SQL Server Tutorials For Beginners & Experienced: A Comprehensive Guide

Introduction

Today businesses leverage data to improve efficiency and speed of their business processes and empowers them to make decisions based on facts, trends and statistical numbers. ‌ Businesses have to deal with a lot of data  (we generated 44 zettabytes of data ‌ in 2020): data from suppliers, employees, customers, and other stakeholders. It’s not easy to sift through such a massive amount of data to get the right insight and execute plans successfully Naturally, businesses not only look for ways to organize, store and get easy access to the data but also want it to remain safe from unauthorized access. How do they do this? This is where SQL server comes in picture.

Microsoft SQL Server is one of the few technologies that has revolutionized the way businesses manage and utilize data. It is basically a relational database management system (RDBMS) and is especially developed and built to manage and store information.

So if you are also one of those people who get intrigued by data and are considering exploring it through SQL Server tutorials blog is for you. In this SQL Server tutorials we will first discuss what SQL server is and a brief introduction to a set of basic SQL commands that are frequently used by developers. We will also share a SQL server career path so that not only you understand what SQL server is and how it does what it does but also help you kickstart your SQL server career!

Ready, let’s dive in!

MS SQL Server Tutorials: What is SQL Server?

As we mentioned earlier, SQL Server is an application software for Relational Database Management System (RDBMS), from Microsoft. SQL server’s primary role is to create, maintain, manage, and retrieve data as requested by other software applications—which may run either on the same computer or on another computer across a network including the Internet.

And what is RDBMS? Well, it is a database management system that stores the data in a structured format using rows and columns, this way it is easier to locate and access data in relation to another piece of data in the database.

Ready for SQL Server Tutorials for Beginners & Experienced? Let’s begin!

SQL Server Tutorials For Beginners & Experienced: An Overview

The SQL Server Tutorials is an introductory video designed especially for beginners that gives you an overview of the Microsoft SQL Server Training Course. In this video we discuss different terminologies related to SQL Server and focus on various SQL Server components to help you understand the essential features of SQL Server. These are:

SQL Server Tutorials: What Is A Database and Table? Different Key Factors To Create Database/Tables ?

Database is a‌ ‌systematic‌ ‌collection‌ ‌of‌ ‌data.‌ ‌If‌ ‌there‌ ‌has‌ ‌been‌ ‌no‌ ‌database‌ ‌and‌ ‌the‌ ‌ability‌ ‌to‌ ‌query‌ ‌it,‌ ‌then‌ ‌the task of analyzing,‌ ‌tracking,‌ ‌manipulating‌ ‌or‌ ‌updating‌ ‌data‌ ‌would‌ ‌be‌ ‌nearly‌ ‌impossible.‌ Tables are database objects that store all the data in a logical form i.e. in a row-and-column format in a database.

SQL Server Tutorials: Name Different Database Files And Its Usage.

These are three types of SQL Server database files:

1. Primary data file:  In every database, it is a primary data file from which all other files in the database start and also get recorded there other than the master database. It can be marked with a *.mdf extension..
2. Secondary data file. This data file has all data files that are not included in the primary data file. You can have two, many or no secondary data files in the database. It can be marked with a *.ndf extension.
3. Log file. Every log information gets stored and therefore it is necessary to have at least one log file in the database. It can be marked with a *.ldf extension.

SQL Server Tutorials: List Data Types And Its Usage In SQL Server Tables.

A data type is an attribute that notifies about the data type that the object can hold in a SQL Server Table such as integer data, character data, date and time data, so on and so forth.

SQL Server offers a set of system data types that is used to define all the other types of data in SQL Server Tables. SQL Server has the following data types, according to Microsoft:

1. Exact numeric: bit, tinyint, smallint, int, bigint, decimal, numeric, money and smallmoney
2. Unicode character strings: Nchar, Nvarchar, Ntext
3. Binary strings: Binary, image and varbinary
4. Approximate numeric: Real and float
5. Date and time: date, DateTime, datetime2, datetimeoffset, smalldatetime, time
6. Character strings:char, varchar, text
7. Other data types: Table, rowversion, Cursor, uniqueidentifier, XML, hierarchyid, sql_variant, t, Spatial and geography

SQL Server Tutorials For Beginners: What is the Syntax For Creating A Database ?

This is the basic syntax for creating a database in SQL Server:

CREATE DATABASE database_name;

SQL Server Tutorials: What is the Syntax For Creating Tables ?

You use a CREATE TABLE statement to create a new table in the database, this is how the syntax looks:

SQL Server Tutorials For Experienced: SQL Server Versions And Editions

SQL Server Editions can be broadly categorized into three sections:

1. Mainstream Edition: Enterprise, Standard, Web, BI
2. Specialized Edition: Azure, Compact, Developer, Evaluation
3. Discontinued Edition: MSDE, Personal, Datacenter

Below are the latest released and in operation SQL Server versions:

 SQL Server Tutorials: What are SQL Server Services And Components?

There are 5 types for SQL Server services. These are:

1. Database Engine
2. Compact Edition
3. Analysis Service
4. Integration Services
5. Reporting Service

Key Components of SQL Server:

1. Database Engine: It creates and drives relational databases.
2. SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS): It is the data-analysis component of a SQL Server and creates OLAP cubes (OnLine Analytical Processing are sophisticated programming objects for organizing data inside a relational database) and conducts data mining.
3. SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS): It offers reporting regardless of a database’s operating system inside a SQL Server.
4. SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS): It performs the Extract, Transform, and Load (ETL) function to clean up and format raw data from source systems and to turn data into ready-to-use information.

SQL Server Tutorials For Experienced: Define SQL Server Instances.

An instance is the installation of SQL Server and is an exact copy of the server files, databases, security details and other vital data in the SQL server. SQL Server allows us to install several instances on a particular machine with one condition that only one instance will be the default. SQL Server Instance is of two types:

1. Primary Instances: We can access the primary instance either by using the server name, or by its IP address. It is always unique.
2. Named Instances: We can access it by appending a backslash and instance name.

SQL Server Career Path: Salary Trends, Job Outlook & Certifications

Now you have been through the SQL Server Tutorials for Experienced & Beginners, so now let’s discuss the career growth and job opportunities in SQL Server technology. With organizations depending on conducting business processes or for producing services & products globally, naturally there is a need for IT professionals who can mitigate such a massive amount of data and turn it into meaningful information. Therefore SQL Server technology is leveraged by over 179,202 companies and therefore generates the highest opportunities in two rolesL SQL Developer Role & SQL Server DBA.

MS SQL Server Developer

• A SQL Server Developer is a professional who designs database tables & structures, writes SQL queries to integrate 3rd party apps, creates stored procedures, query plans & troubleshoots performance holdups. 
• An average salary of a SQL Server Developer is $115,887, or 56/hour.

For information about the salary of a SQL Server Developer, check out our insightful blog.

MS SQL Server DBA

• A SQL Server DBA or Database Administrator is someone who configures, implements, and maintains SQL database server systems, conducts performance monitoring, troubleshooting & data backup.
• An average salary of a SQL Server DBA is nearly $108,306 a year, or $52.07 an hour.

How Can You Start Your Career In SQL Server in 5 Easy Steps!

Here’s a quick and doable step for you to help you figure a way to start a career in SQL Server, follow them and take your SQL Server career next-level:

1. Know Everything About SQL Server Career

Knowing everything about a career’s advantages and disadvantages is important since you’ll be investing in it not just monetarily but mentally, emotionally and physically as well. So ensure that you keep the following things in mind before you think about making a career in it:

• Payscale
• Learning curve
• Educational background/work experience
• Hiring companies (with the best locations)
• Prerequisite Skills & Knowledge
• Job’s roles & responsibilities
• Work Culture & Atmosphere
• Career growth, opportunities & more

2. Enroll For SQL Server Training & Certification

There’s so much to learn about SQL Server, so it’s best if you consult professionals involved with SQL Server. You can either join a professional SQL Server Training program off-line or get the benefit of obtaining the foundational understanding of SQL Server, its concepts, with great practical assignments & case studies from anywhere, anytime with an online learning platform.

 Don’t know which one to go for? Let us help you in making the decision. Take a quick & free demo class with us and know why we are the best SQL Server training & certification platform!

3. Select Your Career Role

SQL Server offers ample opportunities for you to start your career in it. You can be a SQL Server BI Developer, SQL Server DBA or SQL Server Developer, wherever your interests lie, go for that role. If choosing any one of them seems overwhelming to you then you can always reach out to Career Consultants, especially professionals who are already working in SQL Server technology and learn what kind of career you will have, once you make a choice.

4. Ace the SQL Server Certifications Exam

We all know how obtaining a certification not only enables you to display your expertise over a subject but also gives you an edge in the job market. So go master the SQL Server training and ace SQL Server Certifications and be ready for the in-demand SQL Server profiler like SQL Server Developer and SQL Server DBA. 

5. Get Hands-On Experience & Start Applying 

Your theoretical knowledge of  SQL Server isn’t going to serve you any purpose if you don’t know how to use it in a real-case scenario. So step out and learn everything about SQL Server through networking with Professionals in the SQL Server ecosystem, be a part of the SQL Server community and take up projects (even if you are working) that will help you hone your SQL Server skills. The more experience you have with SQL Server, the more easily you will stack up relevant skills and knowledge and easier it will be for you to get the interview call.

Hey, if these steps overwhelmed you and you still don’t know how to and where to start your SQL Server Career path, is it even worth pursuing for, then go through the blog and get your answers!

Final Thoughts On SQL Server Tutorials

SQL Server has become the most preferred tool for processing data, mainly because it can handle a large pool of data and makes it easier to implement the mechanism of a relational database management system. In this SQL Server tutorials blog, we begin with discussing what Microsoft SQL server is, its uses, and share a few but popular SQL commands. We hope this blog has helped you understand SQL Server, its functionality and core concepts more clearly and brought you an inch closer to becoming a successful SQL Developer or SQL Server DBA. 

With expert guidance and proper SQL Server training and certification, you will be gifted with a future-proof SQL Server career! However, if you still have some doubts about the SQL Server Tutorials or SQL Server Career path, you can always reach out to us.

Drop us a comment and let us know if the SQL Server Tutorials for beginners made learning SQL Server easier or not?

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