Introduction to Microsoft SQL Server

Foreword

Hello, and welcome to Introduction to Microsoft SQL Server. I specifically designed this book to be the companion book to the video course that I have hosted on my website. https://courses.destinlearning.com. Consider this the lab manual for the course. You will get more out of this book by reviewing the accompanying videos in the web-based course which comes free of charge with the purchase of this book. I included the link to this course in the Appendix to this book.

Database management systems are a key part of many online systems today. If you are hoping to be a well-rounded software developer, you should add database management development skills to your developer toolbox. Microsoft SQL Server is one of the most popular relational database management systems in the market today and is in widespread production use.

In this book, I will introduce  you step by step to the key components of this system. This course presumes you have no background in database systems, so we will start from the very beginning. 

A key part of this book and course are the hand-on labs that are included. Although you can certainly work with the labs on your own instance of SQL Server, I have an online website where you can complete labs using only a web browser. You can find this website at:

http://labs.destinlearning.com

You will find out more information about the online labs later on in this book as well as the online course on my website.

Thank you for purchasing this book, and welcome to the class! I you have any problems registering for the course of have any suggestions, please contact me at:

[email protected]

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Chapter 1 - Introduction to SQL Server

1.1 Overview of SQL Server

Microsoft SQL Server is a relational database management system (RDBMS) developed by Microsoft Corporation. It is a powerful and popular database platform that is widely used by businesses and organizations of all sizes.

The history of SQL Server dates back to the early 1980s when Microsoft began developing a database system for the IBM PC platform. The first version of SQL Server, called SQL Server 1.0, was released in 1989. Since then, SQL Server has gone through many iterations and improvements and has become one of the most widely used database systems in the world.

SQL Server is available in several editions, each with its own set of features and capabilities. The available editions of SQL Server include:

1.  Express: This is a free edition of SQL Server that is designed for small applications and development purposes. It has limitations on database size, memory usage, and CPU usage.

2.  Standard: This is the most popular edition of SQL Server, designed for medium-sized businesses and enterprises. It includes advanced features such as high availability, security, and data integration.

3.  Enterprise: This is the top-of-the-line edition of SQL Server, designed for large-scale applications and mission-critical workloads. It includes advanced features such as in-memory OLTP, columnstore indexes, and advanced analytics.

4.  Developer: This is a free edition of SQL Server that has the same features as the Enterprise edition. It is intended for developers who need to build and test applications that use SQL Server.

5.  Web: This is a low-cost edition of SQL Server that is designed for web hosting providers. It includes all the features of the Standard edition, but has limitations on the number of cores and memory usage.

SQL Server includes a wide range of features and tools for managing and analyzing data, including support for SQL queries, stored procedures, triggers, and user-defined functions. It also includes support for data warehousing, data mining, and business intelligence. Additionally, SQL Server provides robust security features such as encryption, authentication, and access control to protect data from unauthorized access.

In summary, Microsoft SQL Server is a powerful and popular relational database management system that provides a wide range of features and tools for managing and analyzing data. It has a rich history dating back to the early days of computing and is available in several editions to meet the needs of businesses and organizations of all sizes.

1.2 Understanding Relational Databases

A relational database is a type of database that organizes data into one or more tables, with each table consisting of rows and columns. Each row represents a record, while each column represents a field or attribute. The relationships between tables are defined through foreign keys, which allow data to be efficiently accessed and manipulated using SQL queries.

Advantages of relational databases:

1.  Data integrity: Relational databases enforce data integrity through constraints such as primary keys, foreign keys, and unique constraints.

2.  Scalability: Relational databases can be scaled vertically (by adding more hardware resources) or horizontally (by partitioning data across multiple servers).

3.  Flexibility: Relational databases can handle a wide range of data types and structures and can be customized to meet specific needs.

4.  Data consistency: Relational databases ensure data consistency by maintaining relationships between tables and enforcing referential integrity.

5.  Queryability: Relational databases are optimized for querying and analyzing data using SQL, which provides a standardized way of accessing and manipulating data.

Limitations of relational databases

1.  Scalability limitations: Relational databases can become difficult to scale as the amount of data and the number of users increase.

2.  Complexity: Relational databases can be complex to design and maintain, especially for large and complex datasets.

3.  Performance limitations: Relational databases can suffer from performance limitations when dealing with large datasets or complex queries.

4.  Cost: Relational databases can be expensive to license and maintain, especially for enterprise-grade solutions.

The history of relational databases dates back to the 1970s, when Edgar Codd first introduced the concept of relational databases. The first commercial relational database was released in 1979 by Relational Software Inc. The database was named Oracle and later the company was renamed Oracle Corporation. Since then, many other relational database systems have been developed, including Microsoft SQL Server, IBM DB2, and MySQL.

The market for relational database systems is highly competitive, with several vendors offering a wide range of products and services. Some of the leading vendors in today’s market include Oracle Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, IBM Corporation, and Amazon Web Services (AWS).

Other Types of Databases

Besides relational databases, there are several other types of databases each with its own unique strengths and weaknesses. Here are some examples:

1.  Object-oriented databases: These databases store data as objects, which can contain both data and behavior. Object-oriented databases are well-suited for storing complex data structures and relationships, such as those found in object-oriented programming.

2.  NoSQL databases: NoSQL (Not Only SQL) databases are designed to handle unstructured or semi-structured data, and are optimized for scalability