Product Description

An authoritative guide to designing effective solutions for data cleansing, ETL, and file management with SQL Server 2008 Integration Services

SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) is the leading tool in the data warehouse industry, used for performing extraction, transformation, and load operations.

After an overview of SSIS architecture, the authors walk you a series of real-world problems and show various techniques for handling them.

• Shows you how to design SSIS solutions for data cleansing, ETL and file management
• Demonstrates how to integrate data from a variety of data sources,
• Shows how to monitor SSIS performance,
• Demonstrates how to avoid common pitfalls involved with SSIS deployment
• Explains how to ensure performance of the deployed solution and effectively handle unexpected system failures and outages
• The companion Web site provides sample code and database scripts that readers can directly implement

This book shows you how to design, build, deploy, and manage solutions to real-world problems that SSIS administrators and developers face day-to-day. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Good job, keep it up
Not a beginner's book. Target audience is medium to expert level professionals.

Simply put, should I write code or architect a process flow (package) with minimum code effort to solve business problem? If architecting is a choice then this book is for you.

The book covers package framework, design and development. It walks you through design patterns for developing effective SSIS packages. There is a nice section on package's performance with comparison to memory and disk I/O bottlenecks.

The book also covers physical infrastructure and deployment by focusing on package deployment on single/multiple computers and talk about processor capacity, RAM and physical disk size.

Indispensable for Serious ETL Developers
I echo the comments of the other reviewers. I bought this book, despite it only had one reviewer comment,largely because the authors. It turned out it was best decision I ever made. Unlike other SSIS books which teach you on how to use the software, this book instead focused on real world common issues faced by ETL developers. I specifically love the logging, and chapter 7 and 8 for dimension and fact. Regardles of your SSIS level, you will definitely learn something new from this. I highly recommend this book.

SQL Server Integration Services: Problem - Design - Solution
I usually don't do book reviews (at least publicly, anyway), but when I find a piece of work that I really get a lot out of, I don't mind sharing my experience.Such was the case with a book I finished recently.SQL Server 2008 Integration Services: Problem - Design - Solution is a concise guide to becoming a better ETL developer, written by four highly experienced industry experts.After reading this book, I can recommend it without hesitation!

From the first few pages, it's obvious that this book is different from many other SSIS books.Rather than trying to teach the reader how to use the software, this book instead focuses on common business problems and the methodology behind solving them.The authors assume some familiarity with SSIS, so you won't find a comprehensive how-to manual if you've never created a package before.That being said, the concepts presented here are not so complex that only highly seasoned ETL developers will understand them; to the contrary, the book illustrates a number of simple yet practical approaches, along with relevant examples, that audiences of various skill levels will get something out of it.

One of the most relevant topics covered was the concept of building an SSIS management framework, which was my favorite part of the book.Having recently moved from an environment with a relatively small number of packages to a consulting role where I might interact with hundreds of packages a month, I found that a solid ETL framework is a critical component of success.Chapter 2 of the Problem - Design - Solution book explains why, and illustrates how, one would build an SSIS management framework.For anyone that has struggled with a large number of packages or has wrestled with the shortcomings of the built-in SSIS logging tools, this chapter should prove useful as both a guide and a best practices reference.Further into the book, the authors cover other topics essential to data warehousing ETL, including data cleansing and fact and dimension table ETL.The authors go on to cover scripting in SSIS, one of my favorite topics, and do a good job of addressing scripting patterns in both the script task and script component.Finally, the book reviews ways to monitor and improve SSIS performance.

I consider a technical book to be successful if it contains the right mix of information so that I can immediately apply what I've learned to legitimate problems and situation.To that end, this book is a winner in my opinion; even though I have been developing ETL processes in SSIS for years, I was able to walk away with some practical techniques that I began using almost immediately.Experienced ETL developers, as well as those with only a little SSIS experience, will likely find this book very useful.

Great book!
First off, let me say that this is a great book and I highly recommend reading it. I have been developing in SSIS on and off for the past 5 years and this book opened me up to new approaches on solving every day problems. Having the book broken down between Problem/Design/Solution is great because as a developer sometimes it is hard to envision when it would be the right time to use certain technologies over others.

Advanced SSIS, Thank You!
This book is really good for more advanced users.If you have developed SSIS packages in the past, and want to take the next step to make your systems better, then get this book.I am a developer for a big company and I rarely see advanced "real world" examples of SSIS solutions.I love the first chapter on SSIS logging.Download the code from the website, and it will create your logging tables and procs with just minor modifications to the scripts.

I initially put off buying this book for a week because it only had one review at the time (even though it was 5 stars).
This is an excellent Book! ... Read more

Product Description

SQL Server 2008 Transact–SQL Recipes: A Problem–Solution Approach is an example–based guide to the Transact–SQL language that is at the core of SQL Server 2008. Learn to create databases, insert and update data, generate reports, secure your data, and more. Author Joseph Sack takes common Transact–SQL tasks and breaks them down into a problem/solution format that is quick and easy to read so that you can get the job done fast when the pressure is on.

• Focused on solutions: Look up what you need to do. Learn how to do it. Do it.
• Current: Newly updated for SQL Server 2008.
• Comprehensive: Covers 30 different Transact–SQL problem domains.

What you’ll learn

• Create databases, tables, and indexes.
• Query and manipulate data.
• Store and manage XML inside the database.
• Move business logic into the database.
• Encrypt data and capture changes for compliance purposes.
• Implement Full–Text Search.
• Interface with Service Broker.
• And more!

Who is this book for?

Developers who use Microsoft SQL Server 2008 as their back–end database. Database administrators who create, manage, and secure those databases.

Customer Reviews (9)

A good SQL Server Reference Book
I read and review lot of SQL Server books. Almost every other book on SQL Server has something new or explaining same features in a different way. I ordered this book being drawn to the title of this book. This book is written by one of the SQL Premier Field Support Engineers from Microsoft. It is nicely laid out and definitely different from other books in explaining SQL Server features. The best thing about this book is "How it Works" sections. For most of the part, the author has done a good job for these sections in describing the internals of each of the features. However, I did find the explanation to some extent short for some important features such as Service Broker, Encryption, Database Snapshots and Query Hints. Especially, I was looking for some internal information on Service Broker.
It is definitely worthwhile to spend some time in reading this book.I would rate this book a 4 star.

Excellent T-SQL bookfor SQL Server 2008
This is an excellent T-SQL bookfor SQL Server 2008. You have to have some T-SQL coding experiences to enjoy the use of it.

Buy or steal this book
I bought this thinking it was the typical recipe type book for T-SQL from this publisher and it is. It also covers a number of things regarding managing SQL Server that a developer should know and understand. This won't make you a dba but after reading this you are on your way. Well organized in presentation explainations of code samples are good. I found the writing itself enjoyable. You should have an understanding of basic SQL to get the full benefit here but I think a beginner to the subject would not be lost here. As I say in the title of my review buy or steal this book if you need a T-SQL guide.

Now This Is What I Call "From Novice To Professional"
I Highly Recommend this book to anyone using Sql Server... Dont let the 2008 fool you, he points out where the T-SQL code differs from previous enviroments...full of great information

Fantastic Addition to the Books Online
Joseph Sack's book is full of information on how to write T-SQL code. That's all it does and all it is. The name is just about perfect. He focuses on the language and structure of Transact SQL and delivers a great set of examples and explanations that will communicate the concepts, simple and complex, necessary for you to go to work on your own system. It really is a set of recipes for dealing with T-SQL.

The chapters break down into broad concepts like Select or Indexes or Linked Servers. These concepts are then broken down into the component parts so that, for example, in the Backup chapter, you get broad sub-topics on Creating a Backup and Recovery Plan, Making Backups and Restoring a Database. These are then broken down even further into specifics such as Viewing Database Space Usage. These specific topics then show the syntax, similar to Books Online, but laid out a little differently with immediate explanation of the parameters followed by the true strength of the book, examples. He finally sums up the section with a "How It Works" description.

This is not a "learn how to use SQL Server" book. It is exactly what it says, a set of recipes that will help you work with T-SQL. Actually, when you look at all the examples in the book, that's where you're getting your money's worth and then some. These are good examples, original and well thought out. It shows how to use the code, and, more importantly, how to use it right.

I'd recommend this to DBA's for sure, but I think it's a must for developers too. Here's a handy resource to help you get better T-SQL code the first time. ... Read more

Product Description
Use this comprehensive tutorial and reference to increase productivity and write stored procedures using the language with which you're most familiar. The revised content covers new features such as XML integration, Web services, the .NET Common Language Runtime (CLR), and security updates, making this book a must for any developer or database administrator transitioning to the new version of SQL Server. You'll learn to develop SQL Server database and data connections, administer SQL Server, and keep databases performing at their peak. In addition, you'll find dozens of specific examples in both a graphical format and as SQL code as well as numerous best practices describing the most effective way to accomplish a given task. A companion Web site provides all of the code examples found in the book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

I Like This Book
I recently started using SQL Server 2005.I have some programming and database experience, but none with SQL Server.I am very pleased with the book.It provided a quick refresher of basics, and a clear description of the Server tools.It has already helped greatly, pointing out some of the places where SQL Server varies from standard SQL, and additional commands/tools I would not have found for a long time.I am happy with the writing style, and find the book easy to follow.

Excellent reference book for SQL Server
This book is well written, easy to follow and easy to apply the code as presented.I would give it a "5" if it had the code samples for creating SQL for a report that includes multiple fields and a subtotal by grouping and a grand total for the report.While there is some information in this book, it does not assist well in solving this particular problem.

Overall, worth the money for a reference if you are a SQL Developer, DBA, BSA, or an instructor or trainer.

Good Book for Beginner
This is a good book for a beginner. I would have given it 5 stars if it had more examples. I am an intermediate Oracle programmer and needed a book that gives me an Oracle to SQL Server examples. It goes too much into T-SQl for my current job location. Overall once I make the move from Oracle to SQL Server it will become more useful. I will use it as a reference tool.

Can someone please send me the rest of the text!
First off, my biggest complaint is the discrepancies between code listed in the text book, and the sample databases downloaded from the author's web site. If you are providing sample databases for download, please make sure the column names referenced in your SQL statements actually exist in the tables!
I found it very difficult to follow the logical flow of the book.It always seemed like I was getting to a lecture half way thru, wondering if what I missed in the first 10 minutes would help my understanding of what the author is talking about.Tools are often explained, but the author never shows you how to open the tools, or set them as defaults.There is no logical flow from one topic to the next, again, you feel like you're ten minutes late to the lecture.
I would wager that half of my time reading this book is spent on trying to follow the author's train of thought, then applying it to SQL.Perhaps the most common expression I make reading this text is, "WTF?!"I'll definitely be purchasing some other text.
Definitely not for SQL beginners, and if you are advanced, this probably won't help you.

On a side note: This lack of attention to detail and inability to connect to the reader seems to be a "Bible" book theme.I also have a Red Had Linux Bible book that suffers the exact same complaints.At first I thought it was the author, but now that I've got my hands on a second "Bible" publication with the exact same problems, I'll be steering clear of these!

The best book available for the strict DBA
There are really three kinds of database professionals:

-Administrators
-Architects/Designers
-Developers

Now, some people play all three roles or two of the three roles. This book is definitely not the best book for people who are strictly developers as is reflected by some of the reviews at this site. Of course, the book is not intended for that class of database professional (in fact, they are really not database professionals if they are strictly developers, but are more developers who have to have a database for their application).

For those who play the role of the Administrator only - and there are thousands of you out there because I teach many of you in my classes - or a combination of administrator/designer this is the best single book you will find. (That's right, the author of another book on SQL Server is suggesting that his book is not the best single book... my book helps you specifically in preparing for the 70-431 exam and is not intended to have the breadth of coverage of this book.) Some developers just don't realize that most small businesses with an IT staff of less than twenty do not have dedicated database people and this book is for those people in those businesses. They are not going to write a lot of applications, if any, from the ground up, but they must support SQL Server databases that have been developed by others.

They need to understand backups and restorations, data export, data import, data tranformation (ETL), security, performance issues and other administrative tasks. All if this is covered sufficiently in the SQL Server 2005 Bible.

I must say that I have not always been a fan of the "Bible" series, but this book has been great since the SQL Server 2000 level when I started recommending it.

I hope this helps you make your decision. ... Read more

Product Description
Most SQL texts attempt to serve as an encyclopedic reference on SQL syntax -- an approach that is counterproductive, since this information is readily available in online references published by the major database vendors. For SQL beginners, it's more important for a book to focus on general concepts and offer clear explanations and examples of what the various statements can accomplish. This is that beginner book. A number of features make The LANGUAGE OF SQL unique among introductory SQL books. First, you will not be required to download software or sit with a computer as you read the text. The intent of this book is to provide examples of SQL usage that can be understood simply by reading them. Second, topics are organized in an intuitive and logical sequence. SQL keywords are introduced one at a time, allowing you to build on your prior understanding as you encounter new words and concepts. Finally, this book covers the syntax of three widely used databases: Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, and Oracle, with special "Database Differences" boxes that will show you any differences in the syntax among those three databases, as well as instructions on how to obtain and install free versions of the databases. This is the only book you'll need to gain a working knowledge of SQL and relational databases. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A great intro to SQL
As a SQL novice, I found this book very helpful and easy to read. Everything was understandable and clear. The author did a nice job of explaining how each new topic relates to what you already know. It was nicely organized and very well written. It's the kind of book you can read to get the concepts, and then keep around as a reference. I'd definitely recommend this book for anyone interested in learning SQL.
... Read more

Product Description

• When used with the MDX query language, SQL Server Analysis Services allows developers to build full-scale database applications to support such business functions as budgeting, forecasting, and market analysis.
• Shows readers how to build data warehouses and multi-dimensional databases, query databases, and use Analysis Services and other components of SQL Server to provide end-to-end solutions
• Revised, updated, and enhanced, the book discusses new features such as improved integration with Office and Excel 2007; query performance enhancements; improvements to aggregation designer, dimension designer, cube and dimension wizards, and cell writeback; extensibility and personalization; data mining; and more

Customer Reviews (3)

Good book
Buyers - be aware, you need this book. Analysis Services is a huge product and it's impossible to cover all aspects of it. But this is a 1000 pages well worth your time and money.
If there was one thing that could be improved about this book it would be adding even more, complete examples. On a few occasions the book says "we'll let you (the reader) explore this functionality". With all examples the book could easily have been over 1500 pages long.

It's OK
I admit I haven't spent a lot of time with it yet, but it hasn't answered some of the questions I have anyway re using MDX with SSAS. I would like more examples too. Hopefully I'l find a use for it eventually.

End-to-End Microsoft BI book for professional consultants
I am a microsoft professional consultant who makes a living working with Microsoft BI toolsets.I find this book of tremendous value because of the contents and because of who wrote it.The authors are part of the SSAS product group as well as http://www.sqlcat.com team (the #1 BI application team that takes on the world's largest and greatest database and Business Intelligent design challenges and delivers great designs and success stories)...this is the best of the best at Microsoft.I read the book end-to-end. I can tell you that the MDX, performance tuning, and scenario chapters alone, are worth the price of the book many times over.This book helped me succeed in my job and go further than other consultants.I would highly recommend this book to "professional" consultants.Beginners who want to learn the fundamentals to MSFT BI would benefit greatly from this best-practices microsoft team. ... Read more

Product Description

• This comprehensive introduction to SQL Server begins with an overview of database design basics and the SQL query language along with an in-depth look at SQL Server itself
• Progresses on to a clear explanation of how to implement fundamental concepts with the new 2008 version of SQL Server
• Discusses creating and changing tables, managing keys, writing scripts, working with stored procedures, programming with XML, using SQL Server Reporting and Integration Services, and more
• Features updated and new material, including new examples using Microsoft's AdventureWorks sample database

Customer Reviews (5)

Big enough to stop a train, but filled with good bits...
No one will remember tech books as great literature. They're a vast linguistic junk yard, yes, but at least one with a purpose. Although most teachers would flinch until their undies imploded at the thought, one can learn something from even a poorly written book. And look no further for bad writing than tech books. Their rush to market eagerness and probable demographic presumptions likely explain their often appalling syntax and spelling. Of course no one wants to read sloppy prose in any genre, but who really reads tech books for their literary qualities? If such a person exists, a slobbering impresario with a reality show contract likely awaits. The ultimate test for tech books remains utility. Can one read a given book and then produce something decent? If yes, then something of value exists.

Wrox books possess enough bulk to function as doorstops or bridge struts, definitely. And often the author/programmers' grinning or deadpan faces glaring in not extremely appealing black, white and red contrast don't inspire aesthetic spasms. Nonetheless, what they lack in artistic merits they often make up for in technical knowledge. "Beginning Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Programming" stands as one Wrox book that, for the most part, delivers. Anyone who has found themselves thrown head first into database programming can easily osmose the basics from this tome. It takes a while to read, but the investment pays off in depth of knowledge. Working with databases on any professional level would prove difficult without mastering this book's first twelve chapters. Go ahead and try, but have your resume ready. And though some software developers, particularly of the .NET variety, may now rest content with LINQ, knowledge of SQL and database technology would only enhance their skill sets. This book provides just the right background for such people.

Though the book contains some rough spots, coverage of the main points of T-SQL remains more than adequate. From SELECT, JOIN, CREATE, ALTER, CONSTRAINT, to normalization, views, stored procedures, user defined functions and triggers, this book will help anyone whose boss suddenly orders them in front of SQL Management Studio. Though more coverage of cursors would help beginners who find themselves faced with these monstrosities. And the trigger chapter leaves those murky and dangerous objects, which lurk like methane bubbles beneath cracking ice, still mysterious. The book's final sections provide previews of the "SQL Stack," which includes Integration Services (SSIS), Reporting Services (SSRS) and a dabbling of Database Administration. These provide only a meager tease. Larger books than this one exist on SSIS alone. Once again, this book requires a time investment. An installation of the SQL Server 2008 client also helps (other books cover the server side). But, like any investment, it can pay off when study integrates with practice.

Review Text
This book was purchased in hard copy even though I have access to an Ecopy. It is the exact as we aqre using in class and just as advertised. No torn pages, no markings. I would definitely buy from this seller again.

Proof that Wrox does NOT have editors
Computer books are thrown together so carelessly these days.Look at the table of contents for Chapter 8.Almost all of its topics are to be found on page 260... and page 260 barely has any text!I'm astonished at how pitiful the quality control is on this junk!

SQL Server easy
Although the book is good, the author uses everyday language frequently, which hinders the understanding of readers from countries where English is not spoken as a native language. Also, it ignores the process and the prerequisites for installation.

A great beginner book
This is a great beginner's book on T-SQL programming. I like the Author's writing style and comprehensive coverage of all the topics including Reporting, XML, Integration Services, UDFs, and even some Administration tasks. The stored procedure chapter could have been made into two chapters. Also, I was surprised why more examples were not given for the Try/Catch error. Similarly, there was not much to go with the SSIS. Looks like most of the typos in the book were removed since the 2005 publication. Overall, a great book to get one started.
... Read more

Product Description
Oracle 10g: SQL prepares students for the first exam in both the Oracle Database Administrator (DBA) and Oracle Forms Developer certification tracks and offers them a solid understanding of Oracle10g and how to use it effectively. This textbook is not simply a study guide; it is written for individuals who have just a basic knowledge of databases and can be utilized in a course on this latest implementation of SQL from Oracle.Students begin with a solid foundation for creating databases (7 chapters) then strengthen their knowledge in creating queries (7 chapters).To assist students in bridging SQL topics to further studies, the last two chapters introduce students to SQL tuning, compare Oracle?s SQL syntax to other databases (MS SQL Server and MySQL) and describe how SQL can be embedded in applications (ASP.net).This textbook also covers SQL*Plus and iSQL*Plus so students can identify and distinguish the differences between these interfaces. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Smooth transaction. Quick delivery
Item was in very good condition and it arrived earlier than expected. Good business. Thanks!

Oracle 10g SQL Review
Overall:
Strengths: Complete and Great Book, easy follow up scripts and excellent examples. Excellent reference source.

Weakness: the cds included (in my case) both of the cd installs but program does not work. I had a hard time installing them. Don't accept password. I needed to uninstall it completely and install Oracle 10g enterprise version to get my work done.

But putting this CD matter away, the book is excellent.

Oracle 10g: SQL
It's an easy book to understand and learn from. It explains SQL statemen clearly with their related examples that help you get the purpose of what you are studying.

Accomplishes it's goal
The goal of this book is to teach SQL used in Oracle 10g. It's does pretty fair job in reaching it's goal.
What it is and what it is not:

- it is a book on 10g SQL.
It covers most if not all what one can expect to learn from one book on Oracle 10g SQL. It covers: briefly basic of database development theory, Data Control Language, Data Manipulation Language, Data Definition Language. Pretty much every aspect of the Oralce SQL you need from introductory class. It uses handy practical examples throughout the book, based on database created by the author. CD with files included (even though I didn't install any of it. We used college database and SQL Plus)

- it is not a book on database administration.
While it has section on user creation/management, it's prime goal is not how to properly install and backup database. And what's covered is not as extensive as you would expect from DBA text.

- I don't remember finding any bugs, or typos with any examples. That's good.
- Overall pretty good resource. I learned great deal of this book.

Great intro into Oracle
This book was the required reading for a database concepts class as part of amaster's program. It's a great introduction into not only to SQL, but also Oracle. As someone who has worked with SQL often, but never with Oracle, I found this book to be very informative and helpful. It will serve as a good reference in the future. ... Read more

Product Description
Understanding the internals of storage in SQL Server helps database developers and administrators to better create, maintain, and mine information from enterprise data. This practical, hands-on book focuses on the SQL Server 2005 Storage Engine and delves deep into the structures used for storing data, including files, tables, indexes, and data types. Topics also include security details, with coverage of the new SQL Server 2005 security model, and data protection through the backup and restore algorithms. With pragmatic advice, best practices, extensive code samples, and table examples, developers and database administrators will find the guidance they need to better understand how to build powerful, efficient databases. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Inside Microsoft SQL SERVER 2005: The Storage Engine
This is a well written book that contains plenty of insight into how SQL Server works.

Not a fast read, but worth the investment
First note: this book is not a page turner.It is not dry, but packed.It will take a long time to get through, but the book is worth the effort if you are trying to get some in-depth knowledge on SQL Server.

Best SQL Server internals book on the market
This is NOT a book to learn about SQL Server programming.This is for the advanced student of database programming or optimization.Did you ever want to know how SQL Server writes the indexes to disk?How many bytes does that row actually take in memory?Those are the types of questions you can ask in this book and get incredibly detailed answers.

The section on index creation alone is fantastic.You will not find this level of detail in college books on database design and thoery.

I think this is honestly the book I have read from a company that gives so much of their internal information.The format of the disk files, how things happen and why are all included.The writing style is clear without being wordy.She has a lot to tell you and gets about her business.The examples are usually small and to the point.

Less signal more noise
I have attempted to read this book atleast 4 times in the last year. A couple of times I tried reading cover to cover. Other times I jumped into specific chapters. Neither approach worked for me.

I realized the reason is that the book's presentation is very confusing (atleast for me). There are a lot of contents in the book that can be found easily. For example chapter 6 starts with a primer on relational database which is not the goal of the book. Also I found the complete catalog of data types a bit redundant since it can be got from online. Again these only examples. The book is fraught with such redundant material that makes the signal to noise ratio very low.

I expected the book to contain the stuff that cannot be found else where (Sort of like Windows Internal by Mark Russonovich). May be the problem is my expectation. I loved "Database Tuning" by Dennis Shasha et al.

Fantastic
Okay, reviewing this book is going to be quite difficult. I have mixed feelings however everything that I have to say about this book is positive. For one, this is not for the faint of heart of casual reading. This book is there for those who want to learn the gory details of how SQL 2005 works.

I would describe the book like this:
You have a car and it is nice and pretty on the outside, and you can do all sorts of cool things with the buttons on the console and you can play music and other nifty things, such as GPS. Well, on the inside of the car you have no clue how it all ties together and what is going on when you push that button.

Well, imagine this book as a blueprint of how your car's innards work, down to the very last oil spot on the engine.

This book is the best down right down to the memory block detailed book I have seen on SQL 2005. Now, the hard part about this book is that it can be difficult to read, and follow, at times. There are several sections you may have to read over and over again just to start to understand what it even means.

If you are looking for a good hard core book on the SQL engine, this is it for you. I give this book a 5 star rating for content, author knowledge and sheer impressive information.



... Read more

Product Description
If you have never programmed with T-SQL but have some background programming knowledge and experience, Beginning T-SQL with Microsoft SQL Server 2005 and 2006 will provide you with an overview of SQL Server query operations and tools used with T-SQL, Microsoft's implementation of the SQL database query language. Review basic query language commands and syntax, learn how to design and build applications, and understand how to optimize query performance. Improve your skills with the most up-to-date T-SQL guide, which provides hands-on examples and instructions to guide you through the process. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Good TSQL coverage, with some not so good advice
As a db professional for many years, I bought this to bring me up to speed on the 2005 and 2008 new features and tsql, and I feel it is serving that purpose well for me (I have not yet completed the book).The subject areas are well organized and well covered, and I find the writing style to be lucid and very readable.

I did notice what I consider to be some poor advice (hence only 4 star rating) related to data typings- specifically the advice to use numeric data type for data that would never make sense to apply mathematical operations. The author's rationale' for this is that numeric data is preferred for sorting and comparison over character data.

The flaw in that approach is thinking that a fast answer is better than a correct answer.And also that a fast answer is preferable over user's confusion on the meaning and use of a data item over the course of it's useful life.

Anyone who has been supporting data processing for years will know that half the battle is in keeping the semantics (meaning) of the data that is stored in the DB clear to all stakeholders in an enterprise.

Applying numeric data type to data where mathematical operations on it will produce nonsense practically guarantees that such nonsense will be at least attempted, and perhaps even distributed at some point in an organization.What is the meaning of adding two phone numbers together?Or two social security numbers? It's nonsense.In addition, it is not at all impossible over the course of time that a business concept that uses numerals but is not mathematical may need to include non-numeric characters at a later time- after all it is not mathematical data.When that happens you will be in for a big hassle if you have to change the type for a lot of data.

There are few more fundamental and important needs in database design than getting data types "right".It's too bad this book offers a bit of poor advice in that area.

Kiss your beginner status goodbye...
Microsoft's now ubiquitous SQL Server database engine is far more complicated than it first appears. Apart from the voluminous administrative tasks it can accomplish and support, it provides a vast set of commands for data retrieval and manipulation known as "Transact-SQL" or "T-SQL." In the spirit of Wrox books, this book is big, red, and dedicated to a single topic: this very T-SQL toolset.

Fifteen chapters comprising over 600 pages covers everything a T-SQL beginner needs. Introductory chapters provide background information on Relational Databases, the versions of SQL Server, database normalization, and tools available in SQL Server (many of which are beyond this book's scope).

A detailed discussion of T-SQL syntax finally appears in Chapter 4, but the real meat begins in Chapter 5 with the universal command SELECT. Subsequqnt chapters provide explanations and copious code examples (for both SQL Server 2005 and 2008) for SQL Functions (e.g., AVG(), DATEADD(), CONVERT(), etc.), grouping, joins, subqueries, cursors, transactions (with error handling via TRY and CATCH), the handy but unintuitive PIVOT, a discussion of objects (in database speak this means things such as tables, views, procedures and functions), query optimization (with graphical execution plans) and a concluding chapter that rolls T-SQL into an application development and reporting context. Appendices follow with quick references to the tools discussed.

This is a beginner's book. Although it does delve into what some feel are more advanced topics such as transactions and stored procedures, these receive beginner to intermediate level coverage. In any case, even beginners should have some familiarity with these T-SQL features.

Those new to T-SQL or seeking a refresh will find ample discussions of the basics here. This gargantuan book won't get anyone up to speed quickly, but it provides enough detail so that beginners will exit this book as knowledgeable T-SQL users.

Good basic book
I've bought the whole series as you do need a paper based reference with examples to work thru more intricate projects.I would say that I've run into a gap in the series in that there isn't much discussion on what we (*data analyst/programmers) do a lot and that's integrate SQL with MS Office especially Excel.Thin there.

Introduction to SQL Query
I purchased this book as an introduction to writing query scripts for SQL. We've a large database with many fields and I needed to know how to appropriately join and relate information in a well constructed manner. This book provides starter SQL queries in addition to explaining the foundation of databases (creating, adjusting, queries etc) The query information provided a more descriptive environment than what I had found on the web. A good beginner guide! ... Read more

Product Description
If you have never programmed with T-SQL but have some background programming knowledge and experience, Beginning T-SQL with Microsoft SQL Server 2005 and 2006 will provide you with an overview of SQL Server query operations and tools used with T-SQL, Microsoft's implementation of the SQL database query language. Review basic query language commands and syntax, learn how to design and build applications, and understand how to optimize query performance. Improve your skills with the most up-to-date T-SQL guide, which provides hands-on examples and instructions to guide you through the process. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Good TSQL coverage, with some not so good advice
As a db professional for many years, I bought this to bring me up to speed on the 2005 and 2008 new features and tsql, and I feel it is serving that purpose well for me (I have not yet completed the book).The subject areas are well organized and well covered, and I find the writing style to be lucid and very readable.

I did notice what I consider to be some poor advice (hence only 4 star rating) related to data typings- specifically the advice to use numeric data type for data that would never make sense to apply mathematical operations. The author's rationale' for this is that numeric data is preferred for sorting and comparison over character data.

The flaw in that approach is thinking that a fast answer is better than a correct answer.And also that a fast answer is preferable over user's confusion on the meaning and use of a data item over the course of it's useful life.

Anyone who has been supporting data processing for years will know that half the battle is in keeping the semantics (meaning) of the data that is stored in the DB clear to all stakeholders in an enterprise.

Applying numeric data type to data where mathematical operations on it will produce nonsense practically guarantees that such nonsense will be at least attempted, and perhaps even distributed at some point in an organization.What is the meaning of adding two phone numbers together?Or two social security numbers? It's nonsense.In addition, it is not at all impossible over the course of time that a business concept that uses numerals but is not mathematical may need to include non-numeric characters at a later time- after all it is not mathematical data.When that happens you will be in for a big hassle if you have to change the type for a lot of data.

There are few more fundamental and important needs in database design than getting data types "right".It's too bad this book offers a bit of poor advice in that area.

Kiss your beginner status goodbye...
Microsoft's now ubiquitous SQL Server database engine is far more complicated than it first appears. Apart from the voluminous administrative tasks it can accomplish and support, it provides a vast set of commands for data retrieval and manipulation known as "Transact-SQL" or "T-SQL." In the spirit of Wrox books, this book is big, red, and dedicated to a single topic: this very T-SQL toolset.

Fifteen chapters comprising over 600 pages covers everything a T-SQL beginner needs. Introductory chapters provide background information on Relational Databases, the versions of SQL Server, database normalization, and tools available in SQL Server (many of which are beyond this book's scope).

A detailed discussion of T-SQL syntax finally appears in Chapter 4, but the real meat begins in Chapter 5 with the universal command SELECT. Subsequqnt chapters provide explanations and copious code examples (for both SQL Server 2005 and 2008) for SQL Functions (e.g., AVG(), DATEADD(), CONVERT(), etc.), grouping, joins, subqueries, cursors, transactions (with error handling via TRY and CATCH), the handy but unintuitive PIVOT, a discussion of objects (in database speak this means things such as tables, views, procedures and functions), query optimization (with graphical execution plans) and a concluding chapter that rolls T-SQL into an application development and reporting context. Appendices follow with quick references to the tools discussed.

This is a beginner's book. Although it does delve into what some feel are more advanced topics such as transactions and stored procedures, these receive beginner to intermediate level coverage. In any case, even beginners should have some familiarity with these T-SQL features.

Those new to T-SQL or seeking a refresh will find ample discussions of the basics here. This gargantuan book won't get anyone up to speed quickly, but it provides enough detail so that beginners will exit this book as knowledgeable T-SQL users.

Good basic book
I've bought the whole series as you do need a paper based reference with examples to work thru more intricate projects.I would say that I've run into a gap in the series in that there isn't much discussion on what we (*data analyst/programmers) do a lot and that's integrate SQL with MS Office especially Excel.Thin there.

Introduction to SQL Query
I purchased this book as an introduction to writing query scripts for SQL. We've a large database with many fields and I needed to know how to appropriately join and relate information in a well constructed manner. This book provides starter SQL queries in addition to explaining the foundation of databases (creating, adjusting, queries etc) The query information provided a more descriptive environment than what I had found on the web. A good beginner guide! ... Read more

Product Description
This book will help you get past the initial learning curve quickly so that you can get started using SSIS to transform data, create a workflow, or maintain your SQL Server. Offering you hands-on guidance, you'll learn a new world of integration possibilities and be able to move away from scripting complex logic to programming tasks using a full-featured language.

What you will learn from this book

• Ways to quickly move and transform data
• How to configure every aspect of SSIS
• How to interface SSIS with web services and XML
• Techniques to scale the SSIS and make it more reliable
• How to migrate DTS packages to SSIS
• How to create your own custom tasks and user interfaces
• How to create an application that interfaces with SSIS to manage the environment
• A detailed usable case study for a complete ETL solution

Who this book is for

This book is for developers, DBAs, and users who are looking to program custom code in all of the .NET languages. It is expected that you know the basics of how to query the SQL Server and have some fundamental programming skills.

Wrox Professional guides are planned and written by working programmers to meet the real-world needs of programmers, developers, and IT professionals. Focused and relevant, they address the issues technology professionals face every day. They provide examples, practical solutions, and expert education in new technologies, all designed to help programmers do a better job. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (34)

Great Book.
I purchased the expert one first, than I realized it was not want I wanted, this book was much better. I find it very useful to the work I was doing.

Worthy introduction to SSIS
I read the book, followed the examples.This was a worthy introduction to SSIS and gave me a good start on my new job writing ETLs.

There are typos, a few code errors. The writing can be uneven. Somehow I survived. You will too.

Half baked product
Yes, authors are very knowledgeable, but the book is very difficult to read and to learn SSIS.
I am DBA/ Data Warehousing / ETL developer with over 10 years in the field and had real trouble following the "story" and small print that dominates the book.WORX should really do a better job in editing and formatting the book. The code examples are very difficult to read and follow. No consistent presentation format. In many examples authors make statements and comment before presenting the problem. The whole book written in a "story" style and lacks structure and formatting to make it more readable. Many errors and WORX Forums for the book is no help. Problems and questions posted on Forum are neglected and not addressed. It is really a shame when a book with a lot of good info is so badly written and edited.

Very informative!
So far this book is great for basics. It gives a great overview of all the options you have to create a SSIS package. I had previously purchased the expert version because I had DTS experience and realized SSIS was totally different. So I bought the professional version and it's filled in a lot of gaps. It's also got nice tutorials at the end of the chapters that help you to create a basic SSIS package which is incredibly helpful for learning the new tools that are available.

Too many authors; too little coherence
I originally intended to give this book two (2) stars, just because I was hacked off at the terrible index, but the content is worth at least three stars.The problem is locating the specific content you need.

Example: User-defined package variables are often critical pieces of a SSIS package.Want to find out how to get/set package variable values from an Execute SQL Task?Well, you won't get anywhere trying to look up "Variables" in the index.Just when you think the text does not address this important issue, you browse the Execute SQL Task section and -- lo! -- there is an extended discussion on how to access package variables from SQL queries.But none of it is referenced by the "Variables" entry in the index.

Brian Knight, by all accounts, is a good writer who knows his material, but any book that has ten (!) authors can't help but display a variety of writing styles and competencies.The book is adequate as a learning tool, but not as a reference.If the publisher had been in less of a hurry to get to market, Mr. Knight might have been allowed to take on fewer collaborators and produced a more coherent book.And a more complete index.
... Read more

Product Description

Discussing new and existing features, SQL Server designer and administrator Michael Coles takes you on an expert guided tour of Transact–SQL functionality in SQL Server 2008 in his book Pro T–SQL 2008 Programmer’s Guide. Fully functioning examples and downloadable source code bring Coles’ technically accurate and engaging treatment of Transact–SQL into your own hands. Step–by–step explanations ensure clarity, and an advocacy of best–practices will steer you down the road to success.

Pro T–SQL 2008 Programmer’s Guide is every developer’s key to making full use of SQL Server 2008’s powerful, built–in Transact–SQL language. Transact–SQL is the language developers and DBAs use to interact with SQL Server. It’s used for everything from querying data, to writing stored procedures, to managing the database. New features in SQL Server 2008 include a spatial data type, SQLCLR integration, the MERGE statement, a dramatically improved and market–leading XML feature set, and support for encryption—all of which are covered in this book

What you’ll learn

• Write stored procedures, functions, and triggers using Transact–SQL
• Apply best–practices when centralizing procedural logic inside your SQL Server database.
• Seamlessly work with XML data using XQuery, XPath, and the XML type.
• Use SQLCLR to write .NET code that runs inside SQL Server.
• Implement full–text search within your database.
• Load data more efficiently using the new MERGE statement.
• Learn about the new geography type for storing spatial data.

Who is this book for?

Pro T–SQL 2008 Programmer’s Guide is written for SQL Server and Transact–SQL developers who want to implement best–practices and take full advantage of all that SQL Server has to offer. .NET programmers will find the book helpful in showing how to run .NET code within SQL Server. Database administrators who need to write triggers and the occasional stored procedure will also benefit from the book.

About the Apress Pro Series

The Apress Pro series books are practical, professional tutorials to keep you on and moving up the professional ladder.

You have gotten the job, now you need to hone your skills in these tough competitive times. The Apress Pro series expands your skills and expertise in exactly the areas you need. Master the content of a Pro book, and you will always be able to get the job done in a professional development project. Written by experts in their field, Pro series books from Apress give you the hard–won solutions to problems you will face in your professional programming career.

Customer Reviews (5)

Pro T-SQL disappointing
This book was poorly organized and left out a lot of details about T-SQL keywords and built in functions. He would use a T-SQL function in an example but there would be no explaination of that bit of code. There are some useful tips which is why I give it at 3 stars. I would recommend you look else where for T-SQL 2008 coverage. Coles knows the subject that is obvious it just doesn't fully make it into print. Not sure if it was the author or the editor but this just did not satisfy.

A must-read book for every developer to take full advantage of SQL Server 2008 - Review by SQLAuthority.com
Short Summary:
Pro T-SQL 2008 Programmer's Guide examines SQL Server 2008 T-SQL from a developer's perspective. This information-rich book covers a wide array of developer-specific topics in SQL Server 2008. In addition, it provides in-depth knowledge of various newly introduced topics. This book is written as a practical guide to help database developers who mainly deal with T-SQL. It has really hit the spot with appropriate .NET code at a few places where required. The book assumes a basic knowledge of SQL, but it is very easy to understand for novice developers, while for advanced developers it is a great source to enhance their knowledge.

Detailed Summary:

Pro T-SQL 2008 Programmer's Guide is a well-written and well-structured book with a good depth and breadth of quality content presented in a reader friendly way. The book is structured into chapters where latest and comprehensive information have been backed with numerous examples to facilitate understanding of all levels of developers. What I really liked about this book is that it can either be read from cover to cover, or can be used as a reference guide for finding information topic-wise. A well-organized index aids in finding thetopics very quickly.

Apart from valuable knowledge, each chapter of the book contains excellent advice and is filled with sample code (available online). It primarily revolves around SQL Server 2008 and innovative ways to code T-SQL, new functions and commands.It addresses many details and comparisons with T-SQL in a very organized manner. All the examples have been carefully selected and are accurate, useful and sufficient for the targeted topics. In addition, this book addresses a number of real-world issues with examples, discussions and solutions.

SQLCMD and SQL Server Management Studio are advanced tools to explore SQL Server 2008 that have been covered in depth in the beginning of the book. I would like to discuss Chapter 2 in detail. This chapter dives right into the new features of T-SQL on SQL Server 2008, with discussion on productivity-enhancing features, the new MERGE statement, new data types like geometry and hierarchyid, and grouping sets. Chapter 13 introduces SQL Server 2008 catalog views, which are the preferred tools for retrieving database and database object metadata. This chapter also hashes out dynamic management views and functions, which provide access to server and database state information.

Chapters that cover Common Table Expressions (CTEs), new data types, operators, keywords, functions, and control of flows are very interesting and contain necessary explanation. Readers of my blog are very well aware of my interests in Error handling and Debugging. Interesting enough for me, there is one whole chapter dedicated to these areas. Some of the regular T-SQL concepts such as Stored Procedure, Triggers and Dynamic SQL, which I write a lot about, have also been covered in this book and each have a chapter dedicated to them. The last three chapters of the book on SQLCLR, .NET Client Programming and HTTP Endpoints necessitate Microsoft .NET FrameWork 2.0, as they contain some codes that are written in VB and C#.

One demerit with other run-of-the-mill T-SQL books is that they do not include in-depth information on XML, XQuery and XPath, while these topic have been discussed in good detail in this book, and their importance has been appropriately explained. Yet another attractive feature of this book is that all the chapters contain exercise with Appendix A having answers to all the questions asked. Appendix D comprises quick reference to SQLCMD command-line tool, which I have been using myself.

Some excerpts from the book that demonstrate how complex subjects have been explained in a lucid wayand present the visionary attitude of the author.

"How do you pass parameters to triggers? The short answer is you can't. Because they are automatically fired in response to events, SQL Server triggers provide no means to pass in parameters."

"When used with an aggregate function like SUM, COUNT, or AVG, or a user-defined aggregate, the OVER clause can only take a PARTITION BY clause-not an ORDER BY clause. This is a serious shortcoming in the SQL Server implementation of OVER for aggregate functions. ORDER BY in the OVER clause for aggregate functions allows you to easily perform single-statement running sum-type calculations. Running sum calculations without this feature require extensive joins, causing many people to fall back on cursors. ORDER BY for the aggregate OVER clause, and other features related to windowing functions, has been submitted as a feature request to Microsoft. Hopefully, we'll see it implemented at some point in the near future."

One thing that I have always liked in any database book is the use of sample database AdventureWorks. I strongly believe that the all the examples should be independent of the previous examples and should use default database. If you have not installed default database AdventureWorks, you can get its latest location by searching in my blog SQLAuthority.com. All the scripts of examples are easily available and can be downloaded online. No book is free from errors and the website for this book has errata list, which is surprisingly very small.

Rating: 5 Stars

To sum up, Pro T-SQL 2008 Programmer's Guide is a must-read book for every developer who wants to take full advantage of the power of T-SQL on SQL Server 2008. This book by Author Michel Coles it meant to facilitate developers -they can now spend less time worrying about how things get done and instead think about what they actually want to get done.

Pinal Dave
Founder - (blog.SQLAuthority.com)

T-SQL 2008 REview
This is a great book.Michael Coles does a great job providing down to earth real world examples.The information in this book is presented in a practical manner with really nice examples.Really nice book for learning T-SQL from a programming perspective.You can tell a DBA wrote this book...

Terrific resouce for every DBA's shelf
This is a terrific resource for advanced T-SQL with SQL 2008. I have a good knowledge of the subject and my son has a better one managing over 30,000 customer databases in his job. We saw this and each purchased a copy and each of us has gained insights into the language and important concepts to make our use of T-SQL better.

A Comprehensive SQL server book
After finishing this book and following the practical examples you can definitely call yourself a Pro. The book covers every topic you need to know as a SQL server professional with practical and straight-forward examples. Read a chapter and you are up to speed on a topic; a mark of a true companion book.

We all know how we tend to browse or even skip a few topics every now and then due to personal dislikes. Mike's writing style makes every topic straight forward and easy to really complete.

Coming from a GIS background, I liked his break-down of the new spatial Engine feature; his illustrations are perfect for us with that background and a good ice-breaker for those who are new to spatial data and analytics. He did an excellent job on the new features in SQL Server 2008 and T-SQL. If you value your time, this is a book to have.
... Read more

Product Description
“A Developer’s Guide to Data Modeling for SQL Server explains the concepts and practice of data modeling with a clarity that makes the technology accessible to anyone building databases and data-driven applications.

“Eric Johnson and Joshua Jones combine a deep understanding of the science of data modeling with the art that comes with years of experience. If you’re new to data modeling, or find the need to brush up on its concepts, this book is for you.”
—Peter Varhol, Executive Editor, Redmond Magazine


Model SQL Server Databases That Work Better, Do More, and Evolve More Smoothly

Effective data modeling is essential to ensuring that your databases will perform well, scale well, and evolve to meet changing requirements. However, if you’re modeling databases to run on Microsoft SQL Server 2008 or 2005, theoretical or platform-agnostic data modeling knowledge isn’t enough: models that don’t reflect SQL Server’s unique real-world strengths and weaknesses often lead to disastrous performance.

A Developer’s Guide to Data Modeling for SQL Server is a practical, SQL Server-specific guide to data modeling for every developer, architect, and administrator. This book offers you invaluable start-to-finish guidance for designing new databases, redesigning existing SQL Server data models, and migrating databases from other platforms.

You’ll begin with a concise, practical overview of the core data modeling techniques. Next, you’ll walk through requirements gathering and discover how to convert requirements into effective SQL Server logical models. Finally, you’ll systematically transform those logical models into physical models that make the most of SQL Server’s extended functionality. All of this book’s many examples are available for download from a companion Web site.

This book enables you to

• Understand your data model’s physical elements, from storage to referential integrity
• Provide programmability via stored procedures, user-defined functions, triggers, and .NET CLR integration
• Normalize data models, one step at a time
• Gather and interpret requirements more effectively
• Learn an effective methodology for creating logical models
• Overcome modeling problems related to entities, attribute, data types, storage overhead, performance, and relationships
• Create physical models—from establishing naming guidelines through implementing business rules and constraints
• Use SQL Server’s unique indexing capabilities, and overcome their limitations
• Create abstraction layers that enhance security, extensibility, and flexibility

Customer Reviews (3)

Novice level only!
"A Developers Guide to Data Modeling for SQL Server" is billed to be for all level of data modelling development, however it is written in a style targeted to beginning novice developers only, and never progresses very far beyond demonstrating the fundamentals of Data Modeling.For novices, it is extremely good resource, explaining highly technical concepts in an easy to understand non-technical language.However, for the experienced developer, it would be best to look elsewhere.

Amazing Book! A must have to become worthy of anything in database design
I am a medical doctor with a passion for software and a special interest in database technologies. I must say that I am not in the category of beginners in database design and modelling. I have about 6+ years of experience in this. I started reading the first page of this book with a lot of skepticism. In fact I had purchased the book along with 3 others from Amazon and I was not really sure of whether I would like reading it...it appeared very basic to me!
But that was only until I started reading Page 1.... believe me this is no exaggeration... I could not put the book down for an entire 8 hours afterwards! I went to bed at 4 AM after I had finished 3/4ths of this lovely work. This masterpiece of a book is truely the fruit of years of experience and immaculate teaching ability on the part of the authors. I can only say one thing.... anyone even remotely intending to get into database design, modelling and implementation with SQL Server.... should get this book and read it!! Believe me you will love it. It is simply too good to be true....

A timely and helpful data modeling guide
This book is a timely and helpful overview of the strategic importance of logical and physical data modeling. It also provides some useful insights into new modeling-related features in SQL Server 2008.

While some aspects of the book are likely to be somewhat controversial (e.g., the use of plural entity and table names [I prefer singular; the authors use plural], and the use of views for logical/physical data independence [I agree with the authors on the role and power of views, but some people prefer other abstraction mechanisms]), I believe the book should be required reading for anyone responsible for data modeling and database design aspects of working with SQL Server. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (3)

Explanations could be more lucid
First,explaining many of the concepts related to Data Warehousing, data mining, and business intelligence would be one of the most difficult challenges to any technical writer. That's why many SQL BI books (dating back to SQL 2000) are so poorly written and lacks crystal clarity of many of the key concepts. Once I was done reading this book, I asked myself one question, "Am I a better BI architect because I have read this book?". From a technical knowledge perspective, yes. From a BI process (plan, design, implement, debug, verify, performance tune) perspective, I felt I did not gain much from this book.

This book would be a good manual if you do not understand some of the key concepts (Dimension vs Measure, Star schema vs Snowflake etc). If you want to actually implement a Snowflake schema, SSIS, and customize the results, the book was lacking. In other words, the book does not focus on the nuts and bolts of SQL 2008 BI. It gives you more of a 5000 ft overview.

It doesn't help that the book has a writing style similar to a college math textbook. You may need to read many paragraphs more than once to obtain the golden nuggets of information. In books such as this, you want writers to be blunt and forthright and not meander using sophisticated prose. The book certainly could be shorter than the 700+ pages.

The writers seem to possess strong technical knowledge of SQL 2008 BI. They have much to offer in terms of key knowledge and concepts. To put it into an analogy, this is like a book that describes how a car battery works but lacks information on how to properly change the car battery.

Practical Guidance for Developing A Successful, Real-World Business Intellegence Solution
I recently completed a business intelligence project at my company that included things like aggregating data from various sources into a centralized data warehouse, and then processing that so it could be accessed through both an OLAP cube and a relatively simple relationship database.I believe the project was a complete success, and am very happy with the both the functionality we provide to our end-users (who are regular business people, and not just analysts) as well as how easy to maintain and robust the end-solution is.I think that last part is what probably gets most companies.They develop some type of data warehouse for business intelligence, but it is a house of cards that just continually sucks their time because it is so fragile or always needs to be updated to allow a business analyst to slice or view the data in a new way.I can definitely see how you could end up there, and I believe this book was the primary contributor to the success of our project.

I work for a small business (currently ~65 employees), and right now our IT Team has three members: 1 system admin, 1 full-time developer, and me (my time is split half and half between software and business management).None of us had any experience with OLAP, SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS), or SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) ... although I had sat through a few sessions/workshops over these topics at conferences.Although it is counter-intuitive (especially to someone who is a developer at heart), I have come to believe in the notion that the sooner you start coding the longer it will take.So, I knew I needed to get some more in-depth expertise in these areas before we started the project, which is why I ordered this book.

Before I even created the first prototype, I forced myself to sit down away from the computer and read the first two parts of the book (~400 pages).It it was eerie how much the content seemed custom-tailored to my current situation.It was targeted at a more technical audience, so the detail and depth used was spot on, and it assumed you had some working knowledge of OLTP relational databases so it didn't have to go over all the basics.

The book covers a ton of best practices that the authors have learned "the hard way" while implementing a ton of business intelligence solutions on the SQL Server framework, and most of them were not entirely obvious.The whole business intelligence area is still in its early phases, and there are a lot of gotchas.SQL Server 2008 has made some significant improvements over past implementations to help guide you to best practices, but there are still a lot of gotchas.The authors also demostrate an in-depth knowlegde on the new features SQL Server 2008 offers, plus then explain when/how you might use them.

At 624 pages, this book may seem a little overwhelming ... but I think it is worth its weight in gold.It is almost like you have an experienced consultant sitting beside you.If you are considering implementing a business intelligence solution, there are tips in this book will save you time, effort, and you will end up with a better solution for your business in the end.

To view the full review or see more reviews on technical books like this, visit: [...]

Good overview of the technologies
I think it is a decent book to get a start on SSAS, SSIS, and SSRS. Maybe not for the most experienced MS BI developers, but certainly for those with less experience.
In some areas it goes into a fair bit of detail, in others it doesn't. The authors push quite heavily on the Data Mining bits.
Overall I felt it is a bit too much 'marketing talk' in favour of Microsoft - could probably have shortened the book by 50 pages if they had left that out.
... Read more

Product Description
Your hands-on guide to learning Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services, Microsoft’s customizable reporting solution for business data analysis. Reporting Services is a powerful tool for business intelligence, so an understanding of the essentials—how to architect a report, as well as how to install and program Reporting Services—is key to harnessing the full benefits of SQL Server. This step-by-step tutorial shows you how to get started, how to use the report project wizard, how to think about and access data, and how to build queries. It also walks you through the creation of charts and visual layouts to enable maximum visual understanding of the data analysis. Interactivity features (enhanced in SQL Server 2005) and security are also covered in detail. With STEP BY STEP, you work at your own pace through hands-on, learn-by-doing exercises. Whether you’re a beginning programmer or new to this version of the technology, you’ll understand the fundamental techniques for using Reporting Services. A companion CD includes data sets and sample code. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

This Book Is a Waste of Time and Money
The installation scripts in this book simply don't work. The later step by step instructions bear no resemblance to actual SQL Server experience. I have been using SQL Server for over 10 years. I bought this book to learn SSRS 2005, not to edit the author's book. I have given up on this book and will look elsewhere to learn SSRS 2005. This unedited, unchecked and untested book wasn't released, it escaped. Beware, it will waste your time and it will waste your money.

Just what you need to get started
I own a few of the Microsoft "step-by-step" titles and this one lived up to the expectation.You are started out with an overview, then basics, and from there led into the step-by-step setup and layout.Like the other "step-by-step" titles, you are also given a CD loaded with examples.This is your springboard to an intermediate or advanced title.Well worth it.

Good Seller His Books are like new
The book I purchased looks like it is new.I'd buy again from this seller.

Hubby had to have it!
co-worker had this book and this was hubby's #1 item on the Christmas list this year.

Microsoft® SQL Server(TM) 2005 Reporting Services Step by Step
Microsoft® SQL Server(TM) 2005 Reporting Services Step by Step (Step by Step (Microsoft)) should be the best book in this topic. The reason that made me ranked this book at 4 stars is because this book missed just one sentence to tell their readers the exact folder to copy the source code to or how to modify the path in sql script. ... Read more

Product Description
Sams Teach Yourself Transact-SQL in 21 Days, 2E will teach programmers how to develop Transact-SQL queries. There will be a focus on providing methods for improving productivity without a reducingperformance. Specifically, the reader will:Learn Transact-SQL syntax Learn how to add, delete, and modifying data using Transact-SQL Understandcoding standards Review variations from ANSI-standard SQL Be presented with basic server operations. Recognize performance issues with queries. This book will also include:Constructs such as CUBE, ROLLUP, CASE, and JOIN. Techniques to solve complex problems How the server uses indexes Methods to write (correctly)stored procedures and triggers. Templates of procedures and triggers (reference) Advanced Topics such as: Outer and self joins Temporary tables Sub-queries. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (31)

Transact-SQL in 21 days
This book is good for beginner and advanced SQL Server user. The lessons are explained clearly and easy to understand.

Challenging and a Wealth of Information
I knew only how to pass a SELECT * statement before obtaining this book.I have since taken a job writing code from what I learned from this book.Not only is their a wealth of information, but the exercises challenge the reader to think "outside the box" and create code using the information learned in the chapter.I would have given this book 5 stars but sections like views were a bit weak.After reading this book definitely pick up The Guru's Guide to Transact SQL.

Excellent tutorial and reference
As a programmer with over 10 years experience I have found this book to be comprehensive and concise.There are many useful examples many of which have helped me solve problems on the job.

Lowell Mauer explains things very well.

This is my main reference book it has paid for itself many times over.I highly recommend it.

GREAT for the layperson!:-)
As a relatively new database administrator with no SQL experience, this book was EXACTLY what I needed.It is written in an easy-to-read and easily comprehended style.It takes me everywhere I need to go with confidence that the code I now write will perform the necessary functions...and perform them efficiently and effectively.Thank you, Sam!

Teach Yourself Transact - SQL in 21 Days
The book is used each day by members of our analytics team.Very helpful and resourceful. ... Read more

Product Description
For the first time, SQL Server 2005 provides features that can support large-scale enterprise databases. With this powerful new release, you may find yourself being called upon to perform duties that are no longer strictly "administrative," duties that have become much more complicated and difficult. With that in mind, a team of experienced Microsoft Certified Professionals provides you with the necessary information to be a more competent and successful database developer or administrator.

Beginning with a foundation that features detailed coverage of typical administrative duties, the authors proceed to explain how to build complex data transformations for data import, build distributed data solutions, and maintain the security and integrity of the database. You will be able to apply what you learn to real-world scenarios, and smoothly navigate the vastly changed landscape of SQL Server 2005 administration.

What you will learn from this book

• How to install, maintain, and manage an SQL Server 2005 installation, including high availability and security considerations
• Various features such as the Common Language Runtime, SQL Server Integration Services, Notification Service, and the Service Broker
• How to use the tools that are necessary to manage configuration, backups, restores, security, availability, performance, and monitoring
• A sampling of some of the more advanced areas and complex jobs of the broadening role of a database administrator in the enterprise

Who this book is for

This book is for both developers and administrators who are responsible for the management and maintenance of an SQL Server 2005 database. Familiarity with relational database concepts and SQL is assumed.

Wrox Beginning guides are crafted to make learning programming languages and technologies easier than you think, providing a structured, tutorial format that will guide you through all the techniques involved.

Enhance Your Knowledge Advance Your Career ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Good Book For beginers
As the title says, a good book for beginers. This book will guide you for the first few days (or weeks if you're a slow reader). After that you'll have exhausted its contents. After skimming through the pages for about 30 minutes, I realized it's time to order a more advanced book.

SQL Server 2005 Administration
Very good primer for Microsoft SQL admins. Not too detailed but complete enough not let the reader into complacency. Authors recommended detail topics books are very helpful. Also the technical support from their WROX.com site was welcomed instead of working a accompanying CD.

Good book, could be better
I have been in IT for almost 10 years and recently read several books on SQL Server, including this one.
The book is well-written, has no spelling mistakes, etc., but it has too much "fluff" in the text while not providing enough information on many topics. The author starts talking about a specific topic, then says "this is beyond the scope of this book" and this pattern occurs countless times throughout the book. At the same time, the author discusses a lot of unrelated topics and philosophical issues. When I buy a book on SQL Server Administration, I don't want to read about Uncle Scrooge, Bill Cosby, Star Trek, Mr. Spock, co-workers mouse clicking habits, and other unrelated topics. Being a DBA is hard enough in the current market, so I wish they would concentrate purely on SQL Server.

Pretty good SQL Server 2005 BEGINNER book
This book is for beginners. I'm a seasoned system engineer and have worked with SQL 2005 before. However not having any formal training I decided to get a book. I don't want to be a developer so I needed something that demonstrates SQL server 2005 from the admin side. This is book is perfect for that. It explains the major features a sys admin would want to know. Anything above what this book teaches, can be found on technet or doing a google search. So in conclusion, for a sys admin wanting to know SQL Server 2005, this book will serve your purposes very well...

VERY good basic book.
Having taken several classes from Dan Wood I appreciate the years of practical experience these guys bring to the table.It is a very good, readable, and thorough introduction to MS SQL Server 2005.SQL 2005 is a big product with lots of intricacies.This is one of the best introductions to to it that I've read. ... Read more

Product Description
Professional SQL Server 2005 Programming shows experienced developers how to master the substantially revamped feature set of the latest release of Microsoft SQL Server. The book begins with a concise overview of the new features of SQL Server that is of interest to experienced developers. This is especially important given the substantial changes to SQL Server with this release. From there, the book quickly moves on to the ?meat? of the title. Beginning-level material has been removed to provide more room for covering new features and more extensive code examples. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Doesn't live up to Title
For a book that is supposed to be geared to programmers pretty proficient in SQL, it doesn't offer anything new. The examples are very basic and it leaves out some of the new features in 2005, such as Common Table Expressions. This would be better as a beginning SQL programming book.

Great book, series
I own several books from this series.They have been fantastic.This one is no exception.

The definitive SQL Server Programming Guide
This is an excellent follow to his book on Professional SQL Server 2000 Programming. If you're going to be doing a lot of true SQL server programming, there is no better guide out there.

Define 'programming'
When working with databases, there's querying, and everything else. A DBA might set up a database; an advanced user might progam stored procedures and triggers, ponder indexing, effectively use cursors, etc. - but if you just want to know how to write a query to accompish a task, this is *not* the right book to help you learn. Check out 'SQL Server 2005 T-SQL Recipes: A Problem-Solution Approach' by Sack.

Cash Grab! Stay away - get the 2000 book.
The second topic I looked up I ran across this problem...

Page 353:

He says there are four different isolation levels you can set - that was in SQL Server 2000 - this book is about SQL Server 2005. Where is SET TRANSACTION ISOLATION LEVEL SNAPSHOT?

Chapter 12, 'Transactions and Locks' is almost a cut and paste from his 'Transactions and Locks' chapter in SQL Server 2000 Programming!

Encryption - Let's see - 2 pages, and 3/4 of a page is a copy of an image from BOL.

His 2000 book is better. ... Read more

Product Description
In this complete revision and expansion of his first SQL Puzzles book, Joe Celko challenges you with his trickiest puzzles-and then helps solve them with a variety of solutions and explanations. Joe demonstrates the thought processes that are involved in attacking a problem from an SQL perspective to help advanced database programmers solve the puzzles you frequently face. These techniques not only help with the puzzle at hand, but help develop the mindset needed to solve the many difficult SQL puzzles you face every day. Of course, part of the fun is to see whether or not you can write better solutions than Joe's.

* A great collection of tricky SQL puzzles with a variety of solutions and explanations.

* Uses the proven format of puzzles and solutions to provide a user-friendly, practical look into SQL programming problems - many of which will help users solve their own problems.

* New edition features:
- Many new puzzles added!
- Dozens of new solutions to puzzles, and using features in SQL-99
- Code is edited to conform to SQL STYLE rules
- New chapter on temporal query puzzles
- New chapter on common misconceptions about SQL and RDBMS that leads to problems ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

A Book for Advanced Database Developer - Review of Database Administrator SQLAuthority.com
Short Review:
This book is for all of them who enjoy little puzzles or just something which gives them challenge. Some puzzles took hours to solve and some were straight forward. This book teaches you some basic principles and patterns as well satisfy your need for brain teasers.

Detail Review:
This book for all the SQL programmers regardless of database language you prefer. Book contains examples in different languages (SQL Server, Oracle, Sybase, Informix etc). If reader is absolute beginner this book is not what reader needs to start. This book is perfect for someone who has industry experience or has deep understanding of different SQL concepts.

This book contains 75 different puzzles. Each puzzle starts with puzzle definition or question and follows by multiple answers. Answers vary by either techniques or programming languages, in many cases both. Puzzles contained in this book are like typical day to day work problems, many time any developer can find the solution if they spend some time on it. However, some problems are quite unique in their own way and reading them gives broader idea of database programming.

One thing I will note about book is the quality of the puzzle, as other reviewer has noted some puzzles are just not puzzle but simple problems which can be solved easily by experienced developer. Not all developers are on same level and I am sure every reader has their own opinion and choice.

The idea on which the book is written is very simple - "Think out of the box". The problems are real, the solutions are real and multiple answers from wide verity of participants - this makes this book worth the time. Every solution has its own flair and taste. If any problem is attempted with right technique and sound theory it is always easy to reach resolution.
There is no source code available to download for this book so reader will have to write everything by their own. It is good in one way as ideally all readers should try to solve each puzzles by their own, however, source code will sure help many ways.

Rating: 4 Stars

Summary: I think this book should be there available for every database developer who has reached advanced level. If developer can solve most of the puzzles from this book he sure is advanced level developer, if not while trying to solve them he will reach advanced level.

Pinal Dave
Principal Database Administrator
(blog.sqlauthority.com)

Rompecabezas!
Buen libro. Presenta retos difíciles de vencer. Ideas ingeniosas, útiles en el campo laboral. Requiere alto nivel técnico para su comprensión, pero al igual que los otros libros de Celko, es excelente.

SQL Noise
I agree with "online shopper"; these puzzles do not present anything out of the ordinary for a day-to-day SQL programmer.If you are looking to learn some basic principles and patterns, this book will definitely satisfy you.If you are looking to be stymied and actual beat your head against the wall, you bought the wrong book.I ended up selling my book within a week.

Will reinforceyour knowledge ofSQL.
This book is for a typical sql programmer. Some puzzles took me hours of fun trying to solve them on my own. Trying to solve the puzzle that will run on all databases(Oracle,MS-SQLSERVER OR SYBASE, Informix).
Once in a while,I found that there's a specific databasefunction that can be replaced a bunch of line of code.
If you are new to SQL this is not a book for you. But this book have good mental exercises for the typical SQL programmer.
My only negative comment is that the solutions is right after (within or the next page)of the puzzle.
Somehow you can glanced at solution sql itself.

Who said "puzzles"? ;-)
A marketing slogan at the back of the cover says "This little collection of puzzles is something to bash your head against while waiting your SQL epiphany". A little bit too promising.

The problems in the book look very much like typical problems that I have to solve at work every day. Any mid-level SQL developer could probably write a book of the same kind and usefullness by just logging every problem they solved at work for a period of a year. For this reason, if you did a lot of SQL work, you won't find anything useful in this book.

If I am presented a puzzle, I expect it to look impossible to solve at first, and once you get on track of finding a solution, solving it would turn out to be a lot of fun. The "puzzles" in this book are not like that.

As other reviewers already noted, the answers are a bit disappointing, too. I sent the book back to Amazon within a day. I'd rather spend $5 on return shipping than $30 on a worthless book. ... Read more