70-432: Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Implementation and Maintenance, Textbook Review

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(More customer reviews)had to get this book as part of the coursework for a class and i have to say that it is the worst textbook i have ever had the displeasure to study. many of the questions don't even have the correct answers as part of the options and often they are not even applicable to the lesson that they are in. The infortion in the lessons is extremely sparse, far to insufficiate to truly grasp the concepts that are being taught. don't buy this book id you can avoid it.

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This book follows the newest iterations of the Microsoft Official Academic Course (MOAC) program for database administration courses using SQL Server 2005 and SQL Server 2008. It provides the information and resources needed to prepare students for the Microsoft Certified Information Technology Professional (MCITP) 70-444 exam for SQL Server 2005, and the 70-432 Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) exam for SQL Server 2008. Hands On Exercises and Certification Ready features are integrated with the accompanying Lab Manual throughout the chapters that enable them to reinforce what they've learned by completing various exercises. Business cases are presented to provide a real world perspective on how the information is used in the field. The book also includes a CD that enables students with exam practice and instant feedback. By following the exercises in this book, students will learn how to install and configure SQL Server, manage databases, implement security, troubleshoot SQL activity, and more.

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Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services Review

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(More customer reviews)What a life saver!
I'm a software developer in a small shop and our biggest client is a large law firm with LOTS of data and users hungry for easy to read reports reflecting said data. None of us have much experience with SQL Reporting Services as most of our experience for reporting is in Crystal Reports.
I've heard of SSRS but until recently I didn't have much experience using it. Our client was in great need of a simple report so I went ahead and setup a report server and decided to give SSRS a whirl. Thankfully Business Intelligence Development Studio (BIDS) was easy for me to grasp as I am a C# developer and I was already in comfortable territory (BIDS is really just a reporting solution in Visual Studio afterall).
I was able to create their report in a very short time and the users were comfortable using the Report Manager Website. Of course what happened next is predictable to anyone that has been in a similar situation - I became "The Report Guy" - for better or worse.
Of course our client started demanding more and more reports - increasing in complexity. I only scratched the surface of what SSRS was capable of and during that time I thought a lot of their report specs may be impossible to realize using SSRS. I began to worry. They wanted graphs, complex groupings, drill down style reports... I needed someone to throw me a life raft. Thank you Brian for throwing me that raft!
This book saved me. Even though this book is rather big weighing in at over 860 pages (including index) it was a breeze to work through. Brian has a clean, easy to read writing style and he injects a bit of humor throughout. I thought this book was going to take forever to work through but because Brian is such a good Author it really became a page turner. This book is one of the easier books to absorb. This book starts very simple and increases in complexity. Parts of the book were so relevant to my business needs that it almost seemed like he was right there telling me how to write my reports!
If there was ever a book that may have really saved my job then this is it. I now don't mind being the "Report Guy" - I feel like I can tackle just about any report spec they throw at me - all thanks to Brian Larson.
If you need to learn about SSRS then I don't see how you can do much better then this book.

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The Definitive Guide to Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services
Create and deliver data-rich reports across the enterprise using this complete server-based reporting solution. Written by a member of the original Reporting Services development team, Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services covers the entire report-building and distribution process, including data extraction, integration with desktop and Web applications, and end-user access. The book explains how to maximize all of the powerful features, including the new Tablix data format, as well as enhanced performance, scalability, and visualization capabilities.

Install, configure, and customize SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services

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Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Management and Administration Review

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(More customer reviews)Production database administrators have to know at least a little about a lot of things:
* How to install or upgrade SQL Servers
* How to build clusters
* How to plan for disaster recovery and high availability
* How to do performance tuning
* How to secure and protect databases
The production role revolves around management, not creation. Sure, they do need to know T-SQL and be able to debug problem code, but the majority of their day is making the trains run on time - not designing the seats inside the train cars.
Windows administrators who are forced into the SQL Server DBA role need this same type of information. They get handed a database server to manage, often with a database from a third party vendor like Citrix or Blackberry. They have to manage the server, make sure it performs as needed, and back it up safely - but they'll never touch a line of T-SQL code that runs on the server.
Ross Mistry and Hilary Cotter's book Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Management and Administration is a great companion for production DBAs and accidental DBAs. It covers this wide variety of topics in a good depth, and leaves topics like beginning T-SQL or how to write stored procedures out to other books.

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If you need to deploy, manage, or secure Microsoft SQL Server 2008, this is the complete, fast-paced, task-based reference you've been searching for. Authored by a world-class expert on SQL Server in the enterprise, this book goes far beyond the basics, taking on the complex tasks that DBAs need to make the most of Microsoft's flagship database platform. SQL Server MVP, Ross Mistry presents proven techniques for SQL Server 2008 installation, upgrades, backup/restore, data transfer, indexing, high availability, security, and much more. He draws on extensive testing in high-profile production environments to offer step-by-step solutions and powerful tips you won't find anywhere else. Every chapter begins with a section identifying SQL Server 2008's most significant new improvements, and concludes with a convenient summary of best practices. Each chapter also outlines the benefits of leveraging Windows Server 2008.

Understand how to:
Master DBA tips, tricks, and best practices proven in actual enterprise environments

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