10775A: Administering MS SQL Server 2012 Databases

About this Course

This five-day instructor-led course provides students with the knowledge and skills to maintain a Microsoft SQL Server 2012 database. The course focuses on teaching individuals how to use SQL Server 2012 product features and tools related to maintaining a database. Also this course helps you prepare for the Exam 70-462
All the labs for this course can be performed using the provided virtual machines. However, if you have a Microsoft Windows Azure account and the classroom virtual machines connect to the internet you may be able to connect to your Azure server and database from the classroom. Many of the labs in this course are enabled for you to perform the lab while connected to your own Azure database in the cloud. Your instructor should be able to provide a current list of Azure enabled labs.
Below are the some of the new features of SQL Server that has been discussed in this course
  • Discussion around servicing SQL Server (Service Packs, Cumulative Updates, Hotfixes)
    • Understanding the relationship between the different levels of updates to the SQL Server product is very important for those working with it. The course now covers details on how hotfixes, cumulative updates and service packs are related and when to apply each type of update.
  • SQL Server use of automated update
    • SQL Server can now utilize Windows Update for servicing. The course shows how to enable automated updates and when the use of these updates should and should not be used.
  • Partial database containment
    • A significant challenge when migrating databases between servers is the management of objects such as logins that are not contained within the database. The course now discusses the partial containment options that are provided by SQL Server 2012. In particular, authentication-related changes are discussed.
  • Users with passwords (contained users)
    • The course shows how SQL Server 2012 allows users to be authenticated at the database level, rather than at the server level. This is an important first step in for database containment.
  • User-defined server roles
    • In earlier versions of SQL Server, user-defined roles could be created at the database level but not at the server level. In SQL Server 2012, user-defined roles can also be defined at the server level. This can help to increase the security of systems. Having the ability to configure more fine-grained permissions lets logins be assigned only the permissions that they need to do their work.
  • In-place upgrades of data-tier applications
    • In earlier versions of SQL Server, an upgrade of a data-tier application involved migrating all the data within a database to a new database. In SQL Server 2012 this is no longer needed and the course shows how data-tier applications can be upgraded much more quickly, and using less system resources.
  • Appendix with intro to AlwaysOn, High Availability and Replication concepts
    • Students who will be attempting the certification exam that is relevant to this course require knowledge of high availability and replication. In earlier versions of this course, none of these details were covered. In this version of the course, an appendix that covers the core concepts for high availability (including SQL Server 2012 AlwaysOn technologies) and replication is provided.
Audience Profile

The primary audience for this course is individuals who administer and maintain SQL Server databases. These individuals perform database administration and maintenance as their primary area of responsibility, or work in environments where databases play a key role in their primary job.
The secondary audiences for this course are individuals who develop applications that deliver content from SQL Server databases.
At Course Completion

After completing this course, students will be able to:
  • Plan  and install SQL Server.
  • Describes the system databases, the physical structure of databases and the most common configuration options related to them.
  • Explain the concept of the transaction log and SQL Server recovery models and implement different backup strategies available with SQL Server.
  • Create SQL Server Backups.
  • Restore SQL Server databases.
  • Use the import/export wizards and explain how they relate to SSIS.
  • Work with SQL Server security models, logins and users.
  • Work with fixed server roles, user-defined server roles, fixed database roles and user-defined database roles.
  • Work with permissions and the assignment of permissions.
  • Work with SQL Server Audit.
  • Work with SQL Server Agent, jobs and job history.
  • Implement SQL Server agent security, proxy accounts and credentials.
  • Configure database mail, alerts and notifications.
  • Create database maintenance plans.
  • Work with SQL Profiler and SQL Trace stored procedures.
  • Introduce DMVs and the configuration of data collection.
  • Work with Central Management Servers and Multi-Server queries, Virtualization of SQL Server and Data-Tier Applications.
  • Troubleshoot SQL Server databases.