5 comments about SQL Server 2005 Bible.

1. This book is an excellent SQL Server 2005 Reference. There are millions of Code snippets to be used immediatly. The author refers mainly to AdventureWorks, the sample included at SQL 2005. The style of writing is not too serious and the author takes time to introduce - when needed - some database fundamentals. I personally think that this book is ideal for those who don't need a step-by-step book, but an complete reference with not too specialized topics. Of course - if you are specialized in a specific area, there are obvious books around covers topics much more deeper. But 99.5% of everything you find in this book.



2. I have the author's SQL Server 2000 book and this book, and it is definitely a major upgrade: 350 more pages, 23 more chapters.
   
   OBXKites is still in here, and David still gets his drivers license on 11/30/2005, but there are as many new topics as there are new features in 2005.
   I can imagine that a bible series book is responsible for taking the reader from their "genesis" of being a novice to their "revelation" of advanced topics.
   
   This can be a daunting task for one volume, especially when the subject is as vast as SQL Server! To accomplish this, the book has 10 chapters dedicated to variations of the Select Command. [...]
   
   Nielsen's chapter introductions give you the feel that you're sitting down with a real person, so you know he's going to explain things instead of listing the syntax.
   
   And experienced insight is what I crave when learning a new language. For instance, instead of slogging through all the features of cursors and finding out for myself that they're inefficient, Nielsen explains that while MSDN says "[SQL Server] implements a performance optimization called a fast forward-only cursor", the reality is that SQL Server is a set-based language and cursors should be used as a last-resort. He then shows how to convert a complex cursor to set-based code.
   
   The chapter on indexing explains how indexes work and offers sound advice on how to plan effective indexes - probably the most effective way to optimize an application before having to start changing table structures.
   
   Business Intelligence is the latest requirement for potential employers, so any book that has a chapter on how to use the BI Suite in 2005 is a must-read. There are 3 chapters on Analysis services (including Data Mining and MDX), 2 on RS, 1 on IS, and even one on BI using Excel.



3. Just finished reading the book , I do recommend it , either for professionals or beginners ! , for professionals , it does have any in depth knowledge we can gain from , all topics are not very basic and shallow, describing distributed transactions in 2 pages for example, very good indexing and performance chapter 50, For beginners there are no books compare in value , the book is written for SQL Server 2005. it is a SQL Server 2005 bible.. that it's true...



4. I guess I didn't buy this book from the perspective of a programmer, but rather a strict DBA. That is, I don't do much programming... I only manage the database server and help programmers when they need something done on the server. For this reason, I don't have some of the complaints of those who were concerned about lacking information from a developer's perspective.
   
   As a DBA, I feel this is one of the best two books written on SQL Server 2005. I also used Tom Carpenter's 70-431 study guide to prepare for that exam and, while it's not as lengthy as this book, it is my other in that pool of two.
   
   Certainly, if I could only get one book, it would be this one. There are things in Tom Carpenter's book that are not in this book, but since Mr. Carpenter's book is intended to prepare for an exam, there are also things in Mr. Nielsen's book that are not in the other. Overall, there is more detailed information and lengthy explanations in teh SQL Server 2005 Bible. It and Mr. Carpenter's book sit on my shelf alone in the SQL Server 2005 category. I highly recommend the SQL Server 2005 Bible and hope you wear yours out like I am beginning to do with mine.



5. There are really three kinds of database professionals:
   
   -Administrators
   -Architects/Designers
   -Developers
   
   Now, some people play all three roles or two of the three roles. This book is definitely not the best book for people who are strictly developers as is reflected by some of the reviews at this site. Of course, the book is not intended for that class of database professional (in fact, they are really not database professionals if they are strictly developers, but are more developers who have to have a database for their application).
   
   For those who play the role of the Administrator only - and there are thousands of you out there because I teach many of you in my classes - or a combination of administrator/designer this is the best single book you will find. (That's right, the author of another book on SQL Server is suggesting that his book is not the best single book... my book helps you specifically in preparing for the 70-431 exam and is not intended to have the breadth of coverage of this book.) Some developers just don't realize that most small businesses with an IT staff of less than twenty do not have dedicated database people and this book is for those people in those businesses. They are not going to write a lot of applications, if any, from the ground up, but they must support SQL Server databases that have been developed by others.
   
   They need to understand backups and restorations, data export, data import, data tranformation (ETL), security, performance issues and other administrative tasks. All if this is covered sufficiently in the SQL Server 2005 Bible.
   
   I must say that I have not always been a fan of the "Bible" series, but this book has been great since the SQL Server 2000 level when I started recommending it.
   
   I hope this helps you make your decision.

5 comments about Concepts of Database Management, Sixth Edition.

1. This book is hard to follow and seems to ramble on with examples in bad detail. It trys to stuff years of database theory in 321 pages, I came out wondering if I really learned anything.... I do not recommend for a beginner.



2. Just a normal text book. I felt that some of the stuff was very well explained and some wasn't.
   
   I think they did a real good job of explaining normalization but I disagree that Fourth Normal Form is a necessary thing. Third Normal ought to get you where you ought to be in a database.
   
   The code examples did not work with my version of Access. This needs to be addressed. Maybe put a note on code examples which work and which don't work with Access 2000. I suspect they also did not work with Access 2003 and 2007.



3. .
   
   If you need a book for certification, this isn't it....it is so much more than that.
   
   This was the consensus choice of the faculty for the database foundations class when I taught information systems at university.
   
   Of late, when I interview entry level database developers, I can tell whether or not they used this book or a recent version when they started to study database design. If they did not, they lack a comprehensive knowledge of the field. Those with the various certifications know enough about their specific application, but frequently, they can't figure out problems that haven't been covered by the certification training. Their conceptual knowledge rarely expands beyond their chosen application.
   
   If you want a solid conceptual foundation of database design...this is your book.



4. unhappy with the purchase because, i actually ordered the 5th edition and was sent the 6th, your support service is not very helpful becuase it seems at though you don't want customer returning product for any reason, you also have no support phone number to call (and if you do i could not find it due to a very unuser friendly support/return page) so i would suggest a revamp on your support/returns page.



5. This is an excellent book so far. I taught myself by reading it and the book
   was very readable. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to get familiar
   with database systems. I think it is a top notch book even for a beginner because I get A+ as a final grade for my course Database Systems.

5 comments about Mastering Oracle SQL, 2nd Edition.

1. Half of this 450 page book surveys basic SQL, and the other half is on features Oracle added to SQL in versions 9i and especially 10g. I bought the book because I believed the title, and the reviews here that said it was an excellent reference. But, to quote one of its authors, "This book is NOT a reference manual, and it is NOT an administrator's guide". It's an overview of SQL only. It is not an introduction; nor can it be used, reference book-fashion, all by itself.
   
   So for my purposes, I was quite disappointed. But the book has some utility, in its explanations of what can be done with Oracle SQL. Especially in the explanations of analytic functions, regular expressions, and XML. It's like a series of magazine articles, with discussion and examples.
   
   The book has some weaknesses:
   
   * The index is very skimpy and incomplete. This is what you'd expect actually, in a book that isn't ever meant to be referred back to.
   
   * The focus on SQL is diluted and inconsistent. For example, there is an explanation on how to set up partitioning. Another section compares Oracle's implementation of regular expressions to Perl's . Sometimes background and comparisons are present, sometimes they're not.
   
   * There isn't much explanation of *why* you'd want to do some of the *whats* that can be done. Yes, it's possible to build classes and objects into a database, but why do it in SQL instead of Java? (Of course the *hows* would be quite inadequate, if this were a how-to book).
   
   * There is too much explanation of how things used to be done in 8i. That version was five years old back when this edition was published. 8i shouldn't take up more than a paragraph or three in a book that purports to cover 9i and 10g.
   
   In summary, if you don't read trade magazines, and you don't care to spend your time on Oracle websites and forums, and you know you won't have access to 11g anytime soon, you may find this book a decent (altho somewhat pricey) way to broaden your horizons of what you can do with Oracle SQL.



2. I'm no SDE, but I had a need to learn enough SQL to enable me to hit my company's Data Warehouse tables directly and employ some complex joins. This was the book recommended to me, and it did the trick. I sat down and began reading it and was quickly writing increasingly complex queries. I found the explanations easy to follow, and the format intuitive. The only fault I found is that there is a lack of more complex join examples, as when there are more than one field being joined on or more than two tables being joined.



3. The goal of the authors is to explain how to write good readable SQL queries in Oracle 10g. The book starts with how to construct SELECT statements to group, filter and format result sets for dates, reports and data analysis. Then it proceeds to cover Oracle-specific queries and functions for hierarchies (data in tree structures), object-oriented types, XML documents, regular expressions and models (spreadsheet-like objects). Where relevant, there are notes about the differences between SQL for Oracle 10, Oracle 9 and the ANSI standard.
   
   As expected from the title, the chapters using declarative programming (i.e. SQL queries) for relational data, hierarchical data and reports are the most comprehensive. Chapters on interfacing Oracle SQL with other technologies such as scripting (Oracle's PL/SQL), object-oriented types, XML and regular expressions, or on optimization, are brief but sufficient to get you started, especially if you have a existing background in those technologies.
   
   This is the 2nd edition, so it's not surprising that the scope of the book is well-defined and that the writing is easy to read and polished. The example data and queries are just complex enough to demonstrate the issues without obscuring the main points. Minor annoyance about Chapter 15, "SQL Best Practices", which does not explain how to use the query analyzer and bind variables.
   
   I was already familiar with basic Oracle SQL but didn't really understand the language; this book blew away many of the fuzzy concepts in my mind and provided me the framework to tackle more complex problems.
   
   Kam-Hung Soh, 21 May 2007.
   [...]



4. The book does a nice job of dissecting the syntax of SELECT statements and their various components, but in my opinion would fall short for most practical users. The examples are closer to what you might find in one of those "SQL for Smarties" books than what a normal developer writing applications that interface with Oracle databases might be looking to master. For example, there isn't in depth coverage of flow-of-control mechanisms and only a few pages in the first chapter covering DML operations.



5. It's the only Oracle book I seem to need. Great explanations. Includes new Oracle features. One of the best descriptions on inner, outer, left, right joins. Saved my tail a couple of times. It includes just the right amount of information.

5 comments about Pro MySQL (Expert's Voice in Open Source).

1. Highly indicated reading for any database designer involved in developing a major application or in optimizing database operations using MySQL, this intermediate/advanced level book assumes the reader has a general knowledge of database operations and some familiarity with MySQL database system. However, should such awareness be lacking, the book is sprinkled generously with additional source of information to remedy the deficiency. From conceptualizing and elaborating a database to fit business needs to implementing it in an efficient manner, the author takes the reader deep into the inner workings of MySQL in order to optimize database operations. Tools for benchmarking and profiling, which are essentials to indicate where coding performance could be improved, are explored in an insightful manner.
   As much as it is possible to make a book on data processing, much less database innards interesting and captivating reading, the author has done an excellent job in this regard.
   Overall, a must reading for any MySQL developer looking into enhancing his/her skills.



2. For people like me who have a good understanding of MYSQL, the next logical step would be this book. I already know about stored procedures, transactions and the basics of triggers, but I want to learn more about these topics in more "real-world" scenarios in how to develop larger, enterprise-wide applications. Also I want to know more about other advanced topics that I may not even know to think about. If this sounds like you as well, then read on...
   
   The author starts in with reviewing how business requirements and the software development cycle can be part of database development. This a great chapter for people like me who would like to learn how different approaches are taken from different IT perspectives in a team environment (business analysts, application developers, and project managers) This chapter gives you a good understanding of how the other side thinks.
   
   The next chapter focuses on the importance of proper indexing and strategies as pertaining to data storage. Because once your databases reach to the multiple gigabits of storage space, you need to very focused on how long each request takes. A few seconds here and there begin to add up and can cause serious issues if not taken into consideration early in your database design. Like me who only deals with small to an occasional medium-size database I never really had to think about this before.
   
   The next chapter focuses on transaction processing in MYSQL which is one of the more difficult concepts for many and I am in the process now of reading it. I really like the author's explanations and examples. Each point is explained thoroughly and in an easy to read manner.
   
   The rest of the book goes into more advanced topics (system architecture, benchmarking and profiling, security, replication and clustering) as well as giving more detail and explanation to topics that may only be briefly covered in other MYSQL books (stored procedures, functions, and views).
   
   If you already know the basics of MYSQL and want to really advance your knowledge with "real-world" scenarios, this is the book for you.



3. This book is a great expert overview of all that is current in MySQL 5. This covers both the SQL interaction with the database and the management. There are aspects that users often don't use in any SQL platform, and it is a shame. The effort expended to learn stored procedures and custom functions is greatly rewarded in code creation and support. This is another book I rate as ROI super positive.



4. No, I am not associated with the authors in any way. I was looking for a book for MySQL that was beyond "this is a database, here is how you select".
   
   I wanted something more challenging that covered topics like clustering, backups, etc.
   
   This book dives deep into MySQL database use and design, including detailed information on indexes, optimizations, etc.
   
   Very good read. I totally recommend this book.
   
   cbmeeks



5. I've managed to get about halfway through this book so far. It's NOT an easy read. Coverage and detail are excellent, however, and if you're interested in plumbing the depths of how MySql works, I would recommend this book as a solid reference for improving your overall knowledge.

5 comments about SQL Tuning.

1. I was entangled in the web of horrible response time queries, not knowing what to do (except the darn hit ratios were maximum). In utter frustration, I was putting an index here and dropping an index there, inserting a hint here and then setting a parameter there.
   
   Within 1 day of reading Mr. Dan Tow book, I was able to bring my biggest thorn query from 8 hours response time to just 10 minutes. Boy was I blissful. Certainly Dan Diagrams rock.



2. like new as described,fast shipment.



3. I have worked with Oracle databases and SQL tuning since 1987, and the reason I recommend Dan's book so highly to anyone working with SQL is that his method is the first real method I've seen in this field. There are many approaches out there, but they all fall into the Guess & Grimacing or Checklist categories. Dan's is a REAL method, and it works for all SQL-based databases. It's so far the only SQL tuning book I can recommend. Any DBA, developer and troubleshooter working with database-centric systems should know this stuff.
   
   Mogens



4. I have withdrawn my earlier review because I did not properly understand the importance of this book until the second reading. That is a difficult admission to make since my business is database performance tuning.
   
   This book is about tuning SQL queries in a systematic and scientific manner. It is above all about determining the optimum order in which the query engine should access the tables involved. My quibble was that join order is only a part of the whole tuning problem and most of the time the query optimizer got it right anyway. While this is true, I see now that it misses the point.
   
   The fact that the optimizer gets it right so often allows us to take join order for granted. But how do we know the optimizer got it right unless we know what the optimum join order is? That is what this book teaches, a methodology and an elegant system of notation that allows us to determine the optimum join order of the most complex query. As the author points out, the number of possible join orders increases factorially with the number of tables involved. An 8 table join has 40,320 possible join orders. That rules out trial and error for all but the simplest queries.
   
   It turns out that analyzing and diagramming according to Tow's method gives you a deep architectural understanding of the query and the problems that face you. It gives you a plan to which you can apply the tools of the trade, indexes, code optimization, etc.
   
   This is a book that will be on the shelf of serious performance tuning professionals for as long as SQL is the language of data manipulation.



5. Dan Tow has created a marvelous resource. With complex queries, it is often uncertain what is the best query plan. Dan Tow takes the mystery out of that process. He details a methodology that will give you the best query plan with a high degree of certainty. He also provides insights into how to achive the desired query plan.

1 comments about Accelerated SQL Server 2008 (Accelerated).

1. I've just finished reading the "Development in SQL Server" section of this book (i.e. 40% of the total book).
   
   I assumed the book related solely to SQL Server 2008. The book's introduction, forward, back cover content, and free downloadable chapter 1 led me to that belief.
   
   However, the book relates to both 2005 and 2008, and frustratingly it typically does not say what features belong to which database version.
   
   I wanted a book that showed me what was new in SQL Server 2008, I know what is in 2005, I have several books on it! I think the publishers etc have been very misleading with this book's title.
   
   That said, the content of the book is very good.
   
   The book is large (784 pages) and heavy. A book containing SQL Server 2008 only content would perhaps contain only 300 pages, and be more convenient to read and carry.
   
   The book's real title is "Accelerated SQL Server 2005 and 2008"

5 comments about MySQL Pocket Reference: SQL Functions and Utilities (Pocket Reference (O'Reilly)).

1. Very practical and after every command there is a very useful example.



2. It's handy, but a little old and too brief with important parts left out. It needs to be updated and improved. Ie: The admin commands are poorly covered. Do not use this book to help you use Grant or Revoke. The Grant All section is simply wrong.



3. MySQL has gained a lot of functionality after this book was done, but if you are a infrequent developer and like to have a quick reference into basic MySQL functions this book is great.



4. Reese hits a solid triple to start the inning off and scores easily on the wild pitch thrown by the reader who says that the GRANT section is wrong. This book works easily and appropriately at your deskside. I found the book to be a very simple, easy-to-navigate reference text that presents the most important aspects of MySQL in the quickest, most logical manner. It is very easy to thumb through with every possible random page landing at a topic of interest. In a way, it was like working with a familiar dictionary, you know the kind, where you just kind of naturally crack it open near the word you're accessing and flip a couple of pages either direction to arrive at the exact reference location. In that vein, I'd perhaps recommend that the margins contain "bread crumbs" telling us where we are in the book, but it isn't necessary since thicker sections often obviate themselves with just another page turn. Each page does have the chapter title in the margin, so my point is really one of nit-pickieness rather than a true critique. To its credit, the layout of the book presents the content in a manner that follows the O'Reilly "risen bar" standard. It is easy to scan through the entire reference flipping pages as quickly as possible so that you are able to arrive at your sought information within as much as a second or two. The bold text draws your eye to the page and the size of the page allows one to capture everything in a single glance. In my usage of the book, I found it very accurate and useful. I am a regular MySQL user and the formatting is very familiar to me. I highly recommend this book. If you are already familiar with SQL and the basics of database schema design, this is the perfect reference. I found it amazingly faster than loading the MySQL PDF manual and searching through potentially dozens of hits for the keywords sought. Even at the full cover price, this book is a value-added service at my side. The sections on operators, functions, stored procedures and triggers make this book an invaluable tool for the DBA or programmer who knows the material, but fails to remember every single aspect about the syntax AND who is tired of seeing that familiar: "You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near..." The text also finds welcomed complement from the numerous examples of using commands and SQL keywords. They are invaluable for immediately deciphering the sometimes too-numerous options of a command. I don't know that the book has taught me anything new at this point, but it certainly makes finding the details of what I already know much easier. Because of its brevity and its ease-of-use, it has made me want to play around with some of the various features of MySQL that I do not regularly use. That alone is going to teach me something new sooner or later! If your budget is constrained to a single reference item on MySQL, you can't go wrong with this very portable pocket reference. The back cover says: "When you reach a sticking point, but have to get to a solution quickly, MySQL Pocket Reference is the book you need." I agree completely.



5. George Reese's MY SQL POCKET REFERENCE 2ND EDITION covers Version 5.1 and provides SQL statements, functions, and insights into its variations and utilities. Explanations are accompanied by tables and examples for maximum efficiency.

5 comments about Learning PHP and MySQL (Learning).

1. The php part is ok. The mysql, cookie, security chapters are junk. I guess
   even the writer does not know what he is talking about. I do not know where
   he pulled those chapters from. As a consequence, I had to go to mysql online
   tutorial to learn mysql.
   
   My background is computer science so I donot think other readers can understand what the author is talking about.



2. PHP and MySQL are highly adaptive programs that can be used to create a variety of dynamic website potentials. Although fairly simple to use once you understand the basics, the learning curve on these programs is a little high at first. In order to use the capabilities, the user has to not only understand what the programs do and how they work together. However, probably the hardest part of the process is learning all the vocabulary associated with these systems.
   
   Learning PHP & MySQL is a very good reference, especially for this latter challenge. The guide not only defines and explains each of the different concepts but gives examples that better illustrate these aspects while giving the user a glimpse into how they could use them for their own purposes. Especially for the more difficult sections, I really liked that I could replicate the code on my computer and see the results for myself. This aspect gave me a far better idea of how I could use these programs in conjunction to create the effects I want.



3. I enjoyed this book. I felt like it did a good job introducing both PHP and MySQL without being overwhelming. However, I wasn't so impressed with how it covered Object Oriented PHP, or how it introduced PEAR and Smarty.
   
   For the most part, the OOP section seemed to be put in there as an after-thought. Also, the book switched gears pretty quickly between using the standard PHP libraries for getting things done, to using PEAR. And, there really wasn't much of an explanation accompanying the inner-workings of Smarty - more of a "here's the code, it does this" kind of an approach. What makes this so frustrating is that you learn a bunch of stuff earlier in the book that you don't see being used in the later examples (or the big final example in Chapter 17, which I'll address next).
   
   The biggest let down I found was that if you followed the final example (Chapter 17 - building your own web app), it doesn't even work. At first, I wrote it out myself from the code in the book, so I could follow along closely and try understand what was going on. It didn't work, so I assumed my code was filled with typos. I registered on-line with O'Reilly and was able to access the book on their website. From there, I copied and pasted the scripts for the web app directly into the various .php and .tpl files on my machine, and made sure to name them exactly as they are named in the book. It still didn't work!
   
   There are inconsistencies in how scripts are named and referenced in other scripts. And the best part is that it doesn't even include the script for logging out and ending your session, even though there is a link to it (logout.php) in the footer.tpl Smarty template file. I know it isn't that difficult to make your logout script based on some of the scripts from the earlier chapters, but it's still the fact that they leave out a whole part in the final example. Ultimately, I can't help but wonder how difficult it would have been for the authors to verify that the website did what it was meant to do, before putting it in their book.
   
   I know it sounds like I am giving this book a harsh review... However, I did truly enjoy it and that is why it is still getting 4/5 stars. The negative points I brought up were not enough to bring down the overall effectiveness of this book as a learner's guide to PHP and MySQL, but definitely merits mentioning as a warning to potential readers/buyers.



4. I came to this book as a newbie, with some knowledge of HTML and CSS, and that's about it. This book nearly killed my desire to learn PHP/MySQL.
   
   The problems start early, in Chapter 2. The installation information is seriously flawed. Many of the links they point you to are dead. And even when I went to the book's web site for an updated link, and followed the instructions to the letter, I still wasn't in business. I googled to try to get help and stumbled across some other lost soul using this book, with exactly the same problem as me. Guess what? He was begging for help on a message board somewhere. I should have realized right then that this book was worthless. But I soldiered on.
   
   I managed to get PHP and MySQL downloaded (though the connector was still not working), and started working on some of the PHP coding. I learned some PHP, sure, but it was a slow, slow process. Practical applications? Practice exercises? Clear explanations for inexperienced computer programmers - presumably the kind of people who would be buying a book like this? Rare or nonexistent.
   
   I skipped ahead to the MySQL section, made it in a few pages, and then they recommended that I install PhpMyAdmin. Well, I did, and then I ran into the problem with the lack of connection between PHP and MySQL again. So I went back to Chapter 2, and wasted another hour of my life trying to figure out how to get the past the basic installation issues.
   
   So, yeah, I paid $30 so I could figure it all out for myself. And I still haven't. So thanks a lot, folks. You took $30 of my hard-earned money, and in return gave me several hours of aggravation.
   
   I know the computer experts out there will laugh at this review - they always think they're superior to newbs. But I know I'm not stupid. A better book will teach me the basics of PHP and MySQL, I just need to find it. This one is not newb-friendly. And if a how-to book isn't newb-friendly, then as far as I'm concerned it ain't worth a thing.
   
   NEWBS BEWARE. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED.



5. This book is terribly written. There are typos everywhere, both simple grammar typos and coding/logic typos. For a beginner to the material it is extremely nerve wracking to follow. Not only do the typos throw you for a loop, but it has no logical flow to the material. For example, they go over creating tables in Chapter 7, but you they don't tell you how to use mysql until chapter 8. Then in the middle of chapter 8 (p 137) they tell you to create an NEW database, followed immediately by a section on how to manipulate a table (in this example, `books`) in that new database (p 138). Problem is, ERROR: there are no tables! You just created a new database and it is empty! The table they are referring to was used as an example to explain database concepts in Ch 7 (p 124).
   
   I love(d) my O'Reilly books but I will NEVER buy another one blindly again. Even worse, I read review for the second edition and apparently not much if any of these major problems have been fixed.
   
   I find it extremely hard to believe that anyone who gave this book a decent rating actually used this book to learn PHP & mySQL or even read it through.

5 comments about Hands-On Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Integration Services.

1. The title for this book is true, it is Hands-On. Some books just rehash the SQL Books Online but this one provides tons of hands on excercises. Here are just a few.
   Importing a Flat File into SQL Server 2005
   Using System Variables to Create Custom Logs
   Using Expressions to Update Properties at Run-time
   Contacting Opportunities (Includes steps necessary for enabling SMTP from a package)
   Removing Duplicate Email Addresses
   Consolidating Workflow Packages
   Reading the Application Log
   Managing Storage of Integration Services Package
   Using dtutil
   Running an SSIS Package Using the Package Execution Utility
   Understanding Package Protection Levels
   
   Beyond the Hands On Exercises the book also is based around a database other than the standard Northwind, pubs or AdventureWorks databases for a little variety. Finally the book covers deployment of your Integration Services Packages and also how to migrate from SQL Server 2000 Data Transformation Services.



2. Hi All,
   
   I bought this book because i need to implement my project in SSIS.This book is good for on Job reference , for Beginners and For who has exposure to DTS 2000.I learned and implemented my projected with no time.I recommend this book for those who want to Know about SSIS Quickly.
   
   Thanks,
   Madhu



3. This book is a good one. It brings a new SSIS user to speed quickly. The author has done a good job.



4. This book helped me get started with SSIS...figure out some basic stuff. But it left me hanging on the details, best practices, integration with applications, etc. It basically walks you through building a bunch of thin-functionality examples of the various components.
   
   If the book re-described itself as a getting-started book, I'd give it high praise and more stars...but the phrases "in depth", "learn to maximize", "extensive", etc, should have been omitted from the book description.



5. There is no question that the title should clearly indicate that this is a book for those new to SSIS. (And considering SSIS is such a quantum leap from DTS, there are MANY folks at that stage).
   
   However, the book deserves 4-5 stars for what it provides. Giving the book 1-star, because of the title, detracts from the true value of the book. There aren't many books that contain full hands-on exercises. If someone is fairly new to SSIS, THIS is the book to get.
   
   This is the closest I've seen to an exercise-driven training manual, in commercial trade paperback form. There are a series of 8-10 page walk-throughs on such topics as aggregation, processing dupes, loading SCDs, pivoting source data, ADO enumerators, etc.
   
   In my opinion, the entire Database Professional Series from Osborn McGraw Hill is very strong.
   
   If someone already knows the fundamentals of SSIS and wants to go to the next level, get the Wrox Expert SSIS book.
   
   Kevin

4 comments about MCITP SQL Server 2005 Database Developer All-in-One Exam Guide (Exams 70-431, 70-441 & 70-442) (All-in-One).

1. The end-of-chapter exam questions were perfect for helping me know what I know and what I don't know. I already passed the 70-431 and 70-441 exams and the questions I looked at in the back of the chapters hit the knowledge needed to pass these exams.
   
   Unfortunately I failed the 70-442 exam before this book was released. However, after reviewing the end-of-chapter exam questions, I saw exactly what I needed to brush up on. I spent several days in a marathon study session doing the exam questions in the back of each chapter for the 70-442. For anything I missed, I studied the material in the chapter. In addition to learning what I needed for the exam, I also learned a couple things I didn't know about in SQL Server 2005. I then took and passed the 70-442.
   
   This book was just what I needed. I only wish I had it before I took the 70-442 the first time.



2. For the 431 exam, I used the (Tom) Carpenter book as my primary study guide and this book as a side reference. My main reason for purchasing this book is for the next two exams (441,442). After taking the 431 test and looking up some questions I guessed at in this book, I regret not using this book as my primary study guide. This book seems to point out the exact information needed to get through the test. I look forward to using it for the next two exams. Note that the author of this book is the technical editor for the Carpenter book.
   
   Update to previous review:
   I just passed both exams (441 & 442) without difficulty and with plenty of time remaining (each exam took about 2 hours). This is definitely the book to use for these exams. The topics and sample questions are on target with the actual test. Be sure to review the topic list for each exam in the front of the book before taking the test. The 'what you need to know' section at the end of each chapter is not always accurate. Also - the explanation of cascade deletes is incorrect in the book.



3. Well written and in depth, this book should cover everything necessary to pass these tests.
   
   I have two complaints:
   
   1) The book is laid out functionally for SQL Server, not for each test. So, for example, when you are studying for the 70-442, it may involve a portion of chapter 3, 4, 5, and 8, but all of 12 and 13. All this information is entwined with the stuff for the other tests.
   
   2) You choose to only take one of the tests on the CD. For example - you couldn't say just test for the 70-441 test. I found the CD questions less useful than books dedicated to one test because of this.
   
   These are minor complaints though, and I'm not really sure the issues can be avoided to begin with. Don't let them stop you from using this as your resource to pass these three tests.



4. After having completed Microsoft's MCAD certification, I am using this text along with the Tom Carpenter text to prepare for MCTS and MCITP certification. Though I haven't taken the exam yet, the material appears to be covered in a thorough and in-depth fashion. Yet, it does not get bogged down in unnecessary detail.
   
   Excellent book!