Frequently Asked Questions

What is this course about? This course provides comprehensive coverage of Microsoft SQL Server 2005 for database developers. You learn how to use the power of Transact-SQL, .NET, and XML to build truly flexible, scalable and robust applications that meet today's business demands. The extensive hands-on exercises provide you with valuable opportunities to practice solving business problems with Microsoft's Transact-SQL and .NET programming languages. You also gain the skills needed to develop XML-based messaging applications. What background knowledge do I need? You should be comfortable with basic features of SQL Server or have significant experience with another DBMS. Course 131, SQL Server 2005 Comprehensive Introduction: Hands-On, or equivalent knowledge is required. You should also have some experience in traditional programming constructs. Familiarity with relational database concepts, such as tables, rows, columns, and referential integrity is helpful and Tools used in the hands-on exercises assume a familiarity with the Windows user interface. Who will benefit from this course? Typical participants include: Programmers, analysts, developers, designers, consultants and others who design and write applications that access Microsoft SQL Server databases Database administrators who want to become proficient in writing server-side code using Transact-SQL Database professionals currently working with other DBMSs such as Oracle, DB2, Informix, IMS, or IDMS Is XML knowledge required? No. This course provides background information on XML as well as hands-on experience producing and using XML. What is SQL Server? What is Transact-SQL? SQL Server is a key component of Microsoft's Windows Server System. SQL Server is a full-featured relational database management system with support for robust server-side development. It runs on the Windows 2000 and Windows 2003 operating systems. Transact-SQL is Microsoft's dialect of SQL. It is used to manipulate data in databases and to administer databases. Knowledge of this language is essential for anyone developing applications for SQL Server 2005. How much of this class is focused on Transact-SQL? Approximately three days of this five day course are dedicated to T-SQL programming related topics. The remaining two days are focused on .NET and XML. Do I need to know the SQL language prior to attending this course? Yes. A basic knowledge of SQL is sufficient for this course. What is .NET CLR? .NET is Microsoft's virtual execution environment and tool set for programming languages and components. It provides a component-based architecture that is capable of distributing applications across an intranet or the Internet. The Common Language Runtime (CLR) forms the core of the Microsoft .NET framework and provides the execution environment for all .NET code. Do I need to have experience with C#, VB.NET or Visual Studio .NET? What .NET programming language is used in the course? No prior knowledge of a .NET. programming language or Visual Studio .NET is required. This course presents code examples in the C# programming language, however, the equivalent VB.NET code is available in electronic form. Is this course useful to me if I have limited SQL Server experience or have experience at the level of Course 530? Yes, this course will augment your current skills by providing experience writing server-side code How much time is spent on each topic? Content Hours Architecture and tools 1.5 Retrieving data with stored procedures 5.5 Maintaining data with stored procedures 7.0 Developing views and user-defined functions 1.0 Developing triggers 3.5 Querying and Storing XML 3.5 Encryption 1.0 Integrating .NET CLR with SQL Server 5.0 Times, including the workshops, are estimates; exact times may vary according to the needs of each class. Is this course useful to me if I have already been developing for SQL Server 7.0 or 2000? Those who have never used SQL Server and do not have extensive experience with another RDBMS should take Course 131, SQL Server 2005 Comprehensive Introduction: Hands-On, instead of this course. Those with experience in SQL Server should take Course 130, SQL Server 2005 Programming: Hands-On Skills Upgrade. Why should I take this course instead of one offered by Microsoft? Learning Tree is dedicated to helping accelerate the careers of our clients by providing them with world-class technology and management training. Our independence from Microsoft (and any other vendor) allows us to give an unbiased view of what works and what does not. This course is objective in its approach, having been developed independently from Microsoft by industry experts who bring their real-world experience to the classroom. How much time is devoted to hands-on exercises? 45 % of class time is spent doing hands-on exercises. Exercises in this course include the following: Constructing and executing Transact-SQL stored procedures, user-defined functions, views, and triggers. Developing procedures in .NET CLR. Storing and retrieving XML. Encrypting data These and other hands-on exercises provide immediate reinforcement of material covered in the course lectures. How does this course relate to other Learning Tree courses? The SQL Server courses you take vary depending on the role you play in your organisation. Please refer to the SQL Server 2005 Curriculum Q&A for details on which courses are most appropriate to your role and the order in which you should take them. You may be interested in these SQL Server 2005 and related courses: 131, SQL Server 2005 Comprehensive Introduction: Hands-On , is strongly recommended for anyone who is not familiar with the basics of SQL Server. It is a prerequisite for this course. 132, SQL Server 2005 Database Administration: Hands-On , provides detailed coverage of SQL Server 2005 from a DBA perspective. The course covers issues such as backup and recovery, database storage, jobs and alerts, and other administrative tasks. 382, Relational Database Design, Tools and Techniques: Hands-On , emphasises the concepts and addresses the "whys" of databases. It deals with what relational databases are, why they are used, how to design and set up a relational database. 523, SQL Server Reporting Services: Presenting Data for Business Intelligence , provides experience creating reports using data stored in SQL Server. 134, SQL Server 2005 Integration Services provides the skills necessary to solve data management problems by creating dynamic packages for migrating, processing and reporting on data for business intelligence.

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