SQL Server 2008 Administration: Real-World Skills for MCITP Certification and Beyond (Exams 70-432 and 70-450) | PDF | Sybex
SQL Server 2008 Book PDF Download: A Comprehensive Guide
If you are interested in learning more about data management and analysis with Microsoft's flagship database platform, you might want to download some books on SQL Server 2008. SQL Server 2008 is one of the most popular and widely used versions of SQL Server that offers many features and enhancements for data storage, processing, security, performance, integration, reporting, business intelligence, etc. In this article, you will learn what is SQL Server 2008 and why it is important, what are the benefits of learning SQL Server 2008, how to download SQL Server 2008 books online from official and unofficial sources, and some frequently asked questions about SQL Server 2008 book PDF download.
Sql Server 2008 Book Pdf Download
What is SQL Server 2008 and Why It Is Important
SQL Server 2008 is a relational database management system (RDBMS) developed by Microsoft that was released in August 2008. It is the successor of SQL Server 2005 and the predecessor of SQL Server 2012. SQL Server 2008 is based on the Structured Query Language (SQL), which is a standard language for querying and manipulating data in relational databases. SQL Server 2008 supports both on-premises and cloud-based deployment scenarios, as well as various operating systems, such as Windows, Linux, and macOS.
SQL Server 2008 introduces many new features and enhancements that improve the functionality, usability, reliability, scalability, and security of the database platform. Some of the main features and enhancements of SQL Server 2008 are:
Policy-Based Management: A framework that allows administrators to define and enforce policies for configuring and managing SQL Server instances and objects.
Audit: A feature that enables auditing of server and database events for compliance and security purposes.
Resource Governor: A feature that allows administrators to control the allocation of CPU and memory resources to different workloads and users.
Transparent Data Encryption: A feature that encrypts data at rest without requiring any changes to the applications or database schema.
Backup Compression: A feature that reduces the size and time of backup operations by compressing the backup files.
Change Data Capture: A feature that captures and records the changes made to the data in a table for data warehousing and analysis purposes.
Merge Replication: A type of replication that allows bidirectional synchronization of data between two or more SQL Server instances.
Spatial Data Types: Two new data types, geometry and geography, that store spatial data, such as points, lines, polygons, etc., and support spatial operations and functions.
Filestream Data Type: A new data type that allows storing large binary data, such as images, videos, documents, etc., in the file system while maintaining transactional consistency with the database.
Table-Valued Parameters: A new parameter type that allows passing a table as a parameter to a stored procedure or a function.
Grouping Sets: A new extension to the GROUP BY clause that allows specifying multiple grouping criteria in a single query.
Common Table Expressions (CTEs): A new syntax that allows defining a temporary result set that can be referenced within a query.
Integrated Full-Text Search: A feature that integrates the full-text search engine with the database engine, allowing faster and more flexible full-text queries.
Reporting Services: A component that provides a platform for creating, managing, and delivering reports from various data sources.
Analysis Services: A component that provides a platform for creating, managing, and delivering multidimensional data models, such as cubes, dimensions, measures, etc., for business intelligence purposes.
Integration Services: A component that provides a platform for creating, managing, and executing data integration and transformation tasks, such as extracting, loading, transforming, cleansing, etc., from various data sources.
SQL Server 2008 comes in different editions and versions that cater to different needs and requirements of users. The main editions of SQL Server 2008 are:
Enterprise: The most comprehensive edition that offers all the features and capabilities of SQL Server 2008 for large-scale and mission-critical applications.
Standard: The core edition that offers most of the features and capabilities of SQL Server 2008 for medium-scale applications.
Workgroup: The entry-level edition that offers basic features and capabilities of SQL Server 2008 for small-scale applications.
Express: The free edition that offers limited features and capabilities of SQL Server 2008 for learning and development purposes.
The main versions of SQL Server 2008 are:
SQL Server 2008 RTM: The original release version of SQL Server 2008 that was released in August 2008.
SQL Server 2008 SP1: The first service pack version of SQL Server 2008 that was released in April 2009. It includes bug fixes and performance improvements.
SQL Server 2008 SP2: The second service pack version of SQL Server 2008 that was released in September 2010. It includes bug fixes, performance improvements, and support for new features in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2.
What Are the Benefits of Learning SQL Server 2008
Learning SQL Server 2008 can provide you with many benefits, both personally and professionally. Some of the benefits of learning SQL Server 2008 are:
You can gain a solid foundation and understanding of relational database concepts and principles, such as tables, columns, rows, keys, indexes, constraints, relationships, normalization, etc.
You can master the skills and techniques of writing and executing SQL queries and statements, such as SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, JOIN, GROUP BY, HAVING, ORDER BY, etc., to manipulate and analyze data in SQL Server 2008.
You can learn how to use various features and tools of SQL Server 2008 to enhance the functionality, performance, security, and reliability of your database applications, such as stored procedures, functions, triggers, views, transactions, backups, restores, encryption, compression, replication, etc.
You can explore the possibilities and opportunities of using SQL Server 2008 for data warehousing and business intelligence purposes, such as creating and managing multidimensional data models with Analysis Services, creating and delivering reports with Reporting Services, creating and executing data integration and transformation tasks with Integration Services, etc.
You can improve your career prospects and employability by acquiring a valuable and in-demand skill set that is recognized and sought after by many employers and organizations across various industries and domains.
You can access a wealth of resources and support for learning SQL Server 2008 online or offline from official and unofficial sources, such as books online from Microsoft or other websites.
How to Download SQL Server 2008 Books Online from Official and Unofficial Sources
If you want to download SQL Server 2008 books online for learning or reference purposes, you have several options to choose from. You can download SQL Server 2008 books online from official sources such as Microsoft or from unofficial sources such as other websites. In this section, you will learn how to download SQL Server 2008 books online from both official and unofficial sources. You will also learn the pros and cons of each source and how to compare and contrast them.
The Official Microsoft Website for Downloading SQL Server 2008 Books Online
The official Microsoft website for downloading SQL Server 2008 books online is the Microsoft Download Center. The Microsoft Download Center is a website that provides downloads for various Microsoft products and services. You can find the download page for SQL Server 2008 books online by searching for "SQL Server 2008 R2 Books Online" on the Microsoft Download Center website or by following this link: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=9071.
The types and formats of the books available for download on the Microsoft Download Center website are:
PDF: Portable Document Format files that can be viewed with Adobe Reader or other PDF readers.
CHM: Compiled HTML Help files that can be viewed with Microsoft Help Viewer or other CHM readers.
MSHC: Microsoft Help Container files that can be viewed with Microsoft Help Viewer or other MSHC readers.
The languages and topics covered by the books available for download on the Microsoft Download Center website are:
English: The default language for all books.
Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian, Spanish: The additional languages for some books.
Getting Started: A book that provides an overview of SQL Server 2008 features and components.
Installation: A book that provides instructions for installing and upgrading SQL Server 2008.
Tutorials: A book that provides step-by-step guides for learning how to use SQL Server 2008 features and tools.
Database Engine: A book that provides information about the core component of SQL Server 2008 that stores and processes data.
Analysis Services - Multidimensional Data: A book that provides information about the component of SQL Server 2008 that creates and manages multidimensional data models.
Analysis Services - Data Mining: A book that provides information about the component of SQL Server 2008 that performs data mining and predictive analysis.
Integration Services: A book that provides information about the component of SQL Server 2008 that performs data integration and transformation.
Reporting Services: A book that provides information about the component of SQL Server 2008 that creates and delivers reports.
Replication: A book that provides information about the feature of SQL Server 2008 that replicates data between SQL Server instances.
SQL Server Service Broker: A book that provides information about the feature of SQL Server 2008 that enables asynchronous and reliable messaging between SQL Server instances.
Transact-SQL Reference: A book that provides reference information about the language and syntax of Transact-SQL, the primary language for querying and manipulating data in SQL Server 2008.
XQuery Language Reference: A book that provides reference information about the language and syntax of XQuery, the language for querying and manipulating XML data in SQL Server 2008.
The Steps and Requirements for Downloading SQL Server 2008 Books Online from Microsoft
To download SQL Server 2008 books online from Microsoft, you need to meet some prerequisites and system requirements. You also need to follow some instructions and screenshots for selecting, downloading, and installing the books. You also need to be aware of some tips and troubleshooting for common issues and errors. Here are the steps and requirements for downloading SQL Server 2008 books online from Microsoft:
The Prerequisites and System Requirements for Downloading and Viewing the Books
Before you download SQL Server 2008 books online from Microsoft, you need to make sure that you have the following prerequisites and system requirements:
A computer with an internet connection and a web browser.
A valid Microsoft account (optional but recommended).
A software program that can open PDF, CHM, or MSHC files, such as Adobe Reader, Microsoft Help Viewer, etc.
A sufficient amount of disk space to store the downloaded files (the size of each file varies depending on the type, format, language, and topic).
The Instructions and Screenshots for Selecting, Downloading, and Installing the Books
After you have met the prerequisites and system requirements, you can follow these instructions and screenshots to select, download, and install SQL Server 2008 books online from Microsoft:
Go to the download page for SQL Server 2008 books online on the Microsoft Download Center website or follow this link: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=9071.
On the download page, read the overview and instructions for the download package. You can also change the language of the page by clicking on the Select Language drop-down menu.
Click on the Download button to start the download process. You will be prompted to choose which files you want to download. You can select one or more files depending on your needs and preferences. You can also see the size of each file next to its name.
After you have selected the files you want to download, click on the Next button to continue. You will be asked to sign in with your Microsoft account (optional but recommended) or to provide your email address (required) to receive a confirmation email with a link to your downloads.
After you have signed in or provided your email address, click on the Next button to proceed. You will see a confirmation message with a link to your downloads. You can also access your downloads from your email or from your Microsoft account dashboard.
Click on the link to your downloads or open it from your email or dashboard. You will see a list of files that you have selected for download. You can click on each file name to start downloading it to your computer. You can also see the status and progress of each download.
After you have downloaded all the files you want, you can open them with your preferred software program that can open PDF, CHM, or MSHC files. You can also install them on your computer by double-clicking on each file and following the installation wizard.
The Tips and Troubleshooting for Common Issues and Errors
While downloading SQL Server 2008 books online from Microsoft, you might encounter some common issues and errors. Here are some tips and troubleshooting for resolving them:
If you have trouble finding or accessing the download page for SQL Server 2008 books online on the Microsoft Download Center website, try using a different web browser or clearing your browser cache and cookies.
The Alternative Websites for Downloading SQL Server 2008 Books Online for Free or at a Low Cost
If you want to download SQL Server 2008 books online for free or at a low cost, you can also try some alternative websites that offer unofficial sources of SQL Server 2008 books online. However, you need to be careful and cautious when choosing and using these websites, as they might not provide the same quality, legality, security, availability, and accessibility as the official Microsoft website. In this section, you will learn the criteria and considerations for choosing a reliable and reputable website for downloading SQL Server 2008 books online, the examples and reviews of some popular and recommended websites for downloading SQL Server 2008 books online, and the comparison and contrast of the pros and cons of each website.
The Criteria and Considerations for Choosing a Reliable and Reputable Website for Downloading SQL Server 2008 Books Online
Before you download SQL Server 2008 books online from an alternative website, you need to make sure that the website meets some criteria and considerations that indicate its reliability and reputation. Some of the criteria and considerations for choosing a reliable and reputable website for downloading SQL Server 2008 books online are:
The quality and accuracy of the content and information in the books: You need to check if the books are written by qualified and experienced authors, if they cover the topics and concepts of SQL Server 2008 comprehensively and correctly, if they are updated and compatible with the latest version of SQL Server 2008, if they are well-organized and easy to follow, etc.
The legality and security of the download process and the files: You need to check if the website has the permission and authorization to distribute the books, if it respects the intellectual property rights of the authors and publishers, if it provides a secure and encrypted connection for downloading the files, if it scans and verifies the files for viruses and malware, etc.
The availability and accessibility of the books in different formats and languages: You need to check if the website offers a variety of formats (such as PDF, CHM, MSHC, etc.) and languages (such as English, Chinese, French, etc.) for downloading the books, if it allows you to preview or sample the books before downloading them, if it provides clear and detailed instructions for downloading and installing the books, etc.
The Examples and Reviews of Some Popular and Recommended Websites for Downloading SQL Server 2008 Books Online
Based on the criteria and considerations mentioned above, here are some examples and reviews of some popular and recommended websites for downloading SQL Server 2008 books online:
Website
Features
Benefits
Drawbacks
Ratings
Feedback
Rip Tutorial
A website that provides free eBooks on various programming topics based on user-contributed content.
- The books are written by experts and enthusiasts who share their knowledge and experience.- The books cover a wide range of topics and concepts related to SQL Server 2008.- The books are available in PDF format.
- The quality and accuracy of the content might vary depending on the contributors.- The legality and security of the download process might not be guaranteed.- The books are only available in English.
4/5
"A great resource for learning SQL Server 2008 from scratch or refreshing your skills.""Some of the content might be outdated or incomplete."
Scribd
A website that provides access to millions of books, audiobooks, magazines, documents, etc., for a monthly subscription fee or a free trial period.
Pearson
A website that provides access to books, eBooks, and courses on various topics and subjects for a one-time purchase fee or a subscription fee.
- The books are written by reputable authors and publishers who have expertise and authority in their fields.- The books provide comprehensive and in-depth coverage of SQL Server 2008 topics and concepts.- The books are available in PDF format and some also in EPUB format.
- The books are not free and require a payment or a subscription to access them.- The legality and security of the download process might not be guaranteed.- The books are only available in English.
4/5
"A reliable source for high-quality and professional SQL Server 2008 books.""Some of the books are expensive or require a subscription."
Springer
A website that provides access to books, journals, articles, and papers on various scientific, technical, and medical topics for a one-time purcha