Services available in Microsoft SQL Server

Microsoft SQL Server uses services to provide the underlying functionality that enables you to access SQL Server. A service is a process or function that runs autonomously in the background under Windows 10 or Windows Server 2016. A service must start with a user name and password (known as a security context) to function. The user name and password that you specify must correspond to a person who has access to the resources used by the service. The following four services are available in Microsoft SQL Server :

1. MSDTC:Used to manage distributed transactions.
   (You will learn more about distributed transactions in the third course in this series.)
2. MSSQLServer: Enables SQL Server to function. If the MSSQLServer service is not running, SQL Server will not respond to queries and requests.
3. SQLServerAgent:Handles all scheduling within SQL Server . (You will learn more about scheduling later in this course.)
4. Microsoft Search:Search engine service for use with full-text searches. This service is only available if you have chosen to install the full-text search when you initially installed SQL Server .

Each of these four services can be in one of three states:

1. Running:Fully operational and able to provide the functionality designed for the service.
2. Paused:Allows existing users to complete tasks, but does not allow any new connections.
3. Stopped:Does not perform any of the functionality designed for the service.

The following series of images illustrates the four services in the Running state under Windows.

In this topic, you will learn how to start and stop the SQL Server Browser service. By default, Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition (SQL Server Express) does not set the SQL Server Browser service to start automatically.
To start the SQL Server Browser service --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. On the Start menu, right-click My Computer, and then click Manage.
2. In Computer Management, expand Services and Applications, and then click Services.
3. In the list of services, double-click SQL Server Browser.
4. In the SQL Server Browser Properties window, click Start or Stop.
5. When the service starts or stops, click OK.

To start the SQL Server Browser service from the command prompt

1. On the Start menu, click Run.
2. In the Run dialog box, type cmd.
3. From the command prompt, type net start sqlbrowser.

To stop the SQL Server Browser service from the command prompt

1. On the Start menu, click Run.
2. In the Run dialog box, type cmd.
3. From the command prompt, type net stop sqlbrowser.