SQL Server 2005 Learning Guide

It's been five years since Microsoft released a new DBMS, but both experts and users agree that this one was worth the wait. SQL Server 2005's enhancements and new features have made the system a much more attractive option to both large and small shops. Nonetheless, upgrading to SQL Server 2005 is a serious undertaking, requiring extensive training, planning and testing. In this Learning Guide, you will find news, technical tips and...

expert advice to help address your questions and concerns regarding SQL Server 2005 and put you on the road to a successful upgrade. This Learning Guide was last updated Thurs., May 25.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
   SQL Server 2005 news archive
   Enhancements and new features
   Upgrade considerations and advice
   DBA concerns
   Developer concerns
   Additional resources

SQL Server 2005 news archive

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• New! Q&A: What's new in SQL Server 2005 SP1
• Article: Microsoft releases CTP for SQL Server SP1
• Article: Microsoft unwraps its JDBC driver for SQL Server
• Article: SQL Server 2005 may call for a smarter DBA
• Article: Free download expands features for SQL Server 2005
• Article: Free version of SQL Server 2005 tops list of downloads
• Article: SQL Server launch: Milestone or stepping stone?
• Article: Microsoft SQL Server 2005: The next generation
• Article: Microsoft launches Visual Studio 2005
• Article: SQL Server 2005: Users will upgrade . . . eventually
• Article: SQL Server 2005 reaches final milestone
• Article: Security is the catch word for SQL Server's sequel
• Article: Delay in database mirroring isn't changing many IT plans
• Article: SQL Server Express a sign of LAMP's success

Enhancements and new features

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• Book excerpts: Introduction to SQL Server 2005 Management Studio
• Q&A: SQL Server 2005 Database Mirroring primer
• FAQ: SQL Server 2005 features and functions
• New! Tip: Tuning stored procedures: Structured exception handling in SQL Server 2005
• New! Tip: SQL Server 2005: When and how to use Database Snapshots
• New! Tip: Tool to configure and lock down SQL Server 2005 services
• New! Tip: Introducing the SQL Server 2005 Surface Area Configuration tool
• New! Tip: Reporting Services tool set in Management Studio goes real-time
• New! Tip: Using SQL Server Profiler with Analysis Services
• Tip: SQL Profiler: Features, functions and setup in SQL Server 2005
• Tip: Top 10 new features in SQL Server 2005
• Tip: SQL Server Management Studio: Don't miss these client tool enhancements
• Tip: Top 10 security enhancements in SQL Server 2005
• Tip: Backup and recovery enhancements in SQL Server 2005
• Tip: Load-balancing enhancements in SQL Server 2005
• Tip: What's new with T-SQL in SQL Server 2005
• Tip: Maximize large data with new MAX datatypes
• Tip: Say goodbye to system tables in SQL Server 2005
• Tip: An introduction to SQL Server 2005's CLR functions
• Tip: Backing up and restoring Analysis Services databases
• Expert response: Differences between DTS and SSIS
• Expert response: Database mirroring in SQL Server 2005
• Expert response: SQL Server 2005 index types
• Expert response: Image encryption enhancements
• Expert response: SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) replacing DTS
• Expert response: How row versioning works in SQL Server 2005
• Expert response: How failover clustering works in SQL Server 2005
• Chapter: Microsoft SQL Server 2005 New Features, 'XML integration'

Upgrade considerations and advice

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• Webcast: Upgrading to SQL Server 2005: What you must know
• Article: Are single-platform databases in your future
• Column: SQL Server 2005: To be or not to be an early adopter
• Q&A: Making the jump to 64-bit SQL Server 2005
• New! Step-by-Step Guide: Planning your migration to SQL Server 2005
• New! Tip: Configure SQL Server 2005 TempDB for performance
• New! Tip: Tuning stored procedures: Structured exception handling in SQL Server 2005
• New! Tip: Broken applications: Backward compatibility issues when switching to SQL Server 2005
• New! Tip: Exception handling best practices in SQL Server 2005
• Tip: Reduce upgrade unknowns with the SQL Server 2005 Upgrade Advisor
• Tip: Working with multiple versions of SQL Server
• Tip: SQL Server 2005: 10 steps to justify and plan your upgrade
• Tip: SQL Server and business intelligence: Plan ahead
• Tip: Not upgrading? Keep SQL Server 2000 secure
• Expert response: Upgrading from SQL Server 2000 to SQL Server 2005
• Expert response: Why upgrade to SQL Server 2005?
• Expert response: Tools to prepare systems for migration
• Expert response: Benefits of upgrading directly from SQL Server 2000
• FAQ: SQL Server 2005 beta testers' FAQ

DBA concerns

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• Book excerpts: Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services: Building Basic Reports'
• New! Tip: Working with schemas in SQL Server 2005
• Tip: Tracking query execution with SQL Server 2005 Profiler
• Tip: SQL Server 2005 DMVs: Exposing the state of your server
• Tip: SQL Server Integration Services: Simplify database maintenance
• How to upload Access data on SQL Server 2005
• Tip: Database Engine Tuning Adviser: How to tune your new SQL Server 2005
• Expert response: Integrating Oracle and SQL Server 2005
• New! Step-by-Step Guide: How to interpret performance metrics in SQL Server 2005

Developer concerns

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• Book excerpts: A First Look at SQL Server 2005 for Developers: 'Security'
• Chapter: Programming and Extending SSIS
• Chapter: Microsoft SQL Server 2005 New Features, 'XML integration'
• Chapter: ADO.NET and System.Xml v. 2.0, 'ADO.NET and SQL Server 2005'
• Tip: Writing quality SQLCLR routines
• Tip: An introduction to SQL Server 2005's CLR functions
• Expert response: DDL vs. DML triggers
• Expert response: Overcoming SQL Server's 8060-byte row limit
• Expert response: SQL Service Broker and Microsoft Message Queuing
• Expert response: Storing business objects as instances of CLR user-defined types
• Expert response: CLR stored procedures vs. T-SQL stored procedures
• Expert response: Writing SQL Server 2005 stored procedures without knowing T-SQL
• Expert response: Storing XML data in SQL Server 2005
• Expert response: sp_configure 'allow updates' equivalent in SQL Sever 2005
• Expert response: Concealing metadata in SQL Server 2005
• Expert response: Storing XML data in SQL Server 2005
• Expert response: Will SQL Server 2000 DTS packages work in SQL Server 2005?
• Expert response: CLR stored procedures versus T-SQL stored procedures
• Expert response: Aggregate functions in SQL Server 2005
• Expert response: Storing business objects as a SQL CLR user-defined type

Additional resources

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• FAQ: SQL Server 2005 beta testers' FAQ
• Topic: News, tips and more on upgrading to SQL Server 2005
• Ask the Experts: Ask SQL Server MVP Adam Machanic your upgrade questions
• Learning Guide: SQL Server basics
• Microsoft: Microsoft SQL Server 2005 E-Learning

Dig deeper on Microsoft SQL Server 2005

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• CLR stored procedures

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• CLR assemblies in SQL Server 2005

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• FAQ: SQL Server comparison features

• Disaster recovery features in SQL Server 2005

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• Upgrading to SQL Server 2005: Six migration tips

• Developing CLR database objects: 10 tips, 10 minutes

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• SSIS error message due to installation problem on SQL Server 2005

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