January 21, 2009 at 7:18 am
I would like to learn about sql server so that at some point i could be a certified DBA. I just don't know where to start. What should be my first step?
January 21, 2009 at 7:29 am
Welcome to the club mate, First do you know T-SQL, if not i would suggest to start from there 😀
January 21, 2009 at 7:54 am
I'd suggest getting a copy of the book "Database Administration" by Craig Mullins. It's not technical and it doesn't focus on SQL Server at all. Instead it talks about the job of the DBA. I think it's a pretty thorough description.
Once you've decided you're interested, then, yeah, I'd start with T-SQL and with Relational theory. For T-SQL, I'd suggest the book "SQL Server 2008 T-SQL Fundamentals" by Itzik Ben Gan. Great read from a fantastic teacher. For relational design, I'm a bit out of date. The book I used, and still have on my desk, to learn this stuff was "Handbook of Relational Design" by Fleming & von Halle. It covers everything you'd need for relational concepts, but it's pretty dated any time it references technology. There are probably more modern books that get the job done.
From there... I'm not so sure. You'd need a good introductory book on SQL Server basics and I'm not really acquainted with one.
Of course, you can always take classes at a local college or Learning Tree.
Get a copy of SQL Express. It doesn't have or do everything that the full blown SQL Server does, but it's free. If you want to, I think the Developer edition of SQL Server is pretty cheap, $75? Pick up a copy of that. No better way to learn than by doing.
When you get stuck, come around here and ask a question.
"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
- Theodore Roosevelt
Author of:
SQL Server Execution Plans
SQL Server Query Performance Tuning
January 21, 2009 at 9:02 am
Thanks for the help, I do have some experience with T-SQL, currently I design pages for my companies intranet and we use SQL 2000 and ASP to do it. We are kind of a learn as you go company and I have noticed that I seem to have the most interest to know about how things work in SQL. I think this is a good place to start. Any other recommendations?
January 21, 2009 at 9:17 am
I'll give my usual recommendations:
Spend a lot of time on sites like this one, read and post both questions and answers.
Find a book that communicates well to you.
On the book thing, what I did was go to a bookstore with a list of database and T-SQL questions from my actual work. Things that I really needed answers for. Then I got a stack of a dozen or so books, and dug through them to find answers. The one that answered the most questions in a way that I could easily understand is the one I bought. This took into account how good were the indexes and table of contents of the book (ease of finding the answers), how clear was the writing, how clear were the examples and any diagrams, etc. Some books seemed to assume I already knew everything about SQL except the one question, and thus made it impossible to understand. Others spent too long on things that I didn't need to know to get the answer I was looking for. It was completely and totally subjective.
What I ended up with was Paul Nielsen's "SQL 2000 Bible" (there's a 2005 version of the book out now too, not sure if the 2008 one is done). That may or may not be the right book for you, but it was for me.
That method worked very well for me. Was well worth the couple of hours I spent at a bookstore.
- Gus "GSquared", RSVP, OODA, MAP, NMVP, FAQ, SAT, SQL, DNA, RNA, UOI, IOU, AM, PM, AD, BC, BCE, USA, UN, CF, ROFL, LOL, ETC
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"Nobody knows the age of the human race, but everyone agrees it's old enough to know better." - Anon
January 21, 2009 at 9:48 am
Gsquared
Paul Nielsen's "SQL 2000 Bible"
Just hit Amazon and there are SQL 2005 Bible and SQL 2008 Bible (Pre-order due on Jun 22, 2009) by Paul Nielsen each priced at $31.49 + shipping USD. As well as a copy of SQL 2000 Bible (Used) for $10 USD.
January 21, 2009 at 11:21 am
bitbucket (1/21/2009)
Gsquared
Paul Nielsen's "SQL 2000 Bible"
Just hit Amazon and there are SQL 2005 Bible and SQL 2008 Bible (Pre-order due on Jun 22, 2009) by Paul Nielsen each priced at $31.49 + shipping USD. As well as a copy of SQL 2000 Bible (Used) for $10 USD.
Amazon.com is blocked from where I'm at right now. Thanks for checking that.
- Gus "GSquared", RSVP, OODA, MAP, NMVP, FAQ, SAT, SQL, DNA, RNA, UOI, IOU, AM, PM, AD, BC, BCE, USA, UN, CF, ROFL, LOL, ETC
Property of The Thread
"Nobody knows the age of the human race, but everyone agrees it's old enough to know better." - Anon
January 21, 2009 at 11:32 am
Last I checked the Developer Edition of SQL Server 2005 (or SQL Server 2008) is still $50.00. Well worth the price.
January 21, 2009 at 11:47 am
Paul just twittered that he was finishing the first draft of the 2008 version.
"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
- Theodore Roosevelt
Author of:
SQL Server Execution Plans
SQL Server Query Performance Tuning
January 21, 2009 at 12:16 pm
Thanks that is very helpful, I am actually composing a list right now of somethings, like how to restore from transaction logs and how to automatically start sql server agent after reboot is done. I know i'm gonna have to start at the beginning so this helps.
January 22, 2009 at 7:24 am
You can set SQL Server to automatically start when the server starts. Usually a good idea to do that. You can do that from the services menu in system management.
- Gus "GSquared", RSVP, OODA, MAP, NMVP, FAQ, SAT, SQL, DNA, RNA, UOI, IOU, AM, PM, AD, BC, BCE, USA, UN, CF, ROFL, LOL, ETC
Property of The Thread
"Nobody knows the age of the human race, but everyone agrees it's old enough to know better." - Anon
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