This 3-day course provides students with the technical skills required to write basic Transact-SQL queries for Microsoft SQL Server 2008.

Doelgroep

This course is intended for SQL Server database administrators, implementers, system engineers, and developers who are responsible for writing queries.

Voorkennis

Before attending this course, students must have:

• Logical database design.
• Physical database design.
• How data is stored in tables (rows and columns).
• Data integrity concepts.
• Relationships between tables and columns (primary key and foreign key, one-to-one, one-to-many, and many-to-many).
• Basic knowledge of the Microsoft Windows operating system and its core functionality. For example, how to use Windows Explorer, open and save files, and what a client/server application interaction means.

Module 1: Getting Started with Databases and Transact-SQL in SQL Server 2008

The student will be introduced to how client/server architecture works, and examine the various database and business tasks that can be performed by using the components of SQL Server 2008. The student will also be introduced to SQL Server database concepts such as relational databases, normalization, and database objects. In addition, the student will learn how to use T-SQL to query databases and generate reports.

Lessons

• Lesson 1: Overview of SQL Server 2008
• Lesson 2: Overview of SQL Server Databases
• Lesson 3: Overview of the SQL Language
• Lesson 4: Syntax Elements of T-SQL
• Lesson 5: Working with T-SQL Scripts
• Lesson 6: Using T-SQL Querying Tools

Module 2: Querying and Filtering Data

The students will be introduced to the basic Transact-SQL (T-SQL) statements that are used for writing queries, filtering data, and formatting result sets.

Lessons

• Lesson 1: Using the SELECT Statement
• Lesson 2: Filtering Data
• Lesson 3: Working with NULL Values
• Lesson 4: Formatting Result Sets
• Lesson 5: Performance Considerations for Writing Queries

Module 3: Grouping and Summarizing Data

The students will learn to group and summarize data when generating reports in Microsoft SQL Server 2008 by using aggregate functions and the COMPUTE clause.

Lessons

• Lesson 1: Summarizing Data by Using Aggregate Functions
• Lesson 2: Summarizing Grouped Data
• Lesson 3: Ranking Grouped Data
• Lesson 4: Creating Crosstab Queries

Module 4: Joining Data from Multiple Tables

The students will learn to write joins to query multiple tables, as well as limiting and combining result sets.

Lessons

• Lesson 1: Querying Multiple Tables by Using Joins
• Lesson 2: Applying Joins for Typical Reporting Needs
• Lesson 3: Combining and Limiting Result Set

Module 5: Working with Subqueries

The students will be introduced to basic and correlated subqueries and how these compare with joins and temporary tables. The students will also be introduced to using common table expressions in queries.

Lessons

• Lesson 1: Writing Basic Subqueries
• Lesson 2: Writing Correlated Subqueries
• Lesson 3: Comparing Subqueries with Joins and Temporary Tables
• Lesson 4: Using Common Table Expressions

Module 6: Modifying Data in Tables

The students will be able to modify the data in tables by using the INSERT, DELETE, and UPDATE statements. In addition, students will examine how transactions work in a database, the importance of transaction isolation levels, and how to manage transactions.

Lessons

• Lesson 1: Overview of Transactions
• Lesson 2: Inserting Data into Tables
• Lesson 3: Deleting Data from Tables
• Lesson 4: Updating Data in Tables

Module 7: Querying Metadata, XML, and Full-Text Indexes

The students will learn to query semi-structured and unstructured data. The students will also learn how SQL Server 2008 handles XML data and will query XML data. The students will also be introduced to full-text indexing in SQL Server 2008.

Lessons

• Lesson 1: Querying Metadata
• Lesson 2: Overview of XML
• Lesson 3: Querying XML Data
• Lesson 4: Overview of Full-Text Indexes
• Lesson 5: Querying Full-Text Indexes

Module 8: Using Programming Objects for Data Retrieval

The students will be introduced to user-defined functions and executing various kinds of queries by using user-defined functions. The students will be introduced to SQL Server views that encapsulate data and present users with limited and relevant information. In addition, the students will be introduced to SQL Server stored procedures and the functionalities of the various programming objects. The students will learn how to perform distributed queries and how SQL Server works with heterogeneous data such as databases, spreadsheets, and other servers.

Lessons

• Lesson 1: Encapsulating Expressions by Using User-Defined Functions
• Lesson 2: Encapsulating Queries by Using Views
• Lesson 3: Overview of Stored Procedures
• Lesson 4: Writing Distributed Queries

Module 9: Using Advanced Querying Techniques

The students will be introduced to best practices for querying complex data. The students will also examine how to query complex table structures such as data stored in hierarchies and self-referencing tables. The students will analyze the recommended guidelines for executing queries and how to optimize query performance.

Lessons

• Lesson 1: Considerations for Querying Complex Data
• Lesson 2: Querying Complex Table Structures
• Lesson 3: Writing Efficient Queries
• Lesson 4: Using Different Techniques for Complex Queries
• Lesson 5: Maintaining Query Files