Beginning SQL Server Book?

[KayInPA]

Greetings:

I would like to ask for recommendations for a good beginning book on
SQL Server. My web host offers a 100MB SQL Server database as part of
the package, and I'd like to use the feature to learn.

I am proficient in Access and familiar with basic connectivity to it
via ASP. I don't have my own license for SQL Server (and currently
can't afford one) so all development will need to be done by
interfacing with the remote database. As such, I won't need a lot of
explanation regarding installation and software setup.

Does anyone here know of a good study resource for someone in this
scenario?

Many thanks in advance,
Kay

[Erland Sommarskog]

KayInPA (av********@kmwonline.com) writes:

I would like to ask for recommendations for a good beginning book on
SQL Server. My web host offers a 100MB SQL Server database as part of
the package, and I'd like to use the feature to learn.

I am proficient in Access and familiar with basic connectivity to it
via ASP. I don't have my own license for SQL Server (and currently
can't afford one) so all development will need to be done by
interfacing with the remote database. As such, I won't need a lot of
explanation regarding installation and software setup.

Then again, it's very conventient to have a local database. And, this
is easy to get hold of! You can download the Evaluation Edition of
SQL Server from
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en
This is installation is valid for 120 days.

If you buy a book, it is very likely that you will get the Evaulation
Edition with a book as well. However, by all means, use the download
instead. The download is protected against the Slammer worm, whereas
the CD in the book may be old and lacks Slammer protection.

As for books, I have little experience in SQL Server books for beginners,
but I believe that Richard Waymire's "SQL Server in 21 days" is a good
starter kit.
--
Erland Sommarskog, SQL Server MVP, es****@sommarskog.se

Books Online for SQL Server SP3 at
http://www.microsoft.com/sql/techinf...2000/books.asp

[daitaulo]

If you want to practice on a local SQL Server you can donwload the
evaluation edition for free.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en

Everything you need to know is in the Book on line for SQL Server. I can't
tell you for sure if Books on line will download with the evaluation edition
because I got mine from New Horizons.

If you really need a book I have the SQL Server 2000 Bible to be pretty
good. The author, Paul Nielsen seems to really konw his stuff. And there
is a lot of good theortical info to support why you would do things in one
particular way vs another.

Take Care

Michael Leonard
"KayInPA" <av********@kmwonline.com> wrote in message
news:11**********************@l41g2000cwc.googlegr oups.com...

Greetings:

I would like to ask for recommendations for a good beginning book on
SQL Server. My web host offers a 100MB SQL Server database as part of
the package, and I'd like to use the feature to learn.

I am proficient in Access and familiar with basic connectivity to it
via ASP. I don't have my own license for SQL Server (and currently
can't afford one) so all development will need to be done by
interfacing with the remote database. As such, I won't need a lot of
explanation regarding installation and software setup.

Does anyone here know of a good study resource for someone in this
scenario?

Many thanks in advance,
Kay

[Patrick]

MS Press's MS SQL Server 2000 Step by Step covers all the Enterprise Manager
tools, as well as admin tasks and some basic T-SQL. Very good for beginners
to learn, but it doesn't cover the command line tools at all. It has the 120
day eval CD, too. $49.99, but you might find it cheaper at Amazon. ISBN
7356-1142-4. For programming, you need a good ASP or ASP .net or VB.Net
book, but you can also learn a lot from the .Net Framework SDK available
from http://www.gotdotnet.com
I believe. Also, once your eval of the Enterprise edition runs out, you can
still use Enterprise manager to manage MSDE, the desktop edition of SQL
server. So don't uninstall it, lol. I used ASP,Ner Step by Step to learn
VB.Net, and a few other books, but that one covers more VB than the SQL
Server SbS mentioned above covers SQL.

"KayInPA" <av********@kmwonline.com> wrote in message
news:11**********************@l41g2000cwc.googlegr oups.com...

Greetings:

I would like to ask for recommendations for a good beginning book on
SQL Server. My web host offers a 100MB SQL Server database as part of
the package, and I'd like to use the feature to learn.

I am proficient in Access and familiar with basic connectivity to it
via ASP. I don't have my own license for SQL Server (and currently
can't afford one) so all development will need to be done by
interfacing with the remote database. As such, I won't need a lot of
explanation regarding installation and software setup.

Does anyone here know of a good study resource for someone in this
scenario?

Many thanks in advance,
Kay

[KayInPA]

Thanks to all for your suggestions. I'll be logging on to amazon
shortly!

I've had good success with both the "...in 21 days" and "Bible" books
with other technologies, so I may start there. I'm currently starting
a wrox book on ASP .NET but not yet convinced of it's superiority to
straight ASP, particularly since I'm well used to a dreamweaver
ultradev environment. I have no burning desire to purchase Visual
Studio any time soon, however this may change as I learn more.

Also not convinced of the real world benefits of MSDE. I've deployed
Access as the database for use on small (maybe 10 simulaneous users -
not 10 simultaneous connections) sites with no difficulty at all. I do
foresee the need for growth, however, and SQL Server will likely be the
way to go.

Again, thanks to all for your advice. Much appreciated.

Kay

[Patrick]

There's a Wrox book that was not very publicized that I like a lot. Of
course, it's about ASP.Net and SQL server 2000, but that is the way things
are. Visual Basic.Net and SQL Server 2000: Building and Effective Data
Layer, by Tony Bain and Denise Cosnell (2002). MS is already shipping SQL
Server 2005 beta. I believe they will have a free desktop edition of that,
too.

As far as MSDE, it IS SQL Server. It's just that it's limited to 5
concurrent connections, I think. But it's a good way to learn MS T-SQL,
cheaply. And the .Net Framework SDK has free editions of VB.Net, C#, and I
think C++ compliers (command line). If you can find a free IDE to handle
them, you would not need VS.Net (but wow, you'd be missing a lot).
Patrick

"KayInPA" <av********@kmwonline.com> wrote in message
news:11**********************@c13g2000cwb.googlegr oups.com...

Thanks to all for your suggestions. I'll be logging on to amazon
shortly!

I've had good success with both the "...in 21 days" and "Bible" books
with other technologies, so I may start there. I'm currently starting
a wrox book on ASP .NET but not yet convinced of it's superiority to
straight ASP, particularly since I'm well used to a dreamweaver
ultradev environment. I have no burning desire to purchase Visual
Studio any time soon, however this may change as I learn more.

Also not convinced of the real world benefits of MSDE. I've deployed
Access as the database for use on small (maybe 10 simulaneous users -
not 10 simultaneous connections) sites with no difficulty at all. I do
foresee the need for growth, however, and SQL Server will likely be the
way to go.

Again, thanks to all for your advice. Much appreciated.

Kay