow the instructions on the screen.
Offline installation: This option is useful if you want to install SSMS on multiple computers or if you have a slow or unreliable internet connection. You need to download the executable file and copy it to a USB drive or a network share. Then you can run the file on each computer and follow the instructions on the screen.
ISO installation: This option is for advanced users who want to create a bootable DVD or a virtual machine image that contains SSMS. You need to download an ISO file that has a name like en_sql_server_management_studio_2016_x86_x64.iso. The file size is about 1 GB. You need to use a tool like Windows USB/DVD Download Tool or Rufus to create a bootable DVD or a virtual machine image from the ISO file.
How to install SQL Server Management Studio 2016
To install SSMS 2016, you need to follow these steps:
Installation guide and steps
Run the executable file or the ISO file that you downloaded from the previous section.
Accept the license terms and click Install.
Wait for the installation to complete. It may take several minutes depending on your internet speed and computer performance.
Click Restart if prompted to restart your computer.
Launch SSMS from the Start menu or the desktop shortcut.
Installation tips and troubleshooting
Here are some tips and troubleshooting steps that may help you with the installation process:
If you encounter any errors or issues during the installation, you can check the log files in the %TEMP%\SSMSSetup folder for more information.
If you want to uninstall SSMS, you can use the Control Panel or the Settings app to remove it from your comp