What can one do with SQL?..... as far as analysis and data processing?

SQL is a database server program and as such is installed on one machine, but can 'serve' the database to a variety of locations.

The SQL Server is installed on a Server and can be accessed directly via various client interfaces, which send SQL statements to the server and then display the results to a user. Some of these are:

A Local Client - a program on the same machine as the server.

A Scripting Language - can pass SQL queries to the server and display the result.

A Remote Client - a programme on a different machine that can connect to the server and run SQL statements.

You can also use two more indirect methods.

Remote Login - You may be able to connect to the Server Machine to run one of its local clients.

Web Browser - you can use a web browser and scripts that someone has written

Structured Query Langauge is cross between a math-like language and an English-like language that allows us to ask a database questions or tell it do do things. There is a structure to this language: it uses English phrases to define an action, but uses math-like symbols to make comparisons.

With SQL you can store and retrieve data through information systems.

Microsft SQL Server, Oracle, IBM DB2 and MySQL are examples of database systems.

SQL is a language use to work with database systems. SQL Ansi is a group of commands accepted by all database systems.

I hope this helps.

SQL is a language to retreive/edit/display/report data from the db.

The database engine can have simple commands such as

select * from table or

select * from table where (select * from table2 orderby field) and max(field + field2)

or something like that. The point is that you can retreieve data almost in any way you like it.

You can execute stored procedures as well which are sub routines written in SQL which edit/delete/pull data from the db. These are very efficient.

I dont know what else to tell you. I use vb.net with MSSQL as the backend.