Tackle the toughest set-based querying and query tuning problems--guided by an author team with in-depth, inside knowledge of T-SQL. Deepen your understanding of architecture and internals--and gain practical approaches and advanced techniques to optimize your code's performance. Discover how to: Move from procedural programming to the language of sets and logic Optimize query tuning with a top-down methodology Assess algorithmic complexity to predict performance Compare data-aggregation techniques, including new grouping sets Manage data modification--insert, delete, update, merge--for performance Write more efficient queries against partitioned tables Work with graphs, trees, hierarchies, and recursive queries Plus--Use pure-logic puzzles to sharpen your problem-solving skills

Teach yourself SQL Server 2008—one step at a time. Get the practical guidance you need to build database solutions that solve real-world business problems. Learn to integrate SQL Server data in your applications, write queries, develop reports, and employ powerful business intelligence systems. Discover how to: Install and work with core components and tools Create tables and index structures Manipulate and retrieve data Secure, manage, back up, and recover databases Apply tuning plus optimization techniques to generate high-performing database applications Optimize availability through clustering, database mirroring, and log shipping Tap business intelligence tools—Reporting, Analysis, and Integration Services CD features: Practice exercises and code samples Fully searchable eBook For customers who purchase an ebook version of this title, instructions for downloading the CD files can be found in the ebook.

If you need to deploy, manage, or secure Microsoft SQL Server 2008, this is the complete, fast-paced, task-based reference you’ve been searching for. Authored by a world-class expert on SQL Server in the enterprise, this book goes far beyond the basics, taking on the complex tasks that DBAs need to make the most of Microsoft’s flagship database platform. SQL Server MVP, Ross Mistry presents proven techniques for SQL Server 2008 installation, upgrades, backup/restore, data transfer, indexing, high availability, security, and much more. He draws on extensive testing in high-profile production environments to offer step-by-step solutions and powerful tips you won’t find anywhere else. Every chapter begins with a section identifying SQL Server 2008’s most significant new improvements, and concludes with a convenient summary of best practices. Each chapter also outlines the benefits of leveraging Windows Server 2008. Understand how to: Master DBA tips, tricks, and best practices proven in actual enterprise environments Install, upgrade or transition to SQL Server 2008. Harden and Secure an implementation. Encrypt SQL Server from an end-to-end perspective. Implement high availability—and leverage SQL Server 2008’s major improvements to failover clustering and database mirroring Save time with SQL Server 2008’s new policy-based management tools Performance tune and troubleshoot a SQL Server 2008 environment. Optimize application performance and manage workloads with the powerful new Resource Governor Implement Performance Studio, maintenance plans, Transparent Data Encryption and much more... Bonus Content: The book is based on Windows Server 2008 Step by step instructions of how to implement a failover cluster on Windows Server 2008 SQL Server PoweShell Administration Tasks Consolidate and virtualize SQL Server with Hyper-V Step by step instructions on how to install Hyper-V Proactively Monitor SQL Server with Operations Manager Install Windows Server 2008 certificates to encrypt SQL Server data Contributing Writers include: Hilary Cotter – SQL Server MVP John Welch – SQL Server MVP Marco Shaw – PowerShell MVP Maciej Pilecki – SQL Server MVP Shirmattie Seenarine – Technical Writer

SQL Server 2005 is the largest leap forward for SQL Server since its inception. With this update comes new features that will challenge even the most experienced SQL Server DBAs. Written by a team of some of the best SQL Server experts in the industry, this comprehensive tutorial shows you how to navigate the vastly changed landscape of the SQL Server administration. Drawing on their own first-hand experiences to offer you best practices, unique tips and tricks, and useful workarounds, the authors help you handle even the most difficult SQL Server 2005 administration issues, including blocking and locking. You'll learn how to fine-tune queries you've already written, automate redundant monitoring and maintenance tasks, and use hidden tools so that you can quickly get over the learning curve of how to configure and administer SQL Server 2005. What you will learn from this book How to use some of the more advanced concepts of installation Techniques for properly administering development features such as SQL CLR Ways to secure your SQL Server from common threats How to choose the right hardware configuration Best practices for backing up and recovering your database Step-by-step guidelines for clustering your SQL Server Who this book is for This book is for experienced developers and database administrators who plan to administer or are already administering an SQL Server 2005 system and its business intelligence features. Wrox Professional guides are planned and written by working technologists 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.

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

Extend your programming skills with a comprehensive study of the key features of SQL Server 2008. Delve into the new core capabilities, get practical guidance from expert developers, and put their code samples to work. This is a must-read for Microsoft .NET and SQL Server developers who work with data access—at the database, business logic, or presentation levels. Discover how to: Query complex data with powerful Transact-SQL enhancements Use new, non-relational features: hierarchical tables, native file streaming, and geospatial capabilities Exploit XML inside the database to design XML-aware applications Consume and deliver your data using Microsoft LINQ, Entity Framework, and data binding Implement database-level encryption and server auditing Build and maintain data warehouses Use Microsoft Excel to build front ends for OLAP cubes, and MDX to query them Integrate data mining into applications quickly and effectively. Get code samples on the Web.

An authoritative guide to designing effective solutions for datacleansing, ETL, and file management with SQL Server 2008Integration Services SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) is the leading tool inthe data warehouse industry, used for performing extraction,transformation, and load operations. After an overview of SSIS architecture, the authors walk you aseries of real-world problems and show various techniques forhandling them. Shows you how to design SSIS solutions for data cleansing, ETLand file management Demonstrates how to integrate data from a variety of datasources, Shows how to monitor SSIS performance, Demonstrates how to avoid common pitfalls involved with SSISdeployment Explains how to ensure performance of the deployed solution andeffectively handle unexpected system failures and outages The companion Web site provides sample code and databasescripts that readers can directly implement This book shows you how to design, build, deploy, and managesolutions to real-world problems that SSIS administrators anddevelopers face day-to-day.