In today’s data-centric world, IT professionals are expected to have a good familiarity with Relational Database Management Systems (RDBMS) and Structured Query Language (SQL). Organizations are looking to develop experts in SQL within their IT departments. If you are looking to become a SQL consultant within your organization, you must first learn the fundamentals of SQL Server.
One way to master SQL Server is to take one of the training courses offered by Microsoft. You will receive an official Microsoft certification for SQL Server if you pass the exam at the end of the course. If you are looking to further your career in IT, obtaining a formal certification can help. In addition to courses offered directly by Microsoft, several independent training organizations offer excellent training courses that help with SQL Server certification. Many of the training and certification programs for SQL Server are very helpful. However, these can also be rather expensive.
The official SQL Server certification isn’t the only way to learn SQL Server. You can always learn it on your own. A good start would be to find a comprehensive book or a study guide for SQL Server. You can either look on the Internet or visit your local book store to find a good book. Many books are geared toward beginners and can be appropriate even if you have very little background in relational databases.
If you are don’t want to spend considerable amount money for an expensive training course on SQL Server, you can also learn SQL Server through practical exercises that can be found on the Internet. This education is invaluable and is absolutely free. In fact, there are numerous websites that will provide hands-on tutorials for SQL Server for free. There are also several websites that provide moderated discussion forums, where you can receive help with specific SQL-related questions.
Although the differences aren’t very significant, the makers of different database software use different versions of SQL. Microsoft uses Transact SQL (T-SQL), while Oracle uses Pl/SQL. It is important that you to first concentrate on mastering T-SQL if you are looking to specialize in SQL Consulting for Microsoft SQL Server.
You will become more valuable to your employer as a SQL consultant with a complete understanding of SQL Server. This knowledge can also help you launch your own SQL consulting career later on. In the end, it doesn’t make a significant difference if you learn SQL on your own or if you go through a formal training and obtain a certification. What matters most is your practical experience with SQL Server and exposure to different SQL Server environments and different problems.
Click here for more information about sql server performance and sql consulting.