Learning SQL Server

[Member]

Hi group.
I have been working with ColdFusion and SQL Server for some time
now....abour 4 years I guess. I have developed various web applications
successfully. The scenario I am in is that a company would like me to come
on with them as a lead database admin type guy. I would still do a little CF
development.... but mostly it will be data management with SQL Server.
Now....like I said...I have worked with databases for quite a
while...specifi cally SQL Server, and I am quite comfortable with it......but
Im kinda worried that the position involves a lot more than I have done.
Mind you I will have first hand knowledge of the database in place which is
what this position is for....so I have somewhat of an advantage. But....Im
just wondering if I should do a short course that teaches me the ins and
outs again. It's like I develop databases by winging it. Know what I mean. I
think I know what I am doing...but what if I don't? Just wondering what your
thoughts are.

[Ray Higdon]

Re: Learning SQL Server

I know what you mean, the best way to shape your "winging it" into best
practices is to pick up some good books. Kalen Delaney's Inside SQL
Server 2000 is excellent for the admin side and some development.
Knowing normalization and the relational model can only help you as
well. I don't know of a good normalization book (sure someone does) but
for relational model, Celko's Data and databases is written well.

In the next release of SQL Server (Yukon) there are a lot more
programming capabilities built-in.

HTH + GL

Ray Higdon MCSE, MCDBA, CCNA

*** Sent via Developersdex http://www.developersdex.com ***
Don't just participate in USENET...get rewarded for it!

[dfdfd]

Re: Learning SQL Server


"Ray Higdon" <rayhigdon@nosp am.higdonconsul ting.com> wrote in message
news:3f6ba708$0 $62077$75868355 @news.frii.net. ..[color=blue]
> I know what you mean, the best way to shape your "winging it" into best
> practices is to pick up some good books. Kalen Delaney's Inside SQL
> Server 2000 is excellent for the admin side and some development.
> Knowing normalization and the relational model can only help you as
> well. I don't know of a good normalization book (sure someone does) but
> for relational model, Celko's Data and databases is written well.
>
> In the next release of SQL Server (Yukon) there are a lot more
> programming capabilities built-in.
>
> HTH + GL
>
> Ray Higdon MCSE, MCDBA, CCNA
>
> *** Sent via Developersdex http://www.developersdex.com ***
> Don't just participate in USENET...get rewarded for it![/color]

"Database Modeling & Design" is a nice book. It has good
coverage of normalization (and denormalization ). And of
course as the title implies it covers design and analysis (i.e
indexes and so on) quite well. A nice medium sized
paperback of about 350 pages. I've got the 3rd edition.
the author is Toby Teorey. It's well written too, not too
heavy on RDB theory, but enough so as to be a practical
guide to the essential RDB concepts.

I'm not a real "DB person" myself either, but I use it so much
that I really need the kind of background that the book covers.

Bruce

[Dan Guzman]

Re: Learning SQL Server

Depending on the size of your organization, you may need to wear two
hats: development DBA and operational DBA. It seems you already have a
bit of experience in database development. To excel in this area, it's
quite helpful to have a solid understanding of data modeling and
relational theory so you might consider adding to your knowledge of
those areas, if needed.

The operational side is a different beast and concentrates of
backup/recovery, maintenance, tuning, etc. If your responsibilitie s
include these areas, Inside SQL Server 2000 <www.insidesqls erver.com> is
a very good resource as well as a thorough perusal of the Books Online.

--
Hope this helps.

Dan Guzman
SQL Server MVP

-----------------------
SQL FAQ links (courtesy Neil Pike):

http://www.ntfaq.com/Articles/Index.cfm?DepartmentID=800

http://www.sqlserverfaq.com

http://www.mssqlserver.com/faq

-----------------------

"Member" <sales@REMOVETH ISSPAMapmsoluti ons.ca> wrote in message
news:7ULab.5072 36$4UE.99196@ne ws01.bloor.is.n et.cable.rogers .com...[color=blue]
> Hi group.
> I have been working with ColdFusion and SQL Server for some time
> now....abour 4 years I guess. I have developed various web[/color]
applications[color=blue]
> successfully. The scenario I am in is that a company would like me to[/color]
come[color=blue]
> on with them as a lead database admin type guy. I would still do a[/color]
little CF[color=blue]
> development.... but mostly it will be data management with SQL Server.
> Now....like I said...I have worked with databases for quite a
> while...specifi cally SQL Server, and I am quite comfortable with[/color]
it......but[color=blue]
> Im kinda worried that the position involves a lot more than I have[/color]
done.[color=blue]
> Mind you I will have first hand knowledge of the database in place[/color]
which is[color=blue]
> what this position is for....so I have somewhat of an advantage.[/color]
But....Im[color=blue]
> just wondering if I should do a short course that teaches me the ins[/color]
and[color=blue]
> outs again. It's like I develop databases by winging it. Know what I[/color]
mean. I[color=blue]
> think I know what I am doing...but what if I don't? Just wondering[/color]
what your[color=blue]
> thoughts are.
>
>[/color]

[Member]

Re: Learning SQL Server

It is more development more so than the operational aspect.

Would you have any recommendations on books that would help the development
side?

"Dan Guzman" <danguzman@nosp am-earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:r2Zab.4253 8$NM1.18631@new sread2.news.atl .earthlink.net. ..[color=blue]
> Depending on the size of your organization, you may need to wear two
> hats: development DBA and operational DBA. It seems you already have a
> bit of experience in database development. To excel in this area, it's
> quite helpful to have a solid understanding of data modeling and
> relational theory so you might consider adding to your knowledge of
> those areas, if needed.
>
> The operational side is a different beast and concentrates of
> backup/recovery, maintenance, tuning, etc. If your responsibilitie s
> include these areas, Inside SQL Server 2000 <www.insidesqls erver.com> is
> a very good resource as well as a thorough perusal of the Books Online.
>
> --
> Hope this helps.
>
> Dan Guzman
> SQL Server MVP
>
> -----------------------
> SQL FAQ links (courtesy Neil Pike):
>
> http://www.ntfaq.com/Articles/Index....partmentID=800
> http://www.sqlserverfaq.com
> http://www.mssqlserver.com/faq
> -----------------------
>
> "Member" <sales@REMOVETH ISSPAMapmsoluti ons.ca> wrote in message
> news:7ULab.5072 36$4UE.99196@ne ws01.bloor.is.n et.cable.rogers .com...[color=green]
> > Hi group.
> > I have been working with ColdFusion and SQL Server for some time
> > now....abour 4 years I guess. I have developed various web[/color]
> applications[color=green]
> > successfully. The scenario I am in is that a company would like me to[/color]
> come[color=green]
> > on with them as a lead database admin type guy. I would still do a[/color]
> little CF[color=green]
> > development.... but mostly it will be data management with SQL Server.
> > Now....like I said...I have worked with databases for quite a
> > while...specifi cally SQL Server, and I am quite comfortable with[/color]
> it......but[color=green]
> > Im kinda worried that the position involves a lot more than I have[/color]
> done.[color=green]
> > Mind you I will have first hand knowledge of the database in place[/color]
> which is[color=green]
> > what this position is for....so I have somewhat of an advantage.[/color]
> But....Im[color=green]
> > just wondering if I should do a short course that teaches me the ins[/color]
> and[color=green]
> > outs again. It's like I develop databases by winging it. Know what I[/color]
> mean. I[color=green]
> > think I know what I am doing...but what if I don't? Just wondering[/color]
> what your[color=green]
> > thoughts are.
> >
> >[/color]
>
>[/color]

[Dan Guzman]

Re: Learning SQL Server

> Would you have any recommendations on books that would help the
development[color=blue]
> side?[/color]

SQL Server 2000 Programming by Example

Ken Henerson's Guru's Guide to Transact-SQL

--
Hope this helps.

Dan Guzman
SQL Server MVP

-----------------------
SQL FAQ links (courtesy Neil Pike):

http://www.ntfaq.com/Articles/Index.cfm?DepartmentID=800

http://www.sqlserverfaq.com

http://www.mssqlserver.com/faq

-----------------------

"Member" <sales@REMOVETH ISSPAMapmsoluti ons.ca> wrote in message
news:YPZab.5318 8$Ch2.51881@new s02.bloor.is.ne t.cable.rogers. com...[color=blue]
> It is more development more so than the operational aspect.
>
> Would you have any recommendations on books that would help the[/color]
development[color=blue]
> side?
>
> "Dan Guzman" <danguzman@nosp am-earthlink.net> wrote in message
> news:r2Zab.4253 8$NM1.18631@new sread2.news.atl .earthlink.net. ..[color=green]
> > Depending on the size of your organization, you may need to wear two
> > hats: development DBA and operational DBA. It seems you already[/color][/color]
have a[color=blue][color=green]
> > bit of experience in database development. To excel in this area,[/color][/color]
it's[color=blue][color=green]
> > quite helpful to have a solid understanding of data modeling and
> > relational theory so you might consider adding to your knowledge of
> > those areas, if needed.
> >
> > The operational side is a different beast and concentrates of
> > backup/recovery, maintenance, tuning, etc. If your responsibilitie s
> > include these areas, Inside SQL Server 2000[/color][/color]
<www.insidesqls erver.com> is[color=blue][color=green]
> > a very good resource as well as a thorough perusal of the Books[/color][/color]
Online.[color=blue][color=green]
> >
> > --
> > Hope this helps.
> >
> > Dan Guzman
> > SQL Server MVP
> >
> > -----------------------
> > SQL FAQ links (courtesy Neil Pike):
> >
> > http://www.ntfaq.com/Articles/Index....partmentID=800
> > http://www.sqlserverfaq.com
> > http://www.mssqlserver.com/faq
> > -----------------------
> >
> > "Member" <sales@REMOVETH ISSPAMapmsoluti ons.ca> wrote in message
> > news:7ULab.5072 36$4UE.99196@ne ws01.bloor.is.n et.cable.rogers .com...[color=darkred]
> > > Hi group.
> > > I have been working with ColdFusion and SQL Server for some time
> > > now....abour 4 years I guess. I have developed various web[/color]
> > applications[color=darkred]
> > > successfully. The scenario I am in is that a company would like me[/color][/color][/color]
to[color=blue][color=green]
> > come[color=darkred]
> > > on with them as a lead database admin type guy. I would still do a[/color]
> > little CF[color=darkred]
> > > development.... but mostly it will be data management with SQL[/color][/color][/color]
Server.[color=blue][color=green][color=darkred]
> > > Now....like I said...I have worked with databases for quite a
> > > while...specifi cally SQL Server, and I am quite comfortable with[/color]
> > it......but[color=darkred]
> > > Im kinda worried that the position involves a lot more than I have[/color]
> > done.[color=darkred]
> > > Mind you I will have first hand knowledge of the database in place[/color]
> > which is[color=darkred]
> > > what this position is for....so I have somewhat of an advantage.[/color]
> > But....Im[color=darkred]
> > > just wondering if I should do a short course that teaches me the[/color][/color][/color]
ins[color=blue][color=green]
> > and[color=darkred]
> > > outs again. It's like I develop databases by winging it. Know what[/color][/color][/color]
I[color=blue][color=green]
> > mean. I[color=darkred]
> > > think I know what I am doing...but what if I don't? Just wondering[/color]
> > what your[color=darkred]
> > > thoughts are.
> > >
> > >[/color]
> >
> >[/color]
>
>[/color]

[Erland Sommarskog]

Re: Learning SQL Server

Member (sales@REMOVETH ISSPAMapmsoluti ons.ca) writes:[color=blue]
> It is more development more so than the operational aspect.
>
> Would you have any recommendations on books that would help the
> development side?[/color]

I still think that Kalen's book is good reading. There's not so much
about data modelling there, but you get some hinch about optimizer
internals and understanding of how the optimizer and indexes works is more
important for development than for operations.


--
Erland Sommarskog, SQL Server MVP, sommar@algonet. se

Books Online for SQL Server SP3 at

http://www.microsoft.com/sql/techinfo/productdoc/2000/books.asp