Take a detailed look at the internal architecture of T-SQL—and unveil the power of set-based querying—with comprehensive reference and advice from the experts. Database developers and administrators get best practices, sample databases, and code to master the intricacies of the programming language—solving complex problems with real-world solutions.

Discover how to:

• Understand logical and physical query processing
• Apply a methodology to optimize query tuning
• Solve relational division problems
• Use CTEs and ranking functions to simplify and optimize solutions
• Aggregate data with various techniques, including tiebreakers, pivoting, histograms, and grouping factors
• Use the TOP option in a query to modify data
• Query specialized data structures with recursive logic, materialized path, or nested sets solutions
• PLUS—Improve your logic and get to the heart of querying problems with logic puzzles

Get code and database samples on the Web

Itzik Ben-Gan is a principal mentor and a founder of Solid Quality Learning. A Microsoft MVP for SQL Server since 1999, Itzik teaches and consults internationally on T-SQL querying, programming, and query tuning. He has written numerous articles for SQL Server Magazine and MSDN, and speaks at industry events such as Microsoft TechEd, DevWeek, PASS, and SQL Server Connections.

Lubor Kollar is the group program manager for SQL Server at Microsoft. His team led the development of key enhancements to the relational engine and T-SQL query capabilities in SQL Server 2005.

Dejan Sarka is MCT and MCDBA certified and a Microsoft MVP for SQL Server. He teaches and consults for Solid Quality Learning, speaks at TechEd and PASS, and develops OLTP, OLAP, and data mining solutions.

Kalen Delaney, Series Editor, is a principal mentor and a founder of Solid Quality Learning and the author of Inside Microsoft SQL Server 2000.