The MSDE, Microsoft SQL Desktop Engine, is a stripped down version of SQL Server used as a backend in a number of software packages (some major examples: Symantec Backup Exec, McAfee’s ePolicy Orchestrator management console, and Microsoft’s own Small Business Accounting package). With a license for free re-distribution and the data storage and T-SQL power of SQL Server the MSDE 2000 is likely to be increasingly common as applications manage increasing amounts of data and with development cycles leaving a good amount of time before SQL Server Express 2005, the MSDE 2000 replacement, will be included. Unfortunately the MSDE is so stripped down that there isn’t either a managment or programming interface included - not a good thing with a complex Microsoft program that wasn’t originally built with a command line interface.

Previous recommendations for managing MSDE used Access as a programming front-end and the Osql command line utility to configure users, permissions, and light management. Now, with SQL Express 2005 and SQL Server Management Studio Express available for free download, all you need to manage MSDE is the instance-name of your MSDE engine and these connection instructions for the SQL Management Studio. To find the MSDE instance name, open the Services control panel on your workstatoin or server and find a service starting with “MSSQL$” - everything after the “$” is the instance name.

Using SQL Express saves you from the limitations of Osql, but here is information on managing MSDE via the Osql utility.