70-461 Tracking Thread

This is the initial post

So far I have covered CBT nugget chapter 1 and 2

MSSMSE has been installed along wtih AdventureWorks2012

Going through some basic DDL functions Create and Drop etc. Even though this part isn't to terribly difficult I am not so hot on Views, so that will be a very nice piece to cover.

I'll keep updating as my progress continues.

Currently I am on a 3 month data project with a potential to hire so I am thinking if I can land this certification with 3 weeks left in the contract that could help assist me for the position. (That's the theory) However if that isn't the case, 3 month of T-SQL experience with the 461 certification should help me find another database project to roll into.

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N2IT wrote: »

I want to get the database in place first. I am not systems guy, but can someone spin up a VM to host a MDB file. Then we could all mount the database to our clients and start to bang out some queries.

Thoughts? What would it take to make this happen? I just don't have enough knowledge with client server technology.

None of that is really needed if we use the SQL Fiddle site, though. We can version the labs and people can even fork them if they want to change something. This allows for collaborative work on the queries and the DDL.

Using SQL Fiddle we can present a data set and schema and say, "Write a query that produces these results." We can then fork the Fiddle and write a potential answer. Users can then look at the answer and discuss them on the form.

Here is an example: SQL Fiddle

Your task is to write a query that displays only the information for the most recent Sales Order for each part number. This is simplified as the actual schema represents a JOIN on 3 tables in the original DB. The reason is to focus on how to perform the actual task and not be distracted by the JOINs

Notice on the Fiddle site DDL should go on the left and DML (actual queries) on the right.

What's up with the border at the top that cuts off the 1st 2 rows? I can't see the first of the DML.

Nevermind you have to go full screen and then back to minimized.

I'll mess around with this a little more.

What does everybody else think? Does this concept have value?

Anyone? Who's labbing this weekend?

Have exams for my degree course fast approaching so haven't been able to spend as much time on SQL as I would have liked

I understand that thing called life gets in the way

I have been working on some Powershell recently for discovery so that's where a lot of my attention has been focused.

Exams finally done with for this year, can now concentrate on SQL once again......

How's it going? Z

slooowww

. I lost quite a bit of momentum from having to study for my uni exams. Slowly getting back into the 'technical' flow, had initially planned to attempt the exam this month but I think it makes better sense to go for it end of June. How's it going on your end ?

Zorodzai wrote: »

slooowww . I lost quite a bit of momentum from having to study for my uni exams. Slowly getting back into the 'technical' flow, had initially planned to attempt the exam this month but I think it makes better sense to go for it end of June. How's it going on your end ?

Same here on the momentum. Just started to pick it up again want to sit the exam end of August time.

Anybody else interested in getting the MCSE Database?

I know I am but I have a LONG way to go. Besides I am starting a new job that is primarily around Access and Excel. However it does use MS SQL so that hopefully gets the juices flowing. If I am not using the technology it's damn near impossible for me to get any kind of momentum going.

N2IT wrote: »

Anybody else interested in getting the MCSE Database? I know I am but I have a LONG way to go. Besides I am starting a new job that is primarily around Access and Excel. However it does use MS SQL so that hopefully gets the juices flowing. If I am not using the technology it's damn near impossible for me to get any kind of momentum going.

I'm thinking about going for that down the road, but for now its just focusing on the MCSA and getting a solid grasp on that.

@N2IT I am very interested in the MCSE database

Nice work. Yeah I need to sack up and get 70-461. I am going to start on the nuggets against (CBT) and then read ITZIK's book. I've been covering some of my college material going over relational database theory etc. Nothing that will get me a pass but at least start to get me involved at a high level. Starting a new job tomorrow and finishing up my MBA in June. I'll be so happy to get this out of the way and focus on the SQL exams.

Started the new position today. A lot of Excel today, but tomorrow is going to start with the T-SQL. I went through some querying CBT's from Lynda basically covering all the aggregate functions, joins, etc. Mainly DML, sounds like I am going to be doing a lot of querying in this new position. The other one was a lot of talk but not much in the way of querying the different databases. I'm going to hit this high level and get some additional hands on and then go back at 461 with additional studying the MS material.

. Am going through the CBT Nuggets after which I plan to hit the labs hard.

Yeah switched gears tonight to Excel Charts. I have them down, I just want to make sure I am seriously polished. I am generating reports for C-Levels and they have to be perfect. Good thing for me my boss has a bunch of them already fleshed out and ready to roll. I just have to validate and press the generate report macro

Just purchased the T-SQL Beginner Book Microsoft SQL Server 2012 T-SQL Fundamentals: Itzik Ben-Gan: Amazon.com: Books I think this book along with my daily use should really get me going in the right direction for 461.

That should be a good place to start, then follow it up with the 70-461 training kit.

Carl I wholeheartedly agree. At this point this is the plan. Thanks for following back up!

N2IT wrote: »

Just purchased the T-SQL Beginner Book Microsoft SQL Server 2012 T-SQL Fundamentals: Itzik Ben-Gan: Amazon.com: Books I think this book along with my daily use should really get me going in the right direction for 461.

I used that book for my study and still do to this day. Its a great book.

Known thanks for the follow up. I plan on spending 2 -3 months studying for this exam and eventually working my way through the BI exam set. I am taking the approach it's a very long marathon almost like the tour de france.

@N2IT nothing wrong with that approach at all, in fact I feel quite the contrary. Our focus should always be learning and improvement first, passing exams second. As long as you truly gain the skills, who cares how long it took you to study for the exam?

Carl I agree with you. My main concern is learning the material that's why I am focusing more on books to teach me and not on books to just pass an exam. I really appreciate you all posting in this thread. It's really great for me too see all you professionals chiming in!

N2IT wrote: »

Known thanks for the follow up. I plan on spending 2 -3 months studying for this exam and eventually working my way through the BI exam set. I am taking the approach it's a very long marathon almost like the tour de france.

Same here on the BI plan.

That's great you have knocked out the first exam. How far are you along on the second?

N2IT wrote: »

That's great you have knocked out the first exam. How far are you along on the second?

I've watched all the CBT videos and read like 4 random chapters in the book. At my work we don't any HADR (High Availability and Disaster Recovery) so I'm looking at doing either a migration to 2012 or an upgrade.

Basically I'm focusing on those chapters and videos until I have figured out which would be best for us.

Sounds good - We just rolled out SQL 2012. We have a test environment and I plan on banging on that when I am not banging on the real thing. My role has me going back in forth a lot with VBA and SQL. It's a large learning curve for me but I am managing and so far I have delivered early on all my projects. Thank God.

Just a FYI been giving the green light to start nailing the test server at work for 461. I thought that was worth reporting.

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