In Microsoft SQL Server, can the SQL Server instance be linked to other database servers such as Oracle, and if so how is this typically done?

Introduction / Context:
Modern enterprise environments often involve multiple database platforms such as SQL Server, Oracle, MySQL, and others. Microsoft SQL Server includes features for connecting to external data sources so that you can run queries across different servers. This question checks whether you know that SQL Server supports linked servers, which make it possible to run distributed queries that reference remote data sources as if they were local tables.

Given Data / Assumptions:
• The primary database engine is Microsoft SQL Server. • The organization may also use Oracle or other relational databases. • The question asks whether SQL Server can be connected to these other servers. • No numeric calculations are required; the focus is on connectivity features.

Concept / Approach:
SQL Server provides a feature called linked servers, configured using system stored procedures or graphical tools. A linked server definition includes provider information, connection details, and security mapping. After configuration, you can refer to remote objects using four part names like server.database.schema.object and execute distributed queries that join local and remote data. This mechanism supports connections not only to other SQL Server instances but also to Oracle, MySQL, and other sources through appropriate providers. The correct answer must state that SQL Server can indeed be linked to other servers and mention linked servers as the typical method.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that SQL Server includes features for distributed queries, remote servers, and linked servers. Step 2: Recognize that linked servers allow you to define connections to external relational databases, including Oracle. Step 3: Understand that once a linked server is configured, you can issue SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, or DELETE statements against remote tables using appropriate naming. Step 4: Note that this capability is used for reporting, migration, and integration scenarios where data resides on multiple platforms. Step 5: Choose the option that explicitly mentions linked servers and the ability to connect to Oracle and other systems.

Verification / Alternative check:
Imagine a requirement to build a report that combines customer data from SQL Server with order data stored in an Oracle system. By setting up a linked server to Oracle, you can issue a T-SQL query that joins a local SQL Server table with a remote Oracle table referenced via the linked server name. This scenario is well supported and documented in SQL Server. In contrast, options that claim SQL Server can only talk to local databases or communicate only via file exports do not match real world capabilities, confirming that option a is correct.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option b incorrectly states that SQL Server can only connect to databases on the same machine; networked servers are fully supported through linked servers and other mechanisms. Option c restricts SQL Server to linking only to text files, which is false; many relational and non relational data sources are supported. Option d claims that linking is possible only during backups, which is not accurate; backups are unrelated to linked server queries. Option e suggests that communication with Oracle is possible only via manual CSV export and import, ignoring the direct connectivity offered by linked servers.

Common Pitfalls:
A common pitfall is misconfiguring security for linked servers, leading to authentication failures or unexpected permissions. Another issue is performance: distributed queries can be slower or harder to tune than queries that operate on a single server. Developers also need to be cautious about transaction behavior and two phase commit when updating data across linked servers. Nevertheless, used appropriately, linked servers are a powerful feature for integrating heterogeneous data sources under a single SQL Server instance.

Final Answer:
The correct choice is Yes, SQL Server can be linked to other servers such as Oracle, MySQL, or another SQL Server using linked servers so that distributed queries can run across them., because it accurately describes SQL Server's ability to connect to external relational databases through the linked server feature.