Programming SQL Server 2005 [Paperback]

Bill Hamilton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 28, 2006

SQL Server 2005, Microsoft's next-generation data management and analysis solution, represents a huge leap forward. It comes with a myriad of changes that deliver increased security, scalability, and power--making it the complete data package. Used properly, SQL Server 2005 can help organizations of all sizes meet their data challenges head on.

Programming SQL Server 2005 from O'Reilly provides a practical look at this updated version of Microsoft's premier database product. It guides you through all the new features, explaining how they work and how to use them. The first half of the book examines the changes and new features of the SQL Server Engine itself. The second addresses the enhanced features and tools of the platform, including the new services blended into this popular version. Each chapter contains numerous code samples-written in C# and compiled using the Visual Studio 2005 development environment-that show you exactly how to program SQL Server 2005.

Programming SQL Server 2005 can help you:

• Build, deploy, and manage enterprise applications that are more secure, scalable, and reliable
• Maximize IT productivity by reducing the complexity of building, deploying, and managing database applications
• Share data across multiple platforms, applications, and devices to make it easier to connect internal and external systems

Because the goal of Programming SQL Server 2005 is to introduce all facets of Programming SQL Server 2005, it's beneficial to programmers of all levels. The book can be used as a primer by developers with little experience with SQL Server, as a ramp up to the new programming models for SQL Server 2005 for more experienced programmers, or as background and primer to specific concepts.

Any IT professional who wants to learn about SQL Server 2005's comprehensive feature set, interoperability with existing systems, and automation of routine tasks will find the answers in this authoritative guide.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Bill Hamilton is the author of the highly praised ADO.NET Cookbook. He is an enterprise architect specializing in designing, developing and implementing enterprise applications using .NET and J2EE technologies. Over the last fifteen years, Bill has provided consulting services for B2B, B2C, B2E, enterprise application integration, portal initiatives, and custom application development for financial services, retail, professional services, and manufacturing clients. Bill is also the author of O'Reilly's NUnit Pocket Reference, the co-author of ADO.NET in a Nutshell, and also writes for Microsoft Developer Network.

Product Details

• Paperback: 600 pages
• Publisher: O'Reilly Media; 1 edition (February 28, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0596004796
• ISBN-13: 978-0596004798
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,096,928 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Informative and Easy to Read, May 5, 2006

By 

Jerry Dixon - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Programming SQL Server 2005 (Paperback)

This book is an easy-to-read tutorial on many of the new features of SQL Server 2005. It covers the expected topics, such as T-SQL Enhancements, HTTP Endpoints (Web Services), CLR Integration, and the XML data type. I was pleased to discover, however, that it also does a good job of explaining the often left-out features such as SQL Server Management Objects (SMO), SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS), and Analysis Services. (There are three chapters on SMO alone!) There is even a chapter on using SMO to program the SQL Server Agent service. That's an extra that I haven't seen before.

One of the things that I really liked about this book was the writing style. Reading it didn't feel like a chore. I wound up reading a bit of it each night after work, in order to relax. This is fairly unusual for me, as I typically get more than enough exposure to SQL during the day.

I was quite pleased with this book. I am a Microsoft Certified Trainer, and have been teaching classes on SQL Server 2005 for over a year. Therefore, I've seen numerous books and classes on SQL 2005. In my mind, this book stands out from the pack.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not for the faint of heart, November 9, 2006

By 

D. Donald (Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Programming SQL Server 2005 (Paperback)

As a new student to the field of SQL Server 2005, I was hoping to obtain a book learning the various methods of programming in SQL Server 2005. I was initially hearted by the first paragraph in the preface:

"You don't need to be an experienced SQL Server 2005 programmer to use this book..."

which is indeed the case if you intend to use it as a paper weight.

The book suspiciously looks like the syntax guide found in most MS products: the procedure name and inputs followed by a description of the inputs. It is not for the beginner/intermediate learner and is somewhat of a disappointment comming from the O'Reilly range ("SQL on SQL Server 2005" is an excellent counter point to the book being reviewed from the same publisher). This book serves mainly as a reference (which on page 7, it clearly states that it is not a reference) to new doctrine in the SQL Server evolution.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must-have book!, April 15, 2006

By 

M. Strader - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Programming SQL Server 2005 (Paperback)

This book provides a clear, concise walkthrough about programming all aspects of SQL Server 2005. Numerous code samples are included that can be downloaded from the O'Reilly web site. The book contains excellent coverage of programming CLR routines, XML support, native Web services support, and SQL Server Management Objects (SMO) (which replaces DMO). I also found the sections about topics such as Notification Services, replication, Reporting Services, and Integration Services helpful. These topics are new to me and I now both understand them and have been able to program solutions.

As a previous reviewer correctly mentioned, this book only covers new T-SQL features. I actually prefer this since I already know T-SQL (and there are already a lot of good T-SQL books available). The coverage of new T-SQL features is complete and the examples are good.

This book includes an appendix that explains the new features of ADO.NET 2.0. The writing and examples are clear and helped me understand the changes and enhancements. It's great that the author chose to include this since programming ADO.NET 2.0 is related to programming SQL Server 2005 but not the same thing at all.

Finally, I really like that this book does not simply recycle MSDN content, but rather complements it. There is enough reference material in the book to support the discussion and examples. After reading the book, you'll know enough about programming SQL Server 2005 to quickly find any reference material that you need in MSDN.