A book review by Robert Pearl
Now that SQL Server 2005 has finally been released, and the
Ready to Launch tour is all behind us, as is the SQL Server Up &
Running tour. Although the name implies
that were all well-versed in everything SQL2K5, and all our systems have been
converted over, if youre like most DBAs and the companies they work for,
youve barely scratched the surface, or even deployed your first instance of
Microsofts SQL2K5. Come on folks,
service pack 1 is out, so no excuses.
There is no doubt that SQL2K5 is the way of the future, so its time to
start sooner, rather than later and get up to speed, and yes, up and running.
As you already know, SQL 2005 is no longer just a RDMS, but
an end-to-end database, development and business intelligence platform. The breadth of changes in style, form and
substance, as well as the countless materials out there on the topic, are
enough to make ones head spin and understandably difficult to know where to
start. In addition, one wonders what
the implications are for businesses and the people in the IT field they employ,
particularly the DBA. This is something
that actually addressed in the beginning of the book.
Theres a lot to learn, so if youre looking for some much
needed guidance and a way to dive in and find out about all these changes I
have a great resource for you!
the Paradigm is an in-depth comprehensive and well thought out book
that is sure to please. Developed by one of Microsofts leading SQL Server specialist
partners, Scalability Experts, Inc,
it is available in paperback and published by SAMs.
Indeed, it is a definitive
reference for understanding core functionality and new features of SQL Server
2005. This practical and in-depth guide
is packed full of technical details, code samples, and best practices to help
you maximize the performance and productivity of the premier relational
database management system. This book
does a great job of discussing all aspects SQL2K5, and deftly lays out in
amazing detail the revolutionary changes in its architecture and internals.
Although written and published
before the release of SQL Server 2005, based on beta 2, it is every bit as
relevant now that it is RTM. Meant to give professionals an inside track on the
future of the Microsoft relational database platform, the product and its
enhanced capabilities, as well as its tremendous impact on business
intelligence and the database industry, the book is worth every penny, and a
must-have in your technical library.
There is a mountain of information
here and yet is well organized into chapters and sections that will easily
guide the reader to the relevant place.
Surprisingly for a book that deals intricately with technical detail, it
flows quite nicely, and is easily understandable by veteran SQL Server users,
and newbies alike.
In fact, I just recently needed to
put together a SQL Server 2005 presentation for the entire technology team at a
client of mine. This team is comprised
of DBAs, Infrastructure, Developers, Managers, Project Associates, Business
Analysts, and to top off the pyramid the CIO of the company. The presentation was before a few dozen
people ranging from non-technical to know-it-all gurus (and did I mention the
CIO? I guess he falls under the non-technical category ;-)
As Scalability Experts are apt to
point out, SQL Server 2005 is a new paradigm, one that brings something for
everyone. So, how was I to bring
something to everyone in less than the 2-hours I had to talk about SQL Server
2005? Well obviously, Id have to be
very high-level, yet detailed enough to keep everyones interest. I decided to focus on talking about the new
features and enhancements. So after
surfing the internet to find some way to compact this information, I finally
took a look at Changing the Paradigm, specifically, Chapter 4. This chapter, A Tour of New Features, is a
marvelous summary of just about every feature new to SQL Server 2005. Consider this chapter the gateway to
everything you wanted to know about SQL2K5, and were afraid to ask.
Summarizing the details on this fine book:
This powerhouse reference covers
the entire breadth of SQL Server 2005 features including XML, SOA, .NET,
business intelligence, administration, scalability, reliability, security,
performance, and high-availability. The book opens by providing an overview of
the paradigm shift across the database industry introduced by SQL Server 2005
that redefines the roles and responsibilities of DBAs. From there, the
book proceeds chronologically through every key innovation and feature
introduced by SQL Server 2005, its significance to both users and
administrators and the philosophy behind the design decisions. Although
designed as a comprehensive survey of the SQL Server 2005 platform, this book's
individual chapters are also well suited for quick look-up of specific
information.
I think its interesting to note,
that the writing style reflects the passion in which the folks at Scalability Experts
have been evangelizing the benefits of SQL 2005 at tours and lectures across
the country, long before its actual release, and that is something that comes
through the pages and makes this book an easy read and a great work. It is an intelligent reference that
answers many questions and makes transitioning to SQL Server 2005 that much
easier for DBAs and technical professionals.
In addition, to aid in this transition from SQL Server 2000
to 2005, available on their site is the SQL
Server Upgrade Assistant,
a FREE tool licensed from Microsoft that you can use
to verify how well an application designed to operate on SQL Server 2000 will
function when the database is upgraded to SQL Server 2005.
Much of the detail covered in the book was the similar to
the material used at the SQL
Road shows in 2005, which I wrote about appearing on this site. I also
interviewed Raj Gill, co-founder and
CTO of Scalability Experts, who spoke in-depth about the highly anticipated
release of SQL Server 2005, and many others things you may find of
interest. You can see read this
interview in my previously published series On The Road Again, Part
I and Part
II.
For more information on the book, and how to order it today,
you can go to the site here: Changing
the Paradigm and also download sample code and chapters. Enjoy!
Written by: Robert Pearl, President
Pearl Knowledge Solutions, Inc.
Copyright 2006 - All Rights Reserved.
Note: Not to be reprinted or published without express permission of the author.
When SQL is the