• 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

Covering all the fundamentals of SQL Server 2005, this developer-oriented guide begins with an exploration of the foundation objects of SQL. Each chapter builds on the previous one, gradually progressing to increasingly advanced topics. By the time you''ve completed this book, you will be prepared to perform as an efficient SQL Server 2005 programmer, and, when ready, move on to the more advanced Professional title.

What you will learn from this book

• The various user-defined functions and triggers
• How to create and change tables
• Ways to manage keys, write scripts, and work with stored procedures
• Techniques for programming with XML
• How to use Reporting Services and Integration Services
• The different peripheral features of SQL

Who this book is for

This book is for Microsoft database developers of all levels who are looking for an authoritative resource for core syntax, systems, and strategies for the 2005 release of SQL Server.

Wrox Professional 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.

Robert Vieira is one of the leading authorities on Microsoft SQL Server and author of the bestselling title from Wrox Press, Professional SQL Server 2000 Programming, with nearly 40,000 copies in print.  Vieira is currently a Software Architect for NetIQ Corporation in Portland, OR, where he performs design work and coaches other developers. He speaks frequently at both public and private conferences nationally, and is perhaps best known for his light-hearted approach to teaching and writing.