Sams Teach Yourself SQL in 24 Hours

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

• ISBN13: 9780672330186
• ISBN10: 0672330180
• Edition: 4th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-05-30
• Publisher: Sams Publishing

Summary

In just 24 lessons of one hour or less, you will learn professional techniques to design and build efficient databases and query them to extract useful information. Using a straightforward, step-by-step approach, each lesson builds on the previous one, allowing you to learn the essentials of ANSI SQL from the ground up. Example code demonstrates the authorsrs" professional techniques, while exercises written for MySQL offer the reader hands-on learning with an open-source database. Included are advanced techniques for using views, managing transactions, database administration, and extending SQL. Step-by-step instructions carefully walk you through the most common SQL tasks. Q&As, Quizzes, and Exercises at the end of each chapter help you test your knowledge. Notes and Tips point out shortcuts and solutions. New terms are clearly defined and explained. Learn how tohellip; Use SQL-2003, the latest standard for the Structured Query Language Design and deploy efficient, secure databases Build advanced queries for information retrieval Sort, group, and summarize information for best presentation Tune databases and queries for maximum performance Understand database administration and security techniques For more than ten years the authors have studied, applied, and documented the SQL standard and its application to critical database systems. Ryan Stephens and Ron Plew are entrepreneurs, speakers, and cofounders of Perpetual Technologies, Inc. (PTI), a fast-growing IT management and consulting firm which specializes in database technologies. They 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 the high availability of critical systems. Arie D. Jones is Senior SQL Server database administrator and analyst for PTI. He is a regular speaker at technical events and has authored several books and articles. Category: Database Covers: ANSI SQL User Level: Beginning-Intermediate Register your book at informit.com/title/9780672330186 for convenient access to updates and corrections as they become available. $34.99 USA / $ 37.99 CAN / pound; 24.99 Net UK

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 Senior SQL Server database administrator and analyst 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. The most recent is SQL Functions Programmer’s Reference from Wrox Publishing.

 

Table of Contents

Introductionnbsp	p. 1
What This Book Intends to Accomplish	p. 1
What We Added to This Edition	p. 1
What You Need	p. 2
Conventions Used in This Book	p. 2
ANSI SQL and Vendor Implementations	p. 3
Understanding the Examples and Exercises	p. 3
A SQL Concepts Overview
Welcome to the World of SQL	p. 7
SQL Definition and History	p. 7
SQL Sessions	p. 14
Types of SQL Commands	p. 15
The Database Used in This Book	p. 17
Summary	p. 22
Q&A	p. 23
Workshop	p. 24
Building Your Database
Defining Data Structures	p. 27
What Is Data?	p. 27
Basic Data Types	p. 28
Summary	p. 36
Q&A	p. 37
Workshop	p. 37
Managing Database Objects	p. 41
What Are Database Objects?	p. 41
What Is a Schema?	p. 42
A Table: The Primary Storage for Data	p. 44
Integrity Constraints
Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.

Excerpts

Introduction IntroductionWelcome to the world of relational databases and SQL! This book is written for those self-motivated individuals out there who would like to get an edge on relational database technology by learning the Structured Query Language--SQL. This book was written primarily for those with very little or no experience with relational database management systems using SQL. This book also applies to those who have some experience with relational databases but need to learn how to navigate within the database, issue queries against the database, build database structures, manipulate data in the database, and more. This book is not geared toward individuals with significant relational database experience who have been using SQL on a regular basis. What This Book Intends to AccomplishThis book was written for individuals with little or no experience using SQL or those who have used a relational database, but their tasks have been very limited within the realm of SQL. Keeping this thought in mind, it should be noted up front that this book is strictly a learning mechanism, and one in which we present the material from ground zero and provide examples and exercises with which to begin to apply the material covered. This book is not a complete SQL reference and should not be relied on as a sole reference of SQL. However, this book combined with a complete SQL command reference could serve as a complete solution source to all of your SQL needs. What We Added to This EditionThis edition contains the same content and format as the first through third editions. We have been through the entire book, searching for the little things that could be improved to produce a better edition. We have also added concepts and commands from the new SQL standard, SQL:2003, to bring this book up to date, making it more complete and applicable to today's SQL user. The most important addition was the use of MySQL for hands-on exercises. By using an open source database such as MySQL, all readers have equal opportunity for participation in hands-on exercises. What You NeedYou might be wondering, what do I need to make this book work for me? Theoretically, you should be able to pick up this book, study the material for the current hour, study the examples, and either write out the exercises or run them on a relational database server. However, it would be to your benefit to have access to a relational database system to which to apply the material in each lesson. The relational database to which you have access is not a major factor because SQL is the standard language for all relational databases. Some database systems that you can use include Oracle, Sybase, Informix, Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Access, MySQL, and dBase. Conventions Used in This BookFor the most part, we have tried to keep conventions in this book as simple as possible.Many new terms are printed in italics.In the listings, all code that you type in (input) appears in boldface monospace . Output appears in standard monospace . Any code that is serving as a placeholder appears initalic monospace.SQL code and keywords have been placed in uppercase for your convenience and general consistency. For example: SELECT * FROM PRODUCTS_TBL;PROD_ID PROD_DESC COST---------- ------------------------------------11235 WITCHES COSTUME 29.99222 LASTIC PUMPKIN 18 INCH 7.7513 FALSE PARAFFIN TEETH 1.190 LIGHTED LANTERNS 14.515 ASSORTED COSTUMES 109 CANDY CORN 1.356 PUMPKIN CANDY 1.4587 PLASTIC SPIDERS 1.05119 ASSORTED MASKS 4.959 rows selected.The following special design features enhance the text:There are syntax boxes t