Build practical database skills with SQL Server Basic to Intermediate Training, a structured course designed for learners and IT professionals who want to develop a strong foundation in Microsoft SQL Server and progress toward more advanced database development skills.
Duration 3 Days – 21 hrs.
Overview
The MS SQL Server Basic to Intermediate Training Course is designed to provide participants with a solid foundation in Microsoft SQL Server database concepts, SQL querying, data manipulation, database design, and reporting techniques. The course progresses from fundamental database concepts to intermediate-level SQL development skills, enabling participants to efficiently retrieve, analyze, and manage data stored in SQL Server databases.
Through a combination of lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on exercises, participants will learn how to create and manage databases and tables, write SQL queries, perform data filtering and aggregation, work with joins and subqueries, utilize built-in functions, create views, and apply best practices in database management and reporting.
This course is ideal for professionals who need to work with SQL Server databases for application development, reporting, business intelligence, system administration, or data analysis.
Learning Objectives
- Understand relational database concepts and SQL Server architecture.
- Navigate and use SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS).
- Create and manage databases and database objects.
- Write SQL queries to retrieve data from databases.
- Filter, sort, and aggregate data effectively.
- Use SQL joins to combine data from multiple tables.
- Apply SQL functions for data transformation and analysis.
- Create and manage views.
- Work with subqueries and common SQL techniques.
- Perform data insertion, updates, and deletions.
- Understand database security fundamentals.
- Apply SQL best practices for performance and maintainability.
Target Audience
- Database Users
- Data Analysts
- Business Analysts
- Application Developers
- Software Engineers
- IT Professionals
- Technical Support Personnel
- System Administrators
- Report Developers
- Anyone who works with SQL Server databases
Prerequisites
- Basic computer skills
- Familiarity with Microsoft Windows environment
- Basic understanding of business data concepts
- No prior SQL Server experience required
Course Outline
Day 1: SQL Server Fundamentals and Basic Querying
Module 1: Introduction to Databases and SQL Server
- Understanding databases and database management systems
- Relational database concepts
- Tables, rows, columns, and keys
- Primary keys and foreign keys
- Overview of Microsoft SQL Server
- SQL Server editions and components
- SQL Server architecture overview
Module 2: SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)
- Introduction to SSMS
- Connecting to SQL Server
- Navigating Object Explorer
- Query Editor basics
- Managing databases and objects
Module 3: Database Objects
- Databases
- Tables
- Views
- Stored Procedures (Introduction)
- Functions (Overview)
- Indexes (Overview)
Module 4: Basic SQL Queries
- Introduction to SQL language
- SELECT statement
- Selecting specific columns
- Retrieving all columns
- Using aliases
- DISTINCT keyword
Hands-On Exercises
- Retrieve data from sample databases
- Practice writing basic SELECT statements
Module 5: Filtering and Sorting Data
- WHERE clause
- Comparison operators
- Logical operators (AND, OR, NOT)
- BETWEEN
- IN
- LIKE
- NULL handling
- ORDER BY clause
Hands-On Lab
- Filtering customer and sales records
- Sorting query results
Day 2: Intermediate Querying and Data Manipulation
Module 6: Working with SQL Functions
String Functions
- UPPER()
- LOWER()
- CONCAT()
- SUBSTRING()
- LEN()
- TRIM()
Date Functions
- GETDATE()
- DATEADD()
- DATEDIFF()
- FORMAT()
Numeric Functions
- ROUND()
- CEILING()
- FLOOR()
- ABS()
NULL Functions
- ISNULL()
- COALESCE()
Hands-On Lab
- Data transformation exercises
Module 7: Aggregate Functions and Grouping
- COUNT()
- SUM()
- AVG()
- MIN()
- MAX()
- GROUP BY
- HAVING clause
Hands-On Lab
- Sales and financial reporting queries
Module 8: Working with Multiple Tables
Understanding Relationships
- One-to-One
- One-to-Many
- Many-to-Many
SQL Joins
- INNER JOIN
- LEFT JOIN
- RIGHT JOIN
- FULL OUTER JOIN
- SELF JOIN
Hands-On Lab
- Building business reports using joins
Module 9: Data Manipulation Language (DML)
- INSERT statements
- UPDATE statements
- DELETE statements
- Transaction basics
Hands-On Lab
- Managing records in a sample database
Day 3: Advanced Query Techniques and Database Management
Module 10: Subqueries and Query Optimization
- Introduction to subqueries
- Single-row subqueries
- Multi-row subqueries
- Correlated subqueries
- EXISTS and NOT EXISTS
Hands-On Lab
- Solving business scenarios using subqueries
Module 11: Views and Reusable Queries
- Creating views
- Modifying views
- Benefits of views
- Securing data using views
Hands-On Lab
- Creating reporting views
Module 12: Introduction to Indexing and Performance
- What are indexes?
- Clustered indexes
- Non-clustered indexes
- Query execution basics
- Performance considerations
Module 13: SQL Server Security Fundamentals
- Authentication vs Authorization
- SQL Server logins
- Database users
- Roles and permissions
- Security best practices
Module 14: Database Backup and Recovery Overview
- Importance of backups
- Types of backups
- Restore concepts
- Business continuity considerations
Module 15: Best Practices and Real-World Applications
- SQL coding standards
- Query writing best practices
- Common SQL mistakes
- Troubleshooting techniques
- Reporting and analytics use cases
Final Hands-On Workshop
Participants will complete a practical mini-project involving:
- Database exploration
- Writing business queries
- Data analysis and reporting
- Data manipulation
- View creation
- Performance improvement recommendations
