Microsoft SQL Server DBA Survival Guide

New releases get two thumbs up

Until recently, the number of books onMicrosoft's SQL Server was small. One of several new volumes filling this voidis the Microsoft SQL Server DBA Survival Guide. Authors OrrynSledge and Mark Spenik approach SQL Server from the database administrator's(DBA's) point of view. This book is not about writing SQL code or developingapplications, but it's for anyone who has to install, configure, and maintain aSQL Server database in a production environment. The authors draw on theirexperience to produce a true survival guide. The book emphasizes what to do andhow to get it done and gives users what they need. The theory can wait foranother time and another book.

For anyone contemplating the Microsoft class or certification exam on SQLServer Database Administration, this book is a great resource. It covers a lotof the course material, but with a different emphasis and more real-worldexamples, hints, and tips.

The DBA's role changed with the introduction of client/server computing,and the authors explain what a DBA does in this new computing environment. Inthe past, a DBA often maintained the database and restricted access to it. Now aDBA works with developers to make the data accessible to users and can even bepart of the development team.

The DBA's new role includes establishing and implementing a plan to keepthe database running day in and day out. The authors offer suggestions forautomating some routine tasks. The book also covers where and how SQL Serverfits in today's corporate computing paradigm.

Sledge and Spenik include a section on planning and implementing a SQLServer installation. The book emphasizes determining the users' needs anddesigning hardware and software to meet those needs. With your plans in hand,you can complete the installation efficiently and avoid future problems. Afterinstallation, you have to configure SQL Server by defining devices and databasesand adding users. The book clearly explains all these operations, so that evensomeone new to SQL Server will have few problems with the configuration. Theauthors explain the Enterprise Manager, the types of devices and how to createthem, and how to implement fault tolerance for your critical devices. ThenSledge and Spenik discuss databases, transaction logs, and how to optimize andadjust the size of the databases.

User management and security are closely related topics, and the bookcovers them in back-to-back chapters. The authors explain how SQL Serversecurity is integrated with, and builds on, the Windows NT security model. Thenthey move into the daily operations of the database, including replication,backups and recovery, importing and exporting data, and troubleshooting.

A DBA is likely to spend some time optimizing and tuning the database, andSledge and Spenik offer plenty of suggestions for monitoring and optimizingdatabase performance. They also describe several SQL Server parameters fortuning your database.

The authors go on to explain database design, which has more impact onperformance than anything else. This book is not for developers. The treatmentof normalization and denormalization is no more than a good introduction to thetopic, but it suffices to give a new DBA an appreciation of what's happeninginside the database. The same point applies to the section on indexing. For moreinformation on these topics, you need a book that focuses on performance andtuning.

With an understanding of the internal workings of SQL Server, a DBA canstep in to assist a theory-oriented developer in query optimization. The authorsdrop hints about updating the statistical information the query optimizer uses,an important task in a dynamic, changing database.

The appendixes are a useful reference source and include a list of SQLServer's built-in stored procedures, a function reference for building storedprocedures, and a list of SQL system tables. The CD-ROM that comes with the bookcontains the SQL Server DBA Assistant, which lets you quickly estimate memoryrequirements, calculate space usage, update statistics, and more.

Microsoft SQL Server DBA Survival Guide fills a need for the DBA onthe job and anyone pursuing certification in SQL Server administration.Developers who have to install, maintain, back up, and tune databaseapplications in the development process will also benefit. The book scores adirect hit on its target readership--strongly recommended.