Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services 2005

Author : Brian Larson Edition : 2 Number of Pages : 767 Publisher : McGraw-Hill Osborne Media List Price : $49.99 Amazon Price : $27.39 Used Price : $25.48

Product Description

Customer reviews

Never Have I read a better Tech Book - EVER ! by .. Johnathon B. Johnson ()
You, Brian Larson are wonderful. I have not read a better tech book.

You cover everything, from Beginning SQL syntax all the way to Security and executing reports with custom ASP.NET apps and Web Services. I recommend this to everyone, when they ask me how to learn SQL Reporting.

- John Johnson

It Assumes You Are A Little Slow by .. Dylan C. Bright (Tampa, FL)
I felt like this book thought I couldn't connect the dots. I guess what I should have looked for was more of a reference book. I had no experience with SQL reporting services, but I already knew my way around a SQL query, and although I am mostly a sysadmin by trade, I have dabbled in Microsoft developement products for many years. If you've never seen visual studio and/or you've never touched any kind of relational database or any kind of reporting tools in your life, maybe this would be a good book for you. If you just need the bullet points on how it works and someone to point you in the right direction on some of the more complex things SSRS can do, this book won't work for you.

Most of what I have learned about SSRS so far, I have learned from the Internet and Microsoft's included documentation.

Beginners Only? by .. Michael W. Schellenberger (georgetown, in United States)
As a very experienced developer I needed to learn about SQL Server Reporting Services as quick as possible as for a project I am starting. I bought this title primarily based on the great reviews, I must say I was very disappointed. If you are already a developer or report writer then I would say this book is not for you.

The book started out alright but when I got to chapter 3 titled 'DB 101 : Database Basics' I kind of figured I may have the wrong book. Next chapters were on various levels of report creation, no explanation of the report to be created or it's features, just a very detailed list of step by step instructions to make the report.

I know many learn by example but I learned nothing here as I can not take the time nor do I learn from following mindless step by step direction. After a few chapters like this I quit reading the book.

Exactly what I needed by .. Jeffrey S. Beam (Danvers, MA USA)
I am a veteran SQL developer but never got into Reporting services. This book was the perfect balance of getting started and doing real work. After 2 or 3 days I was developing my own reports and deploying them to the company. It contained good (accurate) examples that were very close to what I needed to be doing. It was not fluffed up with nonesense to create more pages like some books are. It was clear, precise and useful. The example that was followed throughout the books was well developed. That allowed me to focus on the reporting not the example.

Sql server 2005 Reportin Service, Brian Larson by .. Database reader (Denver)
SAVE YOUR MONEY!!! This is a book seems to be targetting retarded. There is a chapter on datbase concepts - if some one does not know, it is unlikely they will be reading reporting services. Too much fluff and descriptions are buried in the fluff. If you skip the fluff, you may find yourself difficult to connect dots. Too much details on formatting fonts, colors which is completly useless.

Beginning SQL Server 2005 Administration

Author : Dan Wood Number of Pages : 600 Publisher : Wrox List Price : $39.99 Amazon Price : $21.31 Used Price : $21.31

Product Description

Beginning with a foundation that features detailed coverage of typical administrative duties, the authors proceed to explain how to build complex data transformations for data import, build distributed data solutions, and maintain the security and integrity of the database. You will be able to apply what you learn to real-world scenarios, and smoothly navigate the vastly changed landscape of SQL Server 2005 administration.

What you will learn from this book

• How to install, maintain, and manage an SQL Server 2005 installation, including high availability and security considerations
• Various features such as the Common Language Runtime, SQL Server Integration Services, Notification Service, and the Service Broker
• How to use the tools that are necessary to manage configuration, backups, restores, security, availability, performance, and monitoring
• A sampling of some of the more advanced areas and complex jobs of the broadening role of a database administrator in the enterprise

Who this book is for

This book is for both developers and administrators who are responsible for the management and maintenance of an SQL Server 2005 database. Familiarity with relational database concepts and SQL is assumed.

Wrox Beginning guides are crafted to make learning programming languages and technologies easier than you think, providing a structured, tutorial format that will guide you through all the techniques involved.

Enhance Your Knowledge Advance Your Career

Customer reviews

Pretty good SQL Server 2005 BEGINNER book by .. Darren A. Allicock (New York, N.Y.)
This book is for beginners. I'm a seasoned system engineer and have worked with SQL 2005 before. However not having any formal training I decided to get a book. I don't want to be a developer so I needed something that demonstrates SQL server 2005 from the admin side. This is book is perfect for that. It explains the major features a sys admin would want to know. Anything above what this book teaches, can be found on technet or doing a google search. So in conclusion, for a sys admin wanting to know SQL Server 2005, this book will serve your purposes very well...

VERY good basic book. by .. Paul E. Richmond (Port Orchard, WA USA)
Having taken several classes from Dan Wood I appreciate the years of practical experience these guys bring to the table. It is a very good, readable, and thorough introduction to MS SQL Server 2005. SQL 2005 is a big product with lots of intricacies. This is one of the best introductions to to it that I've read.

Great Book for Beginnners by .. Todd Bryant ()
This is an awesome book for someone that is new to SQL Server and needs to learn basic administration. The authors did a really good job of explaining the fundamentals in clear simple language.

I especially enjoyed the explanation of the storage engine. It made things clear to me that I didn't understand previously.

Just what I needed by .. Hard Drive (Seattle, WA)
I had not touched a DB box in quite a while, and I was recently handed a SQL 2005 box to manage. This book pretty much covered everything I needed. The writing style is laid back and readable, and they get right to the point, without going off on all sorts tangents. The chapter on Automating Administrative Tasks (Chapter 8) was pure gold.

Good stuff.

Great Book!!! by .. J. Roach ()
I found this book offers exactly what I needed. I learned how to best manage my SQL 2005 Database Server. I found the information to be accurate and well written, an excellent reference that I've used many times. I really appreciated how the authors used real world experience to relay hard to understand concepts.

Beginning SQL Server 2005 Programming (Programmer to Programmer)

Author : Robert Vieira Edition : 1 Number of Pages : 720 Publisher : Wrox List Price : $39.99 Amazon Price : $21.89 Used Price : $19.95

Product Description

• After a quick primer on database design basics and the SQL query language (for those programmers who may be building their first database application), this book provides an overview of SQL Server itself, which has been dramatically redesigned with the 2005 release
• Once readers have grasped the fundamentals of database design and SQL concepts, they will then learn how to implement those concepts with Microsoft SQL Server 2005
• Addresses creating and changing tables, managing keys, database normalization, writing scripts, working with stored procedures, programming with XML, and using SQL Server reporting and data transformation services
• The companion Web site provides all of the code found in the book

Customer reviews

It's OK by .. Blue Genie LLC (Oregon, USA)
I found this book too slow and not covering enough information. Then again, I realize the spped of relaying the information via a book is a bit of a personal thing. I also would have loved to have a lot more examples. I prefer a much more hands on method.

Beginning SQL Server 2005 Programming (Programmer to Programmer) by .. Albert Miranda ()
This SQL Server book is very detail oriented. He explains clearly and straight to the point. The exercises are short on each subject. This book is meant for a beginner at SQL but some experience in programming. Great job! I will be purchasing from Amazon in the near future.

Frustration For Beginners by .. Jose Andujar ()
this book is very disappointing, It assumes the reader has knowledge of
installing SQL and migrating required Data base to be used in the book.
If you Can not get the required DATA Base in SQL then GOOD LUCK.

If you are looking to learn on your own Look Else Where.

Yes, I do have Some Programing knowledge.

Good Book For Beginners. by .. S. Devasundaram (Cleveland,OH)
An Excellent Beginners book. I bought it for my friend to start on SQL SERVER 2005. I will definitely recommend it to any beginner. 5 Stars.

Surely Disappointed. by .. Jamazon (Denver, CO United States)
I just bought 2 copies this book based on the reviews and the cost. I planned on using it to teach someone about SQL Server, using SQL Server 2005 Express edition. Well, for teaching purposes, this book is very disappointing. It is however, comprehensive in terms on making knowledgeable many aspects of SQL Server. But if you plan on self-teaching yourself SQL Server, this book lacks. The book does explain all the objects in SQL Server, including as it seems all software books, his personality laced diatribe. But it doesn't explain how to use the objects well. Just trying to learn T-SQL, it doesn't demonstrate or give any examples how to use each command or keyword in length. And there's just a hint of exercises in the back of the chapter to help the learner practice some more. And the book also assumes you have somewhat developed on SQL Server. What?! It's a beginners book.

Now I have to come up with full lesson plans, since this book doesn't even make a dent in doing so.

In conclusion, the book explains a plethora of objects. But if you are wanting to self teach, it will be difficult to learn with this book.

Just want a book that removes individual diatribes, gives many examples of each function, provides many exercises to further practice, with answers. This book doesn't fit the bill.

Professional SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services

Author : Paul Turley Edition : 2nd Number of Pages : 722 Publisher : Wrox List Price : $39.99 Amazon Price : $16.47 Used Price : $16.00

Customer reviews

Poor layout, poor organisation and poor delivery by .. Balraj Bhachoo (UK, London)
To start with the first 3 chapters are a waste of time. Chapters 6 and 7, covering advanced reporting techniques should have been expanded on in detail with a step by step layout - instead we get a dumb comment - "you've learnt the details in earlier chapters (not true of the code). There is constant problems in reading the text - so much garbage and no proper highlight of key words - its impossible to race through the book, you only can trod like an old man. Unnecessary information is given that is not required. Chapter 11 - Report server configuration is at the end of the book but should be at the front - these nutters assume you are a dba when it comes to environment configuration. The book is a shambles of a layout and i give it one star for the sheer frustration it caused me - how do you learn in this condition - you waste a lot of time swearing and cursing and perfect these skills and not your reporting skills!!

Confusing! by .. Book worm (Australia)
The reason for being so confusing is this book was written by so many authors, thereby the ideas presented are not coherent. This is not a learner's book, and if you're looking for one I suggest you buy Brian Larson's instead - great book, easy to follow and the author will patiently answer your inquiries regarding some minor problems.

I bought this book yesterday hoping I could supplement the things I've already learned previously regarding RS, but no, I'll return this book today and ask for a refund.

Needs stronger editing, walkthroughs hard to follow. by .. Robert Bruce (Dallas, Texas)
Almost impossible to do the walkthroughs as the writers can't decide if they are giving you instructions or just offering some general concepts. Chapters 1-3 are a waste of time. Go straight to chapter 4 to get started.

The format is too conversational and often fluffed-out with irrelevant details.

Overall, another disappointing Wrox text that has too many authors and no editor.

About Average by .. SPYRIDON PRANTALOS (Miami, FL USA)
This book is about average. With that I am not implying that it is a bad book but rather that you could find the same information on the Internet just by googling a little bit. I guess I was expecting to find something really clever in it, something that it would make it more useful that simple internet articles. Again, not a bad book but also not one that will make the difference.

Tough to get through by .. Levi Wallach (Vienna, VA USA)
This will probably be an ok reference for some things in ssrs, but otherwise it has been a real pain to get through. There seems to be a huge amount of repetitive informatin in the first three chapters before we actually get to start writing reports.

Unfortunately, once writing reports, it seems like the authors have ADD. They start talking about a walk through exercise but never actually have the walk through. They do have a couple of exercises where they show you how to go step by step, but these are not explained well.

I think the writing, other than being repetative, is sometimes unecessarily chatty, but at other times way to terse for beginners.

I have managed to glean some value from the book, but it's been tough. I would definitely recommend if you haven't touched SSRS yet to go through the tutorials on MSDN first. They do a better job of introducing you to basics, giving you plain instructions, and not overloading you with commentary that isn't all helpful in just getting you up to speed on how to create reports. Luckily I did this before I bought the book. I think if I was completely new to reporting and SSRS, I would have thrown this book down in disgust after the first 100 pages or so...

Expert SQL Server 2005 Development

Author : Adam Machanic Edition : 1 Number of Pages : 472 Publisher : Apress List Price : $49.99 Amazon Price : $25.92 Used Price : $25.92

Product Description

While building on the skills you already have, Expert SQL Server 2005 Development will help you become an even better developer by focusing on best practices and demonstrating how to design high–performance, maintainable database applications.

This book starts by reintroducing the database as a integral part of the software development ecosystem. You’ll learn how to think about SQL Server development as you would any other software development. For example, there's no reason you can’t architect and test database routines just as you would architect and test application code. And nothing should stop you from implementing the types of exception handling and security rules that are considered so important in other tiers, even if they are usually ignored in the database.

You’ll learn how to apply development methodologies like these to produce high–quality encryption and SQLCLR solutions. Furthermore, you’ll discover how to exploit a variety of tools that SQL Server offers in order to properly use dynamic SQL and to improve concurrency in your applications. Finally, you’ll become well versed in implementing spatial and temporal database designs, as well as approaching graph and hierarchy problems.

Customer reviews

Did you ever think you wouldn't really learn anything new from yet another SQL Server book? by .. T. Schroeder (Seattle, WA)
The author imparts a wealth of knowledge on the reader in a mere 445 pages. His style is direct, clear and doesn't waste any pages on trying to get you up to speed. He gives you just what you need and nothing else. I wish they were all like this.

By providing actual performance testing Adam Machanic doesn't just make expert claims for his methods. In fact, my favorite quote from the book: "The hallmark of a truly great developer, and what allows these qualities to shine through, is a thorough understanding of the importance of testing."

Having never worked with spatial data before, I found the coverage of the topic fascinating. Also, entire books have been written on tree's, hierarchies and graphs. Adam provides enough information in a single chapter for the developer to choose a strategy that works.

5 stars - easy

Definitely different...great different...but different by .. Louis B. Davidson (Antioch, TN USA)
I have read (well, ok, read through or I would post more reviews) quite a few technical books about SQL Server. Where many books follow a very rigid path through a subject, quite often in a very feature driven manner (Here is this command, and you can do this. Next, this command) or process driven manner (First we do this, then we do this...).

This book is very different from that. The title includes the word "Expert" for good reason. This is a book that doesn't assume you know nothing and start from scratch, nor does it try to teach you every knob and switch on all of the SQL commands. It it more about going to the next level and becoming the expert at programming with SQL Server by covering several deep dive subjects that every person needs to make the transition from "Pro" to "Expert".

It has eleven chapters, each of them about a distinct facet of programming SQL Server, from the common stuff you need to do or use right (testing, errors, privilege, CLR, encryption, dynamic SQL and concurrency) to three chapters on really deep applied stuff (spatial data, temporal data, and graphs/trees). Each chapter has some very deep information, and a lot of code that could make you dizzy if you try to ingest it too fast. It is all explained nicely though, and if you take the time to understand the code you will be far better off for it.

I would not suggest this as a book for the casual "I would like to know a bit more about SQL" reader. It is more for the reader who is already good and wants to become a solid professional/expert SQL programmer who know the right way to do things. For that reader it should be on your required reading list.

Great Book by .. SPYRIDON PRANTALOS (Miami, FL USA)
This is really a great book. It covers specific topics really extensively and it is very easy to read. I was impressed because I was able to find great information about topics such as Encryption or Hierarchies that cannot be found very easily in other books. The examples are very descriptive but the most important thing is that the author will show you all possible solutions and will prove why the one he selected is the best. It is not a beginner's book but it is a fantastic book for advanced DBAs/Developers.

Stuff I did not know by .. Joe Celko (Austin, TX)
Frankly, I was expecting a very SQL Server 2005 specific book. Instead, what we have is a good general RDBMS book that happens to be using SQL Server 2005. Encryption, access control, testing, basic software engineering and exception handling are never touched in SQL programming books -- including my own! The spatial chapters were new to me. The little asides were also worth looking up. Good clean style, great job.

Well written and practical book on SQL Server 2005. by .. AT ()
The book presents real-life SQL Server problems and shows you how to solve them. It is written in a friendly and story-like fashion. The amount of detail presented is just right - detailed enough to understand the topics yet simple enough not to feel overwhelmed by the amount of information presented.

In the first chapter, the author reviews coupling, cohesion, encapsulation and database role in the application development cycle.

Chapter 2 is extremely useful for testing and tuning queries. It teaches you all you need to know about SQL Profiler. Other topics include unit and functional testing and performance counters. The chapter also introduces the SQLQueryStress Performance Tool which is a free query performance and load testing tool designed by the author.

Chapter 3 covers the different types of errors and exceptions and also shows you how to write error handling code using new error-handling construct added in SQL Server 2005.

The chapter on Dynamic SQL, chapter 7, is a must read for every database developer as it teaches you how and when to use dynamic SQL to make your application both efficient and secure.

Other advanced topics covered in the book are encryption, SQLCLR security and designing systems for application concurrency.

Recommended for SQL Server professionals of all levels.