Does anyone use/have experience in SQL Server?

[goldenticket]

I keep on seeing this referred to in job adverts but have no idea what it is/what it's used for. Can anyone give me any examples and is there anywhere I can learn about it online?

TIA

Sql server is a microsoft product used to manage databases.you can read more on the microsoft site.wat type of jobs are you going fot.some places need you to set up databases and know how to use the priduct to add and backup databases others require you to get ibfo out using sql statements. There may be courses online althi i went on a microsoft course fir mune but they are quite pricey.

If you have any questions tho just ask x

what kind of jobs are you looking for op?

sql is used for databases.

If it's just a job in using Sql server then you should be fine if you can use MS Office generally, the one I use has lots of little windows with different data fields in and you can run reports off the menu at the top.

I found a free tutorial site here

"but have no idea what it is/what it's used for"

Google it?

Thanks very much for all your responses. My job pre children was in data analysis using specialist software, Access and Excel but SQL is mentioned in virtually all the adverts for the kind of work I used to do but I don't know anything about it, hence the post.

frgr - yes, of course I googled it but tbh, the point of posting was to hear from people who actually used it.

SQL is a query language for databases. Tbh with your experience you could prob wing it after a read through of "SQL server for dummies" or suchlike good luck, I am just about to start looking too, am a storage specialist (HDS, EMC), unix, perl, currently on
Mat leave from a bank if anyone needs one.....

SQL Server is the database engine, SQL is the language used to query the databases - important not to get them confused. SQL can also be used to query other types of databases like Oracle and MySQL.

SQL server can be thought of as industry level access - but the data is held on a server, and you access it through client tools - access is file based.

You can download a free SQL Server engine for your computer (SQL Sever express, it used to be called) and then a free query tool to write SQL to query the databases you have set up.

The SAMS Teach yourself...book for SQL is very good for a basic introdction.

"If it's just a job in using Sql server then you should be fine if you can use MS Office generally"

err no sorry

Sorry I meant SQL for dummies not SQL server as, as per last post, for they jobs you are looking for you will presumably be doing queries, data analysis, not dba role. So you have any programming experience? Basi would help tho I guess it is pretty automated these days?

But the jobs the OP has seen specify SQL Server - which implies a requirement for basic DBA knowledge as well as DML to create and drop objects as well as set permissions.

Do they or is she getting confused maybe? In her later post she says SQL, not SQL server. Do you get the difference op?

Not sure - possibly they mean SQL Server SQL (iyswim)
Does annoy me when it is lumped in with Excel and Access though - it is another level

my husband has sql server. He has a tracking company (satallite tracking of anything that you can stick a tracking device onto ) He refers to his "dedicated server" when pitching it to people. I can't give you any information on how it works because I haven't got a clue, but I can tell you that my husband is no IT expert at ALL! and he understands it perfectly and it doesn't seem very hard at all. and it does what he needs it to do. So I can't imagine you'll have any problems.

hecate

what? what did I do? [scared]

SPB yes I know what you mean on both counts!!

x post with my rant
TBH there are two ways of using it - you can use a front end to link tables very much like in Access and retrieve data, but if you are using it as an analysis tool then it's based on set theory. Some of my queries have done very complicated things with data (identifying duplicate rows based on a number of different rules for example) and have taken me weeks to set up.

me?

sorry.

for my husband, it allows customers to log on and track their stuff, get reports on all sorts of stuff, track in real time, get data on tons of different things. All info is stored on this "dedicated server" that they can access and it's all set to give them the reports they want and I'm sure it's what he's on about when he talks about this sql server thing.

no need to be scared I'll admit I am a little defensive

I retract any mention of "SQL for dummies" forthwith hope we haven't scared op off

Are you a dba spb?

ahh that is a front end that someone will have set up for people to use the SQL Sever - the complicated stuff is going on behind that. It's the same as thinking you can create a website because you can contribute to a forum or use Facebook - someone has already done all the work to make it user friendly.

I used to work as part of a programming team and we had a pay review. It became clear the reviewers assumed we clicked buttons and the computers did their stuff. NO - we write the code to make the computers DO the clever stuff [fume] [fume]
[still bitter after 5 years]

I hear you......

sorry, yes I will retract my claws
No, used to work in information systems - setting up the database, writing the queries (stored procedures usually) to manipulate the data and sticking the front end on. I loved the first two and hated the third. In fact I think I may have jut done OO programming the same disservice by calling it "sticking the front end on" - apologies to any programmers :o

Reminds me of when I tried to explain what i did to MIL and she said oooh did it take you long to learn to type? I can so 60 wpm so could so your job.