No comments about Data Mining with Microsoft SQL Server 2008.

No comments about Programming Microsoft SQL Server 2008 (PRO-Developer).

2 comments about PHP and MySQL: Create - Modify - Reuse.

1. Someone new to both PHP and MySQL might ask, why this combination? Why should I learn both in tandem? Because, as the authors explain, in many practical situations this duo is used by programmers; especially for web applications. This is really an implicit subtitle for the book. What you learn here is that PHP and MySQL live for the web.
   
   The chapters are characterised by application examples all devoted to the web. As in writing web pages for a community forum. The pages are coded in PHP, and the data created by users is then stored in a MySQL backend database. This overall method is followed in other examples. The PHP code samples seem easy to understand. The language has been found, or more accurately, it has been revved into its current version, such that much code is indeed easy to write and understand, and not just the text's examples.
   
   To be sure, the book is not about the theory of relational databases. Only the simplest of tables is used within MySQL. Yes, there is discussion about the tables used in each example. But it is really limited, to anyone who knows the subject. For a comprehensive usage of MySQL, you do need to look elsewhere.
   
   One chapter, on shopping cart code, complements a recent book on e-commerce, Wiley Pathways E-Business (Wiley Pathways). It spoke to non-programmers about the travails of starting an e-commerce website. A requirement was for a shopping cart. One way is to hire a programmer. Expensive. But if you are that programmer, consider looking at the extended example offered in the current text. It is extensive enough that it could be used as a code base for your task.



2. The samples are so clean clear that makes PHP easy to follow, if you are new to PHP this a must have after reading any beginners PHP book

5 comments about Microsoft Log Parser Toolkit.

1. This is a complete reference for utilizing the MicrosoftLog Parser Tool in real world scenarios.
   The authors do an outstanding job of bringing you from the basics of Log Parser through advanced techniques and tricks. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading it end to end, and have begun utilizing Log Parser in my daily log assessment routines. The Tips, Swiss Army Knifes, and Master Craftsman sidebars prove extremely creative and helpful.



2. I bought this book thinking it would be a good reference point for using Log Parser 2.2, and am exceedingly impressed with the volume of real-world, practical examples.
   
   Within minutes I had several scripts in production and was on my way to writing much more complex queries to squeeze every drop of valuable data from my logs. I'm querying IIS logs, Event Logs, CSV files and more with ease.
   
   I've got this book at my side any time I go to write a new script. I would definitely recommend it to others.



3. This book was basic and lacked in depth detail. I actually got more out of the help file that came with log parser. I was hoping for more detail on creating and using charts. This is not one of the better books i've bought this year.



4. This tool is amazing in that it supports a variety input and output formats including reading in syslog and outputting into databases are pretty Excel charts. The filtering uses an SQL syntax. The tool comes with a DLL that can be registered, so that scripters (VBScript, Perl, JScript, etc.) can access the power of this tool.
   
   This book not only covers the tool (alternative being to scrape the network for complex incomprehensible snippets), but shows real world practical solutions with the tool, from analyzing web logs, system events, security and network scans, etc.
   
   This tool is just heavensend for analysis and transforming of any data in a variety of formats. The book and tool go hand-in-hand, and I highly recommend incorporating this into your tool (and book) into your tool kit and/or scripting endeavors immediately.



5. This is a must have for any systems engineer who needs to take a proactive approach in system monitoring. Used in conjunction with ASP and a backend database, real time monitoring apps are a snap to build.

5 comments about MySQL, Second Edition (Visual QuickStart Guide).

1. Well organized with a practical approach. Buyers without previouis acquaintance with PHP programming language will have some difficulty. Otherwise the text is a great 'introduction'.



2. The book is a bit out of date since it's assuming mysql version 3 is current and currently mysql v5 is what is currently released, but it has good instructions on installing mysql on multiple platforms as well as managing on multiple platforms



3. Learning MYSQL can be a little daunting for beginners because its open-source and you have to do some research in getting the right information sometimes. This book is aimed at the beginner who wants to get their feet wet with MYSQL and also how to use it with many of the more popular development platforms such as Java, Perl and PHP.
   
   It is easy to read through because of its column-based format with enough snapshots and visual guides to prevent you from getting eye strain. º
   
   It first focuses on getting up and running on MySQL with the installation process on Windows or Mac or Linux (and UNIX). The book gives you all the links to install all the components of the database plus additional tools that will streamline you development process. There is also good information on how to upgrade your version of MySQL
   
   The next chapter explains how to get you up and running in MySQL in the three different OS¡¦s with specifics on: Using mysqladmin, setting root password, using mysql client, setting up user privledges (creating new users) and starting and stopping services. A kinda detailed brief overview of how to be a MySQL admin.
   
   Chapter 3 focuses on database design which usually can be kinda boring talking about normalization, importance of keys, table relationships, etc but the book only gives you the information you need with nice visuals to reinforce what is tauaght.
   
   Chapter 4 goes over the MySQL and SQL commands in creating a database and table(s) with emphasis on field data types. Chapter 5 is a very useful chapter on basic SQL commands, since what is a database without the user knowing SQL, right? The author very succinctly reviews the SELECT statement for retrieving data, the UPDATE statement for updating records, DELETE and INSERT (you can guess what those two do). The book also goes into detail about table JOINS and filtering data with the WHERE, LIKE and GROUP BYclauses. A great resource chapter for the times you forget your basic syntax (which most people do from time to time).
   
   Chapter 6 through 9 reviews how each of the more popular server-side web languages (PHP, Perl, and Java) use MyQL is used to retrieve, populate and update via web pages. The book provides code examples of the MySQL functions are specific to each language. Starting from how to connect to the database; how to execute commands; how to retrieve and display data (looping through records); how to incorporate error handling and how to secure your data. Depending on your preference, you will at least one of these chapters very helpful.
   
   The next chapter focuses on new features in MySQL version 5 (stored procedures, triggers and views). These are somewhat advanced topics to a point but are covered wonderfully that even the newbie can understand.
   
   The book finishes up with database administration issues such as performing and scheduling backups, logging, importing/exporting and repairing corruption issues.
   
   A great introduction to MySQL that really can be your all-in-one reference as well.



4. This book is excellent for someone with no experience with MySQL. (Like Me!) It steps you through installation, setup, and use without assuming prior knowledge.



5. Larry Ullman has seemingly made a career out of his expertise in PHP and MySQL. And his expertise in both is unquestionable. Fortunately for those of us who wish to quickly grasp the essentials of these two technologies, Ullman is also an excellent teacher and writer.
   
   MySQL walks you gently through the beginner to early intermediate level of familiarity with the platform.
   
   It does not treat any aspect of MySQL in great depth - which is a plus, not a minus. Cruising this book will not make you an expert on MySQL, but it will place you firmly in control of the fundamentals so you can more comfortably continue on the path to becoming a MySQL. Think of it as "training wheels".
   
   Overall, a thorough, painless introduction to MySQL for the rank beginner.
   
   Jerry

5 comments about SQL Server 2005 DBA Street Smarts: A Real World Guide to SQL Server 2005 Certification Skills.

1. Regarding the title "Street Smarts" -- it's catchy, but some people might expect too much from the book based on the title. This is not an expert level book, but is a great introduction with easy-to-follow examples that are pretty much error free. If you don't know the basics of how to set up database mirroring, how to set up replication, how to create a subscription, or how to create file groups in SQL Server 2005, this book provides a great starting point that won't bash you over the head with pages and pages of theory. Most software related development books these days are lengthy, almost burdensome 500 page technical manuals that provide so much detail and technical information to be almost overwhelming. Despite tons of pages and lengthy explanations, many books fail to provide easy to implement examples illustrating how to actually accomplish anything. This book actually provides numerous easy-to-follow, non-trivial, step-by-step, accurate examples which demonstrate how to accomplish many different "DBA" related tasks in SQL Server 2005. The topics covered by this book are very similar to the topics covered in the official Microsoft course for Implementing Databases for SQL Server 2005. This is not a theory book, but a practical "how to" book. Sometimes you can learn more by doing than by trudging waist deep through pages and pages of technial explanations.



2. I have several SQL 2005 books and this one is my favorite. It is well organized. The examples are from the business world and easy to relate to. Any writer that would put backup and recover as chapter 2 is doing it right.



3. It is an informative book with repetitious problems, but that's what's needed in being a DBA. I have not completed the book yet, so I'm not a great authority on this book.



4. This book distinguishes itself by concentrating on step-by-step walk-throughs of practical exercises. And while that is helpful, only a few questions in the test are simulations. Many of the exam questions are about esoteric details, which are not covered by this book.
   
   I purchased four books to study for the 70-431, and I would place this in the bottom two.



5. SQL Server 2005 DBA Street Smarts: A Real World Guide to SQL Server 2005 Certification Skills (Paperback)
   by Joseph L. Jorden
   
   Short Review:
   Microsoft's new generation of certifications is design not only to emphasize your proficiency with a specific technology but also to prove you have the skills needed to perform a specific role. This book is developed based on the exam objective of the 70-431, although its purpose is to server more as a reference than just an exam preparation book.
   
   Detail Review:
   This book is designed to give DBAs some insight into the world of typical database administrator by walking through some of the daily tasks user can expect on the job. However, serious reader can derive much value from simply reading thorough the tasks without performing the steps on live equipment.
   
   This book is organized into four phases of database administration. Each phase is separated into individual tasks. The phases represent broad categories under which related responsibilities are grouped. Phases are listed here:
   
   Phase 1 : Installing and Configuring Microsoft SQL Server 2005
   Phase 2 : Implementing High Availability and Disaster Recovery
   Phase 3: Maintaining and Automating SQL Server
   Phase 4: Monitoring and Troubleshooting SQL Server
   
   Each task in this book is organized into sections aimed at giving user what to do when need it. Descriptions of sections are divided in four parts i.e. The Scenario, The Scope of Task, The procedure and The Criteria of Completion.
   
   I am including one example of above procedure to get clear idea how the book is organized.
   
   Task : Selecting and Setting a Recovery Model
   This task starts with the basic requirement of the recovery model. It clearly indicates the need of this specific task as before DBA can start backing up databases and transaction logs, user need to configure the database to use the right recovery model. This task continues further explaining all the three recovery model. It explains the scenario, which is just a problem statement. Scope of Task follows scenario with additional information and procedures. The solution is explained with necessary SQL Script (if needed) and diagram (if possible).
   
   This book is not an expert level book. It is very simple and almost for the beginners. This book teaches reader how to implement the basic working solution for all the complex database concepts like replication, mirroring, database backup etc. This book is not long manual but sometimes it gives feeling that I am reading Book On Line. This is good in one way as it is provides the details and information with easy and familiar medium, however sometime that lacks the freshness. I really enjoy the approach author for this, it is very familiar "how to do anything with database in 10 mins" approach.
   
   I highly recommend this book for all those who are looking for quick start and wants to get working solution in very little time. Those who are looking for in-depth analysis of the subject matter, this book's focus in not in that direction.
   
   Rating: 4 and 1/2 stars
   
   In Summary, A smooth read and great in breadth learning experience for beginners.
   
   Pinal Dave
   Principal Database Administrator
   [...]

2 comments about Mastering SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services Infrastructure Design.

1. The book has a lot of good information and presents the nuts and bolts of creating reports in the Reporting Services. I found the layout and the descriptions to be very good.



2. This is a pretty helpful resource overall, but if you buy this book, just skip the first part entirely and start with Chapter 7. For some inexplicable reason the author felt it important to regurgitate basic project management and planning concepts in the first part, which anyone in IT will already know or at least have other, better references for. So basically, the first hundred pages are a waste of space, in my opinion.
   
   The rest of the book does a pretty good job covering SRS features, including installation aspects, ongoing maintenance, and performance tuning and troubleshooting. If you're new to Reporting Services, or have only a basic or intermediate working knowledge of the product, this book does have some good info to share. I do wish that the author had taken the time to illustrate more of the architectural aspects of the product, or at least go into detail beyond simple "here's the SQL Server and there's the Reporting Services server" with a line between them. Show the reader how the different pieces of SRS fit together and work, and illustrate the relationships between the different reporting objects, data sources, and so on. There are lots of screen prints to show end user scenarios, but the book is surprisingly light on architectural concepts, something I expected more in a book that touts itself as a resource on "infrastructure design."
   
   In summary, it's a pretty good technical resource overall, but could do without the entire first part and could use more detailed diagrams of the product architecture.
   
   Also, and this is a slam against the publisher and not the author: a better quality grade of paper would be appreciated. The MSRP for this text is nearly sixty bucks, yet it was printed on the cheapest pulp there is. My copy is less than three months old and already the pages have yellowed and taken on a musty "library smell." I have O'Reilly and MS Press books that are ten years old or better and the pages are still white and "stink-free." I know, a petty gripe, but these books aren't cheap so is that too much to ask?

5 comments about DB2(R) SQL PL: Essential Guide for DB2(R) UDB on Linux(TM), UNIX(R), Windows(TM), i5/OS(TM), and z/OS(R) (2nd Edition).

1. If you are a developer or DBA who is new to DB2, I would highly recommend this book to you. Both administration and development topics are covered, helpful best practices and tips are included, and illustrative examples are used.
   
   The fundamental DB2 concepts and the different DB2 tools such as the Control Center are introduced in a very straightforward and easy-to-understand manner. This allows DB2-newbies to get fully up to speed on DB2 terminology and functionality, while serving as a gentle refresher for those who might have prior DB2 experience. The book achieves a good balance of topic selection and level of detail. More advance topics that are covered are explained in a manner that most novices would comprehend and in enough detail to be useful.
   
   The prime focus of the book is on leveraging the ease-of-use and autonomic capabilities of DB2. If you are a developer not wanting to memorize database and/or SQL command syntax, you will particularly appreciate this book. The book shows how most common administrative tasks can be very easily performed using the GUI tools and Wizards provided with DB2. Ease of application development is demonstrated in both Java and Microsoft .net environments. An easy and intuitive introduction to DB2 SQLPL is also provided.
   
   Overall, I think that if you are new to DB2, or need to learn the essential concepts/features needed to develop and/or administer DB2 quickly, you will be very pleased with this book. It is a perfect starting point for introducing the most important concepts, features, and tools. As you gain more experience and familiarity with the product, a more advanced book can be obtained.



2. The book describes IBM's Procedural Language, which runs on their db2 servers. It is not a general purpose language, like C or Java. Rather, it is tied directly to db2 and IBM's implementation of SQL. But within this context, the book explains the expressive power of PL. It shows at length how you can write stored procedures, triggers and functions in PL. The level of detail and the cited examples should reassure you of PL's capability.
   
   But why even write business logic code at the database layer? There have been other books on n-tier application design, which call for the locating of business logic in a middle tier and not at the database. The authors' rejoinder is that while that makes for an elegant design, practical experience shows that often, crucial logic needs to be at the database. This reduces networks traffic and can heavily improve perforance. Hence the need for PL, or something like it.
   
   Be wary of the book's claim that PL lets you write "portable application logic". It is portable only between instances of db2 running under linux, unix, Microsoft Windows or IBM's operating systems. When you write embedded logic in PL, you are also embedding yourself or your company into db2. Which may indeed be fine by you. But just so you know.



3. I didn't know anything about writing DB2 stored procedures until I bought this book. After reading it I have written several procedures to aid in data migration. It is well laid out and has all the necessary information. The best part is that you don't feel like you are reading a technical book.



4. Has been extremely helpful. Good information



5. It is really a very good book from IBM about DB2-SPL. In our company we bougth a lot of DB2 book, but this is the very best.
   
   from basics to tricks

5 comments about SQL Server Query Performance Tuning Distilled, Second Edition.

1. This book is perhaps the best and most useful technical book I've read in many years. I'm a seasoned developer with some good SQL experience but not much experience on the tuning side of the house (previously worked mostly with Oracle in large organizations where there was a DBA to perform the magic). Now I'm in a smaller organization where I have more exposure to the tuning aspects of SQL Server 2005.
   
   This book does a fantastic job demystifying indicies, queries, bookmarks, execution plans -- the whole gamut. It starts by giving a great introduction so that the user understands the basics and then delves into strategies for optimization with pros and cons for each. The graphics and examples in the book are excellent as well.
   
   A must read for anyone interested in query/db optimization.



2. Very good book. Even for the beginners it is easy to catch up. I loved reading it many times. Author use simple table structure and explain how they differ when they tuned and when not tuned.
   
   Looking forward to 2005 Edition if there is one going to come out.
   
   I did not buy from amazon, i bought offshelf. I was impressed with this material so write up here. I like some other books from J. Sack from Apress and Solid Quality Learning (microsoft press).
   
   these books my collection and they are excellent : This Book, J Sack Books from Apress and SQL books from Microsoft press ...



3. I'm a developer, not a DBA. Reading this book took me from having a mish-mash of fuzzy tuning concepts to being solid at tuning. If you take the time to read (and absorb) this book cover-to-cover, you will find yourself more knowledgable than almost any developer you meet - and many DBAs as well, quite frankly.
   
   This book is a bible for doing *measurable*, *repeatable*, and *useful* SQL Server tuning. Using the techniques and procedures in this book, you be able to find exactly what the problem is, and how to fix it. I would give it 10 stars, if only I could.



4. This is a good performance tuning book for SQL Server. It covers all the topics from writing Efficient T-SQL Code to Query Tuning, Optimization, Indexing, Troubleshooting and Best Practices. This book is a Good addition to the SQL Library.



5. This book will explain you several things about optimization.
   The thing I like most is that the author supply a lot of examples, he does not only tell you why something is better. He will show you the difference.
   He covers other things related to performance like network, hard drives, memory. I think this is a good book to have around.

1 comments about SQL in Easy Steps (In Easy Steps).

1. This book explains SQL well. In no time, I was able to understand exactly what SQL was, and what its commands were. I highly recommend this book for learning SQL. My one qualm with the book is that it assumes you are using an interface directly to the database server - I would like to write software that interfaces with the database server. I will need to find another source to accomplish this. Nevertheless, I highly recommend this book.