Product Description

Here is the ultimate, comprehensive and practical guide to SQL Server 7. Unlike many books updated from Release 6.5, this book was written from scratch for the new release, making it streamlined and logically organized with in-depth coverage of all the hottest topics. Whether you're new to SQL Server or a veteran, this book provides the tips, techniques, real installation experiences, and other detailed information you need to design and run an efficient database and to solve development problems. Upgraders will find an easy explanation of the new features plus tips on how to use the enterprise manager, security features, replication, backup procedures, and optimization techniques. The CD contains code from the book and sample databases, along with valuable utilities.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1188158 in Books
• Published on: 2000-09
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 1201 pages

Amazon.com Review
Microsoft SQL Server isn't just the database that underlies a lot of organizational data stores, though it and its predecessors have always played that role. Microsoft's top-of-the-line database management system (DBMS) is very often the back end for custom software applications and Internet resources. All the more reason to absorb the wisdom that Mastering SQL Server 2000 contains. It's highly detailed and absolutely comprehensive in its treatment of how SQL Server 2000 works in terms of database management, administration, and (to a somewhat lesser degree) programming. Consider this book a thoroughly researched user's and administrator's manual, with a lot of programming information and some references (including a fine one on Transact-SQL thrown in as a bonus).

A lot of the database design information is pretty elementary: the authors point out, for example, that it's better for searching if your tables have separate fields for first and last names, rather than one unified "Name" field. But explanatory information about SQL Server 2000 itself--even, for example, its most obscure trace flags--is unrelentingly detailed. Better yet, the authors don't throw the details at the reader willy-nilly. They take time to explain not only how to use the feature under discussion, but also why you would want to do so and how you'd use it differently under various circumstances. That's why this book is so massive, and so valuable to someone who needs an authoritative book about SQL Server 2000. --David Wall

Topics covered: Everything you can do through the user interfaces of Microsoft SQL Server 2000, and pretty much everything you're likely to want to do when programming for the server. The essentials of database design--tables, views, queries, indexing, stored procedures, and triggers--are followed by details on how to perform administrative duties like backing up data and managing users. Information of interest primarily to developers includes rundowns on SQL Namespace, Data Transformation Services (DTS), and Web integration.

From the Back Cover
Complete. Authoritative. Practical. The only SQL Server book you need. Mastering SQL Server 2000 is the one indispensable resource for anyone working with the latest version of SQL Server. Whether you build or administer SQL Server databases or write applications that communicate with them, you'll find the background knowledge and the practical instruction you need to accomplish any task, from the most basic to the most advanced. Coverage includes:

• Understanding SQL Server architecture
• Designing an efficient normalized database
• Writing Transact-SQL statements and batches
• Creating databases
• Creating tables and views
• Creating stored procedures and triggers
• Administering SQL Server
• Managing SQL Server security
• Designing applications using ADO, SQL-DMO, and SQL-NS
• Using Data Transformation Services
• Integrating SQL Server with the Internet
• Optimizing SQL Server performance
• Understanding and managing replication
• Using Analysis Services to analyze data
• Using Microsoft English Query
• Troubleshooting common problems

About the Author
Mike Gunderloy, an MCSE, MCSD, and MCT, is a senior consultant with MCW Technologies, where he specializes in Microsoft Visual Basic and SQL Server. He is the author of SQL Server 7 In Record Time,Visual Basic Developer's Guide to ADO, and VB/VBA Developer's Guide to the Windows Installer, all from Sybex. Mike lives on a farm in rural Washington state with his family and an ever-growing population of livestock.

Joseph L. Jorden is an MCSE, MCT, CCNA, and CCDA who has been administering databases for the last seven years. Currently Joseph works independently, consulting and instructing on a variety of technologies.

Customer Reviews

Wait for the next batch of MSSQL 2000 books
This book suffers from the same shortcomings of most first-wave books on a new product. There are references to features and limitations of the previous version of the product and editing oversights that would mislead a reader unfamiliar with the product. I have used MSSQL 7.0 for some time and there were points in the book that were in conflict with what I knew to be true that caused me to re-read a statement a few times before I realized what the author meant to say. Unless you absolutely have to have a MSSQL 2000 book now I would wait for the next batch of books. Only with better editing could I recommend this book. In the meantime if you don't need a tutorial on SQL the Books Online that come with MSSQL 2000 will serve as a more reliable reference.

I was hoping for "Inside SQL Server 2000" and should have waited the extra month. If it proves to be as good as the 7.0 version it will be well worth the wait.

The best overall general reference
Mastering SQL Server 2000 is one of the books that I see carried the most often onto a client site when doing SQL technical support. The text covers just about every aspect of SQL from a setup and administrative point of view as well as the basics of database theory. If you want a single general reference then this book works very well. On the other hand, if you want a detailed reference on programming SQL then there are better texts.

The book covers the administration of an SQL Server in great detail including explaining why you would use a particular feature and why you may not want to use it in a different scenario. For setting up a system and managing it this book it hard to beat.

Whether you are a new user, experienced user or an administrator, this book is hard to beat for theory, detailed information and administration of a Windows SQL Server 2000 system. Highly recommended read and required on any administrator's bookshelf.

Very good book
This book covers heaps of basic and advanced practical techniques in Sql Server 2000. I have been benefiting a lot for my DBA job from this book. Strongly recommended!