Product Description

Customer Reviews (9)

Deserves ongoing recommendation for any administrator of the SQL server environment
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 deserves ongoing recommendation for any administrator of the SQL server environment. It's been updated for R2 and appears in a thick tote format lending to at-a-glance information, quick reference tables, and lists of options. The result is a key programmers can easily use to manage SQL Server environments in the quickest way!

Excellent SQL 2008 Administrator reference
I needed a SQL Server 2008 administration book for both learning and for reference at work.Stanek has other books out that are very good. He has this pocket consultant book formula down pat. I have used his IIS Pocket Consultant and the previous book on SQL Server 2005 with good results. So, I knew that this should be a good SQL 2008 reference.

I was correct.This book is thorough, informative and accessible. The presentation is very good & straightforward.Information & tasks are presented clearly, and the book has lots of pictures of the UIs and tables for information.I find the pictures can are very effective in supporting the text. The UI cannot be explained in a few words and the pictures eliminate this need. This is an administrative pocket consultant. And that is what is in the book, hundreds of pages of administrative related tasks. The book is targeted to specific tasks which makes it very helpful.I recommend this SQL2K8 Pocket Consultant.

Good for beginners
I am not a beginner and so I was not fascinated by the book. I bought it so that I can prepare for the exam 70-450 to get the MCITP - Database Administrator 2008 as this was a recommended read on the Microsoft website. I don't think this book provides the information need for the test. It covers the technical areas just on the surface and does not give you good enough explanations. As a reference it might be helpful for individuals who are new to SQL Server. Having said that the book does satisfy its title and may be my expectations were wrong about this book.

Helpful is an understatement
First thing I was not that familiar with SQL. I have done minor queries but that was it. Besides that I have had nothing to do with SQL. My boss then decided I should start administering our SQL server because the other 15 machines I administer was just not enough and it is the same as a server 2003 machine right? Whatever.
I bought this book with the hopes it could help me with the day to day operations backup of the database, run clean-ups, etc. This book came back aces. The very first section I looked up was backup. It walked me through step by step explaining everything. The next section was restoration. So I tried it. I created a VM and followed the steps shown. Restored perfectly. I could not be happier.
Everything I have tried in this book has worked the way it was supposed to. It is easy to follow and does not go off in techno babble until it tells you a definition.
I think this is required for anyone administering a SQL Server 2008 machine.

Great review for an Oracle DBA
Well, I am not a SQL Server DBA. I am an Oracle DBA. But as all Oracle DBAs know, there are more SQL Server databases at Oracle sites then ever before. So, it makes sense to see what is going on over there in SQL Server land.

This is a good book for me - a DBA, not a developer. I did not want a 'how to create an online bookstore with SQL Server' type of book. What I wanted was DBA-info. I was looking for features, commands, syntax, uses, notes, etc.

I think this is a good reference for anyone trying to get info about SQL Server. And for me, a DBA who does not write code, this is a very good book.
... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (24)

Good reference.Not entirely version specific.
This is a good reference book.Because SQL has so many flavors, there are nuances that exist which force writers to reference them in a almost any book on the subject.Narrowing in on your paticular version is very helpful.Perhaps these would be better written for a specific audience if they were Manufacturer and Version specific and without the crosswalks.

Wouldn't you sell more books if it were version specific?

Very useful and practical book!!!!!!!!!
This is a very useful and practical book that contains tools and commands that you can use specified by db engine. It is made based on the most common database engines (PostgreSQL, MySQL, Oracle, DB2, SQLServer).

Great reference for SQL 2005
This is a great reference for all platforms for SQL 2005. Everything is right at your fingertips and easy to find; and also well indexed. It is great for beginner and intermediate level users.

SQL reference source
I was looking for a small SQL command resource and this fit the bill perfectly.The O'Reily series has never failed to hit the mark as a first class reference source.This book is small and pocketable and has provided me with the support I was looking for.I highly recommend this small powerful reference book!

Good Little Handbook
As a systems admin, I find this book a great reference guide for writing SQL scripts.The instructions are clear and concise and cover most common situations.The examples aren't very clear, however, so you have to understand what the statements are dealing with, and the topics don't seem to be arranged appropriately (deleting and truncating are contained in two separate places in the book).But overall this book is a good reference guide for someone who is familiar with SQL, but needs a little assistance now and then. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (43)

Easy-to-Read, but Error-Prone
This book is, as advertised, a very user-friendly introduction to SQL. Some of the methods used to demonstrate their points are a little gimmicky, and I found many of their illustrations to be more distracting than insightful, but the layout is easy to read. It doesn't read at all like a textbook, and the language is friendly enough that I've never come across a point I didn't understand reading it the first time through.

However, for a book about learning how to code accurately and correctly, this book has a LOT of typos. Since this is supposed to be for beginners, I feel like the number of mistakes missed in the editing process could be detrimental for those just learning the basics.

If you're observant enough to realize when the authors have made a mistake, then this is a good book. But if you're one to type out every bit of code as is, you will find this book will cause you a lot of problems.

SQL Expained in detail
I've been dabbling in SQL on three databases for three years on two different projects. After doing this for so long I decided to get serious and clear away the misconceptions, bad advice, and the confusion. This book is just the way to get straightened out on the subject. I didn't know how much I didn't know about database design and database programming until I read this book. Now, I have learned a lot more and I owe most of it to this book's ability to build a coherent picture of the SQL world. I have seven previous books on databases from MySQL to Oracle to PostgreSQL to SQLite. They are very good books for their respective databases, but they don't introduce the general subject as well as this one. This is the book that I wish I had read first and I think that might be true for you as well.

The database world is a hard place to join( pun intended ). Like writing kernel drivers and talking your boss into doing a Java or C# program for the first time, it takes perseverance and think tank intensity if you are on your own. It also takes all the friends you can gather, and this book is definitely your friend. Of course, it's wordy, a bit childish, and somewhat shallow. So what! It will guide you right toward your goal of learning SQL database usage without leaving out anything critical and without glossing over important concepts. I spent four days reading this book and I don't have any doubts that I now understand databases thoroughly.

Now, I have returned to my previous books with a new understanding and better insight. I have a thorough framework in which to place my database design's details. I now know how to set up a proper interface for my designs from the beginning. No more fiddle and redesign until it works. My understanding of table normalization is able to determine when to fully normalize and when to leave a economic degree of flexibility in the table.

I still have a programmer's view of the role of databases. I want the database to serve me, not serve as another source of grief. My designs have taken too long in the past to clean up and they had to go through many iterations before they were ready to release. I'm currently designing a stock tracking database and for the first time I'm able to put it all together once without having to redo it again and again.

So, even though you may have dismissed this book in the past as juvenile or too silly, take another look and you might find the right mix of teaching and practice here to get your understanding of SQL and database design in good order for your next design.

great book
if you want to introduce inside the world of DBA or programming this is a really fantastic book for you
easy to understand
easy to read
really funny
and so much other things
i really recommend you to buy other series book HEAD FIRST

Head First SQL
Excellent book for all levels...
Shipping was next day and book is brand new received in excellent condition.

This book really saved me!
I had struggled a lot with YouTube tutorials and bad course literature and still didn't fully understand 1:st, 2:nd 3:rd normal form, different kind of joins etc. This book made everything so obvious, I understood everything instantly when I read it! A pedagogical masterpiece! ... Read more

Product Description
SQL is a standard interactive and programming language for querying andmodifying data and managing databases. This task-based tutorial andreference guide takes the mystery out learning and applying SQL. Aftergoing over the relational database model and SQL syntax in the firstfew chapters, veteran author Chris Fehily immediately launches into thetasks that will get readers comfortable with SQL. In addition tocovering all the SQL basics, this thoroughly updated reference containsa wealth of in-depth SQL knowledge and serves as an excellent referencefor more experienced users. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (24)

SQL: Visual QuickStart Guide (3rd Edition)
I bought this book together with "SQL in One hour a Day".
It helps me to understand more in learning SQL.

Full of great info on SQL!!!
I am a novice SQL programmer. This book helps me understand the basics as my skills grow.

Excellent tutorial AND reference
Generally technology books attempt to either provide a tutorial or a reference, rarely both. This book succeeds fantastically well in both categories. All aspects of SQL are covered: data types, statement creation, joins, operators and functions, subqueries, tables, indexes, views, and a brief section on transactions. This may not sound interesting yet, but the author does two things which make this book outstanding.

The first is there is enough information under each topic and sub-topic that the index is eminently usable. When reading cover to cover it may get old to see some of the same footnotes repeated over and over again, but I realized that whenever I had to look up a topic, every shred of information I needed (or a reference to it) would be in that very same section.

Secondly, for every topic, the author covers differences found within every major DBMS: MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, Microsoft Access and SQL Server, DB2, and Oracle. Syntax changes are noted, alternate functions or operators... everything! This is extremely handy if you ever change environments and need to know how something is done in the new platform.

There is also a sample database to download and a ton of examples for every topic. You can work through this book like a workbook if you wanted to.

There is very little information on database design or optimization, but as this is an SQL book and not a database book, I won't hold that against the author. This is a very user-friendly book and well worth the investment.

Great reference book
This is a great resource for someone who is a beginning/intermediate SQL user. It covers different versions depending on the database you are using. I use SQL Server and have found the book to be my bible. It gives lots of examples and visuals for those of us who don't find straight text and user manuals useful.

Excellent SQL Reference
Most of the titles in the Visual Quickstart Guide series that I've acquired have been very useful and "SQL" by Chris Fehily is no exception. I use SQL relatively rarely and this book is an excellent reference and refresher when I need a fast immersion in SQL.

The Visual Quickstart Guides teach by - you guessed it - visual examples and this is no exception. Fehily's writing style is spare and direct with few wasted words. There is a somewhat generalized introduction to the nature of SQL. The Introduction is actually a model of what such a chapter should be like. It is direct, to the point and covers the major things, in general, that you need to know about SQL.

He then moves deeper into the basics of SQL before advancing on basic SQL operations, such as retrieving data from a table, operators and functions, summarizing and grouping data and so on. Reading this book alone will not make you an expert SQL programmer, but it will certainly help you do more than muddle through basic SQL operations, which generally are all you need.

I've had this book on my shelf for a long time and, as I said, when the need for me to deal with SQL arises, it's the first reference I pick up.

Jerry ... Read more

Product Description

SQL for Smarties was hailed as the first book devoted explicitly to the advanced techniques needed to transform an experienced SQL programmer into an expert. Now, 15 years later and in its fourth edition, this classic reference still reigns supreme as the only book written by a SQL master that teaches programmers and practitioners to become SQL masters themselves! These are not just tips and techniques; also offered are the best solutions to old and new challenges. Joe Celko conveys the way you need to think in order to get the most out of SQL programming efforts for both correctness and performance.

New to the fourth edition, Joe features new examples to reflect the ANSI/ISO Standards so anyone can use it. He also updates data element names to meet new ISO-11179 rules and he expands coverage of SSD, parallel processors and how new hardware will change how SQL works, all with the same experience-based teaching style that made the previous editions the classics they are today.

Topics covered:Database design and normalization, SQL data types, querying, grouping,set operations, optimization, data scaling, and encoding. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (48)

Somewhat useful but overrated.
This is one of those books that are perhaps nice to have IN ADDITION to something better. Btw, do NOT overestimate the "for smarties" part in the title: the book is not all that advanced: it's more like an extensive cookbook with a lot of personal opinion thrown in (not always consistent; for example, in one place he inveighs against the evils of using sequential-number sequences as primary keys -- 'cause a table is not a sequence, you see, we're talking about sets here, who, by definition, are unordered -- OK, fine. Ten pages later he blasts the GUID type -- why? Because it's not inherently sequential and it's hard to spot the gaps in the sequences. But hey, why do we care about gaps? All we care about is that the field values be unique, which they are, gaps or no gaps. Seems like GUIDs should be perfect from the set-theoretical point of view, but no, he doesn't like them -- precisely because of the presence of those aspects, the lack of which he bemoaned one chapter back in the IDENTITY type. It's like he wrote these two chapters one ten years after the other, and forgot what he was talking about in one when writing the other.

The content (or rather the intent behind it) is very good. There's a logical progression from the overall-schema things, to tables, and so on, including such esoterica as hierarchies and graphs (which is good not only, or even not so much because of the topics themselves, but because nice recent SQL features like CTEs are used a lot in the sample code thus demonstrating their non-trivial use).

The downsides: the main flaw in Celko's writing is that whatever he writes reads like a two-page journal article, by which I mean it's all a perfunctorily dashed-off collection of tidbits; the overall structure is very tenuous (for example, he starts the hierarchies' chapter by saying they're a sort of graphs -- but the graphs proper chapter comes afterwards: wouldn't it make more sense to switch their order in the book then?) Some chapters are borrowed from other writers: for example, the chapter on temporal databases is taken, or rather squeezed out of Snodgrass's book (which I happened to be reading in parallel and thus was able to notice that). I'm not hinting at plagiarism here: I'm sure Snodgrass was aware of this borrowing and had OK'ed it, but first it would be nice to mention the fact of borrowing (I think), and second, and most important, when you compress a book into a chapter, you gotta do it very carefully so as to keep the material connected, coherent, and clear. This is not the case here (go for the original: it's good, and can be downloaded for free; google on the name).

In general, Celko's writing, while not abhorrent, is mostly (though not everywhere) very sloppy; everything reads like a first draft never touched again by either the author or an editor. A fair amount of typos, and a lot of unclear, careless pages that make you struggle for meaning (not always successfully). Mangled French again: Joseph, if there's an accent over the last 'e' in a masculine form of a participle, it's gotta be an accent aigu, not accent grave (feminine simply adds an extra 'e' w/o changing anything else); thus it's 'née' not 'nèe'. Maybe it's a typo, but it's consistently repeated thoughout the book (and actually present in his other books!). While we're here: "Borland (née Inprise)" is actually the other way around: Inprise (née Borland).

There's no question that the author is a smart guy, but writing isn't his forte and he should be less casual about it -- and then, he should also insist that his publisher provide good editorial oversight. I think MK is a good publisher, and I think they ought to be able to do a better job helping their writers achieve readability.

Bottom line: I don't regret having this book; it's friendly and chatty (in a good sense); the inherently dry material is livened up a bit by a sprinkling of curious trivia; it's been somewhat enlightening on the first read, and repeatedly useful as a reference afterwards. Otoh, it's written sloppily and I feel that, inasmuch as I benefitted from it, I did only because I happen to have enough foundation to compensate for its flaws on my own. But I'm not looking for this kind of effort when reading technical books though, so three stars. Could be more, but for that the book needs to be aggressively edited and restructured. It's the third edition, btw: it would seem that there's been plenty of time to do just that.

All in all, I recommend it, but only half-heartedly: as long as the prospective reader understands that this is not a terribly advanced book, as well that the reading won't be easy. The book's OK, but not on par with what you get from writers like Gray or Date.

A Major disappointment
I've seen various versions of this book sitting on DBA bookshelves for years.The concept is a good one - advanced sql for those of us who already have significant experience.

This book is NOT an advanced SQL textbook.Another reviewer, Tim Boyes, describes it as "SQL 201", and he's exactly right.Most of the content in this book is just barely above basic SQL knowledge, and half the time I felt like I was reading a re-hash of SQL BOL.

Another thing that I noticed (how could I miss it?) was the almost incomprehensible arrogance of the author, particularly when he compares the use of IDENTITY to drug abuse.Come on, Joe.That's just insulting.

This one's going back to Amazon.

Joe does a pretty good job
Some of the concepts are a little lofty for the casual SQL programmer, but it is SQL for Smarties not dummies.He gives a lot of SQL code in his examples, but does not show the results of the code in a screen shot that I believe would be most helpful.

Overall, I like the book and would buy it again given the opportunity.

A great help
As a DBA not doing so much with SQL this book is and has already been a great help for me creating complex queries.

Book overrated
This book is overrated.Many of the examples contain errors which will consume a lot of your time.I ended up spending more time figuring out where the mistakes were (in the descriptions of the examples or in the example themselves) than I did actual learning.While I do not doubt Joe's expertise in the subject I do find that he has difficulty explaining things.For me this book was a waste of time.A co-worker of mine has the 2nd edition, and the book is half the size of the 3rd edition.That version probably has a lot fewer mistakes and might be worth reading.As far as the 3rd edition, I threw mine in the trash. ... Read more

Product Description
Once you know the basics of the SQL language, it's time to take the next step toward specialization: query writing! All objects in SQL support the need to get data in and out of databases, and writing queries is the key to capturing the data you want. "SQL Queries Joes 2 Pros" shows you a proven roadmap that has helped many beginning SQL students get their certifications and launch their careers. If you want to get ready for MCTS certification, this is the second book of the Joes 2 Pros series.This book is totally focused on providing a fun, hands-on experience as it evolves your basic SQL skills and amps up your level of query writing expertise. This is Volume II of the Joes 2 Pros certification track designed to prepare you for the 70-433 SQL 2008 exam. If you are a total beginner, we recommend you first become familiar with the material in the "Beginning SQL Joes 2 Pros." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

ramesh
Little information for the no.of pages but very good in the way they presented it. Loved it and recommend for a starter.

fast way
Once I finished book 1 i couldn't stop. He makes sql fun.I have finished this one as well.
I have been albe to answer all of the interview quetions with easy. I can't wait for the rest of the series ....Hurry plz!!!
I have found a C# series as well by the same groupIntroduction to C# Joes 2 Pros
So many of the jobs I looked at suggested having C# experience. So when i found this book I was relieved!
makes it very easy once again.

Complete your T-SQL learning experience!
This book picks up where the first book left off.The first book takes a measured approach to the basic syntax of T-SQL DDL, DML, DCL, and TCL.The first chapter in book 2 reviews what was covered in book 1, and then continues on more advanced topics.The same thoughtful, easy-to-read and practical approach to learning is used.You won't find better T-SQL training anywhere.So, whether you are learning the language for the first time, a pro who is just "brushing up" for an interview, or just need a ready reference, this two book series is a "must" for your bookshelf.

In All That Getting get An Understanding
Hello, I want to recommend Rick Morelan's Joes 2 Pros teaching aids as a must have in your quest to learn Microsoft SQL server 2008. I am currently a student In a 12 to 36 week Intensive program that teaches business intelligence. Learning SQL in a Microsoft environment is my goal and purpose but the instruction leaves me void of a complete understanding. The pace of the course; as you may already know is extremely fast; this is because most of these programs are set up just to make money off the BI and IT boom and If you are a novice or an enthusiast wanting to learn SQL you'll get swallowed up as the course progress through topics such as recursive queries, pivots, CTE, and the various joins: leaving you confused and frustrated.

Nevertheless, after failing several test in my BI course and after wanting to throw in the towel; I was up late one night contemplating about my next steps and I discovered Rick's Joes2Pros videos on YouTube; they were so clear and concise I knew then that I had to have them If I wanted to be successful in my course; that I already paid 19,000 thousand dollars for. I purchase Rick's DVD's and every one of his teaching aids I found on Amazon and I can tell you that this was the best move I made. If I knew any better I would not have taken the 19,000 Bi classes to learn SQL I would have just purchased Rick's books which are excellent teaching aids that cater to your overall understand of SQL server 2008 in a Microsoft environment. I have been help immenselyI now understandjoins and other concept thatIhad trouble with in my BI course which I now have learned from theJoes2Pros teaching aids; I know you would agree ;if you to made Joes2Pros the center piece of you SQL server collection.

A great buy for learning SQLand SQL Querying
I have taken several SQL classes and looked up tutorials online.Most left me confused and less than satisfied.This book and the previous volume filled the void.They teach at the appropriate pace with easy to understand examples and exercises.Without it, I would have struggled needlessly in my classes.I highly recommend this book for anyone who is a beginner and wants or needs to have a good understanding of SQL. SQL Queries Joes 2 Pros: SQL Query Techniques For Microsoft SQL Server 2008, Volume 2 ... Read more

Product Description

Microsoft® SQL Server™ 2008 Reporting Services Unleashed

Michael Lisin

Jim Joseph

Amit Goyal

The authoritative, example-rich guide to Microsoft’s powerful reporting platform

With Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services you can quickly deliver relevant business intelligence data wherever it’s needed–across the entire enterprise, and through the entire reporting lifecycle. SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services Unleashed gives you all the authoritative information you’ll need to make the most of Microsoft’s most powerful reporting platform as a database professional, manager, or user. In-depth coverage makes this book an ideal reference, and its extensive set of practical examples help you address virtually any challenge in deployment, configuration, administration, or report building.

The authors have extensively expanded this edition with deeper reference information, many more practical examples, and insider perspective into Reporting Services 2008’s powerful new enhancements. You’ll discover how to take full advantage of Reporting Services’ significant architectural changes, its flexible new Tablix control, improved visualization through charts and gauges, deep SharePoint integration through SharePoint Integrated Mode, new output presentation formats, and much more.

Understand how to

• Learn about the new features of Service Pack 1 (SP1) and the SQL Server 2008 R2 release
• Quickly take advantage of Microsoft’s newest SQL Server Reporting Services enhancements
• Use Reporting Services to identify trends and solve real business problems
• Master report authoring–from basic, wizard-driven techniques to the cutting edge
• Group, sort, and aggregate data, and define the right scope for your information
• Utilize advanced report formatting techniques
• Work effectively with multidimensional sources
• Manage report data sources and models
• Secure reports against attacks and intrusions
• Customize Reporting Services with embedded functions, custom assemblies, URL access, Web Services, and other extensions
• Thoroughly integrate SQL Server reporting into any SharePoint site

Michael Lisin, lead author of Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services, has years of field experience working with SQL Server Reporting Services at Microsoft and delivering solutions for Microsoft’s enterprise customers.

Jim Joseph, co-author of Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services Unleashed, is an independent contractor with 10 years experience developing custom software solutions in a variety of industries. He has worked with SQL Server Reporting Services since the first beta release.

Amit Goyal, lead program manager for Microsoft’s Reporting Services team, has extensive insider’s knowledge of SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services.

ON THE WEB:

Download all examples and source code presented in this book from informit.com/sams

Category: Microsoft Databases

Covers: Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services

User Level: Intermediate—Advanced

Customer Reviews (5)

Reporting Services Contents.
The book is very detail on how to perform necessary Reporting Services configuration, Report Design and implementation.

Reasonable coverage but missing XML and samples
I found that this book offered good general coverage on a variety of SSRS 2008 topics.For the most part it covered what (feature), how (usage), when(summary vs detail, global[graphical] vs specific[tablix]), etc.
However, key ingredient of SQL Server 2008 is extending XML support and that's conspicuously missing.Yes, there is some info but needs more like - data source and dataset differences from relational data types, typed vs. untyped XML data considerations, and query, filter, and criteria specifications for mixed (XML/relational) field reports.
Samples with XML data types would have been nice but more available on Microsoft TechNet and MSDN web site.

Very Insightful
I have used earlier versions of Reporting Services. The book had excellent depth for learning about the latest version. I like the new data visualization controls in 2008

Very good for SSRS
Almost excellent for SSRS. my only issue is, this book said you can alter your XML configuration file for SSRS to change the authentication but didn't tell how to do it. I had to go online to find the steps.

Well done practical book
It is practical and easy to read book which was immediately useful in my work. The book has a great combination of step-by-step tutorials and comprehensive coverage of Reporting Services, including working with Analysis Services and integration with SharePoint. At work we moving our BI system to SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services from the previous version and all the new features were easily identifiable and well explained in the book. Plus you get nice bonus materials from the publisher, including code samples. Overall it is very well done book. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (3)

Reporting Services 2008
I have found various mistakes/errors thoughout the book, although I was able to figure out the issues and complete the excercises. Also it goes over ReportBuilder 2.0 NOT the current ReportBuilder 3.0.

Very Good but...
The book is very well organized and the lessons are detailed, beyond just the basics.It should serve as a good reference as I start to develop reports on my own.The one drawback is that the sample databases which should be downloaded from CodePlex do not exist.These would have been very beneficial.

Reporting Services in simple terms
Stacia covered both native and SharePoint installation for Reporting Services. This is very helpful for SharePoint sites without a SharePoint administrator or database administrator. She progresses by showing report deployments in both native and SharePoint mode.

The release of Report Builder 2.0 is a significant improvement in Reporting Services. Stacia covers in detail how to install and use it as an authoring tool. In Part II, the full potential of report designer is shown in detail. Choosing between using report builder against report designer will be an easy decision.

Analysis services is an underutilized component of SQL Server. By showing how a reporting services takes advantage of analysis services, it will encourage you to explore analysis services further. Charts, charts and more charts, easy, fast and very useful.

The book discusses report models, managing report server, managing security, a must read for administrators.

- Eldred Rivera, MCT -
... Read more

Product Description

Maximize the Business Intelligence Tools in Microsoft SQL Server 2008

Manage, analyze, and distribute enterprise data with help from this expert resource. Delivering Business Intelligence with Microsoft SQL Server 2008 covers the entire BI lifecycle and explains how to build robust data integration, reporting, and analysis solutions. Real-world examples illustrate all of the powerful BI capabilities of SQL Server 2008. This is your one-stop guide for transforming disparate data into actionable insight for users throughout your organization.

• Understand the goals and benefits of business intelligence
• Design and create relational data marts and OLAP cubes
• Manage Analysis Services databases using BI Development Studio
• Cleanse data and populate data marts with SQL Server Integration Services
• Take advantage of the flexibility of the Unified Dimensional Model
• Manipulate and analyze data using MDX scripts and queries
• Use data mining to identify data patterns, correlations, and clustering
• Develop and distribute interactive reports with SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services
• Integrate business intelligence into enterprise applications using ADOMD.NET and the Report Viewer Control

Customer Reviews (12)

Fantastic
Great book for someone who is new to BI. Larson covers many topics of Business Intelligence and how to deliver it with SQL Server 2008. The entire book is written in a very practical way, making everything easy to understand, even for novices. Each topic is concise and doesn't try to overload you with details. I especially enjoyed the "learn by doing" exercises where you get to work in SQL Server with sample data to really nail down the topics. I read this book while taking a BI undergrad class, and it really helped with understanding some of the more advanced topics. Highly recommended, especially those new to the field.

A good intro
I appreciate this book for what it is... a fairly well conceived tour through the landscape of BI.What it is not is a suitable teacher for anything but the most basic concepts, nor a guide book suitable for forging your own paths.If your learning style is see it in action before understanding what it's doing, then this is probably your book.If you require context to learn and need some solid background information as well as in depth analysis along the way, this book will disappoint.And in the sense that it takes you past or through all major and minor components of BI, including sources of data, data warehousing, transformations, integration services, cube building, cube querying, reporting services, it is in one sense comprehensive.However, you may often find, as I did, that even a little more depth would have been extremely useful.

Excellent introduction to BI using SQL Server 2008
I'm really new to Business Intelligence. I found this book to be a really gentle introduction to the subject. Nice examples and really easy to follow. It's also really well written.

A great explanation for a wealth of SQL Server features
There's no doubt that Business Intelligence (BI) is a hot topic these days.Microsoft has made, and continues to make, aggressive moves into the BI space, and to this end they've devoted substantial resources.With the 2008 release of their flagship product, Microsoft can now stand on its own against the likes of Cognos or Business Objects, and deliver a powerful, scalable solution.If you are a developer new to the world of BI (with it's mix of data, business logic, charts, graphs, dashboards, KPI's, trends, and more), or a seasoned BI expert who is looking for a technical manual on the features of this platform, then Delivering BI with SQL Server 2008 is the book you want by your side.

This book is packed with information, but is _fun_ to read, because the language is clear and modern.The clarity and consistency of pages tells the reader that, unlike so many other tech books you'll find, this one was proof-read before it hit the shelves.It takes the reader through a conceptual introduction to BI, and the terms and ideas you'll see discussed by specialists in this area.From there, it dives into the big three core competencies of the Microsoft SQL Server Business Intelligence stack: Integration Services, Analysis Services (talking here about OLAP Cubes, Data Mining / DMX, and MDX), and Reporting Services.If you are looking to read about integration with Excel or Sharepoint there may be better references out there, as these topics do not get much attention.But, the chapters on MDX are leagues beyond what I've read in similar Microsoft BI topics books.Short of a title solely devoted to MDX, such as the excellent "MDX Solutions: With Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services 2005 and Hyperion Essbase", this is among the very best books you're likely to find on standard query language of OLAP data.Likewise, the discussion of SSIS components is an indispensable reference that has served me well.

Finally, a small thing that I thought it was nice, the author does not rely on the time-worn AdventureWorks database.All examples are based on structures created in the book.

Please note that this book does not cover features of the just released-to-market SQL Server 2008 R2.It is current up to the 2008 iteration, which is all very valuable, but you will not find mention of topics like DAX, Microsoft Spatial Data, or Power Pivot.

Good book, errors in example code though
Content is great, well laid out, explains topics in easy to understand language for the most part.
Big problem with the examples though.

There is a cube project called MaxMinSalesDM. This is created by one VS2010 project. It is populated by another. Problem is the column names in one of the tables are incorrect (in the analysis services project, a table is called SalesPerson, but in the SSIS projects that populate the cube, the table is referenced as Sales_Person. When populating the Slowly changing dimension, this causes an error.

For a beginner, i need to learn by example of these projects, and dont have the knowledge to fix these errors. This has caused me hours of trouble and for this reason, i might just skip this book if you are going to rely on the projects. ... Read more

Product Description
This book is now out of print and has been replaced by "Beginning SQL Joes 2 Pros". http://www.amazon.com/Beginning-SQL-Joes-Pros-Hands/dp/143925317X/ref=pd_sim_b_1 ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

There is a newer version of this book
There is an updated version of this book. I wouldn't recommend the old version now that the updated version is available. Don't let the change in the title fool you, the link below is to an updated version of this book, not a different book.

Beginning SQL Joes 2 Pros: The SQL Hands-On Guide for Beginners (SQL Exam Prep Series 70-433 Volume 1 of 5) (Sql Design Series)

SQL Server ->Taught the way it should be
I lost my IT job. I wanted to upgrade my skills and learn SQL Server 2008. I stumbled upon the Joes2Pros Videos in You Tube. I came to Amazon and saw everyone that used the Joes2Pros SQL Server 2008 books gave it a 5 rating. Once you start using the book you'll understand why. Its like no other technical book I've ever used.
Each lesson builds your abilities and knowledge from the prior chapters in a very intelligent way. You see the material and do the lessons and you learn. You are writing SQL queries as you go and are not bombarded with technical jargon all at once. If you follow the book and do the exercises as go, you can't help but be be proficient in writing SQL Querys. This is the first of 5 books in a series preparing you for a SQL-Server 2008 certication. This book is kind of a SQL Server 2008 overview that starts from SELECT statements and goes all the way to using DML,DDL,DCL,TCL. I could not recommend it any higher. I've purchased Book 2 of the series which is equally as good. I plan on getting all 5 books and then getting my SQL Server 2008 Developer certification.

Best way to learn T-SQL
Short, concise, and easy-to-read.Gets right to the point teaching basic T-SQL syntax.Downloadable CompanionCD includes lab setup scripts, answer scripts (to the included quizzes), resource files, and even animated PowerPoint files which build code debugging skills on the topics covered in each chapter.This is a well thought-out approach to teaching this language.I would love to see this author take on other languages like VB.NET as well!Very well done.Buy the 2nd book in this series and you'll be a T-SQL pro in no time!

Open This Book Open Your Understanding
Hello, I want to recommend Rick Morelan's Joes 2 Pros teaching aids as a must have in your quest to learn Microsoft SQL server 2008. I am currently a student In a 12 to 36 week Intensive program that teaches business intelligence. Learning SQL in a Microsoft environment is my goal and purpose but the instruction leaves me void of a complete understanding. The pace of the course; as you may already know is extremely fast; this is because most of these programs are set up just to make money off the BI and IT boom and If you are a novice or an enthusiast wanting to learn SQL you'll get swallowed up as the course progress through topics such as recursive queries, pivots, CTE, and the various joins: leaving you confused and frustrated.


Nevertheless, after failing several test in my BI course and after wanting to throw in the towel; I was up late one night contemplating about my next steps and I discovered Rick's Joes2Pros videos on YouTube; they were so clear and concise I knew then that I had to have them If I wanted to be successful in my course; that I already paid 19,000 thousand dollars for. I purchase Rick's DVD's and every one of his teaching aids I found on Amazon and I can tell you that this was the best move I made. If I knew any better I would not have taken the 19,000 Bi classes to learn SQL I would have just purchased Rick's books which are excellent teaching aids that cater to your overall understand of SQL server 2008 in a Microsoft environment. I have been help immenselyI now understandjoins and other concept thatIhad trouble with in my BI course which I now have learned from theJoes2Pros teaching aids; I know you would agree ;if you to made Joes2Pros the center piece of you SQL server collection.

The Best Book to learn SQL
First I want to thank Mr.Rick Morelan for writing such a valuable book, this is a must buy book for those who has no prior knowledge of SQL this book will teach you in step by step process and the best part is Read, View and Do approach with good practical labs.
I can't wait to buy the other SQL books from Joes 2 Pros Series. ... Read more

Product Description

“The book...has enough depth for even a seasoned professional to pick up enough tips to pay back the price of the book

many times over.”

–Dr. Paul Dorsey, President, Dulcian, Inc., Oracle Magazine PL/SQL Developer of the Year 2007, and President

Emeritus, New York Oracle Users Group 

“This is a fascinating guide into the world of Oracle SQL with an abundance of well-collected examples. Without a doubt, this

book is helpful to beginners and experts alike who seek alternative ways to resolve advanced scenarios.”–Oleg Voskoboynikov, Ph.D., Database Architect

Customer Reviews (10)

Very Good Book for Oracle SQL
This book is nicely laid out and easy to follow.There are lots of examples of syntax and many of the common functions are discussed.There is also a good amount of information about SQL Developer and SQL+. It is valuable to know about those tools when using SQL with Oracle.This book has kept my interest and I have learned some new tricks.There are lots of quizzes and plenty of information that pertains to Oracle SQL exams.

Over the Top
I rarely find a techical book that has just everything I would want.. this one has it, and more. It's "hands on" and example based, but the theory is clearly and orderly introduced. Presentation style is neither boring nor distracting. The author's tech skill are awe inspiring but she still manages to write excellent material for beginners. She really cares to teach, not to show off her skills and knowledge...
So if you really want to learn SQL, want to do it with no pain, lots and lots of practical examples and *solved exercises*, and also get some practice with on of the most used database platforms available.. well this is the book you want. Do yourself a favour and start here.
You might want to check out also:
Beginning Oracle SQL
especially if you would like to read something a little more "compact" and "theory oriented" that still has solved exercises.. but I really think that when it comes to learning SQL nothing is more valuable than lots and lots of practice and examples..my advice is read them both, you won't regret it.
The only reproach I can make to to author is that she still has not written an intermediate level text as a follow up of this awesome text!

Excellent Book to Learn Oracle SQL
This is a great book to pick up and start learning Oracle SQL.I am an Adjunct Profressor and this it the book I use in my Intro to Oracle Programming.What has made this book such a success for me is the pace of the book. It is task oriented which is great for self-paced or classroom learning. She covers the topics in the right order to continue building on previous topics.It is a great book to start you off and you will find it very valuable resource.

Also, the "Student" database provided via the books website is really usefull.Students immediately understand the data model because Courses, Sections, Enrollment, Grades, etc makes since to them.If you want to learn Oracle SQL this is the best place to start!I can't say enough about how great it is!

The best and most under rated SQL book
I use SQL daily and I'm still not very good at it.
I don't pick up languages easily or memorize syntax
or vocabulary be it French, Spanish or SQL.
So, several times a day I pick up this book
to reference how to do something with SQL that I need
to know NOW before moving on to my next 20
emergency du jures.
.
This is a great book........ the best that I have found.
.

Learning By Examples
I had picked up a copy of O'Reilly's "Oracle SQL*Plus" text. Read through the first few pages, got discouraged, and the book sat on the shelf for five years.
Since then, I have become a strong believer of "Learning by doing". Last year, I had bought this book with the same philosophy in mind. Needless to say, I was not disappointed. As the other reviewers have pointed out, the author starts with simple examples and builds on the material. Every concept is followed by at least one example.

The questions at the end of each chapter reinforce the concepts covered in the chapter. The answers (to the questions) introduce more concepts followed by more examples, and the learning process goes on and on ...

All in all, an excellent resource to learn Oracle's sqlplus.

Having said that, what this book is not is a certification guide. For those aspiring to write the Oracle certification exams will have to go an extra mile of investing time & money in another text that is specifically geared towards certifications. And this is where I am heading next.
... Read more

Product Description
If you’re a database administrator, you know Microsoft SQL Server 2008 is revolutionizing database development. Get up to speed on SQL Server 2008, impress your boss, and improve your company’s data management — read Microsoft SQL Server 2008 For Dummies!

SQL Server 2008 lets you build powerful databases and create database queries that give your organization the information it needs to excel. Microsoft SQL Server 2008 For Dummies helps you build the skills you need to set up, administer, and troubleshoot SQL Server 2008. You’ll be able to:

• Develop and maintain a SQL Server system
• Design databases with integrity and efficiency
• Turn data into information with SQL Server Reporting Services
• Organize query results, summarizing data with aggregate functions and formatting output
• Import large quantities of data with SSIS
• Keep your server running smoothly
• Protect data from prying eyes
• Develop and implement a disaster recovery plan
• Improve performance with database snapshots
• Automate SQL Server 2008 administration

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 For Dummies is a great first step toward becoming a SQL Server 2008 pro! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Good, but needs more examples!
I learned alot about SQL Server from going through this book. It really leaves out all the clutter in other books. However, you don't get enough practice with this book because the author already assumes you can create the stuff he's talking about without giving you the opportunity to try it out yourself. The first 200 pages uses examples with databases that you don't have enough knowledge to create until page 160. If the author had a page where you could download all the sample databases that he uses or if he took the time to walk you through creating some of the sample databases, then this could have been a much better book. Overall, it's still a great book, but I had to use another book to really get the practice missing in this book.

Quick response.
I received this item very quickly. The book is in very good condition. I will buy from this person again.

Nicely written but not enough there there
The author is a good writer, he's well organized,he get's his point across well - the problem is that he doesn't do it enough. This isa nice introduction to MS SQL but its simply too short and ultimately too lightweight for the subject. There are other good beginners manuals out there that, if they aren't as entertaining, are more useful. Dummies cut the legs out from under this text by keeping it so compact - too bad, if he'd had more room he undoubtedly could have created a excellent manual.

Good, solid admin guide
First, I have to come clean. I am a content developer by trade, have worked on a few of Mike's books in the past, and have contracted with him several times to develop some online courses for my clients. Even so, I'll try to be as unbiased as possible, but it'll be hard because Mike is *such* a good author.

"Microsoft SQL Server 2008 for Dummies" is a solid, well-organized guide for using SQL Server. It's not geared for developers or programmers (unless they want to pick up administration skills), but you can learn how to create and manipulate databases in addition to installing and maintaining a database server. The writing is easy to follow and describes concepts consisely and clearly, which is Mike's classic style. Mike also uses a lot of examples and imagery, which helps immensely to guide you through some of the more difficult techniques.

The book is chockful of practical information about running and using SQL Server, but lacks the humor and clever headings found in many of the For Dummies books. If you're a "just the facts" kind of person who wants to learn how to use SQL Server and doesn't care much about novel headings, grab this book. At about $30 (USD) retail, it's a great value considering the breadth of topics covered. The only thing I would've liked to see expanded is the Troubleshooting chapter. Even though I was an IT book project editor for several years, and even worked on a handful of For Dummies books, I generally don't use IT books until something goes wrong. Then I pore through them, usually on Safari Books Online, beginning with the troubleshooting information. For the next version of Microsoft SQL Server for Dummies, I suggest adding at least two or three examples of log file entries that indicate a medium to serious problem, or some real-world situations or database meltdowns, and what to do about them.

Overall, thanks for another great book Mike! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (11)

Surprisingly useful
I say surprisingly, because the active reader will think of numerous questions which the book never answers.I had to keep a notepad handy to jot down "but what about..." questions.This is actually a *good* thing.A book that not only teaches scripted lessons but also prompts the reader to create new ones is worth reading.As you would expect, the book assumes you know SQL, though not very much.If you can grok the basic joins and foreign keys, you'll have no trouble.I know exactly enough SQL to be a danger.I might say that if you're a serious RDBMS professional, you may not get much out of this.On the other hand, I've the victim^H^H^H^H^H^Huser of so many poorly designed "professional database solutions" that perhaps this book should be required reading.The author is not trying to "wow" you with SQL-fu.He deliberately keeps the SQL simple to clearly expose the (anti)patterns.I recognized several anti-patterns which I had learned the hard way in my own work and learned a few more to avoid.

A fine addition to any database programming collection
SQL ANTIPATTERNS is for any programmer's collection where SQL database programming is of interest. Chapters identify, explain and correct antipatterns, grouping them in terms of logical design and queries and linking them to application development. Learn how to identify and fix dangerous application antipatterns and common problems in this fine addition to any database programming collection.

A clear and reassuring reference.
I bought SQL Antipatterns in the middle of an increasingly stressful project. Taking two days out to read it thoroughly and correct some of the patterns we were guilty of turned the project around for the better. We were able stop worrying about database design and concentrate on security issues.

For me, the best thing about the book is that it serves as a comprehensive reference of the benefits of doing things properly, and justification of the time this often requires.

It helped a lot, very fast.

Suited for both your coffee table and technical bookshelf

Do you know why polymorphism in the database is bad? Put your hand down if you're a DBA, this is for application developers :)

SQL Antipatterns is written in a very astute fashion and manages to be easy reading without being overly didactic - no small feat for a technical book.

The book is sectioned into the short (~10 pages) chapters, one for each antipattern. Each chapter is structured as such:
- intro context, often humorous
- OBJECTIVE/PROBLEM you're trying to accomplish/solve
- Antipattern that is a common pitfall
- How to recognize that pattern
- Legitimate uses of that antipattern
- Solution (the correct one) for your original OBJECTIVE/PROBLEM

One previous reviewer mentioned that the book covers relative basics for an experienced DBA or developer. Indeed, even if you've been developing for a short period chances are you've seen and/or know of maybe half of the antipatterns in this book. But I'd like to point this out: it's been my observation that experts in any field revel in reviewing the basics, even if just for fun. And this book is fun to read, which is why I suggest this could work just as fine on the coffee table as casual reading as it can on the bookshelf as a technical reference.


My only constructive criticism is that I wish there was more content. Database good practices is a very expansive subject, and as I was reading the book I couldn't help but wish the author was "building up to the good stuff" as some other PragProg books do. This book is reasonably priced so it remains good value, but if it was $40+ I might have gave it four stars instead of five for this reason.

Deals with problems related to both database's design and application developing
I must admit that there was barely anything new to me in the book, but I have been in the field for quite a few years, dealing with many projects, so I had the "privilege" of seeing many horror stories. Still, I feel the book is valuable even for seasoned veterans. The main benefit is that the author organized and grouped the anti-patterns, each one is analyzed very well and contains some wise, unbiased suggestions. Each chapter stands on its own and can be read stand-alone.
The book is worth an extra star because it deals with problems related to both database's design and application developing; most book out there either cover one or the other.
This should be a mandatory reading for beginner DBAs and application developers, veterans may like it too, since it can help refreshing some concepts and can be used as a reference too. ... Read more

Product Description

SQL Server 2008 represents a sizable jump forward in scalability, performance, and usability for the DBA, developer, and business intelligence (BI) developer. It is no longer unheard of to have 20-terabyte databases running on a SQL Server. SQL Server administration used to just be the job of a database administrator (DBA), but as SQL Server proliferates throughout smaller companies, many developers have begun to act as administrators as well. Additionally, some of the new features in SQL Server are more developer-centric, and poor configuration of these features can result in poor performance. SQL Server now enables you to manage the policies on hundreds of SQL Servers in your environment as if you were managing a single instance. We’ve provided a comprehensive, tutorial-based book to get you over the learning curve of how to configure and administer SQL Server 2008.

Whether you’re an administrator or developer using SQL Server, you can’t avoid wearing a DBA hat at some point. Developers often have SQL Server on their own workstations and must provide guidance to the administrator about how they’d like the production configured. Oftentimes, they’re responsible for creating the database tables and indexes. Administrators or DBAs support the production servers and often inherit the database from the developer.

This book is intended for developers, DBAs, and casual users who hope to administer or may already be administering a SQL Server 2008 system and its business intelligence features, such as Integration Services. This book is a professional book, meaning the authors assume that you know the basics about how to query a SQL Server and have some rudimentary concepts of SQL Server already. For example, this book does not show you how to create a database or walk you through the installation of SQL Server using the wizard. Instead, the author of the installation chapter may provide insight into how to use some of the more advanced concepts of the installation. Although this book does not cover how to query a SQL Server database, it does cover how to tune the queries you’ve already written.

The first ten chapters of the book are about administering the various areas of SQL Server, including the developer and business intelligence features. Chapter 1 briefly covers the architecture of SQL Server and the changing role of the DBA. Chapters 2 and 3 dive into best practices on installing and upgrading to SQL Server 2008. Managing your SQL Server database instance is talked about in Chapter 4. This chapter also describes some of the hidden tools you may not even know you have.

Once you know how to manage your SQL Server, you can learn in Chapter 5 how to automate many of the redundant monitoring and maintenance tasks. This chapter also discusses best practices on configuring SQL Server Agent. Chapters 6 and 7 cover how to properly administer and automate many tasks inside of the Microsoft business intelligence products, such as Integration Services and Analysis Services. Developers will find that Chapter 8 is very useful, as it covers how to administer the development features, such as SQL CLR. Chapter 9 explains how to secure your SQL Server from many common threats and how to create logins and users. Chapter 10 covers how to create a SQL Server project and do proper change management in promoting your scripts through the various environments. It also covers the Policy-Based Management framework in SQL Server.

Chapters 11 through 15 make up the performance tuning part of the book. Chapter 11 discusses how to choose the right hardware configuration for your SQL Server in order to achieve optimal performance. After the hardware and operating system is configured, Chapter 12 shows you how to optimize your SQL Server instance for the best performance. Chapter 13 describes how to monitor your SQL Server instance for problematic issues such as blocking and locking. Chapters 14 and 15 discuss how to optimize the T-SQL that accesses your tables and then how to index your tables appropriately.

Chapters 16 through 20 consist of the high-availability chapters of the book. Chapter 16 covers how to use the various forms of replication, while database mirroring is covered in Chapter 17. Classic issues and best practices with backing up and recovering your database are discussed in Chapter 18. Chapter 19 dives deeply into the role of log shipping in your high-availability strategy, and Chapter 20 presents a step-by-step guide to clustering your SQL Server and Windows 2008 server.

This edition of the book covers all the same great information we covered in the last book, and we’ve added loads of new content for SQL Server 2008, which adds numerous new features to improve the DBA’s life. In short, the new version of SQL Server focuses on improving your efficiency, the scale of your server, and the performance of your environment, so you can do more in much less time, and with fewer resources and people. This means you can manage many servers at one time using Policy-Based Management, scale your I/O load using compression, and collect valuable information about your environment using data collectors, to name just a few key new features.

To follow the examples in this book, you will need to have SQL Server 2008 installed. If you wish to learn how to administer the business intelligence features, you need to have Analysis Services and the Integration Services components installed. You need a machine that can support the minimum hardware requirements to run SQL Server 2008; and you also need the AdventureWorks2008 and AdventureWorksDW2008 databases installed. Instructions for accessing these databases can be found in the ReadMe file on this book’s Web site.

Some features in this book (especially in the high-availability part) require the Enterprise or Developer Edition of SQL Server. If you do not have this edition, you will still be able to follow through some of the examples in the chapter with Standard Edition.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Delivery is Good
Although the book is arrived later than I though, it is delivery in good condition.

Excellent book for a seasoned DBA to go into SQL Server 2008
This is an excellent book for a seasoned DBA to go into SQL Server 2008.

Perfect Book for DBA's on SQL Server 2008
Easy to follow and very well structured book for below topics

Best practices for SQL Server 2008 installation
Tips for troubleshooting and securing the database engine
How to automate SQL Server
Ways to index your database
Methods for monitoring your SQL Server instance
How to performance tune your SQL Server instance.

Read this before installing SQL Server 2008 in Production
A must read for setting up SQL Server. This book walks you through planning, installation all the way through setting up maintenance (Backup and restore). In addition the book is very thorough with lots of illustrations.

The first thing I noticed was in the planning stage the book provided a considerable amount of charts to determine not only which level of SQL Server and client licenses to install but also which components should be selected.This book also high-lights the differences between 2008 and previous versions. This was especially useful because I needed a reference that would advise me on changes. I have performed various installations and was surprised to read that the "Surface Area Configurator"was replaced with Policy-Based Management.

The Automating SQL Server section was great as I mentioned previously this section in particular had very good screen shots and explanations of the different options. In addition, it had various real world tips. Security is addressed throughout the book especially in "Integration Services".

I found it interesting that a whole chapter was devoted to "Change Management". The writer adds insight into VS Team System and how it can reconcile two database schemas and provides update scripts. In addition, what technical bookis created that doesn't have a section on optimization and monitoring and here is not difference.

All in all I found the book very good from a DBA Installation/Optimization stand point. Just be aware that this is not a book if you are looking for creating Views, Stored Procedures, Database Diagrams and the like. ... Read more

Product Description
Useful business analysis requires you to effectively transform data into actionable information. This book helps you use SQL and Excel to extract business information from relational databases and use that data to define business dimensions, store transactions about customers, produce results, and more. Each chapter explains when and why to perform a particular type of business analysis in order to obtain useful results, how to design and perform the analysis using SQL and Excel, and what the results should look like. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Buy This Book!
Buy This book!

I have worked in Business Intelligence for more than 15 years and rarely do you find books with this such a great combination of;
- easy to read
- practical advice, even for the most advanced practitioners
- valuable reference for quick lookups

Gordon always takes a pragmatic approach to solving problems and the specific examples used in the book are ones that can easily be extended for some of the most complex analytics in use today across industries, I have used them repeatedly in Financial Services!

great book about excel, statistics & sql
I have been teaching introductory and intermediate statistics to public policy graduate students for the past ten years.I also work in the media industry where (very) large data needs to be analyzed daily.This is one of the books that I highly recommend to my students and colleagues, because it recognizes a reality in the world:most data is stored in relational databases and most analysis is in Excel.This book is excellent, so you'll need two copies...Someone is always borrowing mine.

Great book for advancing in sql
I have been practicing SQL for a while, but this book took my skills to a whole new level. The best thing about the book is that it goes to the core of the issues, without losing oneself in the details, deals with real data rather than constructed examples and explains concepts in a structured, well-informed manner. I recommend this book if you really want to enhance your SQL skills and be different from the crowd.

Pure gold
Not only is this a first-rate book on data analysis, it's also an absolute treasure trove of useful SQL. This book belongs within arm's reach of every data analyst, business intelligence professional, reportsmith, and, most happliy in my case, those involved in data quality. If I were pressed to find one thing missing, it would be coverage of MS Query, which is embedded within Excel and allows one to connect it directly to a database and execute queries against it, thus obviating the need to cut and paste. To his credit, the author does mention this capability in chapter two, but deems it outside of the scope of the book and therefore goes no further. Perhaps he and/or his editor might consider covering it in an appendix of a future edition, which I fully expect there to be several of--this book is a generous 600+ pages of hard-earned knowledge, and deserves every one of its five-star ratings.

At last .. a practical data analysis guide!
Having seen a multitude of books offering either statistical analysis techniques or suggestions around data mining tools, it is refreshing to see someone approach the subject using simple, readily available tools and a practical, business oriented approach to the topic. The apparently mundane subject of customer retention coupled with buying patterns and market basket analysis is laid out in an effective and sequential manner. The SQL examples take some getting used to but, once understood, offer a series of easily implemented and highly effective methods to illustrate the concepts shown in the book. As a reference guide and an illustration that one needs to know the questions to be asked of the data before investing in the latest drag and drop business intelligence tools, this book is unparalleled. The author has not stinted on providing a wealth of examples and explanation. If this tome is a reflection of how Mr Linoff and his team approach their real world consulting activities, they must be a formidable team indeed.

For anyone who has wrestled with a means to understand their customer buying patterns and product affinity patterns in their historical sales data, this book cannot be beaten ... Read more

Product Description
<>Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Unleashed offers comprehensivecoverage of SQL Server 2005 that goes beyond the basic syntax andinformation you’ll find in the product manuals, providing in-depthinformation derived from the authors’ real-world experience to help youbuild upon your working knowledge of the product and take yourexperience and knowledge to a higher level. This book focuses primarilyon the information needed by system and database administrators, aswell as for users with overlapping duties as both DBA and developer.Included is extensive coverage of the new features and upgraded toolsand capabilities of SQL Server 2005, including .NET Frameworkintegration, Integration Services, Service Broker, Database Mirroringand Snapshots, and Reporting Services.

Customer Reviews (23)

Great book
This book is great, if you need a book to learn more about sql or if you have some problem and you need to find the solution, this is the right book.

Finest technical book I have ever read
This book is hugely informative and superbly written.I have never seen a technical book before which so successfully strikes many perfect balances which are very difficult for most authors to achieve.The book manages to explain difficult topics simply, but without condescension.It manages to be thorough, but without getting lost in a maze of pedantic details designed more to show off what great geniuses the authors are than to actually inform the reader in the best way possible.It manages to thoroughly cover a huge topic without becoming overwhelming.Yes, it is a huge book, but there is no need to be intimidated by it.It is beautifully organized and each section and chapter stands on its own.It is easy to treat this as a reference book and just access the exact information you need when you need it, but just as easy to read from cover to cover, and believe me, you won't regret doing so.It will turn you into an instant SQL Server expert.(Well, maybe not instant since it may take a few months to get through all 1600 pages of this weighty tome, but that's not much in the grand scheme of things.)If you use SQL Server, get this book.Period.

Great Guide for my Needs
This book was what I needed - an overview of the many aspects of SQL Server 2005, with definitions, descriptions, and basic know how.

Mediocre Reference Book
This book is a laundry list of features and how to implement them - not the place to go if you're looking for best practices or even the best choice among a few options.For that use something like Professional SQL Server 2005 Performance Tuning (Programmer to Programmer).

Complaint.
This seller failed to deliver the book. I didn't recieve any thing from the seller for 3 weeks after my order. I contacted them and they refund my order. I'd like to claim my cost of time and energy for all the hessels. But I didn't. Maybe, you can do it. Please reflect this on seller's evaluation.

Andy Hongin Park ... Read more

Product Description

Design and implement fast, scalable and maintainable cubes

• A real-world guide to designing cubes with Analysis Services 2008
• Model dimensions and measure groups in BI Development Studio
• Implement security, drill-through, and MDX calculations
• Learn how to deploy, monitor, and performance-tune your cube
• Filled with best practices and useful hints and tips

In Detail

Customer Reviews (11)

Excellent - Worth every dollar
I recently inherited a fairly sophisticated analysis cube. Until I started working with cubes, my level of understanding was a 2 on a scale of 10. In about 2 weeks, I was able to get a handle on how the cube I inherited was working and what it was doing. This book has been worth every dollar I paid for it. Use the book in conjunction with an actual cube - it's not for leisure reading. Happy cubing.

Kicks your SSAS up a notch..
I read it cover to cover, and have gone through some chapters several times...Book is becoming a little bit ragged, always a good indicator of value for me. Not a novice book - you shouldhave gone through a couple of real world SSAS projects to be comfortable with the content. Especially valuable if you are transitioning into 2008 versions from prior version and want to hit the ground running.
There certainly are some "opinions" being put forward - but if you don't have an experience based stance against a recommendation, you should probably go with it and adjust later..

interesting book, but take their opinions with grain of salt
Alberto Ferrari well known blog and famous paper on many-to-many revolution make his book a must read for anybody who is doing serious development with microsoft analysis services 2005 and 2008. still i would take some of their opinions with a grain of salt - eg they recommend to avoid parent-child dimensions as there many issues with them. this recommendation i disagree with as PC is the only mechanism to support unbalanced hierarchies and although you can go with natural hierarchies its quite a pain to maintain them. they dont cover MSAS end-to-end - more like each chapter has its own life. The book is not suitable for beginners, - rather Mosha's MSAS 2000 fast track to mdx explains many issues much better.

overall a very good book and delight to read with many interesting real-life observations

May take you to the next level
I have worked in BI for some time now and authored for Microsoft their best selling course on end to end BI for Microsoft Courseware Library, course number 50263 which introduces the entire stack of the Microsoft tools.
I had a client that asked where they could go now that they had the training and wanted to improve their cube designs and performance. I found this book and after reviewing it recommended that the client purchase it and use it to indeed take them to the next level.
The book has the word expert in the title and is not intended for a novice but as the authors say for the experienced BI developer. In reading it I had several, `I never thought of that perspective' moments which is exactly what I want form an expert book.
This should be on the bookshelf of every BI developer!

Is not step-wise or visual in explanation...
Yeah, ok, it may be an 'expert' book however the author is a HORRIBLE explainer.

Don't even THINK that he follows a step-by-step approach to using these tools. Funny, at the beginning of the book he tells you that you will be using the Adventureworks db from MS. Then, does he follow step by step, with screen shots about how to get from point A to point B?? No...

Skip this book if you want to LEARN how to get this stuff up and going, even with a sample DB from MS.

This book is nothing but a lesson in frustration as most of the book is narrative with hardly a related screen shot to the required task. ... Read more

Product Description

Sams Teach Yourself Microsoft SQL Server T-SQL in 10 Minutes offers straightforward, practical answers when you need fast results. By working through 10-minute lessons, you’ll learn everything you need to know to take advantage of Microsoft SQL Server’s T-SQL language.

This handy pocket guide starts with simple data retrieval and moves on to more complex topics, including the use of joins, subqueries, full text-based searches, functions and stored procedures, cursors, triggers, table constraints, XML, and much more.

You’ll learn what you need to know methodically, systematically, and simply–in highly focused lessons designed to make you immediately and effortlessly productive.

Tips point out shortcuts and solutions

Cautions help you avoid common pitfalls

Notes explain additional concepts, and provide additional information

10 minutes is all you need to learn how to…

• Use T-SQL in the Microsoft SQL Server environment
• Construct complex T-SQL statements using multiple clauses and operators
• Filter data so you get the information you need quickly
• Retrieve, sort, and format database contents
• Join two or more related tables
• Make SQL Server work for you with globalization and localization
• Create subqueries to pinpoint your data
• Automate your workload with triggers
• Create and alter database tables
• Work with views, stored procedures, and more

 Register your book at www.samspublishing.com/register to download examples and source code from this book.

Customer Reviews (8)

The prefect book to start learning T-SQL
I've had this book for quite awhile now and I still use it when I need a quick reference. It's easy to pick up and follow the examples and actually comprehend what you are doing. The author has a nice writing style that makes this book an easy read. If you're looking for a book that will get you ready for the MCITP Certification this isn't it. If you're looking for a book that will get you comfortable with the basics without drowning you in stuff only seasoned DBAs will ever use... This is your book!

On a side note, I agree with Bruce about creating joins in the WHERE clause is a little too old school and that the book would have been better if the newer join syntax was used in ALL of the examples. I'm just not so distracted by it that I'd remove stars for it... And as far as "knowing his stuff", I'd say Ben's resume speaks for itself.

To old - obsolete
Buy the t-SQL 2008 version not this version it is obsolete, I brought the wrong one

Great book
I'm new to T-SQL and this book has been a great help in getting me to up and running with some of the basic T-SQL statements. In addition to this book, I have a MS-Press Designing & Implementing SQL Server 2005. The Sam's book got me up to par to handle the more difficult design and implementation book.

The Guy's A Spy
There is a quick way to tell when a writer really isn't up to snuff on SQL Server. They will use ANSI 89 syntax. That's exactly what this writer does throughout the book. SQL Server has used ANSI 92 and later syntax forever. SQL Server can deal with the clunkier '89 syntax for backwards compatability, but anyone who teaches SQL Server with it should be avoided. One reason the older syntax is so prevalent in books is that Oracle relied on it until quite recently. Those writers coming from the Oracle world are less likely to use the more up to date, intuitive and flexible syntax native to SQL Server. Here is a quick and easy way for anyone to tell if the writer knows their SQL Server stuff. Search the book for table join examples. If the syntax looks like: ... FROM Table1, Table2 WHERE This = That ... BAD NEWS. If the syntax looks like: ... FROM Table1 INNER JOIN Table2 ON This = That ... GOOD NEWS. Guess what you will find in this book.

Bruce Kirkpatrick
MCSA, MCSE, MCSD, MCDBA, MCT, etc, etc

Highly Recommended
Read this book if you are new to Microsoft SQL Server.This book is well written and gets right to the main points of T-SQL.I especially liked the later chapters on Views, Stored Procedures, XML, and programming with T-SQL.This is one of my top 10 computer books and I always keep this book close at hand for reference.Use another book if you are looking for the hard core nitty gritty details of SQL Server.I hope Ben Forta writes a "Sams Teach Yourself" book on for other SQL server features like SQL Server Integration Services or SQL Server Reporting Services. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (8)

Great Resource for the 70-448 Exam!
I bought this book with the intention of using it and the practice exams included to study for my 70-448 exam, and I couldn't be more pleased with it.I passed the exam and I owe a lot of my success on the exam to this book.Without this book I would have not known which areas to study and passing the test would have been much harder.The book is organized very well, is well written, and prepares you to perform well on the exam.I have been using the MS BI tools for several years now so I didn't intend to get much out of the book besides a passing score on the exam, but I ended up learning about quite a few things I had never utilized in each of the tools.Good luck to anyone taking this exam!

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Training Kit series
The "Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Training Kit" series was highly recommended to me by an Instructor. I agree with the Instructor's recommendation. The Microsoft Training Kit series includes sample exams that also give you the following info. after you've completed the exam: 1) detailed explanations (with additional references) for the correct answers, 2) an assessment of your total score and the areas to concentrate on to improve your score. --- My money was sell spent. --- Lynne

1/3 of the way through the book
I am not getting full value from the book because my laptop will not install the included software. The included disk to install SQL was defective with multiple files being unreadable. It does have a link to download and install the software so I do have a valid copy, just not on my machine's OS.

The steps to follow for each exercise are clear and self-explanatory, however I have no way to review its accuracy.

Having 3 authors means having 3 points of view. Sometimes diametrically opposed and sometimes obviously wrong. I get the feeling all 3 authors are very knowledgeable on the subject, but sleep deprived while writing it, and any reviewer was asleep while reading it.

This book requires knowledge outside the scope of the book. You can get this knowledge on-line, but I have to wonder if you have deep understanding and used dimensional modeling why you would want to purchase this book in the first place.

There is no doubt this book would prepare you for the Exam which is its only goal. I am disappointed that SQL 2008 is so dependent on the OS and the utilities built into it. Based on the web traffic, hundreds or thousands of people have hit the same problem. ("The MOF compiler could not connect with the WMI server." is my error. I haven't found a solution for my XP Home OS.)

good book for exam preparation
This book provides a good preparation for MCTS exam. It concisely addresses topics examined in the exam. It successfully avoids the temptation of going into too much details but covers everything necessary to be succesful in the exam. It is absolutely a good book to get the certification.

Pass the 70-448 or use it toward the upgrade exams.
I am glad this book is available as it is one of the few sources of information for the 70-448. I personally used this book to use to study for the upgrade exams where I could not find specific books for the test.

I enjoyed reading the book and it suited my needs well. I recommed that any person interested in BI start with this book, create a good foundation of knowledge, build best practices and then progress to individual books based on their focused are of study. For example WROX SSIS 2008 would be a great companion as a reference guide. I am disappointed that the MS exams do not focus on each specific technology, but that is a complaint of MS certs, not this book. This book is a wonderful guide for the information contained in their exams. For a newbie to SSIS SSAS SSRS, or a person seeking information for an upgrade exam,no other book comes close. ... Read more

Product Description
Design Feature-Rich PL/SQL Applications

Deliver dynamic, client/server PL/SQL applications with expert guidance from an Oracle programming professional. With full coverage of the latest features and tools, Oracle Database 11g PL/SQL Programming lays out each topic alongside detailed explanations, cut-and-paste syntax examples, and real-world case studies. Access and modify database information, construct powerful PL/SQL statements, execute effective queries, and deploy bulletproof security. You'll also learn how to implement C, C++, and Java procedures, Web-enable your database, cut development time, and optimize performance.

• Create, debug, and manage Oracle-driven PL/SQL programs
• Use PL/SQL structures, delimiters, operators, variables, and statements
• Identify and eliminate errors using PLSQL_WARNINGS and exception handlers
• Work with functions, procedures, packages, collections, and triggers
• Define and deploy varray, nested table, and associative array data types
• Handle external routines, object types, large objects, and secure files
• Communicate between parallel sessions using DBMS_ALERT and DBMS_PIPE
• Call external procedures through Oracle Net Services and PL/SQL wrappers
• Integrate internal and server-side Java class libraries using Oracle JVM
• Develop robust Web applications using PL/SQL Gateway and Web Toolkit

Customer Reviews (13)

Need to find a better book.
This is probably one of the worst books you can find for Oracle 11g PL/SQL. With so many typos all over the book, Reading this is not going to be very pleasant. The author could have tried to save the reader's time by avoiding redundant information. For instance he explains about CLOB in few pages and when he comes to explain BLOB, it's just Copy paste CLOB explanation, Find the word 'CLOB' and replace with 'BLOB'. Though this book is not meant to help you pass the Oracle PL/SQL exam, I guess a good technical book should have exercises, but this one does not. The irony is this one of the very few books available for Oracle 11g PL/SQL programming.

Full Of Incomplete Information And Full Of Errors
This book is full of coding errors and incomplete descriptions of the tasks required to implement PL/SQL.I think the author assumes that the reader already knows a lot about PL/SQL.In addition, there are many code and text errors. I do not know the other people who gave this book such glowing reviews, but most of them must have some previous knowledge of PL/SQL and have learned to accept the fact that many publishing companies do not take the required steps to insure the accuracy of their texts.This is the first time I purchased a book from Oracle Press. And maybe the last.

Not very helpful for OCP preparation
I have been working with PL/SQL for several years and I am now preparing for an OCP exam. I find the style of McLaughlin's book not well suited for exam preparations. Some parts of the text are a bit confusing, occasionally he introduces terms without explaining them, on the other hand he presents the same definitions multiple times in every new section. Lot of important details are never mentioned while some rarely used features get a lot of attention. Also the examples are not all error free. I have put this book aside and use for my preparations the slightly dated "OCP Developer PL/SQL Program Units Exam Guide" from Steve O'Heran. This book is much better suited for an exam preparation. I will only look up the new features in McLaughlin's book.

GREAT book!!
This is the first technical/computing book that I have ever read cover to cover.
In fact I read this book cover to cover with multiple iterations of chapters that were difficult for me (e.g., Chapter 6 Functions and Procedures, Chapter 8 Large Objects, Chapter 13, External Procedures, Chapter 14 Object Types and the PHP/Java Primers in Appendices C and D, respectively).
I have been a PL/SQL Developer for over 6 years.
I thought I was doing pretty well but it turns out I was doing a limited number ofthings in my development experience over and over again. The ease with which I was writing functions and procedures, organizing the same in packages and utilizing a very few of the more advanced features like BULK COLLECT and BULK UPDATE was a deceptive set of convenient facts: Thanks to this book I now know how much I didn't know and I have a more than vague feeling that even now my ship is still relatively close to shore. There is much more the the "sea of PL/SQL", if you'll allow me that much of a poetic license!
I was particularly surprised to find out how little I knew about Oracle functions after having written so many over the years. Pipelined functions? I had never heard of them! Creation options? Eh...those either! I did not know you could used mixed notation to make a call to a procedure with multiple parameters.
The book has some typographical/copy and paste-type issues which threw me off in the beginning. It's likely not the book as much as it is my personality: I'm a classically trained musician from another life (a MUCH younger life) so you can imagine that I might be predisposed to being a stickler for details.
In the end, I finished this book because it was thorough, clear, deep (the way I like it!) and had great continuity (I am easily confused so this is important to me!).
One of the most frustrating parts of reading techinical books for me has been when the book begins an example, abandons the example and then starts a new one without the author saying something to the effect of, "In this *new* example..." or "I'll use a different example to demonstrate...".
The examples in this book are so continuous that those statements are never even needed.
Mr. McLaughlin very courteously (in my opinion) allows readers to benefit from a well-thought plan (apparently!) of moving smoothly from one technical issue to the next by extending an already developed example. I find this feature to be very reassuring and conducive to quick learning. I mean, code is hard enough to read by itself; much more so when the context of the code switches from page to page or randomly 2,3,4 or 5 pages into an issue.
The way Mr. McLaughlin makes use of code examples in this book is very helpful, too, because it allows the reader to better understand how one technical issue is related to another. As an example: how to use Virtual Directories is included in the chapter on Large Objects. Now, one wouldn't necessarily *only* use Virtual Directories with Large Objects, but it does make sense, and having the subject placed there helps me understand the most common (I assume) real-world application of Virtual Directories.
I would say that this has been an excellent resource for me as a cover-to-cover read and I have already used it as a reference manual so I am sure it works well in that way also.
I hope your experience with this book is as good as mine has been.
Many congratulations and my deepest appreciation to this author!
My first technical book ever!
This is a huge accomplishment for me (and the author!)!!.

Awesome
Really good book. Details all the basics and more advanced topics of Pl/SQL. Great read. ... Read more