Sams Teach Yourself SQL in 24 Hours

by Stephens, Ryan; Plew, Ron; Jones, Arie D.

• ISBN13: 9780672335419
• ISBN10: 0672335417
• Edition: 5th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-05-13
• Publisher: Sams Publishing

Summary

Master all the fundamentals of modern SQL -- hands-on, step-by-step! #xA0; The up-to-the-minute SQL tutorial for everyone who wants to create applications, query data, or manage databases Updated to cover the latest ANSI/ISO standards, plus powerful Oracle and SQL Server extensions Covers everything from the basics through optimization, security, and enterprise techniques Step-by-step instructions, examples, quizzes, exercises, and tips In just 24 sessions of one hour or less, beginning-to-intermediate-level readers learn how to use SQL to build effective databases, efficiently retrieve data, and manage everything from performance to security! Using this book's straightforward, step-by-step approach, you learn hands-on, through practical examples based on the free, open source MySQL database. One step at a time, you discover how to define efficient database structures, objects, and tables edit data and tables manage transactions write effective queries categorize, summarize, sort, group, and restructure data use joins and subqueries manage databases, users, and security use views, synonyms, and system catalogs extend SQL to the enterprise and Internet even master important Oracle and Microsoft SQL Server extensions. Step-by-step instructions carefully walk through common questions, issues, and tasks... Q and As, Quizzes, and Exercises help you build and test your knowledge... Notes, Tips, and Cautions point out shortcuts, solutions, and problems to avoid. Each lesson builds on what you've already learned, delivering a strong real-world foundation for success with any relational database environment or application! #xA0; #xA0;

Author Biography

For more than 10 years, the authors have studied, applied, and documented the SQL standard and its application to critical database systems in this book.

 

Ryan Stephens and Ron Plew are entrepreneurs, speakers, and cofounders of Perpetual Technologies, Inc. (PTI), a fast-growing IT management and consulting firm. PTI specializes in database technologies, primarily Oracle and SQL servers running on all UNIX, Linux, and Microsoft platforms. Starting out as data analysts and database administrators, Ryan and Ron now lead a team of impressive technical subject matter experts who manage databases for clients worldwide. They authored and taught database courses for Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis for five years and have authored more than a dozen books on Oracle, SQL, database design, and high availability of critical systems.

 

Arie D. Jones is the principal technology manager for Perpetual Technologies, Inc. (PTI) in Indianapolis, Indiana. Arie leads PTI’s team of experts in planning, design, development, deployment, and management of database environments and applications to achieve the best combination of tools and services for each client. He is a regular speaker at technical events and has authored several books and articles pertaining to database-related topics.

Table of Contents

Part I:  An SQL Concepts Overview

HOUR 1:  Welcome to the World of SQL 1

SQL Definition and History     1

SQL Sessions     8

Types of SQL Commands     9

The Database Used in This Book     12

Summary     17

Q&A     17

Workshop     18

 

Part II:  Building Your Database

HOUR 2:  Defining Data Structures 21

What Is Data?     21

Basic Data Types     22

Summary     31

Q&A     31

Workshop      32

HOUR 3: Managing Database Objects     37

What Are Database Objects?     37

What Is a Schema?     37

Tables: The Primary Storage for Data     39

Integrity Constraints     49

Summary     54

Q&A     55

Workshop     55

HOUR 4: The Normalization Process     61

Normalizing a Database     61

Denormalizing a Database     69

Summary     70

Q&A     70

Workshop     71

HOUR 5: Manipulating Data     73

Overview of Data Manipulation     73

Populating Tables with New Data     74

Updating Existing Data     80

Deleting Data from Tables     82

Summary     83

Q&A     83

Workshop     84

HOUR 6: Managing Database Transactions     87

What Is a Transaction?     87

Controlling Transactions     88

Transactional Control and Database Performance     95

Summary     96

Q&A     96

Workshop     97

 

Part III: Getting Effective Results from Queries

HOUR 7: Introduction to the Database Query     99

What Is a Query?     99

Introduction to the SELECT Statement     99

Examples of Simple Queries     108

Summary     112

Q&A     112

Workshop     113

HOUR 8: Using Operators to Categorize Data     115

What Is an Operator in SQL?     115

Comparison Operators     116

Logical Operators     119

Conjunctive Operators     126

Negative Operators     129

Arithmetic Operators     133

Summary     136

Q&A     137

Workshop     137

HOUR 9: Summarizing Data Results from a Query     141

What Are Aggregate Functions?     141

Summary     150

Q&A     150

Workshop     150

HOUR 10: Sorting and Grouping Data     153

Why Group Data?     153

The GROUP BY Clause     154

GROUP BY Versus ORDER BY     159

CUBE and ROLLUP Expressions     161

The HAVING Clause     164

Summary     165

Q&A     166

Workshop     166

HOUR 11: Restructuring the Appearance of Data     169

ANSI Character Functions     169

Common Character Functions     170

Miscellaneous Character Functions     179

Mathematical Functions     183

Conversion Functions     183

Combining Character Functions     186

Summary     187

Q&A     188

Workshop     188

HOUR 12: Understanding Dates and Times     191

How Is a Date Stored?     191

Date Functions     193

Date Conversions     198

Summary     204

Q&A     204

Workshop     205

 

Part IV: Building Sophisticated Database Queries

HOUR 13: Joining Tables in Queries     207

Selecting Data from Multiple Tables      207

Understanding Joins     208

Join Considerations     217

Summary     221

Q&A     222

Workshop     222

HOUR 14: Using Subqueries to Define Unknown Data     225

What Is a Subquery?     225

Embedded Subqueries     231

Correlated Subqueries     233

Subquery Performance     234

Summary     235

Q&A     235

Workshop     236

HOUR 15: Combining Multiple Queries into One     239

Single Queries Versus Compound Queries     239

Compound Query Operators     240

Using ORDER BY with a Compound Query     246

Using GROUP BY with a Compound Query     248

Retrieving Accurate Data     250

Summary     250

Q&A     250

Workshop     251

 

Part V: SQL Performance Tuning

HOUR 16: Using Indexes to Improve Performance     255

What Is an Index?     255

How Do Indexes Work?     256

The CREATE INDEX Command     257

Types of Indexes     258

When Should Indexes Be Considered?     260

When Should Indexes Be Avoided?     261

Altering an Index     263

Dropping an Index     263

Summary     264

Q&A     264

Workshop     265

HOUR 17: Improving Database Performance     267

What Is SQL Statement Tuning?     267

Database Tuning Versus SQL Statement Tuning     268

Formatting Your SQL Statement     268

Full Table Scans     274

Other Performance Considerations     275

Cost-Based Optimization     279

Performance Tools     280

Summary     280

Q&A     281

Workshop     281

 

Part VI: Using SQL to Manage Users and Security

HOUR 18: Managing Database Users     285

User Management in the Database     285

The Management Process     288

Tools Utilized by Database Users     296

Summary     296

Q&A     297

Workshop     297

HOUR 19: Managing Database Security     299

What Is Database Security?     299

What Are Privileges?     301

Controlling User Access     304

Controlling Privileges Through Roles     308

Summary     310

Q&A     310

Workshop     311

 

Part VII: Summarized Data Structures

HOUR 20: Creating and Using Views and Synonyms     313

What Is a View?     313

Creating Views     316

WITH CHECK OPTION     320

Creating a Table from a View     321

Views and the ORDER BY Clause     322

Updating Data Through a View     322

Dropping a View     323

Performance Impact of Using Nested Views     323

What Is a Synonym?     324

Summary     325

Q&A     326

Workshop     326

HOUR 21: Working with the System Catalog     329

What Is the System Catalog?     329

How Is the System Catalog Created?     331

What Is Contained in the System Catalog?     331

System Catalog Tables by Implementation     333

Querying the System Catalog     334

Updating System Catalog Objects     336

Summary     337

Q&A     337

Workshop     338

 

Part VIII: Applying SQL Fundamentals in Today’s World

HOUR 22: Advanced SQL Topics     339

Cursors     339

Stored Procedures and Functions     343

Triggers     346

Dynamic SQL     348

Call-Level Interface     349

Using SQL to Generate SQL     350

Direct Versus Embedded SQL     351

Windowed Table Functions     351

Working with XML     352

Summary     353

Q&A     353

Workshop     354

HOUR 23: Extending SQL to the Enterprise, the Internet, and the Intranet     355

SQL and the Enterprise     355

Accessing a Remote Database     357

SQL and the Internet     360

SQL and the Intranet     361

Summary     362

Q&A     363

Workshop     363

HOUR 24: Extensions to Standard SQL     367

Various Implementations     367

Example Extensions     370

Interactive SQL Statements     373

Summary     374

Q&A     375

Workshop     375

 

Part IX: Appendixes

APPENDIX A: Common SQL Commands     377

SQL Statements     377

SQL Clauses     381

APPENDIX B: Using the Databases for Exercises     383

Windows Installation Instructions for MySQL     383

Windows Installation Instructions for Oracle     386

Windows Installation Instructions for Microsoft SQL Server     388

APPENDIX C: Answers to Quizzes and Exercises     391

APPENDIX D: CREATE TABLE Statements for Book Examples     439

APPENDIX E: INSERT Statements for Data in Book Examples     443

APPENDIX F: Glossary     451

APPENDIX G: Bonus Exercises     455

INDEX     461