In this course, you will learn about the features that are available in SQL Server like how to design and create a database, and how to build basic queries using Transact-SQL, the language of SQL Server. Then you will learn how to build effective views, stored procedures, triggers, and user-defined functions using Transact-SQL. You will learn how to use the Transact-SQL programming language for error handling and hierarchical queries, dealing with complex data structures and processes, and how to make your databases more scalable through partitioning.

SQL Server 2008 includes a rich set of tools that go beyond the basics of querying and manipulating data. You will learn how to take advantage of the user-friendly management console that integrates both authoring and administrative tasks. You will learn how to take advantage of SQL Server’s tools for analyzing and tuning your databases.

In this course, you will learn to…

• Understand the differences between the available editions of SQL Server 2008.
• Create a SQL Server database based on sound design principles.
• Create constraints, triggers, and indexes.
• Use Transact-SQL INSERT, UPDATE and DELETE statements.
• Configure and use SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS).
• Use Transact-SQL with data types, delimiters and variables.
• Understand the differences between views, stored procedures, triggers, and user-defined functions.
• How to write and use stored procedures to provide a safe, controlled, efficient way to execute Transact-SQL code to access and update data and database objects.
• Discover how transactions can protect the integrity of your data and ways to handle errors that occur when code executes.
• Understand the complex data types in SQL Server, such as for spatial and hierarchical data, and how they support complex data operations.
• How to partition data to store data in ways that improves the efficiency of queries.
• Investigate the XML data type and its properties and methods, and how it supports both free form and relational data.

To get the most out of the Microsoft T-SQL Server 2008 course, you should have a solid understanding of relational databases. No particular programming experience is required, but the course is taught from a developer’s perspective.