Exam 70-461: Querying Microsoft SQL Server

Skills Measured:

Create database objects (20–25%)

• Create and alter tables using T-SQL syntax (simple statements)
  • Create tables without using the built in tools; ALTER; DROP; ALTER COLUMN; CREATE
• Create and alter views (simple statements)
  • Create indexed views; create views without using the built in tools; CREATE, ALTER, DROP
• Design views
  • Ensure code non regression by keeping consistent signature for procedure, views and function (interfaces); security implications
• Create and modify constraints (simple statements)
  • Create constraints on tables; define constraints; unique constraints; default constraints; primary and foreign key constraints
• Create and alter DML triggers
  • Inserted and deleted tables; nested triggers; types of triggers; update functions; handle multiple rows in a session; performance implications of triggers

Work with data (25–30%)

• Query data by using SELECT statements
  • Use the ranking function to select top(X) rows for multiple categories in a single query; write and perform queries efficiently using the new (SQL 2005/8->) code items such as synonyms, and joins (except, intersect); implement logic which uses dynamic SQL and system metadata; write efficient, technically complex SQL queries, including all types of joins versus the use of derived tables; determine what code may or may not execute based on the tables provided; given a table with constraints, determine which statement set would load a table; use and understand different data access technologies; case versus isnull versus coalesce
• Implement sub-queries
  • Identify problematic elements in query plans; pivot and unpivot; apply operator; cte statement; with statement
• Implement data types
  • Use appropriate data; understand the uses and limitations of each data type; impact of GUID (newid, newsequentialid) on database performance, when to use what data type for columns
• Implement aggregate queries
  • New analytic functions; grouping sets; spatial aggregates; apply ranking functions
• Query and manage XML data
  • Understand XML datatypes and their schemas and interop w/, limitations and restrictions; implement XML schemas and handling of XML data; XML data: how to handle it in SQL Server and when and when not to use it, including XML namespaces; import and export XML; XML indexing

Modify data (20–25%)

• Create and alter stored procedures (simple statements)
  • Write a stored procedure to meet a given set of requirements; branching logic; create stored procedures and other programmatic objects; techniques for developing stored procedures; different types of storeproc result; create stored procedure for data access layer; program stored procedures, triggers, functions with T-SQL
• Modify data by using INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE statements
  • Given a set of code with defaults, constraints, and triggers, determine the output of a set of DDL; know which SQL statements are best to solve common requirements; use output statement
• Combine datasets
  • Difference between UNION and UNION all; case versus isnull versus coalesce; modify data by using MERGE statements
• Work with functions
  • Understand deterministic, non-deterministic functions; scalar and table values; apply built-in scalar functions; create and alter user-defined functions (UDFs)

Troubleshoot and optimize (25–30%)

• Optimize queries
  • Understand statistics; read query plans; plan guides; DMVs; hints; statistics IO; dynamic vs. parameterized queries; describe the different join types (HASH, MERGE, LOOP) and describe the scenarios they would be used in
• Manage transactions
  • Mark a transaction; understand begin tran, commit, and rollback; implicit vs explicit transactions; isolation levels; scope and type of locks; trancount
• Evaluate the use of row-based operations vs. set-based operations
  • When to use cursors; impact of scalar UDFs; combine multiple DML operations
• Implement error handling
  • Implement try/catch/throw; use set based rather than row based logic; transaction management