Free ebook: Introducing Microsoft SQL Server 2012

Free ebook: Introducing Microsoft SQL Server 2012

Devon Musgrave 15 Mar 2012 

Friends, the final and complete version of Introducing Microsoft SQL Server 2012, by Ross Mistry (@RossMistry) and Stacia Misner (@StaciaMisner), is now ready as a free download! You can download the PDF version of this title here (288 pages; 10.8 MB).
We will update this post soon with links to EPUB and MOBI files. We expect these files to be available by March 23. UPDATE: The EPUB is here, and the MOBI is here.
If you prefer a hard copy of the book, you can order it here for $14.99.
Introducing Microsoft SQL Server 2012 includes 10 chapters:
PART I   DATABASE ADMINISTRATION (by Ross Mistry)
1.   SQL Server 2012 Editions and Engine Enhancements
2.   High-Availability and Disaster-Recovery Enhancements
3.   Performance and Scalability
4.   Security Enhancements
5.   Programmability and Beyond-Relational Enhancements

More at  http://blogs.msdn.com/b/microsoft_press/archive/2012/03/15/free-ebook-introducing-microsoft-sql-server-2012.aspx

How to Migrate an Access Database to SQL Express 2008 ?

Recently, I had the opportunity to migrate the Access Database used by a Software Solution provider to SQL Express 2008. This is what I did :-

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Step 6

Step 7

Step 8

 

Step 9

 

 

Step 10 - Complete

Updating Columns in a Table from Data from Another

Let us imagine that you are attempting a migration of data from a schema in an existing third party application. Then you noticed that the tables are simply over-normalised and you have a need update a column in a target table from another table. What should you do ?

This is what I normally do :-

1) Identify the common field or fields  in both say GLCODE
2) Identify the target column to populate in your target table and the source column in the source table
say GLNAME

To achieve your objective, EXECUTE this SQL statement


UPDATE  TargetTableName SET GLNAME=(SELECT GLNAME  FROM SourceTableName WHERE GLCODE=SourceTable.GLCODE)

That's it !

How to Shrink a SQLExpress 2008 Database

A SQLExpress 2008 database usually comprises of a database and a log file with the extension *.MDF and *.LDF respectively. As time goes by, the LDF can grow dramatically and I have seen the LDF file being more than triple the size of the MDF !

So, how does one shrink the size of MDF and LDF ? It is really simple to do so using the Management Studio for SQL Express 2008

1. Launch Management Studio
2. Select the target database
3. Right-click and select All Tasks

4. Select Shrink Database

5. Check Reorganise files... as below :-

and click OK, That's it !

Installing SQL Express 2008 on a Windows 2003R2 Server

Recently, I had the opportunity to instal MS SQL Express 2008 on a Windows 2003R2 Server for a client for wanted to check it ou befire upgrading to SQL Server 2008.

Here are the steps that I took :-

1) Download SQL Express 2008 with Advanced Services

2)

Ran it and discovered that I had to download and install the following components

ASP.Net 3.5SP1
Windows Power Shell 1.0
Windows Installer 4.5 and above

3) Took a while to download 50 Plus MB of ASP.Net 3.5SP1 and installed it without issue

4) Installed Windows Power Shell with no issue

5) Installed Windows Installer 4.5 again with no issue

6) Ran SQL Express 2008 with Advanced Services again and passed all requirements

Tips


a) Use NT Authority/SYSTEM
b) Use Mixed Mode for authentication



More to come...

What is Advantage Database Server ?

CCH : FROM http://www.sybase.com.my/products/databasemanagement/advantagedatabaseserver

Advantage Database Server lets you modernize your data with speed, ease and confidence. 

Advantage Database Server is a full-featured, easily embedded, high performance client/server relational database management system specifically designed to meet the needs of business application developers.

Advantage is unique among the Sybase database management offerings in that it provides both Indexed Sequential Access Method (ISAM) table-based and SQL-based data access, providing a growth path for database software applications and enabling them to use enterprise-caliber feature sets.

Advantage Database Server is specifically targeted towards Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) and is designed to be embedded into the business applications these ISVs build, sell and distribute. Advantage is ideal for small and medium sized environments, generally, 5 -500 users. Advantage requires no DBA or ongoing administration, excelling in database environments with limited or no IT Staff.

What is Apollo ?

CCH : From

http://www.vistasoftware.com/default.asp

Create Windows, .NET & Web applications that manage CA-Clipper & FoxPro DBF database filesOver 100,000 developers worldwide use the award-winning Apollo database engine with Borland Delphi, C#/VB.NET in Visual Studio, classic Visual Basic, and C/C++ to create high-performance database applications that manage CA-Clipper and FoxPro DBF database files.

• Small 1MB embedded footprint
• SQL-92 support & Direct Data Access™ objects
• Includes .NET Provider, VCL components and Windows controls
• Supports DBF/NTX/DBT, DBF/CDX/FPT, DBF/NSX/SMT