SQL Server 2008 for Developers

Course Description

This course is the ideal course for developers who need to work with a SQL Server database. It will show you how code the SQL statements that developers need for their applications. It shows how to code the SQL statements that developers need for their applications. It shows how to code these statements so they run efficiently. And it shows how to take advantage of the most useful advanced features that SQL Server has to offer.

This course is also a good choice for anyone who wants to learn standard SQL. Since SQL is a standard language for accessing database data, 90% or more of the SQL in the course will work with any database management system. As a result, once you learn to how to use SQL to work with a SQL Server database, you can transfer 90% of what you have learned to another database management system such as Oracle or DB2.

This course is also right you anyone who wants to become a database administrator, although it doesn't present all of the advanced skills that are needed by a top DBA. 

Prerequisites

Although you will progress through the course more quickly if you have some development experience, everything you need to know about databases and SQL is presented in the course. As a result, you don't need to have any programming background to take the course.

However, if you want to use C# or Visual Basic to write database objects as described in Chapters 20 through 22 of the textbook, you need to have some experience using C# or Visual Basic to write ADO.NET code.

Software Required

For chapters 1 through 19 of the textbook, you can download all the software you need from Microsoft's web site for free. That includes

• The Express Edition of SQL Server 2008
• The Express Edition of the SQL Server Management Studio

Course Textbook

Murach's SQL Server 2008 for Developers
Bryan Syverson and Joel Murach
ISBN: 1-890774-39-1
Buy the book from Amazon
Buy the book from Murach

Outline:

Week 1

• Introductions/Gain familiarity with the Classroom
• Download the software/ensure that it works

Week 2

• An introduction to relational databases and SQL
• How to use the Management Studio

Week 3

• How to retrieve data from a single table
• How to retrieve data from two or more tables

Week 4

• How to code summary queries
• How to code subqueries

Week 5

• How to insert, update, and delete data
• How to work with data types and functions

Week 6

• How to design a database
• How to create and maintain databases and tables with SQL statements

Week 7

• How to use Management Studio for database design
• How to work with views

Week 8

• How to code scripts
• How to code stored procedures, functions, and triggers

Week 9

• How to work with cursors
• How to manage transactions and locking

Week 10

• How to manage database security
• How to work with XML
• How to work with BLOBS (only major difference between the 2008 book and the 2005 version)

Week 11

• An introduction to CLR integration
• How to code CLR stored procedures, functions, and triggers

Week 12

• How to code aggregate functions and user-defined types

Week 12

• Catch up and review