MVA – SQL Server Essentials for Oracle DBAs

The Microsoft Virtual Academy has just released a free course covering SQL Server Essentials for Oracle DBA’s.

This is a Level 200 course containing 15 modules (each consisting of a video presentation, demos and a slide-deck) and while it’s intended to be delivered as a four-day workshop for Oracle DBA’s, the content in its entirety is a reference guide (rather than a mere guideline) and contains valuable information for any SQL Server professional.

Course Description

This course is to help Oracle database administrators (DBAs) leverage their skills and experience as an Oracle DBA to manage a SQL Server 2012 system.  It provides a quick start for the Oracle DBA to map, compare and contrast the realm of Oracle database management to SQL Server 2012 database management.

The content is a comprehensive course with descriptive reference material while the course itself focuses on introducing the concepts and providing hands-on learning. This course has been developed to extend the terminologies familiar to the Oracle DBA and relate those terminologies to the SQL Server world.

Course Presenter

Maciej Pilecki (@DrHouseOfSQL)

Maciej is a Microsoft Certified Master in SQL Server 2008, Microsoft Certified Trainer and former SQL Server Most Valuable Professional (MVP) who is an expert in cross-platform integration and interoperability between Oracle, MySQL and Microsoft SQL Server.

Course Modules

Module 1 – Database and Instance

Provides an understanding of the two major components of a database system.  Contains the following sections:

• Schema and Data Structures
• Storage Architecture
• SQL Server Data Files
• Logging model

Module 2 – Database Architecture

Goes in-depth into structure, components and contents of the files that constitute the database.  Contains the following sections:

• SQL Server Instance Environment
• Client interaction with Database and Instance
• Database capacities

Module 3 – Instance Architecture

Discusses the memory and process architectures that are key to a database’s performance.  Contains the following sections:

• Memory Architecture
• Memory Address Space – Comparison
• Monitoring memory usage
• Process and Thread-Based architecture
• Using the Resource Governor
• Oracle client-database interaction
• Comparing background processes

Module 4 – Data Objects

Examines in greater detail the schema objects introduced in Module 2.   Contains the following sections:

• Reviewing large allocation units
• Views comparison
• Creating a table
• Non-native data types

Module 5 – Data Access

Focuses on how data is accessed and manipulated by the clients.  Contains the following sections:

• Structured query language
• Control statements
• Integrated full-text searching
• Query optimization
• Transaction management

Module 6 – Data Protection

Fulfils the twin tasks of protecting data against unauthorized access (database security) and also from the destructive interaction between authorized users working concurrently (concurrency control).   Contains the following sections:

• Locking
• Isolation level behaviors
• Database security
• Instance security

Module 7 – Basic Administration

Contains discussion on planning and installation of SQL Server.   Contains the following sections:

• Installing SQL Server 2012
• Server configuration
• Database system
• Database maintenance

Module 8 – Server Management

Discusses the administration of various types of resources such as system resources (such as memory, processes, storage, and so on) as well as low-level database resources (such as lock, latches, queues, and so on).   Contains the following sections:

• Using the performance monitor
• Managing storage
• Locks and latches
• Capturing deadlock information

Module 9 – Schema Management

Provides the administrative aspect of schema objects described in Module 4.   Contains the following sections:

• Referential integrity via constraints
• Managing triggers
• Managing indexes
• Managing views

Module 10 – Database Security

Continues the discussion of data protection initiated in Module 6.  Contains the following sections:

• Managing privileges
• Managing roles
• Create logins and users

Module 11 – Data Movement

Examines the non-transactional mechanisms for moving data into and out of a database.  Contains the following sections:

• Data transport
• SQL Server Integration Services
• SSIS data flow
• Import/export wizard

Module 12 – Backup and Recovery

Lists the types of errors encountered in a database and the various mechanisms that are available to safeguard against these errors.  Contains the following sections:

• Backup methods
• Recovery model
• Recovering from database errors
• Maintenance plan backup

Module 13 – Performance Tuning

Is divided into two sections: tuning an instance and tuning an application.  Contains the following sections:

• Application tuning
• Instance tuning
• Data compression
• T-SQL hints
• Plan guides

Module 14 – Scalability and High Availability

Provides a high-level overview of the scalability and high availability features available in each RDBMS.  Contains the following sections:

• Clustering
• Database mirroring
• AlwaysOn
• Replication – objects
• Scalability

Module 15 – Monitoring

Shows the mechanisms by which the database can be monitored for availability, errors, and performance.  Contains the following sections:

• Error logs
• Error messages
• Monitoring performance
• Activity monitor