SQL Server 2008 Introductions

SQL Server 2008 Technologies

http://www.microsoft.com/sql/2008/technologies/default.mspx

SQL Server 2008 technologies and their definitions and capabilities including data programmability, high availability, integration services, manageability, performance and scale, security, spatial data, and reporting services.

SQL Server 2008 Definition

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_SQL_Server

Definition of SQL Server 2008 from Wikipedia. Discusses what SQL Server is, the architecture, the relational engine, the protocol layer, data storage, buffer management, logging, transaction, concurrency and locking, data retrieval, services (including service broker, replication services, analysis services, reporting services, notification services, integration services, and full text search), history, editions, tools (including SQLCMD, Visual Studio, SQL Server Management Studio, and Business Intelligence Development Studio), and programmability.

Microsoft Announces SQL Server 2008

http://www.sqlteam.com/article/microsoft-announces-sql-server-2008

Article: “Microsoft Announces SQL Server 2008,” by Bill Graziano. Discusses the new features of SQL Server 2008 including the MERGE statement, the Change Data Capture (CDC), the Declarative Management Framework (DMF), table valued parameters, and the data warehouse enhancements.

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 For Dummies

http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Server-2008-Dummies-Computer/dp/0470224657/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1199138862&sr=1-15

Book: Microsoft SQL Server 2008 For Dummies, by Mike Chappie (May 2008). Discusses SQL Server 2008, databases, building an SQL server, working with Management Studio, planning a database, creating databases and tables, relationship management, simple database queries, joining tables, working with database views, analysis services, inserting data into a database, stored procedures, user functions, triggers, migrating from Access, and server administration.

What’s New in SQL Server 2008

http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/datacenter/?p=218

Article: “What’s New in SQL Server 2008,” by Steven Warren. Discusses transparent data encryption, external key management, enhanced auditing, enhanced database mirroring (including automatic page repair, improved performance, enhanced supportability), Hot Add CPU, performance data collection, extended events, backup compression, data compression, resource governor, and plan freezing.

Beginning SQL Server 2008 for Developers

http://www.amazon.com/Beginning-SQL-Server-2008-Developers/dp/1590599586/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1199134370&sr=1-1

Book: Beginning SQL Server 2008 for Developers: From Novice to Professional, by Robin Dewson (March 2008). Discusses how to install SQL Server 2008, how to navigate around Management Studio, creating tables, sorting data, securing data, retrieving data, back-up and recovery features, how to use Transact-SQL (a built-in procedural language), reporting services, create and secure tables, query data, use indexes, run procedural code inside a database, and prepare service reports.

Beginning MS SQL Server 2008 Programming

http://www.amazon.com/Beginning-Microsoft-Server-2008-Programming/dp/0470257016/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1199134370&sr=1-4

Book: Beginning Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Programming, by Robert Vieira (May 2008). Discusses creating and changing tables, managing keys, database normalization, writing scripts, working with stored procedures, using SQL Server Reporting and Integration Services, DATE and TIME data types, time related functionality, the HierarchyID data type, hierarchical data, the XML data type, the INSERT statement, and recursive queries.

MS SQL Server 2008: A Beginner’s Guide

http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft%C2%AE-SQL-Server-2008-Beginners/dp/0071546383/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1199134370&sr=1-10

Microsoft SQL Server 2008: A Beginner’s Guide, by Duscan Petkovic (July 2008). Introduces all the new features such as administration, development and business intelligence tools.

SQL Server 2008 All-in-One Desk Reference

http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Server-2008-All-Reference-Dummies/dp/0470179546/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1199134370&sr=1-11

Book: Microsoft SQL Server 2008 All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies, by Robert D. Schneider and Darril Gibson (June 2008) Discusses SQL Server basics, queries and programming, database administration, security, performance tuning, scalability and availability, XML, reporting, analysis and integration.