Kinda new to SQL, have a few questions

I have to update my database format to msSQL (any version) and the specific version I will be using I guess is unknown.

1. Security wise is there anything I should have installed? Can databases be accessed remotely through anything other than serverside scripts or software?
2. Backups will be important and so does msSQL allow you to do this easily? Is there a function in the program that will allow automatic backups? Or, I have autobackup software that basically zips files, would this work for msSQL?

Will probably think of some more questions :P

Thanks a lotIn answer to your second question (2) : Yes MSSQL allows scheduled backups from within the management studio interface. You can set up a scheduled job and get it to run on a daily basis. You need to set up a backup device (file area). Usually advisable to have a seperate drive for this (although a partition MIGHT suffice, except in disk failure scenarios).|||Thanks, when you say a separate drive is this due to performance or loss of data due to disk failure etc?
Is this a feature of all versions?

Thanks again|||ummmmm....do you have sql server client tools installed?

Start there, then get back to us

If you don't have access to a sql server or the tools, this will be very difficult to help you|||This was just general research before I go out and buy anything expensive|||Depending upon your requirements you could start with SQL Server Express, which is very cheap (free, I think).|||yes, it's free. has similar limitations as MSDE, like no more than 4gb database size, etc.|||Ok then thanks, did not know there was a free version.
What else should I add to my checklist of things to install?

sql server client tools?|||there is a free client to go along with the free server. client is SQL Server Management Studio Express, server is SQL Server Express.

you can get both here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/sql/download/