Introduction

Into the world of database management we plunge! The selection you have made of this Exam Cram series book will help you along your way to passing the Microsoft SQL ServerImplementation and Maintenance exam (70-431). This book contains information that will help ensure your success as you pursue this Microsoft exam and the Technology Specialist or IT Professional certification.

This introduction explains the new generation of Microsoft certifications that center on SQL Server and how the Exam Cram series can help you prepare for the 70-431 exam. This introduction discusses the basics of the Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) and Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP) certifications, including a discussion of test-taking strategies. Chapters 1 through 9 are designed to teach you everything you need to know to take and pass the exam. The two practice exams at the end of the book (Chapters 10, "Practice Exam 1," and 12, "Practice Exam 2") should give you a reasonably accurate assessment of what is on the 70-431 exam. In addition, this book provides the answers to the tests and their explanations (Chapters 11, "Answers to Practice Exam 1," and 13, "Answers to Practice Exam 2") to help you assess your knowledge. Along with the explanations, you will find some particularly useful links to more information on the topic. For each answer, there is a reference to the chapter of the book that covers the topic as well as a link to more information on the Microsoft MSDN site and a link to SQL Server Books Online.

If you read this book and understand the material in it, you'll stand a very good chance of passing the test. If you make use of the additional links to the other materials and points of reference, particularly those on the Microsoft website, and if you actually use the product, you should be in excellent shape to do well on the exam.

Exam Cram books help you understand and appreciate the subjects and materials you need to pass Microsoft certification exams. They are aimed strictly at test preparation and review. They do not teach you everything you need to know about a topic; instead, they present and dissect the questions and problems that you're likely to encounter on a test. Exam Cram books work to bring together as much information as possible about Microsoft certification exams.

The MCTS (Technology Specialist) certification requires a strong all-round knowledge of the features of SQL Server 2005, and in particular, the newer features. To move on to the next level of certification, you need to drill down into each feature significantly. The MCITP (IT Professional) Database Developer, Database Administrator, and Business Intelligence Developer certifications require considerable in-depth information about the particulars of each of the SQL Server 2005 features.

Every Microsoft SQL Serverrelated certification starts with the 70-431 exam that this book prepares you for. To continue along any of the tracks for IT Pro certification, you must pass two other SQL Serverspecific exams. 70-441: Designing Database Solutions by Using Microsoft SQL Server 2005 and 70-442: Designing and Optimizing Data Access by Using Microsoft SQL Server 2005 are the database developerbased continuation points, and 70-443: Designing a Database Server Infrastructure by Using Microsoft SQL Server 2005 and 70-444: Optimizing and Maintaining a Database Administration Solution by Using Microsoft SQL Server 2005 are the two administrator-based alternatives. Exams 70-445: Designing Business Intelligence Solutions by Using Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Analysis Services and 70-446: Designing a Business Intelligence Infrastructure by Using Microsoft SQL Server 2005 are the business intelligence endpoints.