Pro SQL Server 2008 XML (Expert's Voice) [Paperback]

Michael Coles (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1590599837 | ISBN-13: 978-1590599839 | Publication Date: May 19, 2008 | Edition: 1

Pro SQL Server 2008 XML is one of a very few books to go deeply into SQL Server's increasingly extensive XML feature-set. XML is a critical technology in today's world, and SQL Server developers and administrators cannot afford ignorance of what XML has to offer in that area. Readers will want Michael Coles' excellent book to keep their skill set current with what SQL Server has to author. Michael delivers in spades, giving a clear explanation not only of XML in SQL Server, but also by touching on the broader picture of how Microsoft's XML feature set relates to international standards.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Michael Coles has over a decade’s experience designing and administering SQL Server databases. A prolific writer of articles on all aspects of SQL Server, particularly on the expert use of T-SQL, he holds MCDBA and MCP certifications. He received a bachelor’s of science (magna cum laude) in information technology from American Intercontinental University. A member of the United States Army Reserve, he was activated for two years following 9/11.

Product Details

• Paperback: 496 pages
• Publisher: Apress; 1 edition (May 19, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590599837
• ISBN-13: 978-1590599839
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #462,946 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #64 in Books > Computers & Technology > Programming > Languages & Tools > XML

More About the Author

Michael Coles is a principal database architect and developer working out of New York. He has authored several books, published dozens of articles on SQL Server development topics (both online and in print), and regularly speaks at SQL Server user groups. He has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for his work with SQL Server and contributions to the development community. He holds multiple Microsoft certifications including MCITP:Database Development 2008 and MCDBA. Michael currently lives in New Jersey. His blog can be found at http://sqlblog.com/blogs/michael_coles/.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ultimate XML Reference for SQL Server 2008, June 23, 2008

By 

A. Rocco (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pro SQL Server 2008 XML (Expert's Voice) (Paperback)

The Pro SQL Server 2008 XML book dives right into the details of XML from the first page. This book was written by a developer for developers, and the author goes to great lengths to demonstrate all the concepts presented in the book. In my opinion, this book scores highly in many areas.

The author assumes a basic knowledge of SQL, but he thoroughly explains every step of SQL Server's XML functionality along the way. The book even compares and contrasts the SQL Server implementation of XML to the W3C and ISO standards, pointing out where the SQL Server implementation differs.

However, while the book assumes this basic understanding, any developer interested in getting the most out of SQL Server's XML functions will find the book both informative and enjoyable. The author goes to great lengths to explain XML and why it's relevant in the database. This is absolutely the best reference for SQL Server XML that I've seen.


The author provides what he calls "Cross-Platform Tips" at various points to call attention to limitations of the SQL Server implementation, or areas where it differs from the standards. These types of tips, generously portioned throughout the book, are designed to keep people from wasting hours trying to figure out why the XQuery code sample they copied from the Internet (or some other source) isn't working as advertised on SQL Server. While this book is written for SQL Server 2008, much of the functionality described works with (or is similar to) SQL Server 2005 functionality (as the author points out, some notable exceptions include the added support for Geography Markup Language "GML", and the FLWOR statement "let" clause). As the book explains, the difference between SQL Server 2005 XML functionality and SQL Server 2008 XML functionality is not nearly as large as the leap was from SQL 2000 to 2005. New SQL Server 2008 features aside, this book works equally well as a reference to SQL Server 2005 XML functionality!



Another thing I like about this book is that the author builds on the code samples from one chapter to the next. There is a particularly detailed example of a hierarchical "bill of materials" that the author continually adds newly introduced functionality to over the course of a few chapters. He uses this example to demonstrate how to layer XML functionality to build an intricate application from a very basic premise. I really like the fact that this book provides examples and addresses the problems that most books go out of their way to avoid. Where many books give you a simple top-down hierarchical organization chart that's been done 100 times by 100 different people, this book gives you recursive XML Schemas. Instead of just rehashing the well-advertised SQL Server limitation that Document Type Definitions can't be used to validate your XML this book gives you working examples of code to get around the issue. The book provides many more real world examples, with some pretty intriguing ideas as well (like grabbing an XML RSS feed or searching eBay directly from SQL Server). A nice bonus: Almost all examples are designed to run directly in the AdventureWorks 2008 sample database, and all are freely downloadable from the publisher's website.



And this book doesn't just stop at the server. The author provides analysis of client-side tools including LINQ to XML, SQLXML, HTTP SOAP Endpoints, and a wide supporting cast of XML support tools - many that are provided "out of the box" with SQL Server.


This is the ultimate reference for all things XML on SQL Server 2008.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!. Finally a book that brings so many answers to your questions!!, June 12, 2008

By 

Rosa M. Lopez - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pro SQL Server 2008 XML (Expert's Voice) (Paperback)

I was amazed to see how well this book explain the concept of Spatial Data and all different techniques of loading and transforming XML from diverse format and systems. It shows so many examples at a very granular level. This book is a "must read" for everyone that has any interest on learning great powerful XML techniques on SQL Server 2008. It is definitely great!

Rosa Lopez
MS Information Systems

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Kindle experience, October 24, 2009

By 

Magnus Salgo "salgo60" (Stockholm Sweden) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pro SQL Server 2008 XML (Kindle Edition)

I have been reading this book on a Kindle and it works but it is not excellent. The structure of the book is good you get explanation of XML and how it works. The problem I feel I would like to have a more "concentrated" book. in this book XML XSD XSLT etc should be explained but the language in the book is as it is in many computer books a little bit to talkative. I would preffer a book that focus on SQL Servers implementation of XML and not in a half stringent way tries to explain XSD et al.

Reading in a Kindle I would like to have more links, better pictures (Kindle support for zooming in picture is not good), a more compact book where .query is explained in just one place.

I recommend the book but there are areas that can be improved.