ITCareerCoach Training - Coaching » databases http://www.it-career-coach.net How To Take Your Career To The Next Level Mon, 06 Feb 2012 01:09:27 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Will Better Database Design Improve Sql Query Performance? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/05/12/will-better-database-design-improve-sql-query-performance/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/05/12/will-better-database-design-improve-sql-query-performance/#comments Thu, 12 May 2011 22:31:47 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3193

will database design improve sql queries performance?

will database design improve sql queries performance?


Well, I get a number of questions on the relationship between learning and practicing better relational database design principles and writing better, faster or more efficient Sql queries.

In this post, I will answer all these questions or the variations of them that focus on the necessity of learning database design when all you want to do is to write sql queries!

Here are some of the variations of this question:

  1. Do I need to master relational database design in other to write better Sql queries?

  2. Is knowledge of normalization, relational integrity and other database development practices, relevant to writing sql queries?

  3. Why do I need to master entity-relationship concepts or relational database design when all I want to do is write INNER JOINS, OUTER JOINS AND/OR SUBQUERIES?

Here is my answer to these questions asked by aspiring database designers, report writers or sql query writers:

  • Efficient Sql Queries Depends On Database Index Design

    One of the best practices adopted by experienced sql query writers is adding the right types of indexes to their table columns especially those used in JOINS or in WHERE Clauses or other Sql Functions (Group BY, etc.).

    Guess what? Those indexes are added as part of the database design, database normalization or sql query performance tuning process.

    In other words, learning database design will lead to writing or designing better table indexes which will lead to better sql query performance.

  • Database Normalization Reduces Data Redundancy & Inconsistency

    A lot of time can be wasted trying to get accurate, consistent, reliable reports by writing long, really cumbersome sql queries when there is redundant, inconsistent data in the underlying database.

    The real problem is that whenever you have poor normalization or database design, the resulting data redundancy or data inconsistency will make it difficult for a sql query writer to get accurate, consistent, explainable or understandable results!

    The reason is that whenever your data is stored in multiple tables because of poor normalization, your sql reports will return inconsistent results because each table contains a different set of data.

    This means that your manager or customer will not be able to get an accurate picture of the data because there is no way to verify which of the tables is right or which is wrong!

    So, if you want accurate, consistent, reliable sql reports, make sure that you are following the best normalization practices …

  • Writing Overly Complex Sql Queries Because of Poor Normalization

    A heatlhcare services organization hired our company for a database consulting project because their database analysts were getting over-whelmed with providing, accurate, fast, reliable Sql-based reports to medical doctors in their organization!

    After our investigation, we found a poorly normalized database with indexes on text columns, manually generated primary keys, multi-valued domains and other bad database design practices.

    This healthcare services provider, wasted so much man-hours trying to get consistent, accurate, reliable report for their medical doctors because the results varied depending on who wrote the report or which table was joined to get the information!

    This poor database design was also causing their database analysts to write overly complicated, time consuming, error prone or complex sql queries for common, every day tasks!

    Since these database analysts were joining patient information tables on text columns, their sql queries were guaranteed to under-perform.

    Since the columns where multi-valued, sub-queries had to be used to parse the values of table columns and since the tables did not accurately model the entities used in the business or their relationships, the sql queries where awkward and non-intuitive at best!

    The solution was not to spend more time re-writing their sql queries but to normalize and redesign their database, recreate the indexes and then redesign the sql queries from scratch!

If you ever find yourself in a situation where you are bending over backwards in your work, trying to make your sql queries return the results that you want, make sure that your database design models your business process and that it follows best practices!

The job of a Sql Query Writer does not start with just writing efficient sql queries but with learning and practicing database design or normalization best practices.

Only after you ensure that your database design follows generally accepted best practices, are you empowered to write intuitive, high-performing, reliable, consistent or efficient Sql queries or reports.


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/05/12/will-better-database-design-improve-sql-query-performance/feed/ 0 Is Learning Sql Online So Hard? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/02/23/is-learning-sql-online-hard/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/02/23/is-learning-sql-online-hard/#comments Thu, 24 Feb 2011 00:57:53 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3116

Is Learning Sql Online So Hard?

Is Learning Sql Online So Hard?

Learning new Information Technology (IT) skills is typically thought of as painful because the Study Textbooks used in the Information Technology (IT) industry are usually written by geeks for a geeky, hard-core, technical audience.

This is why one of the challenges facing professionals today is how to overcome the difficulty, complexity or high learning curves typically associated with learning new Information Technology (IT) skills.

Keeping in mind that Sql or Database skills are useful in any industry including financial, insurance, banking or information technology sectors, wouldn’t it be really helpful if learning Sql or databases was made easy?

Sql Boot Camp is the interactive online training course for SQL beginners, advanced database professionals or managers who want a better or more productive online sql learning environment.

Sql Boot Camps Online Training Courses makes learning SQL Query Writing better and easier and here is why:

Are your Sql Courses for Beginners or Advanced Practitioners?

Our Online Sql Courses cover what you need to know about database design, database development, beginner to advanced SQL query writing.

You do not need previous knowledge of Sql or Databases before you enroll in our Sql Courses because you will be taught the concepts in a step-by-step, easy to understand,beginner to advanced level fashion.

The Sql Courses managed by our online learning management environment (LMS) are presented in such a way that you only learn an advanced-level course after you are taught and tested on the fundamentals of the preceding Sql Courses.

For example, you won’t get to learn subqueries until you have learnt the basics of INNER JOINS / OUTER JOINS and other SQL fundamentals.

And you won’t be tasked with developing a database until you have mastered relational database principles like Normalization, Referential Integrity or Entities.

How Do You Teach Your Online Sql Courses?

However, we teach our Sql Courses using Videos and not textbooks.

Videos are definitely easier to understand keeping in mind that Information Technology (IT) textbooks are typically hard to understand or follow.

After each video lesson is completed, your video is placed in your own private reference libraryso that you can watch it as often as you want on any day.

Another advantage that watching videos has over reading textbooks is that concepts like Sql Query Writing or Database Development can be demonstrated more easily in Video format than by reading about them from a textbook.

So, even if you are watching one of our more advanced Sql Courses and you realize that you have forgotten some of the preceding lessons, you can easily visit your reference library and watch those videos again!

How Do I Learn Sql More Easily or Better?

Our online SQL Courses are designed for working professionals who want a better, faster or easier way of learning SQL Query Writing or Database Development.

Repetition in training is the key to skill mastery.

To master any new skill you need to repeat the same set of tasks multiple times or in different ways, each time testing the underlying concepts, until it sinks in and becomes second nature … and that is exactly what our Sql Courses will do for you!

Lets take a Sql Course like Normalization and work through how you will learn it faster or better.

First, you will be presented with a Database Video on Normalization. You can discuss any concepts after watching the Videos privately with your Course Instructor or publicly with your discussion Database study group members.

Next you may be asked to work on a Handson Database Normalization project based on the principles taught on the Sql Videos.

After you submit your project back to your course instructor using the Assignments tab of the Learning Management System (LMS), you may get additional feedback on the correctness or comprehensiveness of your normalization practices or move on to the next lesson which may be a Practice Test or Quiz on the concepts you learned on the Videos.

You may even receive multiple Sql Videos, practice tests, quizzes or projects for a single Sql topic like Normalization.

Presenting Sql Courses using repetition helps you learn from different angles until you make the internal connections required for comprehension or skill mastery.

Research has shown that practice tests help you to learn new concepts better or more easily.

So, when we present a Sql video course, we also include practice tests that show you the correct answers.

As you review the concepts, you will be given the opportunity to repeat each quiz as many times as you want or until you really understand that topic!

Finally, we also teach our Sql Courses using practical handson-assignments that improve your ability to perform on the job.

Not only do we use Videos and then Quizzes to improve your understanding, we actually give you projects that build on everything that you have learnt so that you actually get it!

There is probably nothing that beats the combination of handson projects, practice tests and Sql videos when it comes to learning Sql online, OK?

Do You Want An Interactive, Advanced Online SQL Training Course?

One of the key distinguishing features of our Sql Courses is the availability of private coaching.

Say that you watch a Sql video on normalization, take all the quizzes and work on the handson assignments and you still don’t get it (which is not likely), you can actually post a private message for your course instructor, who will be able to correspond or walk you through that same material.

This experience is like that of having a private Sql coach and a Sql trainer in one and the same course!

This feature can come in handy when you want to discuss the applications of our Sql Courses to challenges you are facing in your organization without making those details public.

For example, you may be designing a database with a lot of complex relationships (like what obtains with healthcare databases), you may post a question about applying referential integrity rules to our public discussion forums for other like minded database professionals to discuss or post your challenges on your private discussion forum for your course instructor only!

Keeping in mind, that the billing rate of a database professional is anywhere from $50/hr. to $75/hr.

The value in this private coaching feature alone can pay for your investment in your Sql course!

How Relevant Is My Online Sql Course To Learning Oracle, Sql Server or Microsoft Access?

Our Sql Courses are based on Sql Server and it will work for you regardless of your version of Sql Server.

  1. If you have a Windows Vista or Windows 7 computer, you will be given access to a free, fully functional version of SQL Server on your own computer.

  2. If you are on a MAC or you cannot afford to buy a Windows Computer, you will be given access to a web-based, private SQL Server database installation.

  3. You will also be taught database design from scratch and because of that, you will learn how to design relational databases independent of any vendor or database environment.

Sql Boot Camp is taught using SQL Server because it offers all the relational database features that are in the Microsoft Access database and in-addition, it also offers you the ability to manage your data more reliably and with a higher guaranteed level of performance.

SQL Server is also a professional, enterprise grade database that affords you the ability to write advanced SQL Queries or design databases that support any level of complexity.

Finally Sql Server is unusual as an enterprise grade database because it offers a lower learning curve which means that you will learn an enterprise database in less time or put your skills to work more easily.

Click here to read my review of Learning Enterprise Database Platforms

What Will Learning Sql Do For Your Career?

Here are few of the reasons why you may want to consider learning Sql or Databases.

  1. Learning Sql gives you one authentic, recognized, popular enterprise software that you put on your resume.
  2. Learning Sql gives you mastery over one database which is relevant to any Information Technology (IT) careers including business analysts, computer programmers, project managers, financial analysts.
  3. Mastering a database provides you with the ability to query databases directly without depending on third party departments, vendors or other professionals.
  4. Learning a database opens the door to working with other database management systems including Oracle, Microsoft Access, MySQL, IBM DB2, etc.
  5. Learning Sql Databases gives you a skill that can help you get your foot in through the door of the Information Technology Industry.
  6. Mastering Sql makes you more productive on the job because you will be able to recognize or solve Sql / Database problems quicker, better and more easily or before they bog down your system.

Do you want to learn or master a database regarded by the Information Technology (IT) Industry as enterprise, high-performing, reliable and scalable? If you answered yes, click here to sign-up for Sql Boot Camp


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/02/23/is-learning-sql-online-hard/feed/ 4 Oracle Or Microsoft Access, Which Is Better? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/02/17/oracle-or-ms-access-which-is-better/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/02/17/oracle-or-ms-access-which-is-better/#comments Thu, 17 Feb 2011 23:14:10 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3105

Oracle Or Microsoft Access, Which Is Better For Me?

Oracle Or Microsoft Access, Which Is Better For Me?

Are you matching your strengths to your opportunities or are you just being ideological … interested only in following your own ideas even when they won’t get you any results?

Here is a situation that illustrates the challenges of being ideological versus being results oriented. It is a situation that illustrates the challenges of learning an enterprise software like Oracle compared to a poor man’s database like Microsoft Access.

Are you wondering about who this situation involves? You are safe my friend because today, I will mainly be talking about me :-)

When I started out in the industry, my first priority was to get my foot into the door.

My goals were:

  1. To transition my career without incurring a lot of additional debt
  2. To learn a marketable skill so that I could get a job quickly
  3. To get myself into a position where I would be in high-demand by delivering excellent results

There were a number of career paths that looked promising and I looked into them all. Here a few of them:

Business Analysis

The business analyst career path was mostly available to systems analysts or management consultants people or poorly defined.

By poorly defined, i mean that it depended on the whims of hiring managers (it was subjective and depended on the employers needs or definitions) and so, there was no very clear or direct path to becoming a business analyst (this was in the ‘90s).

Network Administration

I had worked in network administration in an internship job right after college. My duties entailed helping support a Lotus CC:Mail/ Novell Netware Network

Based on my own first-hand experience, I ruled out computer networking primarily because I realized that I was not passionate about that industry.

Systems Programming

While in college, I had tried to learn C/C++ and I also decided that it wasn’t my thing because it took a long time to develop a fully functional software using C/C++

Based on experience, I knew that I wouldn’t be able to master C/C+ in a few months or get a job easily.

My finding was that it would take a number of years to become really expert or highly skilled at C/C++.

I was also certain, that even when I became highly skilled, I still won’t be able to deliver stellar results based on C/C++.

In case you’re interested, read my thoughts on choosing C/C++ as a programming language here…

Enterprise Database Software

I investigated getting an entry level job in SAP / Oracle / IBM or some other enterprise software since that is where it seemed that the big bucks where being made. In the 90’s, the major database players included IBM, Oracle, Microsoft.

Oracle was very popular in the enterprise database computing circle. However, learning Oracle was no small feat.

I mean that installing Oracle on your own local computer for learning purposes was not an easy proposition even for experienced oracle professionals because companies hired senior / experienced Oracle consultants just to install and setup Oracle correctly on their servers.

In addition to that, Oracle was targeted at the enterprise buyer which meant that purchasing a full-featured Oracle license for an individual like me without corporate sponsorship … was simply beyond my budget!

In addition, even if I raised the money to buy an Oracle License, I would have to spend additional weeks installing Oracle correctly by myself or else hire an Oracle database consultant to install it (Oracle database consultants billed anywhere from $60/hr. to $120/hr.)

And assuming that I overcame the hurdle of buying an Oracle license and then installing Oracle, I would still have to figure out one more thing about Oracle … how to learn Oracle!

You see, Oracle was one of those complex enterprise software application that had a really high learning curve.

The chances that I was going to learn or master Oracle in time enough to get a job was very low because professionals who had been working with Oracle for years where still struggling to understand it … it was that complex!

So, tell me, what will you have done if you were in my shoes?

Did I fixate on learning Oracle … even though I knew professionals that worked with Oracle for years were still struggling to get to a comfort level with it?

Absolutely not! One of the Oracle professionals that I was personally acquainted with had started working with or learning Oracle while we were still in college.

By the time I was evaluating learning Oracle, this professional (a lady based in the United Kingdom) was just getting comfortable with Oracle … and that is after working with it for 8 to 10 years!

So, I decided that the Oracle database and many of the other popular enterprise software applications available at that time had too high a learning curve!

Yes, I know that everyone’s situation is different and yes I understand that “what is good for the goose is not always good for the gander“.

But my situation was that I was married and I had to pay my bills.

Even though my wife was willing to support me, I wasn’t okay with asking her to take care of all the bills while I went on a multi-year learning trip.

Not only that,I had been out of college for a few years and didn’t want to risk taking another 8 to 10 years to learn a new career!

And I definitely didn’t want to start a career that would require such an expensive re-training that I would have to go deeply in debt!

Put yourself in my shoes and tell me what you would have done if faced with my situation keeping in my objectives which were:

  • To learn a marketable skill in a short time: I had to learn a marketable skill so that I could easily get a job and get out of unemployment.

  • To be prudent or save money: I had to pay my bills and account for all sorts of living expenses, while paying for my own re-training.

  • To get into a line of work where I could easily become competent: I needed to learn a skill that I would become an expert at in a reasonable short time.

What will you have done in my shoes … because I choose Microsoft Access!

In those days, a lot of professionals looked down on Microsoft Access as a sort of poor man’s relational database even though Microsoft Access had a lot going for it at that point in time.

Low Cost of Learning

Microsoft Access was available as part of the Microsoft Office family of products.

The cost of a Microsoft Office / Access license was as low as $300. And I budgeted an additional $100 for buying Microsoft Access textbooks from the local seller … Barnes & Noble. I would never forget the price that I paid for my very first Microsoft Access Book … just $49.50.

So, for less than $500, I was guaranteed that I would learn or master Microsoft Access … which was great news for me as an unemployed newbie IT professional!

Low Learning Curve

It took me between 30 and 60 days to study or master Microsoft Access from textbooks. After which I spent my remaining time, taking Microsoft Access practice tests and building relational databases.

In my first job interview test administered by a local staffing agency in Tulsa, Oklahoma, I scored above 90% and got hired into the systems / data analysis department of a local e-commerce firm with a starting salary of $15/hr.

Accelerated Time To Market

By my third month of working with Microsoft Access, I had completed a project that was estimated to last about 6 weeks in 2 weeks.

Because I could achieve those sorts of results, the IT Manager called a recruiting firm without my knowledge or permission and advised them to find more challenging work for me … which they did!

By my third month, I was billing $76,000/yr. and my billing rate continued to increase with time!

Dear Friend,

What I have learnt is that the only thing that stops us from achieving the results we want is our limiting belief systems or self-imposed mental boundaries.

So, what works and what doesn’t?

  1. Don’t hang your career on getting a recognized certificate or diploma

    That is so old school! The only thing that matters is your ability to perform on the job … and no accredited degree or diploma or program can confer that to you.

    In other words, you either learn or know how to get the job done or you don’t.

  2. Don’t get stuck learning any vendor’s software

    Because I got my foot in through the door, I have since had the chance to learn or work with Oracle and IBM enterprise databases at the employer’s expense!

    Learning Microsoft Access first actually made it easier for me to learn or work with SQL Server, Oracle and IBM databases later on.

    Remember that you are the one that makes the job work and not the software, vendor or qualification.

    I have seen professionals who want to become business analysts get stuck on learning an enterprise requirement management software like IBM Rational RequisitePro.

    These good folks forget that many employers can’t afford the licensing costs of the same software that they are hung up on and they also forget that requirements management is first and foremost a set of principles or techniques and not a software!.

    If you learn requirements management techniques you can for example document requirements using Microsoft Office or your employer can purchase any of the myriads of requirements management software in the market.

    So why are you so hung up on learning IBM Rational RequisitePro as if that makes you a business analyst?

  3. Learn a marketable skill

    One of the biggest challenges facing professionals is the right choice of a career. I know that because I get asked that question every day

    I’ve seen professionals get stuck with programming skills that are not marketable like mainframe programming or C/C++.

    In one instance, a C/C++ programmer with a computer science college degree after being unemployable for 3 years got the very first job he interviewed for … after I coached him on C#, ASP.NET and .NET Framework.

    His mistake that of failing to learn a marketable skill. The good news is that it only cost him a few months to rectify that mistake. And, once he fixed that, his career was back online again!

Here is my last advise to you on this point, make sure that you are pragmatic and not ideological about your career choices.

If it is looking like you are getting stuck on the path you are on, carefully evaluate all the other alternatives available to you.


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/02/17/oracle-or-ms-access-which-is-better/feed/ 6 The Entry Level Requirements For Database Jobs http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/08/24/entry-level-requirements-for-database-jobs/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/08/24/entry-level-requirements-for-database-jobs/#comments Tue, 24 Aug 2010 14:09:12 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2985

in demand database jobs

in demand database jobs

This post answers a question submitted to [Ask IT Career Coach], a Career Advice Column that offers practical answers, help or solutions for your most challenging career situations.

What Are The Entry Level Requirements For Database Professional Jobs?

A reader from Rockville, Maryland wants to become a database professional and is concerned about age-based preferences, discrimination, educational qualifications and entry level hiring requirements for database professional jobs!

What is your opinion regarding online it degrees? More specifically, Master’s degrees in database technology?

Eons of time ago, I took a bunch of Y2K programming courses in college (Assembler, COBOL, PL/1 and the like) and almost became a computer programmer.

As life has it, I pursued a different career. Now towards the twilight of a profession that is in decline, I reconsider working in IT again.

My degrees are in Psychology, not computer science, but I am considering an online master’s degree in database technology as an efficient way into a field with growth prospects.

My principal concern is regarding employers: 1) with multiple non-computer degrees in Psychology combined with a Master’s degree in an IT field be seen as competitive against computer science graduates?

2) Is there a preference for younger, college graduates in entry level jobs rather than 2nd career baby boomers?

What Are Employers Looking For In Entry-Level Database Jobs?

Educational Requirements for Entry-Level Database Jobs

The question is: “how do non-IT degrees compare to computer science degrees“?

My answer is that the primary concern of employers is not your number of IT degrees or non IT degrees but your practical ability to work with databases.

In other words, you are asking the wrong question because getting more database degrees does not satisfy employers. What satisfies hiring managers is practical database development or management skills.

Practical database development or management is not the core focus of computer science or information technology colleges. Because these institutions focus on teaching the abstract science or passing on the theoretical knowledge.

However employers are not hiring for theoretical knowledge because that is mostly relevant in the academic world!

What employers are hiring for is extensive hands-on practical skills and experience in modern database management software including MySQL, Oracle, SQL Server or Microsoft Access.

Age-based Requirements for Entry Level Database Jobs

Your age can only stop you from getting hired if you are incompetent at what you do!

If you are just average, you will get a job regardless of your age. If you have excellent skills or hands-on experience, you will be able to market yourself at a high billing rate regardless of your age!

Besides, focusing on your age is a sure way to waste your time or energy because there is nothing that you can do about your age!

However, there is a lot that you can do about your skills or your level of competence and that should always be your primary focus!

Just so you know, the Information Technology (IT) Industry is a talent driven, performance hungry, skills intensive field.

In other words, your only concern should be to keep your skills relevant, sharp or marketable.

Just do these things and you will always be employable in the database or technology world!

Database Professionals Career Advice Column

In this post, I answered the question of what employers are looking for in entry-level database professional jobs.

If you have any question about this, be sure to post it as a comment on this page and I would answer it for you.


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/08/24/entry-level-requirements-for-database-jobs/feed/ 2 The Database Administrator (DBA) Job Description http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/04/15/the-database-administrator-dba-job-description/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/04/15/the-database-administrator-dba-job-description/#comments Thu, 15 Apr 2010 17:40:02 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2876

Database Administrator (DBA)'s Job Description

Database Administrator (DBA)'s Job Description

In this issue, I will be answering a question submitted by a reader on “The Roles, Responsibilities or Job Description of Database Administrators (DBAs)“.

You can Ask IT Career Coach your toughest or most pressing questions and I will answer it fully just as I am answering this reader’s question below!

If you enjoy reading this post, please be sure to … Share this Post with Friends

Here is the reader’s question::

About The Database Administrator’s (DBA) Job Description

I am a final year BE student interested in developing a career in DBA

Can you tell me the future prospects for DBA jobs and do i need to have a good knowledge of programming like C,C++,java,.net etc to be a DBA?

And I have also heard that getting jobs in DBA as freshers is very tough and companies don’t prefer DBA as freshers.

The Duties, Roles And Responsibilities of Database Administrators (DBAs)

The Database Administrator (DBA)’s job comes with a lot of responsibility and because of that, a lot of experience is usually required for the job.

This is the reason why Database Administrators tend to be seasoned database professionals and not entry level database professionals.

With that in mind, your first goal should be to learn database development first and then get a job where you can work your way up to becoming a DBA by first proving your competency as a database developer first.

Does A DBA Need To Know Scripting Languages?

DBAs are not computer programmers so they do not need to master every facet of programming with C/C++, C#, Java, .NET, etc.

However DBAs also need to write scripts for database maintenance jobs in a specific programming language.

For example, DBAs importing data into a SQL Server database may need to know enough of the Visual Basic scripting language (VBScript) to write some of the Extraction, Transform and Load (ETL) or Data Transformation Services (DTS) tasks required for the Extraction, Transformation or Loading (ETL) process.

Does A DBA Need To Know SQL Programming?

Though DBAs are not required to master computer programming, the normal day to day DBA duties may involve extensive programming in SQL.

For example, a DBA may have to write fairly extensive programming solutions in the SQL Language as part of stored procedures or some other database script.

It’s important to note that each relational database platform has its own native programming language (T-SQL, PL/SQL, Access SQL, etc.)

Introducing The DBA’s Job Description

Here is a quick overview of the database administrator’s (DBA) job description.

The database administrator or DBA is responsible for maintaining the database, applying the patches and upgrading the database.

The DBA is also responsible for maintaining the security of the database.


Here is some additional information on the roles and responsibilities of a DBA:

  • The DBAs responsibilities includes installing the database on a production system.

  • The DBA role tends towards supporting production, staging or quality assurance databases and rarely sandbox or developer databases.

    Supporting Sandbox or developer databases are usually part of the database developer’s job description.

  • The DBA is also responsible for maintaining the uptime or availability of production databases.

    DBAs have to monitor production databases regularly or respond to any database issues by bringing down the database or taking the database offline.

  • The DBA’s roles, responsibilities and duties also includes monitoring or optimizing the performance, security, backup, recovery or integrity of database management systems.

This post was written in answer to a question submitted by a reader on “The Database Administrator’s Job Description.

If you have a question, be sure to post it here as a comment on this post or submit it to: [Ask IT Career Coach].

How To Become A Database Administrator?

The first step in becoming a database administrator is to learn SQL Query Writing, master relational database design and development and study advanced sql topics.

Database Administrator’s tend to be highly skilled database developers and are usually promoted from within. What that means is that in all likelihood, you would start out as a database developer, gain a lot of experience and then move up the ranks or get promoted to a database administrator (DBA).


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/04/15/the-database-administrator-dba-job-description/feed/ 13 A Step By Step Guide For Creating SQL Reports http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/03/15/a-step-by-step-guide-for-creating-sql-reports/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/03/15/a-step-by-step-guide-for-creating-sql-reports/#comments Mon, 15 Mar 2010 11:21:10 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2875

A Step by Step Guide

A Step by Step Guide


While a fair amount of the work that goes into creating, maintaining or optimizing databases is hidden from decision makers, the work that goes into creating reports is immediately visible to management and so, must be given a good deal of attention.

This post is written as a guide for creating SQL based reports. It helps ensure that high quality, valid, reliable reports are created by report writers.

After reading this post, you would have a formal process for creating SQL reports and a step by step guide for reporting on data contained in AS400, Oracle, SQL Server, Microsoft Access or some other database platform.

A Step By Step Guide For Creating SQL Reports

Here is a step by step process for creating SQL Reports …

  • Step One: Gather and Document the Requirements for your Report

  • Step Two: Find out where you will be pulling your data from (AS400, Oracle, SQL Server, etc)

  • Step Three: Write the SQL Queries for extracting your data from the database

  • Step Four: Present and format your SQL Results in a Reporting Tool

  • Step Five: Distribute your SQL Based Reports to the end users

Gather Or Document Requirements

Considering the complexity of reporting requirements, you may need to first document the requirements of your project before you start developing the reports.

Writing a requirements document would help you ensure that you understand your users, their reporting needs and the operational or business environment.

A requirements document will also help validate the robustness of your reporting solution upfront … before you start developing the reports.

How To Access Reporting Data From Heterogeneous Databases?

Many organizations store there data in more than one type of database which poses a challenge from a skills stand-point.

If your organization uses AS400, Oracle and SQL Server to store data and you’ve been asked to write a report that draws from all of them, you may find that challenging because each type of database uses a different flavor of SQL.

If this is your situation, then you need to start with the database that you’re the most familiar with (Microsoft Access, SQL Server, etc.) and see if you can connect to all the other databases from that.

Note that many database systems like SQL Server or MS Access offer you the ability to access the data contained in other types of databases easily.

How To Design Or Format Reports?

If you are asked to design a SQL based report that presents data in tables or charts with formatting of page titles, page numbering, column headers, sub-totals, totals, page breaks or more … here is what you can do

  • You can choose a reporting tool like Crystal Reports or SQL Server Reporting Services or Microsoft Access.

    Out of these three, Microsoft Access Reports may be the easiest to learn or use in formatting or designing your reports.

  • You can develop or code your reports as a web-page. Note that coding or developing your report using a web-development language like PHP or ASP.NET is a flexible but skill intensive approach to creating reports.

    Using a web development language like ASP.NET or PHP, you can execute SQL statements on a database and then return the results formatted into tables, columns, charts, etc, on your web-page.

    You can also paginate the results or add advanced searching or filtering options. When you write all the code yourself, you have complete control over what you can do or create with your SQL reports.

How To Deliver Or Distribute Reports?

Depending on the organization you work for, you may have to distribute your reports based on the preferences of your users.

For example, while some business users expect their reports to be printed and placed on their desk, others may prefer that their reports be distributed by e-mail.

You can choose between the several possible types of report delivery options including PDF, Microsoft Excel or even deliver your report as a HTML web page.

How To Schedule Reports?

Finally, you also have to decide what reporting frequency will be most appropriate for your situation (daily, weekly, monthly, end of year), etc.

Some reports take a while to prepare or consume a fair amount of server resources, so they need to be done nightly or on weekends.

Others like tax or payroll reports may need to be prepared weekly or monthly.

The takeaway is that you need to be mindful of each type of report and verify when or how often you need to prepare it.

So, now you have a set of steps for preparing reports. Start by gathering your reporting requirements. Next, determine the sources of data that will be presented on the report. Then create the reports using SQL. Finally, format and distribute the reports to the appropriate users.


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/03/15/a-step-by-step-guide-for-creating-sql-reports/feed/ 2 7 Top Database Careers In High Demand http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/02/23/top-database-careers-in-high-demand/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/02/23/top-database-careers-in-high-demand/#comments Tue, 23 Feb 2010 08:23:44 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2852

database careers in demand

database careers in demand

The 7 Top, In-Demand Database Careers

Database skills are foundational to jobs in the IT Industry.

By that, I mean whether you’re a business analyst, software tester, project manager, software developer or even a web designer, you’ll be using relational database and sql query writing skills at some time in your career.

Database or SQL skills are also important because they position you for multiple careers paths ranging from that of the database developer to the data mining professional.

Career Paths for Database Professionals

Here is a comprehensive list of database career paths and their respective roles, duties, responsibilities and skill sets.

  1. Relational Database Developer Career

    This is one of the foundational database careers in the sense that you can hardly qualify for other database career path without a strong relational database design & development foundation.

    Database developers are responsible for designing, architecting or developing relational databases using a database development tool like Microsoft Access, SQL Server, MySQL or Oracle.

  2. SQL Developer / Query Writer Career

    This is the another foundational database career in the sense that you will need strong SQL query writing skills regardless of your role, job or designation in the IT Industry.

    SQL Developers or Query Writers are typically responsible for updating, deleting, creating or manipulating the data contained in relational databases using a database programming or query language known as SQL.

    There are several dialects of SQL marketed by database vendors and each dialect is executed in the database using an administrative front-end tool like SQL Server’s T-SQL Management Studio.

  3. Database Administrator (DBA) Careers

    DBAs are responsible for keeping the database up and running for the company’s operations.

    DBAs are also responsible for installing, configuring and maintaining the entire database infrastructure or platform in their organizations.

    In addition, DBAs secure their databases from unauthorized access, manage the storage available on databases and optimize their performance.

    DBAs are found in organizations that store and maintain their own data in-house using relational database management systems like SQL Server, Oracle and MySQL.

  4. The Report Writer Career

    Report Writer Career paths are equally important in the database industry.

    Report Writers need to have strong relational database and SQL query writing or development skills.

    The Report Writer’s responsibility includes designing, developing, scheduling and distributing database reports.

    Report Writers utilize tools like Crystal Report Writer, Business Objects, Microsoft Access or SQL Server Reporting Services for their work.

    Report Writers also tend to spend a good amount of time collecting requirements or presenting their reports to stakeholders, executives, management, business analysts or software developers.

  5. Data Analyst Career

    The Data Analyst career is frequently confused for a purely statistical career path.

    Data Analysis roles actually utilize SQL query writing, relational database development and statistical data analysis skills.

    In the IT industry, the information accessed and analyzed by data analysts resides in relational databases. So, data analysts have to also master the relational database and sql query writing path of their careers as well … and not just the statistical skills.

    A lot of people struggle with the distinctions between purely statistical careers and the database analyst careers … don’t be one of those!

  6. The Data Warehousing / Business Intelligence (BI) Career

    BI and Data Warehousing careers require skillsets that are almost opposite to that of the relational database developer.

    While traditional database developers focus on their normalization skills, data warehouse / BI professionals do the exact opposit by developing enterprise, de-normalized databases.

    Another key difference is that while traditional database developers typically create Online Transaction Processing (OLTP) databases, data warehousing / BI professionals focus on building Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) databases.

    The BI / Data Warehousing professional’s responsibilities also include creating and delivering multi-dimensional reporting tools using Business Intelligence tools like Oracle’s Business Intelligence (BI) or Microsoft’s SQL Server Buisness Intelligence platform.

    From a responsibility standpoint, the data warehousing / BI professional is responsible for aggregating the data from multiple corporate databases (developed by database developers) into enterprise, corporate databases.

  7. The Data Mining Career

    Data Mining careers require a rigorous background, education or training in specialized computer-based data mining algorithms or techniques.

    Data Mining professionals run algorithms like Neural Networks, Classification, Regression, Segmenattion, Association or Sequence Analysis algorithms on large databases.

    Traditionally, data mining professionals had to have a strong background in mathematics, statistics and computer science because they often had to create data mining algorithms from scratch!

    But these days, vendors like Microsoft are placing analytics and even data mining within the hands of every motivated database professional through out-of-the-box data mining algorithms like those of SQL Server’s Data Mining Suite.

The foundational skills required for database careers are taught in the SQL Boot Camp and the additional statistical data analysis requirements for data analysts taught in the Data Analysts Boot Camp.

If you are interested in gaining one of the most verstaile IT career skills, you should register for either the SQL Boot Camp or the Data Analysts Boot Camp (which includes all the courses in the SQL Boot Camp and additional statistical, data analysis training.)

The only thing left … is to take your SQL / Data Analysts training knowing that relational database development, SQL query writing and statistical data analysis skills will help advance your future for a long time!


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/02/23/top-database-careers-in-high-demand/feed/ 3 How To Write Complicated Or Complex SQL Queries http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/01/25/how-to-write-complicated-or-complex-sql-queries/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/01/25/how-to-write-complicated-or-complex-sql-queries/#comments Mon, 25 Jan 2010 10:34:47 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2769

Master Complex SQL Queries

Master Complex SQL Queries

Many database professionals have a hard time writing complex, complicated or advanced SQL queries for the following reasons.

In a healthcare database project that I consulted on, I had to write fairly complicated and efficient SQL queries for physicians at several practices because of their specialized reporting requirements.

The real problem was not the complexity of the physicians database but it’s poor suitability to the physicians reporting needs.

Based on experience gathered from consulting on several database or data analysis projects, I have observed that writing complex or complicated SQL queries, may prove challenging because of the following:

  • Quick and Dirty Database Design: you inherited a bad relational database design and because of that, it takes a number of complex or fairly complicated SQL queries to get answers out of your data.

    For some reason, the database was developed without sufficient thought or planning, limiting the organization’s ability to access its data!

  • Over Normalized Database: you created a perfectly normalized textbook database but now, you need a large number of table joins to access the operational data needed by your organization on a regular basis.

  • Changing Reporting Requirements: the data reporting needs of your organization has grown but your database design has not changed.

    For some reason, you cannot update your database design, so you resort to tasking your database with complex or complicated SQL query statements in a bid to extract answers that it’s not originally designed to report.

  • Complex Data Reporting Requirements: The data reporting requirements of your organization are truly complex and it will typically take a complex amount of SQL query statements to get at your data regardless of how well one designs the relational database.

  • Poor Reporting Requirements: In some cases, complicated SQL queries are written because the data is not well known or understood.

    This is fairly common when SQL queries are written against a large relational data model without understanding the data or relationships between tables in the data model.

    This may also happen when a database developer joins several tables in complex subqueries without realizing that the information could be retrieved from a smaller set of tables.

  • Basic SQL Writing Skills: database developers unaware of the limitations of their SQL query writing skills, may attempt to write SQL queries beyond their skill level.

    This may happen when you are tasked with writing complicated SQL queries without adequate training.

    For example, business analysts, computer programmers or reporting analysts write SQL queries even though that may not be part of their primary functions!

Writing SQL Queries can get complex or complicated if you don’t fully understand what you are dealing with.

To succeed, you need a good understanding of your data, good requirements, strong relational database design as well as strong SQL query writing skills.

Don’t settle for anything less than a clear understanding of your challenge and a strong set of skills for dealing with it!

If you are facing the challenge of writing complex or complicated sql queries, consider a SQL Training Program like the SQLBootCamp where you are taken step by step through the entire SQL Query Writing process … starting from creating a normalized relational databases to writing basic or advanced sql queries!

Just so, you know, SQLBootCamp Online Training can help you Get Started Writing Complex Or Efficient SQL Queries.


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/01/25/how-to-write-complicated-or-complex-sql-queries/feed/ 0 Career Spotlight on Microsoft Access Database Developers http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/12/15/career-spotlight-on-microsoft-access-database-developers/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/12/15/career-spotlight-on-microsoft-access-database-developers/#comments Tue, 15 Dec 2009 19:33:02 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2739

Microsoft Access Developer Career

Microsoft Access Developer Career

The Microsoft Access Relational Database has been around for a while and it is used in many businesses, Information Technology (IT) Teams and organizations.

Microsoft Access is commonly used in building desktop software applications, data analysis programs and corporate databases where the number of records are as few as 2 billion records or the number of users who access the system at any one time are as few as ten concurrent users.

The ease with which Microsoft access database developers create functional relational databases, add data entry forms, build reports and distribute their database projects to multiple users creates a market for skilled Microsoft Access Relational Database developers.

However, Microsoft Access database solutions are not well suited for web, distributed, enterprise or large database development projects leading. Because of this, Microsoft Access database developers have to transition their skills to enterprise database development systems like SQL Server and Oracle at some point in their career!

This series of articles reviews the the merits and demerits of Microsoft Access database development and offers a transition plan or career path for updating Microsoft Access Database Development Skills.

The Case for Microsoft Access Developer Careers

  1. Easy of Use – Microsoft Access is one of the easiest relational database platforms used in business because of it’s intuitive graphical user interface (GUI).

  2. Office User – Microsoft Access is also popular with business or power users. It is relatively easy to install, configure and use on a desktop, laptop or home computer which makes it a winner for many.

  3. Low Support Costs – Unlike enterprise databases like Oracle or IBM DB2, Microsoft Access databases do not need dedicated database administrators.

    The Microsoft Access developer (you) in this case is also the Microsoft Access Database Administrator unlike enterprise databases where there tends to be a split between the duties of the database administrator and the database developer.

  4. Data Entry Forms – Microsoft Access is a unique database for office environments because it comes with a set of forms for building data entry (entering, editing, deleting, updating) forms.

    This feature eliminates the costs and complexity associated with typical software development projects based on Oracle, IBM DB2 and other enterprise databases.

  5. In-Built Reporting Capability – Microsoft Access also incorporates the ability to generate simple or complex, customized reports.

    However, the Microsoft Access Reporting feature is not a full fledged reporting tool like Crystal Reports or SQL Server Reporting Services.

    The ease or simplicity of designing and building reports in Microsoft Access eliminates some of the complexity or costs associated with building external reports using enterprise reporting tools.

  6. In-Built Application Development Environment – Microsoft Access is a flexible database software that allows you to customize or write full-blown software programs using the popular and easy to learn programming language known as VBA or Visual Basic for Applications.

    Many database developers actually use the VBA feature of Microsoft Access to jump start their programming careers by learning VBA and then transitioning to other programming languages like Visual Basic!

  7. Graphical SQL Query Building – Writing SQL is made easy in Microsoft Access because of it’s Graphical Query Designer which allows you to join tables and add filters or clauses to them.

    You can also see or modify the generated SQL query using a a flavor of SQL known as Access SQL or Microsoft Access’s in-built Query Wizards.

  8. Data Analysis Tool – because Microsoft Access allows you to build tables, data entry forms and reports quite easily, it is commonly used as a Data Analysis tool.

    Using Microsoft Office Access, you can for example, design a survey, create a table to store the data, build a simple data entry form, build a report and then give multiple users access to your reports or application.

  9. External Database Access – database developers who are unfamiliar with enterprise databases like Oracle or SQL Server access them through a Microsoft Access database

    This is partly because the Microsoft Access database developer can connect, query or modify the data in an enterprise database without having to leave the safety and comfort of the familiar Microsoft Access environment!

  10. Multi User Access - Microsoft Office Access supports a limited number of users accessing or modifying it’s data at the same time.

    It is sometimes seen as a better choice for data analysis projects where multiple users have to update, edit, delete or work with the same information while retaining each individual’s ability to rapidly prototype, build or extend it using forms.

As you can see, there are many reasons why the Microsoft Access Database Development tool is common, popular and frequently used in all sorts of database development, reporting, data analysis and software development projects.

To get started, there are many situations that Microsoft Access is not suited for.

Microsoft Access database developers are sometimes not comfortable with enforcing proper database design practices or writing complex subqueries, complex joins within Microsoft Access.

That is why database developers frequently resort to taking strong SQL Query Writing + Database Development Classes (like at the Data Analyst Boot Camp) after first falling in love with Microsoft Access.

Microsoft Access still limits database developers despite it’s powerful, and flexible relational database engine.

Hence the need to upgrade or transition to enterprise relational databases.

In the next article, I will discuss both the limitations of Microsoft Access as database development tool and the reasons for upgrading to an enterprise database like SQL Server.

If you are interested in becoming a better database developer by mastering relational database and SQL query writing, you can enroll Online at the DataAnalystBootCamp.Com


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/12/15/career-spotlight-on-microsoft-access-database-developers/feed/ 7 Learn SQL Online – The Easy Way! http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/06/21/learn-sql-online-the-easy-way/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/06/21/learn-sql-online-the-easy-way/#comments Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:44:52 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=1656

Learn Sql Online - The Easy Way!

Learn Sql Online - The Easy Way!

SQL Boot Camp is the hands-on, beginner to advanced level guide to learning SQL online.

You are shown, instructed or coached on how to write best-practice SQL code in an instructor-led, convenient and interactive web-based SQL course.

You gain mastery of SQL query writing, database design or database development by practicing as you learn from sql instructors using multiple videos, quizzes and hands-on database projects.

Why Learn SQL Online?

Databases are everywhere and virtually every firm or organization has multiple databases.

Because companies everywhere use data, access data or store data in databases, the relevance, future and demand for SQL skills is guaranteed!

You need to learn SQL so you can access the facts stored away in databases by yourself … without relying on someone else to access the data for you

You also need to learn SQL so you can build databases used in transactional or analytical software or web-based applications.

What Do You Want To Know About Learning SQL Online at SQL Boot Camp?

  1. You can register for SQL Training from any home or office location.

    • You can take your training from home or the office because your SQL Training will be available online through videos, a web-based learning management system (LMS) and SQL trainers who will help you gain critical, hands-on SQL, Database Design and Database Development project experience.

  2. You gain improved database skills Or hands-on SQL expertise.

    • After you enroll in SQL training, the web based training software creates a new training schedule for you and then sends you a personalized e-mail with links to your SQL videos or Database lessons, assignments or quizzes.

    • You are assigned a number of days for each SQL trainng video, SQL quiz, SQL assignment or hands-on database design or development project.

      You may however complete your work earlier or later than scheduled based on your own schedule.

    • You can submit your SQL projects back to a live SQL course instructor using a feature of the SQL training program.

    • Your SQL course instructors review and grade each of your database projects or provide personalized help, assistance or corrective feedback.

    • Your SQL skills are sharpened through multiple quizzes and your grades are automatically dsiplayed in a secure, private online report card.

    • Your understanding or progress at learning SQL is constantly monitored or evaluated and you are given various opportunities to practice as you learn!

  3. You Retain Access to SQL Training Videos After the Course Is Completed!

    • You retain FULL and PERMANENT access to ALL SQL training videos after training is completed.

    • The SQL training videos will remain accessible through the “Resources” Menu on the training portal.

  4. Online SQL Training Is Flexible, Convenient, Affordable

    • Yes, you are given ample time to complete each SQL training module including the SQL training videos or SQL practice tests or hands on SQL projects.

    • Yes, you can login for SQL training at any time.

    • Yes, you may pause your SQL training any time because of work or life commitments.

    • Yes, you may pause your SQL training without any penalty.

    • Yes, you do not have to begin or complete your SQL training at the same time as everyone else.

    • Yes, you do not have to login at the same time as everyone else or at a specific time of the day or night.

    • Yes, your SQL training is a “go at your own pace“, anytime, anywhere, anypace training. Yes, you can take some of your training at work (during lunchtime) or at home (after dinner) or on the road (from your laptop)!

  5. No Entrance Examination Or Pre-requisite Courses Required

    • Your SQL training will walk you step by step … from utter beginner to advanced level without any prior SQL background.

    • Your SQL course instructors do not assume anything about your background, so you are taken through the basics and then taken to the advanced-level SQL courses.

    • Your SQL training Videos are all hands-on, instructional videos … which means that you learn by simply watching the SQL course instructors.

    • The SQL training videos cover both theoretical topics and practical requirements for Database Design or Database Development or SQL Query Writing.

    • You do not need extra time to prepare for SQL training before registering because all the preparation, foundational topics or pre-requisite knowledge is in-built and included as part of your SQL training courses.

  6. You Determine The Pace Of Your SQL Training

    • Yes, you can accelerate or speed-up your SQL training or customize your SQL learning to suit your own study time.

    • Yes, you can finish SQL training in more time or less time than the estimated duration.

    • You can control your SQL training pace or customize it to your personal preferences. So you don’t have to start or finish at the same time as everyone else.

  7. SQL Boot Camp’s Learning Management System (LMS) Shortens Your Learning Curve

    • The scheduling, tracking, monitoring and management of all SQL Boot Camp’s training content is done through modules in-built into the SQL training program.

  8. You Don’t Need To Install Additional Software Programs to Watch SQL Training Videos

    • You don’t need to install additional software programs to view the SQL training videos online.

    • SQL Boot Camp uses a web-based training system that allows you to view the SQL training videos anytime from any location.

    • All the necessary software training features are already built into your SQL training system so, you don’t need to mess around with tiresome software installations.

    • … And yes, that means you don’t need to worry about browser requirements either!


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/06/21/learn-sql-online-the-easy-way/feed/ 0 Beginner To Advanced SQL Skills In Hot Demand http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/01/07/beginner-to-advanced-sql-skills-in-hot-demand/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/01/07/beginner-to-advanced-sql-skills-in-hot-demand/#comments Thu, 08 Jan 2009 00:30:44 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=357

California Gold Rush Of 1949

California Gold Rush Of 1949

Beginner to Advanced SQL Skills are among the top-paying, hottest, in-demand tech skills.

The demand for SQL skills is strongest across the breadth of Information Technology careers that includes the business analyst, web developer, data analyst, report writer, computer programmer or IT manager.

This article explains the reason why IT professionals at different stages in their careers (beginners, intermediate or senior) experience a consistently high demand for beginner to advanced SQL Query Writing skills.

Why Are Beginner Or Advanced SQL Skills in Hot Demand?

  • High Demand For Web Applications: Just about every commercial website or web application stores transactional or business data in a relational database management system (RDBMS). The rush to build web applications for business to business (B2B) or business to consumer (B2C) transactions rivals that of the California Gold Rush of 1848

  • Competing On Data: Businesses are preserving more of their corporate data so they can discover profitable trends or patterns and compete better in the market place. The increasing drive towards storing data on every customer interaction or transaction is also driving up the demand for data analysts, database developers, report writers who are beginning to use or have mastered SQL database development, SQL query writing or SQL programming.

Why Learning SQL Matters

  • SQL Is Easier For Beginners To Learn Or Master: SQL is an easier or faster skill for beginners to learn or master compared to programming languages like Java, C++, PHP or C#.

  • SQL Is Standardized: Businesses tend to prefer one programming language or the other. For example, a business may standardize on Java and ignore C# skills or vice versa. However, SQL Programmers have a wider acceptance in the industry because the majority of SQL implementations derive from a standard, well-known form of SQL known as ANSI SQL.

If you are interested in improving your SQL skills, consider taking a Beginner to Advanced SQL Course. Here is some brief information about the SQL Training Curriculum

Study Guide For Beginner SQL Skills

If you are just beginning to learning SQL, conisder starting with the following courses:

  • Relational Database Design Course: Study both the logical and physical database design process

  • SQL SELECT Queries Course: Study how to write simple SQL SELECT statements using the FROM, WHERE, GROUP BY, HAVING Clauses

Study Guide For Advanced SQL Skills?

If you are not new to SQL and would like to advance SQL skills, considering studying the following SQL courses:

  • Complex SQL Queries Course: Study how to write complex SQL statements using Subqueries, UNION, JOINS, UPDATE, DELETE, INSERT statements

  • Stored Procedure Course: Study how to write stored procedures, functions, triggers

  • Database Optimization Course: Study how to optimize your database stored procedures, indexes and queries

Download The Comprehensive Beginner To Advanced SQL Curriculum

If you are interested in improving your SQL skills, you may click here to download the detailed SQL Training Curriculum or click here to contact the SQL Boot Camp team and schedule for the next Beginner to Advanced SQL Training Class.


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/01/07/beginner-to-advanced-sql-skills-in-hot-demand/feed/ 8 How to Learn SQL or Databases http://www.it-career-coach.net/2006/09/04/how-to-learn-sql-or-databases/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2006/09/04/how-to-learn-sql-or-databases/#comments Mon, 04 Sep 2006 21:16:45 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/2006/09/04/sql-developers-are-in-high-demand-and-how-to-become-a-sql-programmer/

How To Learn SQL or Databases Online

How To Learn SQL or Databases Online

The demand for SQL query writing or database skills is tied to the high demand for web, intranet and internet application development skills

Organizations invest in web projects because they need to automate their business operations as it grows in complexity, expands in size or becomes more profitable.

This post addresses the following questions:

  • Why is SQL query writing skills needed?
  • What do SQL query writers do?
  • How can you become a SQL query writer?
  • What makes SQL query writers different from other developers?

Read the rest of this post to review my answers to the questions.

What Is SQL?

SQL (Structured Query Language) pronounced “sequel”, is a SET based language used to manipulate (add, retrieve, edit, update, delete) data in relational database management systems (RDBMS).

SQL is used for creating data structures (tables, views, stored procedures), writing the queries that retrieves data used in reports, making changes, updating maintaining data and in analysis work for identifying trends or insights.

SQL also describes a family of set-based languages that adhere loosely to the ANSI-SQL standards

Database vendors implement their own version of SQL, so each relational database including Microsoft Access, SQL Server, Oracle or MySQL has a flavor, dialect or syntax of SQL peculiar to it.

Oracle uses a flavor of SQL known as Oracle PL/SQL, SQL Server is Transact SQL (TSQL) and Microsoft Access is Access SQL.

However, if you learn or master any version of SQL, working with other versions will not be hard because they operate according to a set of basic principles or commands.

Why Are SQL Query Writing Skills Needed?

  • Sql skills are now taken as regarded as nice to have for many other careers. In some organizations, business analysts and data analysts are expected to have handson sql query analysis skills.

    Most software development positions now regard database development or sql query skills as mandatory.

  • Learning SQL query writing allows you to transition into high demand careers in computer programming or web development.

    This is a big deal because computer programmers can earn as much as six figures and web developers have the most portable set of skills.

  • Learning SQL transfers a versatile programming skill that is considerably less complex than traditional software development programming languages.

    Computer programming languages take up to a year or even more to learn or master why Sql skills can be mastered in a relatively short time … as little as 4 months.

  • Web or windows applications provide services that require database capabilities for retrieving, saving or manipulating data which in turn creates a demand for database and SQL development skills.

Tips On Learning Sql Query Writing

  1. Learn One SQL Dialect: There are as many dialects of SQL as there are types of relational databases.

    For example the SQL language used in SQL Server differs from that used in Oracle which differs from that used in MySQL.

    However, when starting out, focus on learning and mastering just one SQL dialect like Microsoft’s Transact SQL.

    Then when the need actually presents itself at work, like when you have to learn additional SQL dialects like Oracle’s PL/SQL or Microsoft’s Access, learn that because your job requires that

    In other words, don’t try to learn every version or flavor of skill!

  2. Use SQL for Database Work: SQL programming is SET based and is designed for manipulating (adding, retrieving, editing, deleting) data.

    Unlike other types of programming like Java or C# which are more Object Oriented and are used for creating full blown web and windows applications.

    One of the secrets to success in working with SQL is to use it for SET based operations and traditional programming languages for procedural coding!

    In other words, don’t write SQL queries for problems that will be better solved by traditional programming languages and don’t write code for problems that are better solved with Sql Queries.

  3. Learning SQL Is Easy: Becoming a SQL programmer is easier than most people think because programming with SQL on databases like SQL Server is less complex than programming with languages like Java or C#.

    The reasons are:

    • You can’t create web applications or windows applications in SQL which removes one layer of complexity.
    • You are expected to use a fully fledged application development language like Java or C# to develop complex business rules and not SQL.

  4. Learn both the Theory and Practice of Databases: To become a SQL developer, you must master both the theory and practices of Relational Database Design and Development for real world databases like Microsoft Access, SQL Server or Oracle.

  5. Know This Before You Apply for SQL Positions: There are fewer pure SQL developer jobs than other types of programming jobs like Java or Microsoft .NET Programming.

    This is because traditional SQL development is part of what a professional software developer does.

    So, be ready to apply your Sql Query Writing or Database skills in the context of data analyst, software developer, project manager, report writer or even technical management jobs.

  6. Know How your SQL Skills Will Be Applied:

    If you are interviewing for a new position with a recruiter or hiring manager know the percentage of SQL query writing, database design & development, data analysis or report writing that you will be doing on the job.

  7. SQL Developer’s Responsibility: A SQL developer’s responsibility is to create the stored procedures, views and tables used in the database.

    It is also the Sql Developer’s responsibility to maintain the data contained in the database or extract useful insight, trends or information from it.

SQL Query Writers Or Database Developer Job Satisfaction

Learning SQL or Database Development online is fun and easy.

Sql Query Writing or Database Developer careers do not have the steeper learning curve that comes with software developer careers because the relational database development environment is less complex than that of the traditional computer programming environment.

In addition, SQL Queries and Relational Database skills are useful in software development, business analysis, financial analysis or modeling, data analysis, report writing and several other types of jobs … in other words, SQL is a very portable skill.


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