Product Description

Complete. Authoritative. Practical. The only SQL Server book you need.

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

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

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #944020 in Books
• Published on: 2000-09
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 1201 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
A book so fat that it is almost a cube, Mastering SQL Server 2000 purports to be "the only SQL Server book you need", with its 1,200 pages covering both the background and the practicalities for all levels of user, especially those with healthy biceps--it weighs more than 2 kilos.

Following the introductory chapters, there are five further parts dealing with Transact-SQL (SQL Server's querying language), Enterprise Manager, administration, application development and advanced topics. A reasonable number of screen shots enliven the text but some of the diagrams aren't worth the page real estate they occupy.

One of the advanced topics covered is Analysis Services and the chapter begins with an introduction to OLAP (On-Line Analytical Processing). Unfortunately, the second sentence in the explanation of new terminology reads "A cube is a collection of data that's been aggregated along multiple dimensions to make querying happen quickly". As an explanation to a beginner this is less than perfectly helpful, especially as the terms aggregate and dimension have yet to be defined. Sadly, this rather cavalier attitude to the way in which the information is presented is characteristic of the book.

On the bright side the book does cover a whole raft of topics and there will be something of value in there for everyone. The authors have been at pains to cover the really new topics in SQL Server 2000 such as the much-improved English Query and data mining.

Though intimidating for the beginner and with no added value in the form of a CD-ROM, Mastering SQL Server 2000 contains a lot of information that forms a useful reference to those with existing database server experience. --Mark Whitehorn

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

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

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

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

Customer Reviews

The SQL 7 book with a few added lines on SQL 2000.
Very dissapointing! If you have the SQL Server 7.0 book (or any book for that matter) don't bother getting this one. You should be able to read the bits about SQL Server 2000 in about two minutes if you browse whilst in the book shop.

From what I've already read on SQL Server 2000 there should be enough new features to dedicate a whole book to it. So it amazes me the authors have decided to take the older version and just paste a few new lines on SQL Server 2000. Trust me, you'll learn more on SQL Server 2000 by looking through a SQL Server magazine or BOL.

I have decided to give the book two stars and not one because the material isn't that bad and if you don't have a SQL Server book (any version) then this one is ok. There are much better books out there though. I didn't find it very readable but that might be because a lot of the material is SQL Server 7 material and I'm not touching on new ground.

One of the best books i''ve ever brought
I went out looking for a technical referance for SQL Server 7, and thats exactly what I got. If you already know databases but want to learn more SQL server 7 then buy this book, all topics are covered n enough detail to give you a good start. The 650 pages are aranged in a very readable fassion with very little padding, and this book will save you hours of searching through help files to find those little gems of information microsoft so likes to hide.