Failed 70-461..will try again in 2 weeks

Ahh yes the lovely elements. SP, Triggers, Merge statements no problem. GOOD FORMED XML. Night night!

Keep on us Carl, I need it. I really want to get the MCSA SQL. I literally can call it a certification career if I completed those 3 test. Okay truth be told I have a strong desire to get the MCSE BI.

scaredoftests

what is maddening, is the week-long class I went to, hardly covered XML.

DatabaseHead

Who was it through? Transcender?

scaredoftests

It was local (Columbia md)

DatabaseHead

How's Transcender treating you in regards to XML?

scaredoftests

It is hard (which I like). I am also reading SQL Queries 2012 Joes 2 Pros Vol 5, which covers XML and in a great way!

DatabaseHead

Just to be safe can you send me a link to the book on amazon or the ISBN? Last thing I want to do is blow it and get the wrong book. Thanks!

DatabaseHead

SoT I found this link Querying Microsoft SQL Server 101(70-461 Exam Prep 1 of 5) | Joes 2 Pros Academy | www.joes2pros.com

I think I'm going to run through it.

scaredoftests

DatabaseHead wrote: »

SoT I found this link Querying Microsoft SQL Server 101(70-461 Exam Prep 1 of 5) | Joes 2 Pros Academy | www.joes2pros.com

I think I'm going to run through it.

Also Part 5 is the book that has XML, explained really well.

DatabaseHead

I tried to watch some of the free training and now they are blowing up my email. That was a mistake, Sarah from Joes to Pros.

Side note.... I did see that they have a course for landing a job outside of the data / business analyst scope of work. Along the lines of advanced queries and ETL / Upsert type functions. Pretty interesting stuff, I was close to pulling the trigger but with Lynda being free for me the cheap in me won out.

At the end of the day I just want to improve my skills and make more money.

DatabaseHead

Updates?

I'm going through the data querying modules on youtube, saving cash..... Learned NTILE today, of course I had heard of it and I am very familiar with windowing functions, but this could be very help with sales data, since I work in procurement. Not really an "IT guy", more of a technical procurement analyst / master data analyst. Anyway...... How goes it SoT?! I'm still working towards this bad boy.

Sad thing is once I complete this I have to take the admin exam 462, which I have 0 knowledge about. We have a senior .net developer who takes care of all of that stuff......

DatabaseHead

select *, NTILE(10) OVER (ORDER BY (SUM_PO) DESC)
FROM qryActivity AS A
JOIN (SELECT SUM(PO_VALUE_CALCULATED) AS SUM_PO, INV_YEAR_MO, SUPPLIER_ID
FROM qryActivity as Q1
GROUP BY INV_YEAR_MO, SUPPLIER_ID
) X ON X.INV_YEAR_MO = A.INV_YEAR_MO AND X.SUPPLIER_ID = A.SUPPLIER_ID
ORDER BY A.INV_YEAR_MO

Putting NTILE to work!

Sorry I used a Derived Table, I usually prefer the modular approach with CTE's. But with 60 million records what difference does it make, I should of insert into #temp that's the best for large sets IMO.

DatabaseHead

Just started my free trial of CBT Nuggets for 70-461. Made it through the first chapter, I am feeling really motivated hopefully this will lead to a pass.

scaredoftests

DatabaseHead wrote: »

Just started my free trial of CBT Nuggets for 70-461. Made it through the first chapter, I am feeling really motivated hopefully this will lead to a pass.

Let me know how it goes.

DatabaseHead

Went through module 1 and 2. 1 was an introduction probably the 9th one I went through since starting this exam 3 years ago. However the second create, alter drop tables etc was pretty comprehensive. Started on Views but burnt, I'll finish that up tonight. I am pacing myself, but I like the preset up labs and the instructor goes pretty quick and covers a lot of information. I'll keep you posted.

Addl info

There are 20 modules each ~40 minutes, some 25 and some 55.

My strategy is to use my lunch break to run through ones that I already know well, like Views (in fact there are two modules on views so I'll finish up one at lunch and maybe the other. I will do hardly any coding since most of it is repetitive. Things like XML, Stored Procedures and some of the more complex windowing I'll do at home and will take my time going through those, maybe 3 - 4 days per module. End game is to spend more time on the material I am weak in and blaze through the easier stuff.

DatabaseHead

2 more chapters done, both related to views. Creation, Alter, Delete etc. Worked on giving permissions at the schema level and the database level, just for a particular database. Really did a deep dive in chapter 4 well beyond what was required but I liked it. Did it all by command line, I have all the scripts saved so at work if I get some down time (ya right) I'll go ahead and review them.

In all seriousness I am thinking about doing 463 next the data warehouse one, I have soooooo much more experience in that world than I do 462.

I'm dead serious I build fact and dimension all day long, updating our cubes and tabular tables. It wouldn't be a breeze but I could get through it fairly quickly.

I'm curious if I could skip 462 and jump into 466 and 467 after completing 461 and 463. Save the worse for last! It seems sooooo boring.

DatabaseHead

5 minutes in and I was done, going to have to wait to get home to go through chapter 5. Reeling back to 1 module a night, but so far so good.

Barely use the book anymore, only to review and fill in gaps that may have been missed.

DatabaseHead

Completed chapter 5, long day, with work then hitting a jog and now this. Ugh..... I am going to have to do this at work tomorrow because after work I am going out! chapters in 3 days isn't bad. Hoping to get 2 more done over the weekend, hopefully in the morning.

nachodba

@matiandal, do you even read forum rules. Do not discuss **** here. You have been reported.

DatabaseHead

Never got a follow up?!

scaredoftests

DatabaseHead wrote: »

Never got a follow up?!

Are you talkin' to me? If you are..I haven't scheduled a test yet.

DatabaseHead

yeah man you! I'm locked in for the 17th, with the booster pack. BRUTE FORCE!

scaredoftests

DatabaseHead wrote: »

yeah man you! I'm locked in for the 17th, with the booster pack. BRUTE FORCE!

Let me know how it goes. Good luck.