SQL-DMF Applications

There are three main classes of applications that use SQL-DMF. These applications provide the interfaces for users managing Microsoft® SQL Server™ 2000:

SQL Server Tools

The SQL Server 2000 tools that manage SQL Server database objects use the SQL-DMO API. The primary SQL Server tool that uses SQL-DMF is SQL Server Enterprise Manager. SQL Server Enterprise Manager supplies the primary interface for users who are administering instances of SQL Server on the network. Also, the SQL Query Analyzer contains features (such as an object browser) related to listing and managing database objects. These features use SQL-DMF.

COM+ applications and Active Server Pages

The SQL-DMF APIs can be used in COM+ applications and Web applications, such as Active Server Pages (ASP).

Applications and ISV tools

Applications, written either in-house or by independent software vendors (ISVs), can use the SQL-DMF APIs to administer and configure instances of SQL Server. This allows applications to shield the administration of SQL Server from their users if the application has chosen to embed SQL Server as its data storage mechanism. ISVs who produce tools for managing server applications also use the SQL-DMF APIs to build features for managing SQL Server into their tools.