Guidance needed- Building basics

  • Hello,

    I am here to seek advice on developing knowledge in SQL.

    I have now started seeing myself in a very strange situation. My academics has given me some basic knowledge of databases and I had some experience working with Access in the past. However I started working in Health Care Company for the past 2 months. My job there revolves around developing efficient code and stored procedures in SQL Server for reports. I have come a long way in writing queries and procedures however I feel stuck at times and I feel I don’t have the right basics to pull out the efficient queries. I still feel there is some gap in the way I think SQL which is because of not having proper basics. Is there any advice that some experienced folks would like to share on how to build good basics. Do you recommend any particular books or practice exercise? Any advice would be appreciated.

  • The Apress SQL Server books are pretty good. This is a good web site obviously. There is also sqlshare.com which has short how-to videos for SQL Server. I'm going to point you to a blog post I wrote about some of the free resources that are out there right now, http://wiseman-wiseguy.blogspot.com/2009/08/no-training-budget-still-no-excuse.html.

    There is also a new concept out there is SQL Blog land started by Jorge Segarra aka SQLChicken called SQL University where some pretty well-known SQL bloggers will be providing posts on specific topics aimed at beginners. Here's the starting spot, http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Sqlchicken/~3/mQGXZcOZ5A4/. I read the blogs of all the "faculty" and they are very good.

  • MaverickMan (10/9/2009)


    Hello,

    Do you recommend any particular books or practice exercise?

    I am not a developer by any means but like to read on it every now and then to better communicate with developers when helping them troubleshoot an issue. I like most Wrox and Apress books. They tend to give you a foundation in the first few chapters and then allow you to build upon that in the later chapters.

    Microsoft has some good examples you can go through in the BOL (books online) and Technet site. Then I'll go through MSSQLTips.com and some other sites to find examples to work through along with the author.

    Shawn Melton
    Twitter: @wsmelton
    Blog: wsmelton.github.com
    Github: wsmelton

  • Jack Corbett (10/9/2009)


    There is also a new concept out there is SQL Blog land started by Jorge Segarra aka SQLChicken called SQL University where some pretty well-known SQL bloggers will be providing posts on specific topics aimed at beginners. Here's the starting spot, http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Sqlchicken/~3/mQGXZcOZ5A4/. I read the blogs of all the "faculty" and they are very good.

    I don't believe I have come across this site before myself. Thanks, I'll have to work through that one:-D.

    Shawn Melton
    Twitter: @wsmelton
    Blog: wsmelton.github.com
    Github: wsmelton

  • Melton (10/9/2009)


    Jack Corbett (10/9/2009)


    There is also a new concept out there is SQL Blog land started by Jorge Segarra aka SQLChicken called SQL University where some pretty well-known SQL bloggers will be providing posts on specific topics aimed at beginners. Here's the starting spot, http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Sqlchicken/~3/mQGXZcOZ5A4/. I read the blogs of all the "faculty" and they are very good.

    I don't believe I have come across this site before myself. Thanks, I'll have to work through that one:-D.

    This is brand new about 2 weeks old. It's a good concept and really anyone who blogs about SQL Server should talk about it. If it takes off, and I don't know why it won't, it'll probably get Jorge an MVP Award.

  • Jack Corbett (10/9/2009)


    Melton (10/9/2009)


    Jack Corbett (10/9/2009)


    There is also a new concept out there is SQL Blog land started by Jorge Segarra aka SQLChicken called SQL University where some pretty well-known SQL bloggers will be providing posts on specific topics aimed at beginners. Here's the starting spot, http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Sqlchicken/~3/mQGXZcOZ5A4/. I read the blogs of all the "faculty" and they are very good.

    I don't believe I have come across this site before myself. Thanks, I'll have to work through that one:-D.

    This is brand new about 2 weeks old. It's a good concept and really anyone who blogs about SQL Server should talk about it. If it takes off, and I don't know why it won't, it'll probably get Jorge an MVP Award.

    Wow thanks for those extremely kind words! I've been really pleased with how SQL University has been received so far and it keeps growing. Tom LaRock just added a whole new dimension to it with the basketball team and I just added the computer lab dimension (thanks to sqlserverbeta.com). I and the rest of the faculty would love any and all feedback.

    =============================================================
    /* Backups are worthless, Restores are priceless */

    Get your learn on at SQL University!
    Follow me on Twitter | Connect on LinkedIn
    My blog: http://sqlchicken.com
    My book: Pro Server 2008 Policy-Based Management

  • @Jorge

    From the blog...

    First day of class will start on Monday, September 28th

    How do we find these classes? I don't see them on the blog.

    --Jeff Moden


    RBAR is pronounced "ree-bar" and is a "Modenism" for Row-By-Agonizing-Row.
    First step towards the paradigm shift of writing Set Based code:
    ________Stop thinking about what you want to do to a ROW... think, instead, of what you want to do to a COLUMN.

    Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.


    Helpful Links:
    How to post code problems
    How to Post Performance Problems
    Create a Tally Function (fnTally)

  • Jeff Moden (10/10/2009)


    @Jorge

    From the blog...

    First day of class will start on Monday, September 28th

    How do we find these classes? I don't see them on the blog.

    For ease of finding everything SQL University on my blog, go to the SQLU main page at http://sqlchicken.com/sql-university

    I constantly update that page with any announcements, classes, additions, etc. Also you can navigate through SQLU by clicking on the SQL University button at the top of my blog (next to home and about).

    =============================================================
    /* Backups are worthless, Restores are priceless */

    Get your learn on at SQL University!
    Follow me on Twitter | Connect on LinkedIn
    My blog: http://sqlchicken.com
    My book: Pro Server 2008 Policy-Based Management

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