October 09, 1999 @ 04:40 pm·Filed under Books
By Alexis Leon & Mathews Leon, Tata McGraw-Hill, 1999.
Structured Query Language or SQL is a must for
any software professional who will be designing, developing or
maintaining software applications that involves databases and data
manipulation. It is also a must for people who use the popular
Relational Database Management Systems like DB2, Oracle, Sybase,
MS-SQL Server, MS-Access, etc. Given the growth of the RDBMS
industry, it is essential for all IT professionals to have at
least a working knowledge of SQL.
The purpose of this book is to explain and to
describe the official version of the SQL. SQL has been adopted as
an international standard by ISO and many other international
bodies like the American National Standards Institute (ANSI),
Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS), etc. In addition
there are hundreds of database management systems and database
products, which use SQL in one form or other. Thus SQL represents
one of the most important feature of the database world.
This book deals with the newest version of
SQL-Database Language SQL: 1992-informally known as SQL/92 or
SQL2. This version of SQL represents many major improvements and
extensions to the earlier SQL standard. The various database
management systems and database products differ in the
implementation and use of SQL. This book will concentrate on the
official standard version of SQL-SQL/92-rather than a product
specific dialect. So this book is relevant all those who are
interested in the SQL language, its implementation and usage.
The book is intended both as a work of
reference and as a tutorial guide. It includes both formal
definitions and numerous solved examples and exercises. The book
assumes nothing. It starts from scratch, prepares the readers for
SQL by introducing them to the concepts of data, database
management, relational databases, data modeling, etc. For the
effective understanding and efficient implementation of SQL, the
knowledge of the database fundamentals is a must.
The book is divided into different sections
like Introduction to Database Concepts, Introduction to SQL, Data
Definition, Data Manipulation, Data Control, Advanced SQL Topics,
Performance Tuning, etc.
Then there is a section, which serves as a
command/quick reference. This is an alphabetical listing of the
SQL commands. Each command is briefly explained-syntax and
description. This section is cross-referenced with the chapters in
which the commands are discussed in detail.
There is a glossary of SQL and other database
related terms. This will help you in quickly looking-up the
meaning of a term. There is also a section, which contains the
frequently asked questions (FAQs) on SQL. This section will prove
invaluable in testing your knowledge and preparing for tests and
interviews.
The book has a companion floppy, which contains
objective type questions on SQL-Multiple Choice Questions,
True/False Questions, Fill in the blanks, etc. The reader can take
a quiz/test from the entire questions (say 120 questions selected
at random from the different chapters) or practice each chapter
separately. There will be provision to do the test under
examination conditions (timed tests) or at the user's pace. The
software will do the scoring and at the end of the test/practice
session the user can review the answers and see where he/she has
gone wrong.
The book as a whole is intended to be
self-contained. The only background assumed of the reader is a
general interest in SQL. All necessary terms, concepts and
terminology are explained in the book. The book is for any one who
wants to know about SQL, its usage and its implementation. The
book will have a very high value as a reference book, a course
book, a refresher and a book that will help in gaining good
knowledge of SQL in a very short time. The FAQs and the companion
floppy will prove invaluable in this.
The book is intended for all the database
professionals-beginners as well as the experienced, the novices as
well as the experts, the programmers as well as the students. It
can be used to brush up one's knowledge and make one up-to-date.
Answering the questions (FAQs and Quiz) will give one an
understanding about his current knowledge level, so that he/she
can improve his/her skills. This book is an excellent tool for the
interviewers also as it contains lots of questions for them to
choose. In other words this book is a must for any database
professional who wants to succeed.
|