This document provides an overview and study tips for the Microsoft 70-432 exam on SQL Server 2008 administration. It discusses the key exam objectives like installation, maintenance, security, performance, and backup/recovery. Tips are given for hands-on practice, understanding security roles and permissions, indexing, partitioning, backup types and restore scenarios. The importance of SQL Agent jobs and alerts for automation and Dynamic Management Views for monitoring are also covered. Resources like Microsoft TechNet, virtual labs, and practice exams are recommended for exam preparation.

1. MCTS: SQL Server 2008 Certification M. Choirul Amri Avantus Training Microsoft MVP (SQL) http://choirulamri.org

2. Session Takeaway Review on important point of exam objectives Tips, trick, and experiences Exam 70-432 Discussion Not goals: To cover all exam objectives Exam cram Cheating on exam

3. Skills measured (70-432) Installing and Configuration (10 %) Maintaining SQL Server Instances (13 %) Security (15 %) Database Maintenance (16 %) Data Management Tasks (14 %) Monitoring and Troubleshooting (13 %) Optimizing Performance (10 %) High Availability (9 %)

4. 70-432 at a glance It’s a basic SQL Server exam Pre requisites for the higher level (IT Pro) exams Emphasize on daily administrative tasks: install, configure, backup/restore, server monitoring It won’t test the scripting/code, but you need to know them at the higher level 50-60 MCQ questions

5. How to prepare… Get your hand dirty, try it….. Download Virtual PC 2007 Install Windows Server 2003/2008 Install SQL Server 2008 Try all exercises from your book Don’t just read, try!

6. Security Which port number required by SQL Server Differences between: Login Vs User Server role and database role Types of role and their permission Securityadmin, sysadmin, dbcreator, etc Always assign user to most restrictive role

7. Security (2) Windows Integrated VS Mixed Auth When to use SQL auth instead of Windows Assigning permission to: Database > Schema > db objects (table, column, sp, view, etc) Understand cross database ownership chain Types of assignment: Grant, with grant, revoke, deny

8. Security (3) Configuring server with sp_configure Instance level configuration Important option: Show advanced option Enable distributed queries Enable cross ownership chain

9. Security (4) Transparent data encryption What is it? How to configure… Advantages….

10. Performance (1) Understand different types of indexes: Clustered Non clustered Both of them can be unique/non unique Generic guideline: Clustered: reading, sorting, grouping Non clustered: insert, update, delete

11. Performance (2) Index maintenance: Reorganize Rebuild Drop – recreate With online option Using maintenance plan wizard and SQL agent job

12. Performance (3) Understand file group and db file setting Filegroup File sizing and placement (mdf, ldf, ndf) Partition Advantages How to setup: Partition function Partition scheme Apply scheme to table

13. Backup/Restore Differences between backup types, and when to use each of them: Full Differential Transaction log Impact of different database recovery mode: Simple, bulk logged, full What kind of features depends on FULL recovery mode?

14. Backup/Restore(2) Important WITH option in backup: INIT/ NOINIT COMPRESSION/ NO_COMPRESSION COPY_ONLY >> do backup without breaking backup sequence Backup log special option: NO_RECOVERY >> backup tail when db is online NO_TRUNCATE >> if db is damage

15. Restore(3) Important restore option: NO_RECOVERY/ RECOVERY STOP AT…… MOVE…. REPLACE…..

16. Backup/Restore(3) Steps to recover db in disaster: Always backup tail log first! Restore latest full backup Restore latest differential backup (if any) Restore any necessary log backup (since last diff backup) Restore the tail log backup Use STOP AT… if required

17. QUIZ 1 Current backup config: Full backup every Sunday at 01:30 am Differential: weekdays at 01:00 am Log backup: weekdays at 11 am 5 pm 11 pm The DB is crashed on Thursday, at 2:15 am. There are many ongoing transaction. How to restore?

18. Automation/monitoring Understand important role of SQL Agent Services Services account How to create SQL Agent job/ schedule Create alert/notification and operator

19. Automation/Monitoring Monitoring with Dynamic Management View (DMV) Special views for monitoring/retrieving server and database metadata Useful DMVs: Sys.dm_exec_query_stats sys.dm_exec_trans_lock Sys.dm_exec_index_usage

20. Useful Resources Technet SQL Server Virtual Labs ExamNotes.com certification forum MS Press book: 70-432 Self Study Guide Practice Exam: MeasureUp SelfTest Software

21. Closing Personal Story…. QAs

22. Thank You  Discussion… Download PPT and Code from my blog: http://choirulamri.org [email_address] [email_address]