RTFM365, Week 4

The days are just flying. I have to admit: I may have missed a day or two in the rush of Christmas and New Year’s…but I’m sticking with the RTFM365 handle. RTFM363 just doesn’t sound the same.  

The coolest thing I read about this week is the Resource Database , and I highly suggest you give the BOL on this a quick peruse.

I’m also digging into Adam Machanic’s Expert SQL Server 2005 Development starting this week. I’ll probably comment on it here from time to time, but it’s not officially part of the project.

Boilerplate: 

For the next year (-24 days now), I will read from SQL Server Books Online a little every day, and blog about it weekly. See my RTFM365 post for the full details on this project, and follow along with the series via the RTFM365 tag. 

Reading this week was in SQL Server 2008 R2 Books Online unless otherwise noted. Please note: I’m exploring BOL and learning a little each day; I’m not here to read it to you or review it.  

Here’s what I read last week (days 25-31):

Database Engine > Development > Querying and Changing Data > Accessing and Changing Database Dat… > Query Fundamentals

Join Fundamentals > Using Joins > Using Inner Joins > Null Values and Joins (all 4 nodes in the chain)

Using the Select List

DB Engine > Development > Designing and Implementing Structured Storage > Indexes > Understanding Indexes > Index Basics (whole chain)

Using Common Table Expressions: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms190766.aspx

Recursive Queries Using Common Table Expressions: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms186243.aspx

WITH common_table_expression (Transact-SQL): http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms175972.aspx
(this last one conatins

• DB Engine > Development > Designing and Implementing Structured Storage >
• Databases > Understanding Databases >
• Database Basics
• System Databases – “Resource database Is a read-only database that contains system objects that are included with SQL Server. System objects are physically persisted in the Resource database, but they logically appear in the sys schema of every database.”

Resource Database – “The Resource database makes upgrading to a new version of SQL Server an easier and faster procedure.”  Also, “SQL Server cannot back up the Resource database. You can perform your own file-based or a disk-based backup …” You can’t see Resource in your DB list, but you can get info about it (see article).

Getting Started with CLR Integration

Happy days,
Jen McCown
http://www.MidnightDBA.com/Jen