SQL Server Management Studio tip: filter your databases in a server

Sometimes, you need to manage large SQL Server installations with SQL Server Management Studio. In these cases, connecting to a single SQL Server instance can cause you see dozens, if not hundreds of different databases, which can be slightly distracting, if you will.

Now, there's a nice little feature in Management Studio that helps in these situations: the filter button. In Object Explorer's toolbar, there the filter command button in the middle, allowing you to see databases by their name, owner or creation date. This is very useful, indeed.

You can also use the filter for a little be of privacy: if you need to show your screen to others, you can filter out all except a single database you are working with.

Happy SQL'ing!