Administrator's Guide to SQL Server 2005 (Microsoft Windows Server)

Books Details :

Author : Buck Woody
Paperback: 648 pages
Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional; 1st edition (June 8, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 0321397975
Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 7.5 x 1.2 inches

From the Back Cover

“Buck Woody’s new book will help new and experienced users alike in getting productive with SQL Server 2005 quickly. His special attention to security and performance make this an exceptional reference that is sure to remain relevant for some time.”

–Chip Andrews, CISSP, MCDBA, Director of Research and Development Special Ops Security, Inc.

“SQL 2005 is the most exciting upgrade to come out of Redmond in years; this book will help you get up and running quickly to take full advantage of it! If you are looking for a book about upgrading to SQL 2005, look no further, this one is all you need. It gives you all you need to take advantage of everything SQL 2005 has to offer, and that is a lot!”

–Doug Ellis, Area Technical Manager, Cognos

“Buck Woody provides insight into administering SQL Server 2005 that all developers and database administrators will find useful; the book assumes very little knowledge by providing ‘DBA 101’ sections which will not alienate the experienced reader while providing the necessary introduction to topics for those less experienced.”

–Doug Holland, Visual C# MVP, Precision Objects

“SQL Server 2005 is a landmark release and this title does an awesome job of hitting everything new in SQL 2005. It covers new and improved administration tools, and contains an overview of Notification Services, SQL Server Service Broker, Reporting Services, Integration Services, and Analysis Services. As a result, you’ll be able to work on your own SQL Server 2005 solutions quickly and painlessly. Ultimately, this book provides you with a starting point, a roadmap, and then the tools and knowledge to exploit this powerful new database server to its fullest power. So, start your computer and get ready to learn SQL Server 2005!”

–Alexzander N. Nepomnjashiy, SQL Server DBA, NeoSystems NorthWest

“A solid introduction to administering SQL 2005. The ‘DBA 101’ sections provide useful tips for the new DBA, good review for the experienced DBA, and the 101 label enables the seasoned DBA to skip basic material and jump ahead to where the REAL action is…. Buck’s conversational writing style makes this an enjoyable and refreshing contrast to the majority of tech books written these days.”

–Brad Russell, MCDBA, Visionary Integration Professionals

The Complete, Practical, 100% Useful Guide for Every SQL Server 2005 DBA!

This book has one goal: to help database administrators and their managers run SQL Server 2005 with maximum efficiency, reliability, and performance. Renowned SQL Server expert Buck Woody covers every facet of database administration, from installation and configuration through maintaining enterprise-class business intelligence environments.

If you’re a new SQL Server administrator, Buck will help you master core tasks rapidly–and avoid costly mistakes that only show up when it’s too late. If you’re familiar with previous versions of SQL Server, he’ll get you up-to-speed fast on everything new that matters, from high availability improvements and Integration Services to the SQL Server Management Studio. Whatever your background, you’ll find best practices, real-world scenarios, and easy-to-use automation scripts–all grounded in Buck’s unsurpassed SQL Server knowledge.

• Timesaving tips, practical applications, and start-to-finish examples throughout

• Understand the key “decision points” at every stage of your SQL Server deployment

• Perform day-to-day maintenance more efficiently, from hotfixes to backup/recovery

• Automate maintenance tasks with the SQL Server Agent

• Establish and audit security on SQL Server 2005 and the underlying Windows Server platform

• Monitor and optimize SQL Server: baselining, profiling, index strategies, query refactoring, and more

• Maximize availability using replication, clustering, mirroring, and SQL Server’s new online indexing

• Leverage important new improvements in Integration Services and Reporting Services

• Use Analysis Services to support enterprise-class Business Intelligence deployments

• Even set up a simple configuration of SQL Server 2005 for free–legally!

About the Author

Buck Woody has been working with technology since he built his first computer (with 1 whole kilobyte of RAM) in 1980. He has worked every position from the help desk to software design, with stops along the way as an IT manager here and there. He has been a database administrator since 1995, when he managed an Oracle system on an HP 9000. Buck also served for five years as the president of the Tampa SQL Server User Group (TSUG). He is a Microsoft MVP (2006, SQL Server) and holds the MSCE and MCDBA certifications. He currently works at Jabil Circuit as a database architect and hosts a weekly “Guide” for SQL Server at InformIT.com.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Administrator's Guide to SQL Server 2005

Preface

SQL Server 2005 represents one of the most sweeping changes to the platform since Microsoft rewrote the engine from Sybase long ago. As with most Microsoft products, first attempts often turn into market standards—and that is definitely the case with this release.

So many things have changed from previous versions. If you just dive into the product after having used SQL Server for years, you will be able to find your way around, but you will miss the true power of new paradigms such as schema abstraction, nonmodal windows, a full management studio, and more. If you are completely new to the database administration world, you have a lot to learn.

This book is designed to aid the technical professional tasked with managing a SQL Server 2005 system. I have divided the chapters into concepts starting at the beginning (installation and configuration) all the way through to using the platform as a full-scale business intelligence landscape. In this version, Microsoft has it all.

If you need to learn to manage a system quickly, the chapters are laid out in a chronological order of what you need to understand first. I have included not only the technical information you need to set up and maintain a server (or set of servers), but also years of tricks and tips learned at the helm of several database environments. Using this information, you will be able to avoid some of the mistakes that only tend to show up after the system is in full use.

If you are already familiar with SQL Server in previous versions but need to come up to speed on the features and new paradigms, I have covered everything from Integration Services and business intelligence to all the things you need to know about upgrading your current servers.

Although the book is arranged chronologically, I have encapsulated each chapter as much as possible so that you can quickly locate what you are interested in. I present the material in a concept-to-practical use format, and you can follow along on a test system. I even show you how to set up a simple configuration of SQL Server 2005 for free (and legally)!

At the end of the day, database administrators are rated on what value they add to the organization. At the end of each chapter, I have included a section called "Take Away" that provides practical applications and examples from the chapter.

I hope you have as much fun reading this book as I had writing it. I kept you in mind the whole time.

Buck

© Copyright Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer: Brian Woodrow "Brian" (California)
I bought Buck's other book because I was new to being a DBA, and needed a quick guide. I looked at this one and bought it as well. It has all the features in SQL 2005 that I needed to know, without focusing on programming. I really liked the chapter on the Service Broker, because I heard a few people trying to explain it that just confused me. This one did a great job of laying it out in plain English. He didn't do as well a job on Reporting Services, but he does cover the basics and even shows you how to create a report.