Exam Ref 70-761: Querying Data with Transact-SQL

by Itzik Ben-Gan

This is a reference material to prepare for Microsoft Exam 70-761 and help demonstrate your real-world mastery skills of Transact-SQL data management, querying and database programming. Designed for experienced IT professionals ready to advance their status, book focuses on the critical thinking and decision making acumen needed for success at the MCSA level.
Covered topics focus on the expertise measured by the objectives to filter, sort, join, aggregate and modify data, use subqueries, table expressions, grouping sets and pivoting, query temporal and non-relational data, read and output XML or JSON, create views, user-defined functions and stored procedures, implement error handling, transactions, data types and nulls.

Genres: Nonfiction, Programming, Technology, Technical, Reference

336 pages, Paperback

Published March 31, 2017

About the author

Itzik Ben-Gan is a Mentor and Co-Founder of SolidQ. A SQL Server Microsoft MVP (Most Valuable Professional) since 1999, Itzik has delivered numerous training events around the world focused on T-SQL Querying, Query Tuning and Programming. Itzik is the author of several books including Microsoft SQL Server 2012 High-Performance T-SQL Using Window Functions and Microsoft SQL Server 2012 T-SQL Fundamentals. He has written articles for SQL Server Pro, SolidQ Journal and MSDN. Itzik's speaking activities include TechEd, SQLPASS, SQLU, SQLTeach and various user groups around the world. Itzik is the author of SolidQ's Advanced T-SQL Querying, Programming and Tuning and T-SQL Fundamentals courses along with being a primary resource within the company for their T-SQL related activities.

Itzik Ben-Gan is a co-founder of Solid Quality Mentors, a technical education company, and is a Microsoft SQL Server MVP.

Reviews

[Rav · Rating 5 out of 5]

Concrete chapters and good examples make this book a good reference not only for the exam but also for everyday work.

[Andrew · Rating 2 out of 5]

So if you guessed I had to read this for work, you’d be right. I haven’t written the test yet, but I did not enjoy this book, it has no project. It has three long chapters each 100 pages or more and the questions at the end may not be representative of the actual exam questions. It contains numerous links that the author recommends you read so you put the book down and read the link then pick the book back up or maybe you don’t because the links are not in the exam or maybe they are but they are busted.

You’ll probably need to write a lot more T-SQL than just what is in the book, you’ll need to Google and consult websites like StackOverflow.

[Horacio Garza · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book when I was a Jr BI Eng, and it was a game changer... At that time due to my experience as Intern and Jr BI I had a vast amount of SQL Knowledge, but this book helped me to understand different things, to start to think differently and apply different concepts to my day-to-day. I highly recommend this book for anyone who want tobe an expert in writing SQL code, it doesn't matter if the certification no longer exists, the content of this book is the best.

[Tony Rodriguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!

An amazing, comprehensive read on querying SQL Server with T-SQL. Great way to increase your efficiency and understanding of SQL.

[Rock · Rating 2 out of 5]

To be honest, I wasn't blown away by this book. But I did pass the exam, so that's something? Love buying a book to pass an exam to prove I know how to do what I've spent the last 5 years doing!

[Glenn Herpoelaert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clear explanations & good examples.

[Joan Acosta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book, really well written, one of the best materials to get ready and take Exam 70-761 from Microsoft.

Thanks to this book I was able to get the certification.