User Credentials and Access to Data Sources in Server 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.
The following tables list by Server Explorer node the categories of data sources that Administrators and typical users on local and remote machines can explore and create. Entries under each node can be dragged from Server Explorer onto Visual Studio .NET designers to create new data components in your projects preconfigured to interact with the selected data sources.
Event Logs
| User | Machine | Access |
|---|---|---|
| Administrator | local machine | 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 machine | Can explore Application and System event logs.
Cannot explore Security event logs. Cannot create a new category of event logs. |
| Administrator | remote machine | Can explore all categories of event logs (Application, Security, System).
Cannot create a new category of events. |
| typical users | remote machine | Can explore Application and System event logs.
Cannot explore Security event logs. Cannot create a new category of event logs. |
Message Queues
| User | Machine | Access |
|---|---|---|
| Administrator | local machine | 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 machine | 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 machine | If the local machine does not have Message Queuing Services installed:
Cannot access any message queues. If the local machine 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 machine. Cannot create a new Private or System message queue. |
| typical users | remote machine | If the local machine does not have Message Queuing Services installed:
Cannot access any Message Queues. If the local machine 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 | Machine | Access |
|---|---|---|
| Administrator | local machine | 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 machine | 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 machine | Cannot create or delete a performance counter category.
Cannot create or delete a performance counter. |
| typical users | remote machine | Cannot create, delete, or view performance counter categories. |
Services
| User | Machine | Access |
|---|---|---|
| Administrator | local machine | Can explore all services.
Can start or stop a service. |
| typical users | local machine | Can explore all services.
Can start or stop a service if the service permits the user to do this. |
| Administrator | remote machine | Can explore all services.
Can start or stop a service. |
| typical users | remote machine | Can explore all services.
Can start or stop a service if the service permits the user to do this. |
SQL Servers
| User | Machine | Access |
|---|---|---|
| Administrator | local machine | Can explore all SQL Servers. |
| typical users | local machine | Can explore a SQL Server if the server permits the user to do this. |
| Administrator | remote machine | Can explore all SQL Servers. |
| typical users | remote machine | Can explore a SQL Server if the server permits the user to do this. |
For Further Information on Windows NT Servers
For more information on system data from Windows NT servers available through Server Explorer, select Help from the Start menu and consult these help topics:
- Administrative Tools
- Message Queuing Overview
Open the Windows NT Administrative Tools Control Panel and double-click its Event Viewer, Performance, and Services nodes to consult these help topics:
- Event Viewer Overview
- Performance Logs and Alerts Overview
- Services Overview
See Also
Windows NT, Terminal Server, and Microsoft Exchange Services Use TCP/IP Ports | Displaying Data Sources in Server Explorer | Databases in Server Explorer | Adding Items from Server Explorer | Data Link Properties Dialog Box | Information on Data Link Properties and OLE DB Providers