How do I access a sequence in SQL?

In SQL Server, managing and querying sequences is an essential aspect of database administration. One of the primary tasks related to sequences involves viewing their properties, which can provide valuable insights into their configuration and usage.

To accomplish this, a specific syntax is employed within Transact-SQL, the SQL Server's procedural extension to SQL. This syntax allows users to retrieve information about a particular sequence by querying the system catalog views.

Specifically, the `sys.sequences` view serves as a repository for all sequence objects in the database. By querying this view, one can access detailed information about each sequence, including its name, current value, increment, and more.

The syntax for viewing the properties of a specific sequence is straightforward. It involves executing a `SELECT` statement against the `sys.sequences` view, filtered by the name of the desired sequence. The wildcard character `*` is used to indicate that all columns of the matching sequence should be returned.

For instance, to view the properties of a sequence named `'sequence_name'`, the syntax would be: `SELECT * FROM sys.sequences WHERE name = 'sequence_name';`. This query efficiently retrieves all the relevant details about the specified sequence, enabling database administrators and developers to make informed decisions based on its configuration.