Information Schema

Basic Information Schema Search

One of the most useful queries for end users of large RDBMS's is a search of an information schema.

Such a query allows users to rapidly find database tables containing columns of interest, such as when attempting to relate data from 2 tables indirectly through a third table, without existing knowledge of which tables may contain keys or other useful columns in common with the target tables.

Using T-SQL for this example, a database's information schema may be searched as follows:

SELECT *
FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS
WHERE COLUMN_NAME LIKE '%Institution%'

The result contains a list of matching columns, their tables' names, and other useful information.