Introduction
First and foremost, thank you for your purchase and all the best of luck in your endeavor to become certified and an expert in the SQL Server data platform. The 70-764 exam is intended for database professionals who perform installation, maintenance, and configuration tasks on the SQL Server platform. Other responsibilities include setting up database systems, making sure those systems operate efficiently, and regularly storing, backing up, and securing data from unauthorized access.
This book is geared toward database administrators who are looking to train in the administration of SQL Server 2016 infrastructure. To help you prepare for the exam you can use Microsoft Hyper-V to create SQL Server virtual machines (VMs) and follow the examples in this book. You can download an evaluation copy of Windows Server 2016 from https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/evaluate-windows-server-2016/. SQL Server 2016 can be downloaded for free from https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/sql-server/sql-server-downloads. You can download the AdventureWorks databases from https://msftdbprodsamples.codeplex.com/. The Wide World Importers database can be downloaded from https://github.com/Microsoft/sql-server-samples/releases/tag/wide-world-importers-v1.0.
This book covers every major topic area found on the exam, but it does not cover every exam question. Only the Microsoft exam team has access to the exam questions, and Microsoft regularly adds new questions to the exam, making it impossible to cover specific questions. You should consider this book a supplement to your relevant real-world experience and other study materials. If you encounter a topic in this book that you do not feel completely comfortable with, use the “Need more review?” links you’ll find in the text to find more information and take the time to research and study the topic. Great information is available on MSDN, TechNet, and in blogs and forums.
Organization of this book
This book is organized by the “Skills measured” list published for the exam. The “Skills measured” list is available for each exam on the Microsoft Learning website: https://aka.ms/examlist. Each chapter in this book corresponds to a major topic area in the list, and the technical tasks in each topic area determine a chapter’s organization. If an exam covers six major topic areas, for example, the book will contain six chapters.
Microsoft certifications
Microsoft certifications distinguish you by proving your command of a broad set of skills and experience with current Microsoft products and technologies. The exams and corresponding certifications are developed to validate your mastery of critical competencies as you design and develop, or implement and support, solutions with Microsoft products and technologies both on-premises and in the cloud. Certification brings a variety of benefits to the individual and to employers and organizations.
More Info All Microsoft certifications
For information about Microsoft certifications, including a full list of available certifications, go to https://www.microsoft.com/learning.
Acknowledgments
Victor Isakov I would like to dedicate this book to Christopher, Isabelle, Marcus and Sofia. With your love and “infinite patience” I am the luckiest guy on this planet! It would be remiss of me not to also thank Trina MacDonald and Troy Mott for their “infinite patience” in helping me complete this “impossible task.”
Microsoft Virtual Academy
Build your knowledge of Microsoft technologies with free expert-led online training from Microsoft Virtual Academy (MVA). MVA offers a comprehensive library of videos, live events, and more to help you learn the latest technologies and prepare for certification exams. You’ll find what you need here:
https://www.microsoftvirtualacademy.com
Quick access to online references
Throughout this book are addresses to webpages that the author has recommended you visit for more information. Some of these addresses (also known as URLs) can be painstaking to type into a web browser, so we’ve compiled all of them into a single list that readers of the print edition can refer to while they read.
Download the list at https://aka.ms/exam764administersql/downloads.
The URLs are organized by chapter and heading. Every time you come across a URL in the book, find the hyperlink in the list to go directly to the webpage.
Errata, updates, & book support
We’ve made every effort to ensure the accuracy of this book and its companion content. You can access updates to this book—in the form of a list of submitted errata and their related corrections—at:
https://aka.ms/exam764administersql/errata
If you discover an error that is not already listed, please submit it to us at the same page.
If you need additional support, email Microsoft Press Book Support at [email protected].
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