How the Agent Works
- Install the DataMeans Agent on a system with SQL Server access
- Configure the connection to your SQL Server environment
- Select the schemas and tables to extract
- The Agent extracts your data and uploads it securely for conversion
Microsoft SQL Server is an enterprise relational database management system developed by Microsoft, widely used for business applications.
Why Agent Required
SQL Server databases run on enterprise servers that cannot directly upload data to the web. The DataMeans Agent connects securely to your SQL Server environment for extraction.
What You Can Extract
- SQL Server 2008, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2022
- Legacy versions (6.5, 7.0, 2000, 2005)
- Tables, views, and indexed views
- Indexes and constraints
- Stored procedures and functions (documentation)
What You Get Out
DataMeans extracts your data into multiple modern formats:
| Output | Description |
|---|---|
csv/{TableName}.csv | One CSV file per table with all row data |
xlsx/{TableName}.xlsx | Excel workbook per table |
xls/{TableName}.xls | Legacy Excel format per table |
json/{TableName}.json | JSON array of records per table |
json/{TableName}.jsonl | Newline-delimited JSON (streaming-friendly) |
postgres.sql | PostgreSQL CREATE TABLE + INSERT statements |
schema/schema-graph.json | Relationship graph for visualization |
schema/er-model.json | ER model for diagram tools |
report.json | Structured extraction report |
report.md | Human-readable extraction summary |
How It Works
Agent availability: The DataMeans Agent is currently in development and not yet available for download. The steps below describe the planned workflow. To get notified when SQL Server support launches, reach out via our About page.
- Download and install the DataMeans Agent on a system with SQL Server access
- Configure SQL Server connection credentials
- Select databases, schemas, and tables to extract
- The Agent extracts and uploads securely to DataMeans
- Review and download your converted data
Planned Support
- Full schema extraction
- Complete data extraction
- Type mapping to PostgreSQL equivalents
- Foreign key relationship detection
- Large table streaming
- Windows authentication or SQL authentication
Known Limitations
- Requires DataMeans Agent installation
- Stored procedures documented but not converted
- Very large tables may require scheduled extraction
Overview
Documentation coming soon.
This article will contain vendor-neutral technical documentation about the Microsoft SQL Server database format, including:
- History and background
- File format specifications
- Data types and structures
- Version differences
- Technical references
To learn how to use this format with DataMeans, see the User Guide.
Not available for hosted uploads. This system is read over a direct database connection by the DataMeans Agent, which is still in development. Contact us to plan a migration.
Can I convert Microsoft SQL Server databases with DataMeans today?
Not yet. Microsoft SQL Server is not available for self-serve upload, and support is still in development. Get in touch and we'll tell you where it stands and help plan the migration.
What will DataMeans convert Microsoft SQL Server databases to?
Once Microsoft SQL Server is available, exports will match every other system we support: clean CSV, Excel, JSON & SQL, one file per table, with a structured report of exactly what was extracted.
Is my data secure?
Yes. Your files are encrypted in transit and at rest, and are automatically deleted once your conversion is complete. Your data is never sold, shared, or used for anything else.