A Developer's Guide to Data Modeling for SQL Server: Covering SQL Server 2005 and 2008 [Paperback]

Eric Johnson (Author), Joshua Jones (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0321497643 | ISBN-13: 978-0321497642 | Publication Date: July 4, 2008 | Edition: 1

“A Developer’s Guide to Data Modeling for SQL Server explains the concepts and practice of data modeling with a clarity that makes the technology accessible to anyone building databases and data-driven applications.

“Eric Johnson and Joshua Jones combine a deep understanding of the science of data modeling with the art that comes with years of experience. If you’re new to data modeling, or find the need to brush up on its concepts, this book is for you.”
—Peter Varhol, Executive Editor, Redmond Magazine


Model SQL Server Databases That Work Better, Do More, and Evolve More Smoothly

Effective data modeling is essential to ensuring that your databases will perform well, scale well, and evolve to meet changing requirements. However, if you’re modeling databases to run on Microsoft SQL Server 2008 or 2005, theoretical or platform-agnostic data modeling knowledge isn’t enough: models that don’t reflect SQL Server’s unique real-world strengths and weaknesses often lead to disastrous performance.

A Developer’s Guide to Data Modeling for SQL Server is a practical, SQL Server-specific guide to data modeling for every developer, architect, and administrator. This book offers you invaluable start-to-finish guidance for designing new databases, redesigning existing SQL Server data models, and migrating databases from other platforms.

You’ll begin with a concise, practical overview of the core data modeling techniques. Next, you’ll walk through requirements gathering and discover how to convert requirements into effective SQL Server logical models. Finally, you’ll systematically transform those logical models into physical models that make the most of SQL Server’s extended functionality. All of this book’s many examples are available for download from a companion Web site.

This book enables you to

• Understand your data model’s physical elements, from storage to referential integrity
• Provide programmability via stored procedures, user-defined functions, triggers, and .NET CLR integration
• Normalize data models, one step at a time
• Gather and interpret requirements more effectively
• Learn an effective methodology for creating logical models
• Overcome modeling problems related to entities, attribute, data types, storage overhead, performance, and relationships
• Create physical models—from establishing naming guidelines through implementing business rules and constraints
• Use SQL Server’s unique indexing capabilities, and overcome their limitations
• Create abstraction layers that enhance security, extensibility, and flexibility

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Eric and Joshua do an excellent job explaining the importance of data modeling and how to do it correctly. Rather than relying only on academic concepts, they use real-world examples to illustrate the important concepts that many database and application developers tend to ignore. The writing style is conversational and accessible to both database design novices and seasoned pros alike. Readers who are responsible for designing, implementing, and managing databases will benefit greatly from Joshua’s and Eric’s expertise.”
—Anil Desai, Consultant, Anil Desai, Inc.

“Almost every IT project involves data storage of some kind, and for most that means a relational database management system (RDBMS). This book is written for a database-centric audience (database modelers, architects, designers, developers, etc.). The authors do a great job of showing us how to take a project from its initial stages of requirements gathering all the way through to implementation. Along the way we learn how to handle some of the real-world design issues that typically surface as we go through the process.

“The bottom line here is simple. This is the book you want to have just finished reading when your boss says ‘We have a new project I would like your help with.’”
—Ronald Landers, Technical Consultant, IT Professionals, Inc.

“The Data Model is the foundation of the application. I’m pleased to see additional books being written to address this critical phase. This book presents a balanced and pragmatic view with the right priorities to get your SQL server project off to a great start and a long life.”
—Paul Nielsen, SQL Server MVP, SQLServerBible.com

“This is a truly excellent introduction to the database design methodology that will work for both novices and advanced designers. The authors do a good job at explaining the basics of relational database modeling and how they fit into modern business architecture. This book teaches us how to identify the business problems that have to be satisfied by a database and then proceeds to explain how to build a solid solution from scratch.”
—Alexzander N. Nepomnjashiy, Microsoft SQL Server DBA, NeoSystems North-West, Inc.

About the Author

Eric Johnson (Microsoft SQL MVP)is the co-founder of Consortio Services and the primary database technologies consultant. His background in information technology is diverse, ranging from operating systems and hardware to specialized applications and development. He has even done his fair share of work on networks. Because IT is a way to support business processes, Eric has also acquired an MBA. All in all, he has ten years of experience with IT, much of it working with Microsoft SQL Server. Eric has managed and designed databases of all shapes and sizes. He has delivered numerous SQL Server training classes and Webcasts as well as presentations at national technology conferences. Most recently, he presented at TechMentor on SQL Server 2005 replication, reporting services, and integration services. In addition, he is active in the local SQL Server community, serving as the president of the Colorado Springs SQL Server Users Group. He is also the co-host of CS Techcast, a weekly podcast for IT professionals at www.cstechcast.com. You can find Eric’s blog at www.consortioservices.com/blog.

Joshua Jones (MCTS, SQL Server 2005; MCITP, Database Administrator) is operating systems and database systems consultant with Consortio Services in Colorado Springs. There he provides training, administration, analysis, and design support for customers using SQL Server 2000 and 2005. In his seven years as an IT professional, he has worked in many areas of information technology, including Windows desktop support, Windows 2000 and 2003 server infrastructure design and support (AD, DNS, MS Exchange), telephony switch support, and network support. Josh has spoken at various PASS sponsored events about SQL Server topics such as 64-bit SQL Server implementation, reporting services administration, and performance tuning. He is also a co-host of CS Techcast, a weekly podcast for IT professionals at www.cstechcast.com.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional; 1 edition (July 4, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0321497643
• ISBN-13: 978-0321497642
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,346,287 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Novice level only!, August 18, 2008

By 

Ronald B. Kunce "Ron Kunce" (Springfield IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Developer's Guide to Data Modeling for SQL Server: Covering SQL Server 2005 and 2008 (Paperback)

"A Developers Guide to Data Modeling for SQL Server" is billed to be for all level of data modelling development, however it is written in a style targeted to beginning novice developers only, and never progresses very far beyond demonstrating the fundamentals of Data Modeling. For novices, it is extremely good resource, explaining highly technical concepts in an easy to understand non-technical language. However, for the experienced developer, it would be best to look elsewhere.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Book! A must have to become worthy of anything in database design, August 18, 2008

By 

Software Doctor "SoftDoc" (INDIA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Developer's Guide to Data Modeling for SQL Server: Covering SQL Server 2005 and 2008 (Paperback)

I am a medical doctor with a passion for software and a special interest in database technologies. I must say that I am not in the category of beginners in database design and modelling. I have about 6+ years of experience in this. I started reading the first page of this book with a lot of skepticism. In fact I had purchased the book along with 3 others from Amazon and I was not really sure of whether I would like reading it...it appeared very basic to me!
But that was only until I started reading Page 1.... believe me this is no exaggeration... I could not put the book down for an entire 8 hours afterwards! I went to bed at 4 AM after I had finished 3/4ths of this lovely work. This masterpiece of a book is truely the fruit of years of experience and immaculate teaching ability on the part of the authors. I can only say one thing.... anyone even remotely intending to get into database design, modelling and implementation with SQL Server.... should get this book and read it!! Believe me you will love it. It is simply too good to be true....

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A timely and helpful data modeling guide, July 7, 2008

By 

Peter O'KELLY (Andover, MA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Developer's Guide to Data Modeling for SQL Server: Covering SQL Server 2005 and 2008 (Paperback)

This book is a timely and helpful overview of the strategic importance of logical and physical data modeling. It also provides some useful insights into new modeling-related features in SQL Server 2008.

While some aspects of the book are likely to be somewhat controversial (e.g., the use of plural entity and table names [I prefer singular; the authors use plural], and the use of views for logical/physical data independence [I agree with the authors on the role and power of views, but some people prefer other abstraction mechanisms]), I believe the book should be required reading for anyone responsible for data modeling and database design aspects of working with SQL Server.