SQL Server Interview Questions and Answers


Book Description

As representatives from the IT community, all of us have had our own experiences of attending interviews - clearing or close to clearing and sometimes with tons of questions and doubts failing miserably. These stories are in the most pleasant or not so pleasant memories of our mind and we will assure you this book will kindle those memories for sure. We have taken tons of interviews and most of the interviews are not revolving around how deep technical and internals you know about the subject - but it revolves around how good you are with the basics.To clear an interview, one doesn't need to know inside-out of a subject, and subjects like "SQL Server" so vast that every single day we learn something new with this product, and even a complete lifetime will fly off if we keep doing this. Again, the various roles one can get into for products like SQL Server are from Database Developer, Database Modelers, Database Architect, Database Administrator and many more. Hence, this book is geared towards demystifying and a refresher for memories on the fundamentals which sometimes are the most important things to clear any type of interview for any role. Some of the concepts discussed are generic and are not tied to any specific version of SQL Server, but most of it the new features introduced with SQL Server have been included in this book.This book is not a shortcut or a sure to crack interview guide but this book gets you prepared in an organized manner. Let us also assure you this is neither a completely comprehensive guide but surely is a great starter nevertheless. Use this to guide you and be mentally prepared for the big day. When faced with this big day, we get overwhelmed and confused about where to start our preparation. And this book is just that secret recipe in your arsenal to get geared up. Sometimes these basics will help you narrow to a solution quickly when given a scenario.Now this book's flow is "Question & Answer" mode from start till the end to help you grasp the concepts faster and to the point. Once you get an understanding of concepts, then if we are twisted with the concept in a scenario it becomes easy to solve them. Most companies have a typical way to do interviews which are based on the scenario as per their environment and these are just combinations of the concepts to fit their need and SLA.Though each of these chapters is bucketed for convenience we highly recommend reading each of the sections nevertheless irrespective of the roles you might be doing as each of the sections have some interesting trivia's working with SQL Server. In the industry, the role of accidental DBA's especially with SQL Server is so common. Hence if you have performed the role of DBA for a short stink and want to brush-up your fundamentals then the respective sections will be a great skim.




Sams Teach Yourself SQL in 24 Hours


Book Description

In just 24 lessons of one hour or less, you will learn professional techniques to design and build efficient databases and query them to extract useful information. Using a straightforward, step-by-step approach, each lesson builds on the previous one, allowing you to learn the essentials of ANSI SQL from the ground up. Example code demonstrates the authors’ professional techniques, while exercises written for MySQL offer the reader hands-on learning with an open-source database. Included are advanced techniques for using views, managing transactions, database administration, and extending SQL. Step-by-step instructions carefully walk you through the most common SQL tasks. Q&As, Quizzes, and Exercises at the end of each chapter help you test your knowledge. Notes and Tips point out shortcuts and solutions. New terms are clearly defined and explained. Learn how to... Use SQL-2003, the latest standard for the Structured Query Language Design and deploy efficient, secure databases Build advanced queries for information retrieval Sort, group, and summarize information for best presentation Tune databases and queries for maximum performance Understand database administration and security techniques For more than ten years the authors have studied, applied, and documented the SQL standard and its application to critical database systems. Ryan Stephens and Ron Plew are entrepreneurs, speakers, and cofounders of Perpetual Technologies, Inc. (PTI), a fast-growing IT management and consulting firm which specializes in database technologies. They taught database courses for Indiana University–Purdue University in Indianapolis for five years and have authored more than a dozen books on Oracle, SQL, database design, and the high availability of critical systems. Arie D. Jones is Senior SQL Server database administrator and analyst for PTI. He is a regular speaker at technical events and has authored several books and articles. Category: Database Covers: ANSI SQL User Level: Beginning–Intermediate Register your book at informit.com/title/9780672330186 for convenient access to updates and corrections as they become available.




Practical SQL, 2nd Edition


Book Description

Analyze data like a pro, even if you’re a beginner. Practical SQL is an approachable and fast-paced guide to SQL (Structured Query Language), the standard programming language for defining, organizing, and exploring data in relational databases. Anthony DeBarros, a journalist and data analyst, focuses on using SQL to find the story within your data. The examples and code use the open-source database PostgreSQL and its companion pgAdmin interface, and the concepts you learn will apply to most database management systems, including MySQL, Oracle, SQLite, and others.* You’ll first cover the fundamentals of databases and the SQL language, then build skills by analyzing data from real-world datasets such as US Census demographics, New York City taxi rides, and earthquakes from US Geological Survey. Each chapter includes exercises and examples that teach even those who have never programmed before all the tools necessary to build powerful databases and access information quickly and efficiently. You’ll learn how to: Create databases and related tables using your own data Aggregate, sort, and filter data to find patterns Use functions for basic math and advanced statistical operations Identify errors in data and clean them up Analyze spatial data with a geographic information system (PostGIS) Create advanced queries and automate tasks This updated second edition has been thoroughly revised to reflect the latest in SQL features, including additional advanced query techniques for wrangling data. This edition also has two new chapters: an expanded set of instructions on for setting up your system plus a chapter on using PostgreSQL with the popular JSON data interchange format. Learning SQL doesn’t have to be dry and complicated. Practical SQL delivers clear examples with an easy-to-follow approach to teach you the tools you need to build and manage your own databases. * Microsoft SQL Server employs a variant of the language called T-SQL, which is not covered by Practical SQL.




SQL Practice Problems


Book Description

Real-world practice problems to bring your SQL skills to the next level It's easy to find basic SQL syntax and keyword information online. What's hard to find is challenging, well-designed, real-world problems--the type of problems that come up all the time when you're dealing with data. Learning how to solve these problems will give you the skill and confidence to step up in your career. With SQL Practice Problems, you can get that level of experience by solving sets of targeted problems. These aren't just problems designed to give an example of specific syntax, or keyword. These are the common problems you run into all the time when you deal with data. You will get real world practice, with real world data. I'll teach you how to "think" in SQL, how to analyze data problems, figure out the fundamentals, and work towards a solution that you can be proud of. It contains challenging problems, that hone your ability to write high quality SQL code. What do you get when you buy SQL Practice Problems? You get instructions on how set up MS SQL Server Express Edition 2016 and SQL Server Management Studio 2016, both free downloads. Almost all the SQL presented here works for previous versions of MS SQLServer, and any exceptions are highlighted. You'll also get a customized sample database, with video walk-through instructions on how to set it up on your computer. And of course, you get the actual practice problems - 57 problems that you work through step-by-step. There are targeted hints if you need them that help guide you through the question. For the more complex questions there are multiple levels of hints. Each answer comes with a short, targeted discussion section with alternative answers and tips on usage and good programming practice. What kind of problems are there in SQL Practice Problems? SQL Practice Problems has data analysis and reporting oriented challenges that are designed to step you through introductory, intermediate and advanced SQL Select statements, with a learn-by-doing technique. Most textbooks and courses have some practice problems. But most often, they're used just to illustrate a particular piece of syntax, with no filtering on what's most useful. What you'll get with SQL Practice Problems is the problems that illustrate some the most common challenges you'll run into with data, and the best, most useful techniques to solve them. These practice problems involve only Select statements, used for data analysis and reporting, and not statements to modify data (insert, delete, update), or to create stored procedures. About the author: Hi, my name is Sylvia Moestl Vasilik. I've been a database programmer and engineer for more than 15 years, working at top organizations like Expedia, Microsoft, T-Mobile, and the Gates Foundation. In 2015, I was teaching a SQL Server Certificate course at the University of Washington Continuing Education. It was a 10 week course, and my students paid more than $1000 for it. My students learned the basics of SQL, most of the keywords, and worked through practice problems every week of the course. But because of the emphasis on getting a broad overview of all features of SQL, we didn't spend enough time on the types of SQL that's used 95% of the time--intermediate and advanced Select statements. After the course was over, some of my students emailed me to ask where they could get more practice. That's when I was inspired to start work on this book.




Programming Interviews Exposed


Book Description

The pressure is on during the interview process but with the right preparation, you can walk away with your dream job. This classic book uncovers what interviews are really like at America's top software and computer companies and provides you with the tools to succeed in any situation. The authors take you step-by-step through new problems and complex brainteasers they were asked during recent technical interviews. 50 interview scenarios are presented along with in-depth analysis of the possible solutions. The problem-solving process is clearly illustrated so you'll be able to easily apply what you've learned during crunch time. You'll also find expert tips on what questions to ask, how to approach a problem, and how to recover if you become stuck. All of this will help you ace the interview and get the job you want. What you will learn from this book Tips for effectively completing the job application Ways to prepare for the entire programming interview process How to find the kind of programming job that fits you best Strategies for choosing a solution and what your approach says about you How to improve your interviewing skills so that you can respond to any question or situation Techniques for solving knowledge-based problems, logic puzzles, and programming problems Who this book is for This book is for programmers and developers applying for jobs in the software industry or in IT departments of major corporations. Wrox Beginning guides are crafted to make learning programming languages and technologies easier than you think, providing a structured, tutorial format that will guide you through all the techniques involved.




SQL and Relational Theory


Book Description

SQL is full of difficulties and traps for the unwary. You can avoid them if you understand relational theory, but only if you know how to put the theory into practice. In this insightful book, author C.J. Date explains relational theory in depth, and demonstrates through numerous examples and exercises how you can apply it directly to your use of SQL. This second edition includes new material on recursive queries, “missing information” without nulls, new update operators, and topics such as aggregate operators, grouping and ungrouping, and view updating. If you have a modest-to-advanced background in SQL, you’ll learn how to deal with a host of common SQL dilemmas. Why is proper column naming so important? Nulls in your database are causing you to get wrong answers. Why? What can you do about it? Is it possible to write an SQL query to find employees who have never been in the same department for more than six months at a time? SQL supports “quantified comparisons,” but they’re better avoided. Why? How do you avoid them? Constraints are crucially important, but most SQL products don’t support them properly. What can you do to resolve this situation? Database theory and practice have evolved since the relational model was developed more than 40 years ago. SQL and Relational Theory draws on decades of research to present the most up-to-date treatment of SQL available. C.J. Date has a stature that is unique within the database industry. A prolific writer well known for the bestselling textbook An Introduction to Database Systems (Addison-Wesley), he has an exceptionally clear style when writing about complex principles and theory.




SQL the One


Book Description

"Congratulations! You are going to WIN your next SQL Server interview. “SQL The One” book can guide you to achieve the success in your next interview. This book covers Microsoft SQL Server interview experiences, questions and answers for a range of SQL DBA’s and SQL Server Professionals. All of these questions have been collected from the people who attended interviews at various multinational companies across the world. It also covers “How to prepare for a SQL DBA interview?” and “How to become an expert in your career?” Salient Features of Book All interview questions are asked in various MNC Covers 1090 real time questions and answers 254 questions on SQL Server Performance Tuning Covers all SQL Server HA & DR features 316 questions on SQL Server HA & DR features Lots of scenario based questions Covers SQL Server 2005, 2008, 2008 R2, 2012, 2014 and 2016 Questions are categorized In-depth explanations An Interview Experience with Microsoft Useful as a reference guide for SQL DBA Interview preparation




Top 50 MySQL Interview Questions and Answers


Book Description

This book contains basic to expert level MySQL interview questions that an interviewer asks. Each question is accompanied with an answer so that you can prepare for job interview in short time. We have compiled this list after attending dozens of technical interviews in top-notch companies like- Google, Facebook, Netflix, Amazon etc.Often, these questions and concepts are used in our daily programming work. But these are most helpful when an Interviewer is trying to test your deep knowledge of MySQL.The difficulty rating on these Questions varies from a Fresher level software programmer to a Senior software programmer. Once you go through them in the first pass, mark the questions that you could not answer by yourself. Then, in second pass go through only the difficult questions. After going through this book 2-3 times, you will be well prepared to face a technical interview on MySQL for an experienced programmer. Some of the questions are:How will you calculate the number of days between two dates in MySQL?What are the different types of Triggers in MySQL?What are the differences between Heap table and temporary table in MySQL?What is a Heap table in MySQL?What is the difference between BLOB and TEXT data type in MySQL?What will happen when AUTO_INVREMENT on an INTEGER column reaches MAX_VALUE in MySQL?What are the advantages of MySQL as compared with Oracle DB?What are the disadvantages of MySQL?What is the difference between CHAR and VARCHAR datatype in MySQL?What is the use of 'i_am_a_dummy flag' in MySQL?How can we get current date and time in MySQL?What is the difference between timestamp in Unix and MySQL?How will you limit a MySQL query to display only top 10 rows?What is automatic initialization and updating for TIMESTAMP in a MySQL table?How can we get the list of all the indexes on a table?What is SAVEPOINT in MySQL?17. What is the difference between ROLLBACK TO SAVEPOINT and RELEASE SAVEPOINT?How will you search for a String in MySQL column?How can we find the version of the MySQL server and the name of the current database by SELECT query?What is the use of IFNULL() operator in MySQL?How will you check if a table exists in MySQL?How will you see the structure of a table in MySQL?What are the objects that can be created by CREATE statement in MySQL?24. How will you see the current user logged into MySQL connection?How can you copy the structure of a table into another table without copying the data?What is the difference between Batch and Interactive modes of MySQL?How can we get a random number between 1 and 100 in MySQL?What is the difference between Primary key and Candidate key?What is a Federated table in MySQL?How will you get the comma separated values for a column in a MySQL Group query?How can we get the results from a table in a random order in MySQL?How can we prevent duplicate records in a MySQL table?How will you eliminate duplicate values from a query result in MySQL?How will you get the size of data in a MySQL table?What is the option in Amazon Web Services for MySQL?How can we manage multiple MySQL servers?How will you migrate your SQL Server database to MySQL?What is the difference between MySQL and Oracle?What is the order of privileges in MySQL?Is it ok to mention a table name in lower case while creation and in uppercase while retrieving data from MySQL DB?Why this query does not work in MySQL?What is mysqldump?What is the limitation of mysqldump?Can we run Javascript or Python code in MySQL?What are user-defined variables in MySQL?How will you optimize a SELECT query in MySQL?What are the different optimization techniques in MySQL?How can we optimize INSERT query in MySQL?How will you make MySQL system secure against attackers?How can you protect your MySQL server against Denial of Service attacks?