Books/Courses on Database Development for Absolute Beginners

LittleBook

Hi Folks, I'm being asked to consider taking on extra work in my job ... which I've no problem with except that it's a completely new area to me, database management and development. My only experience of databases is as a user.

I'm assured there will be on-the-job training but I was hoping to get some reading material to start with and build on and help me with the terminology.

The Database Development for Dummies (yes, I'm at that level ) isn't highly recommended on Amazon, anyone know of any other books that would be helpful to an absolute beginner?

Also, while I'm not sure I can swing it here for financial reasons, can anyone recommend a course (days/weeks) that is aimed at people like me?

Thanks in advance!

yoyo

Moved to Development

Sup08

I find these very good tutorials but hands on experience and day to day learning in a real inviroment will embed it so much better.
Using these tools will help give a better understanding and will give more information on parts that will not be covered in your day to day routines.

http://www.lynda.com/SQL-Server-2008-tutorials/essential-training/71929-2.html

Tom Dunne

Can you clarify what database and what exactly you mean by database development?

LittleBook

Tom Dunne wrote: »

Can you clarify what database and what exactly you mean by database development?

I wish I could but it's still very vague. I'll try to get more info in the coming days.

Thanks all!

Seth Brundle

In terms of databases you have several areas but the two principal ones are:
* SQL
* Database Admin

I suspect, given your experience, that you would be best suited to first learning SQL.

Whilst SQL isn't difficult, there are different flavours of SQL for each of the different databases. This is more apparent when you are doing some of the more technical, programmatic aspects. Microsoft SQL Server uses TSQL whereas Oracle has PL/SQL. They both, to a large extent, do the same thing but are written somewhat differently.

However, any book or course on SQL will give you the SQL skills to be able to select data for one or more tables and use it in a report (as well as showing you how to insert, update and delete data).

There are also loads of online tutorials:
https://www.google.ie/search?aq=0&oq=sql+tut&sugexp=chrome,mod=16&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=sql+tutorial

amen

My only experience of databases is as a user

are you a developer or just a business user?

Feathers

Presuming that you'll be working in SQL, I quite like Teach Yourself SQL in 10 Minutes by Sams. Starts under the assumption of no knowledge of SQL, is easy to get into & good as a quick reference too.

It's focused around SQL syntax/commands as far as I remember, so you'd need something around database design/normalisation alongside it, but a good book & a good price for it.

daithimacgroin

if u need a textbook try this one
http://wps.prenhall.com/bp_hoffer_mdm_10/161/41379/10593099.cw/index.html

it also has some videos

jmcc

Is this Access database development or something more (big databases)? While the fundamentals are not that different, there's a different evolution path (Access -> Microsoft SQL Server etc.)

Regards...jmcc