5 comments about Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Performance Optimization and Tuning Handbook.

1. I emailed the Introduction person for this book questioning the comments in the first chapter about Clustering...This is the email from him:
   
   >>Gavin
   I didn't write the book with him. He wrote the first two editions. This his name is on the book. I updated the book for SQL Server 2005. I'm an Oracle tuning expert and a technical writer. The person who was assigned by the publisher to tech proof the title turned out to be a DB2 person, neither Oracle or SQL Server. I don't know why the publisher picked a DB2 person to tech proof the book. I tried to insist on a SQL Server 2005 tech proof person but the publisher failed to do this. My most sincere and profuse apologies if you are finding things which are out of date. Please return the book to the retailer you purchased it from if it is too out of date. The original versions written by Ken England were very well received.
   
   Regards - Gavin Powell
   
   
   
   >>Me________________________________________
   From: Thomas L
   Sent: Tuesday, September 04, 2007 5:31 PM
   Subject: RE: Clustering in book MS sql server 2005 - PerformanceOptimization & Tuning
   Cannot find his email address anywhere in the book. If you wrote a book with him, I am sure you can find an email address for me.
   
   Thanks,
   Thomas
   From: EZPowell H
   Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 8:05 PM
   To: Thomas L
   Subject: RE: Clustering in book MS sql server 2005 - PerformanceOptimization & Tuning
   
   Please ask Ken Engloand this question. Thanks
   
   Regards - Gavin Powell
   
   
   
   ________________________________________
   From: Thomas L
   Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 4:31 PM
   Subject: Clustering in book MS sql server 2005 - Performance Optimization & Tuning
   The book makes comments about Clustering on Page 15 as not like a Hot Standby but "...provides more capacity and up-time by allowing connections and requests to be serviced by more than one computer in a cluster of computers." I do not see anywhere how SQL Server can do this. You can have a node in a cluster to fail over to another active server or passive server.
   Please show me where this capability is in Books online or other reference material.
   Thanks,
   Thomas L



2. I know Ken England well. Although his name is on the book he did not write it. He stopped writing books with his SQL Server 2000 Performance Edition. This all came as an unpleasant surprise to him as not only did he not write any new material for the 2005 book but he did not even get sent a copy of the book to proof.
   He told me it's not great to see your name on a book you have neither written nor read but publishers apparently reserve the (legal) right to do this!



3. I found the book to be very disappointing. In the past I purchased the previous books for SQL Server 6.5 and SQL Server 2000. Both were excellent books, so when I saw that there is book for SQL Server 2005, I bought it immediately. Unfortunately I felt that this book is not as good as the previous books. The book is completely based on the 2000 version, with just few things that were added. It doesn't give you deep cover of many of the new tools and options that we have with SQL Server 2005 and sometimes it even writes about things that exist only for backwards compatibility with out even mentioning that there is a new way to get the information. For example - It gives a great explanation about DBCC Showcontig statement, and doesn't even mention the sys.dm_db_index_physical_stats DMV (If you look at BOL the first thing that it will write about DBCC showcontig is "This feature will be removed in a future version of Microsoft SQL Server. Avoid using this feature in new development work, and plan to modify applications that currently use this feature. Use sys.dm_db_index_physical_stats instead.").
   
   One of the most important improvements of SQL Server 2005 was the Dynamic Management Views. The book hardly writes about the DMV. For example the book has a chapter about indexes. It didn't even mention sys.dm_db_index_XXXX and the sys.dm_db_missing_index_XXXX dynamic management views in that chapter. In my opinion if you write a chapter about indexes, you should include an explanation about those DMV.
   
   Sometimes it even gives you completely wrong information. The explanation about set statistics xml is only 4 lines, saying that it just gives you the same information but in XML format (doesn't even says the same as what. Since this comes just after the explanation of set statistics time and set statistics io statements, I assume that the author meant those statements). In reality set statistics xml gives you much more information and it is one of the most important tools that we can use to optimize query.
   
   While I wrote this review, I read 2 reviews saying that this book was not written by Ken England and Gavin Powell. I guess that this explains the hugh difference between there previous books and this book that just used there good reputation but apparently has nothing to do with them.
   
   Adi



4. 
   How can this be possible? I don't believe this story. Essentially, you are claiming, and by stating you know Ken and spoke to him that Ken is claiming, a man who has written two books, and is at least as smart as the average lawyer or publishing agent, was duped into a contract with a publisher, at some point contingent with, or subsequent to, writing one or both of his other books, that allowed his name to be used as the author of any forthcoming book the publisher wished to put out without his knowledge or permission and without his receiving any remuneration for said "rogue" book? That is total BS. There is something going on here, but it is not what you claim. I tell you, I think Ken needs to and owes people a full explaination of the circumstances surrounding this book if only to set things straight. If this is even remotely true, that his name was used without his knolwedge, permission, and that he is receiving no remuyneration for sales related to this book, he needs to make a comment here online as he can freely do. Elsewise, this is BS and Ken is in some way complicit in this fiasco or mythology you are creating.



5. Up to this point, I have avoided reviewing this book because I don't like being negative, but this book has damaged Ken England's reputation and I would like to clear the air.
   
   About 18 months ago the publishers offered me the opportunity to be technical editor for this new edition. I was flattered because I considered Ken's previous edition to be the best written on the subject. The publishers also requested my permission to reprint, on the back cover, a review I did of the previous edition. That tickled my ego as well.
   
   After reading the draft, I was appalled at the gross errors of fact and, perhaps worse, the errors of omission in regard to the many important new performance tuning features of SQL Server 2005. I gave the publishers my opinion of the book and told them I could not be involved unless I could rewrite the new material entirely. They did not agree and found another technical editor.
   
   To answer some of the points of contention in previous reviews of this book:
   
   Despite the review from Adam Cassel questioning the truth of an assertion that Ken England did not write this edition, I can confirm that Ken England did not participate at all in the re-write of this book. He knew nothing about it until after it was published.
   
   Gavin Powell did write the new material. His reply to the criticism in an earlier review is disingenuous. ("My most sincere and profuse apologies if you are finding things which are out of date. Please return the book to the retailer you purchased it from if it is too out of date.") He implies that the errors are leftovers from the previous edition that got overlooked in the update process. That is not true. Things are not "out of date", they are wrong and the errors are his.
   
   I gave this book 2 stars instead of zero because Ken's core material is still in there and it is still worth reading. As soon as the previous version is out of print, this will be the only place you can find it.
   
   Kurt

2 comments about The SQL Server 2000 Book.

1. This book is great if you need to start administering SQL Server 2000 right away. Simple, plain language and great examples and walk-throughs make this book the way to go. You also do not need to wade through hundreds of pages of "fluff" like you do with other SQL Server texts.



2. SQL Server makes up one of the fundamental building blocks of database management. Surely whatever database server your company chooses is what you should learn. It just so happens my organization chose MS SQL 2000.
   
   To make a long story relatively short, I was very new to SQL and knew very little about it. So as not to enter into the "panic-mode" I went to Amazon with hopes I could find a book on SQL 2000 with great recommendations. I think I found it in "The SQL Server 2000 Book.
   
   At first glance, the SQL language seemed very intimidating and complex to me, but it's really not all that bad. Anthony Sequeira's book had a lot to do with making it less intimidating to me. Hey if it could help a thick-head like me, I'm sure it could help you too.
   
   I would also recommend "MCSA/MCSE/MCDBA Self-Paced Training Kit: Microsoft SQL Server 2000 System Administration, 70-228, Second Edition" put out by Microsoft Press.
   
   Both books have been a tremendous help.

No comments about Sybase Developer's Guide/Book and Disk (Sams Developer's Guide).

5 comments about Developing Time-Oriented Database Applications in SQL (Morgan Kaufmann Series in Data Management Systems).

1. This is a book EVERY programmer that deals with databases should read. It explains the evils of NULL date/datetimes and how to properly optimize a database design for real-world queries.

   Follows several applications through the evolution of time-senstive queries, clearly distinguishing the concepts of "current time", "effective time" and "transaction time", which trip up developers over and over.




2. People seem to be selling used copies of this book for quite a bit ($125+) but you can get a PDF of the book for free from the author:
   
   http://www.cs.arizona.edu/people/rts/tdbbook.pdf
   
   Thanks to the author for providing this resource!



3. I enjoyed reading this book more than most technical books, because the author maintains a very pleasant style and adds interesting anecdotes. It isn't presented as a theoretical book, but presents the basic issues with case studies and a review of SQL3 proposed extensions.
   
   The book is about time-based (really temporal) databases. A temporal database is a fully relational database with some additional features for handling time issues. This is in contrast to object-oriented databases, which are not really very relational at all. The temporal issues can be addressed with existing relational products (Oracle, SQL Server, DB2), though they could be addressed with less effort once new versions of existing products are produced that support SQL3.
   
   The author addresses the temporal additions planned for SQL3 while presenting case studies and explanations as to why these additions would be helpful. There are about a dozen additions, depending on how you count things, ranging from new data types (time with time zone) to new predicates (overlaps).
   
   Even though I have worked with temporal database issues for many years, it was helpful to review the issues from someone else's perspective. Dr. Snodgrass obviously has been working with temporal databases far longer than I have and he has that grasp of the material that comes from mastering a subject. Yet he presents the material in a very readable and understandable way. I found the book both useful and entertaining.



4. Not much to add to the reviewers below, except perhaps that the book is friendly, chatty (it sports a goodly number of interesting trivia on rather rarely covered topics like calendars), and -- most of all -- it is exceptionally timely and focused on the right problem: developing temporal applications with the SQL products we have NOW (that is, the products that do not have any built-in support for temporality).
   
   This is in contrast with the recently growing body of literature dealing with the same or very similar topic, spacio-temporal data, but from the DBMS developer point of view, that is, how data-server programs are to be designed if they are intrinsically to support the concept of temporality -- which is, no doubt, interesting and in general enlightening, but at the same time academic, not immediately practical for applications developers: we do not have such products yet. Snodgrass's book shows how to deal with temporality with your regular SQL server product (in fact, it covers a number of the most widely used ones: servers like MS or Sybase SQL Server, DB2, Oracle, even MS Access). The book is clearly written, masterfully paced (not too fast, not too slow, even despite the numerous sidebars with historical info and other curiosities that this uncommon topic is so rich in), and supports the textual explanations with a large amount of sample code.
   
   The bottom line: recommended w/o reservations. This is a necessary, timely book that is also well done: a rare combination. That it is out of print is absurd, but not all is lost: the author very generously made it avaliable for download (in PDF format) on his site. A worthwhile read! Worthwhile even if you don't specifically need it right now (or, more likely, _think_ you don't -- because you don't know what it's about). Read it simply to clarify the concepts of temporality, for, most likely, you _are_ already dealing with them no matter what your specific applications are; you just don't know it yet. Read this book for the sake of mental clarity: once you do, I bet it will affect what you do with your databases no matter what it happens to be. A very, very good book.



5. (This review refers to the on-line version of the book, as distributed by the author)
   
   Hardly an easy read and quite long, but very much worth the trouble to read end-to-end. I actually wished it were longer, since some aspects are bypassed entirely (e.g. sequenced GROUP BY, maintaining referential integrity during DELETEs). It was an eye-opener.
   
   Do expect to spend a lot of time trying things out yourselves, and look out for small mistakes in the SQL code examples throughout.

5 comments about SQL Server 2000 for Experienced DBAs.

1. I was searching for high availability options while implementing SQL servers. On this subject matter, this book is much better than many of 'mastering', 'unleashing' books which dont even talk about those topics. The writing flow is OK, performance suggestions are better, but, still I feel it is not in-depth for an experienced DBA. I would give a 3.5 for this book. It is a useful book, but not a must-have.



2. It is for beginner without details. I was excited about the title and ordered a copy but very disappointed after I read it. No scenarios, no DOs and DONTs. For that matter, his previous book Admin 911 may be better.



3. I'm not too sure what the other reviewers are talking about. This book was excellent! True, it does skip certain sections. In the intro it explained certain sections were skipped because you should already know how to do things like create a database if you're reading this book. It's not a great book for using as a overall SQL Server reference but it's the best SQL Server book on my shelf for day-to-day administration problems that I can't find the answers to in Books Online. I love some of the advanced topics that appear no where in BOL.

   The clustering and security chapters were my favorite and were farby the most indepth of SQL Injection attacks and clustering attacks that I've ever seen. This book is without a doubt a 5 star book for anyone who has read the rest of the reference books out there and is ready for some more intense info. DBA beginners my not understand some of the topics and think that the author is skipping areas.




4. If you are a DBA then the minimum knowledge that you need is included in this book. All the information in the chapters are necessary. If you were going to an interview and I was your interviewer you would need to aleast be able to answer the questions questions that you can find the answers to in this book. I am a frequenter of the sqlservercentral web site of which Brian is a Co-Founder. It is a great site. I would encourage you to go there and check it out. You can expect to receive the same quality from the site that you can in this book but maybe not the same topics. Great job Brian!



5. What a great reference for DBAs who need to support SQL Server. This is one book that was actually fairly easy to read from cover to cover (given the subject matter), but could also be quite easily used as a reference manual.

   Like all reference books, I was quite pleased to find a really well put together set of appendices. In this final section, the authors discuss system tables (including purpose and schema) as well as undocumented DBCC commands. Perhaps even more useful is a final section on the built-in extended stored procedures available in SQL Server 2000.

1 comments about MySQL Weekend Crash Course.

1. Without this book, I would still be guessing my way through MySQL.
   
   I would describe myself as more of a 'hands-on' web developer, so reading long, lengthy books would not be my cup of tea. Then here comes this book - and boy, did it make a difference. The way it was formatted - as stated in the title, just for a weekend (which works great because it makes you want to actually finish it in a weekend, like I did!), is great and I had the book to pace my speed for me, which I like so that I know this book won't actually take me a few months to complete like some of these bigger books.
   
   In conclusion, I would suggest that all people to want to learn MySQL (and fast!) should pick this book up.

No comments about Als Microsoft SQL Server 2000 System Administration: Installing, Configuring & Administering SQL Server 2000 (Pro-Academic Learning).

1 comments about An Introduction to SQL Server 2005 Management Studio.

1. This book might be good for experienced SQL Server 2000 DBAs who need a quick intro into the new features of SS 2005, but if you need a real tutorial look elsewhere. There are no data files, nor does the author even provide sample data to key in. She just (i.e.) says "create a query" and ... I returned the book.

No comments about Beginning SQL Server 2008 Express Edition: From Novice to Professional (Beginning from Novice to Professional).

5 comments about SQL Server Security Distilled, Second Edition.

1. I've been working with SQL Server for 11 years and run SQL Server Central.

   And I learned a bunch from this book. This is one of the best references on SQL Server Security that I have seen written and I recommend it highly to every SQL Server DBA.

   The book is written to cover versions 6.5, 7.0, and 2000. And it does a great job with each. It starts by looking at the way that logins are authenticated by the server. Great detail is given, even to the point of examining network sniffer traces to show how the communication occurs between the client and server.

   From there, the database security is examined with separate chapters for v6.5 and 7/2000 since they work differently. Not only is the process explained, but the author notes where there are bugs and unforseen consequences of assigning security in certain ways.

   The early chapters provide insight into how security works in SQL Server. The later chapters build on this to give hints and suggestions for implementing security in your applications, DTS, replication, and even SQL Server CE.

   Overall, this is a must read for SQL Server DBAs. Developers will benefit as well since a thorough understanding can solve a great many problems and prevent even more.




2. I spent just under 2 years doing the research for this book. In terms of breadth of coverage, there is no better book on the market. Rather than searching Microsoft's mammoth site for articles and white papers, everything you need to understand SQL Server security from version 6.5 to 2000 is in one book.

   This book also goes deeper than the basic introduction to the various security mechanisms. Many books will tell you what SQL Server offers, but very few provide detailed information on *how* and *why* it works the way it does. Each chapter provides insights into the inner workings of SQL Server's security architecture and provides practical advice on how to use that information to keep your systems safe.

   There are some other books that focus on showing you "hackers' tricks" for attacking your database servers, but this book takes the premise that if you do things the right way from the beginning, no hacker is ever going to find a trick that works on your systems. As an example, this book recommended configuring firewalls to block the traffic used by the Spammer virus long before the virus became news. Those who read this book and followed its advice slept soundly the weekend that Spammer was taking the Internet down.

   Since the future of Curlingstone is in doubt, support for the book has moved to www.,.,..com, and the author is not only committed to maintaining the current work but also planning to release an interim update in electronic format in the fall covering changes in SQL Server 2000 Service Pack 3 and any new discoveries found since December, 2002. The author also plans to release additional chapters on Yukon early next year for early adopters. This book is alive and will be updated periodically to keep its readers safe from the bad guys.




3. This is a good book on security and covers most of the SQL security issues. It even goes in depth in describing the SQL security at the network layer. But if you already know that you should use Windows authentication, not use SA or other SQL accounts, stay away from port 1433, and regularly update SQL security patches, then you probably won't benefit substantially by reading this book. Nevertheless, it provides a comprehensive review of the SQL security.



4. If you are responsible for a SQL Server database, can you afford not to think about security? Of course not. And this book definitely puts you on the right track. It offers a great great and encompassing view of the issues we as IT professionals face when it comes to SQL Server Security. It's not the same old best practices, rather it explains the why's behind the how's.



5. It is good book for 6.5, 7.0 and 2000. But it does not cover 2005 i think manily because it is old publication.
   
   Still reading some more chapter, after that i will review my review!