User Credentials and Access to Data Sources in Server Explorer/Database Explorer

The login credentials used to access a server and its databases determine the kinds of data sources that Server Explorer can retrieve and display. The deeper the level of access a user has, the more data can be retrieved and used.

Note

Data access rights can vary, depending upon operating system setup and permissions assigned to user groups, data categories, and individual data sources.

Note

In the Visual Studio Express products, this window is named Database Explorer. In all other Visual Studio products, this window is named Server Explorer.

The following tables list by Server Explorer node the categories of data sources that Administrators and typical users on local and remote computers can explore and create. Entries under each node can be dragged from Server Explorer onto Visual Studio designers to create new data components in your projects preconfigured to interact with the selected data sources.

Event Logs

User

Computer

Access

Administrator

local computer

Can explore all categories of event logs (Application, Security, System).

Cannot create a new event log category (except by writing a program to do this).

Cannot delete the System event log category.

typical users

local computer

Can explore Application and System event logs.

Cannot explore Security event logs.

Cannot create a new category of event logs.

Administrator

remote computer

Can explore all categories of event logs (Application, Security, System).

Cannot create a new category of events.

typical users

remote computer

Can explore Application and System event logs.

Cannot explore Security event logs.

Cannot create a new category of event logs.

Message Queues

User

Computer

Access

Administrator

local computer

Can explore all categories of message queues (Public, Private, System).

Can create a new Public or Private message queue. (The new queue might take several minutes to appear and refresh.)

Cannot create a new System message queue.

Cannot create a new category of message queues.

Cannot access Outgoing message queues.

typical users

local computer

Can explore Public or Private message queues created by the user.

Cannot explore System message queues.

Cannot explore any message queues not created by the user.

Can create a new Public or Private message queue. (The new queue might take several minutes to appear and refresh.)

Administrator

remote computer

If the local computer does not have Message Queuing Services installed:

Cannot access any message queues.

If the local computer has Message Queuing Services installed:

Can explore all categories of message queues (Public, Private, and System).

Cannot create a new Public message queue without custom setup of remote computer.

Cannot create a new Private or System message queue.

typical users

remote computer

If the local computer does not have Message Queuing Services installed:

Cannot access any Message Queues.

If the local computer has Message Queuing Services installed:

Can explore Private and System message queues.

Cannot view messages.

Cannot create a new message queue in any category (Public, Private, or System).

Performance Counters

User

Computer

Access

Administrator

local computer

Can explore all performance counters.

Can create a new category of performance counters.

Can add a new performance counter.

Can delete a performance counter if it is not a System counter.

typical users

local computer

Can explore all performance counters except those created by the Administrator.

Cannot create or delete a performance counter category.

Cannot create or delete a performance counter.

Administrator

remote computer

Cannot create or delete a performance counter category.

Cannot create or delete a performance counter.

typical users

remote computer

Cannot create, delete, or view performance counter categories.

Services

User

Computer

Access

Administrator

local computer

Can explore all services.

Can start or stop a service.

typical users

local computer

Can explore all services.

Can start or stop a service if the service permits the user to do this.

Administrator

remote computer

Can explore all services.

Can start or stop a service.

typical users

remote computer

Can explore all services.

Can start or stop a service if the service permits the user to do this.

SQL Servers

User

Computer

Access

Administrator

local computer

Can explore all SQL Servers.

typical users

local computer

Can explore a SQL Server if the server permits the user to do this.

Administrator

remote computer

Can explore all SQL Servers.

typical users

remote computer

Can explore a SQL Server if the server permits the user to do this.

See Also

Tasks

How to: Add Items from Server Explorer

Concepts

What's New in Data

Other Resources

Visual Database Tools

Data Walkthroughs

Connecting to Data in Visual Studio

Connecting to Data with Server Explorer/Database Explorer