Amazon.co.uk
Web database access is a huge subject, since it combines traditional database technology with the newer challenge of designing Web applications.
Professional ASP Data Access is for those using Microsoft's Active Server Pages (ASP) to power dynamic sites. It is aimed at developers who are already familiar with both ASP and database technology. There is specific coverage for Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle 8, IBM's DB2, and the popular open source database MySQL.
The opening chapters cover database fundamentals, including design issues, the SQL language and when to use stored procedures and triggers. Next there is an overview of the important Windows database APIs, ODBC, OLE DB and ActiveX Data Objects. The following section tackles architecture, introducing multi-tier applications using COM and Microsoft Transaction Server and explaining how to build data access components with Visual Basic or C++. A further section covers non-relational data, particularly Microsoft and Novell directory services and Microsoft Exchange. There are four chapters on using XML for both data transfer and presentation, followed by an advanced section covering e-commerce, multi-dimensional data, data mining and performance and security issues.
Overall this is an excellent hands-on resource for those working seriously with ASP and Microsoft's distributed application architecture. The essentials are covered in detail, while the chapters on more specialist subjects are valuable introductions in areas that are all too often neglected. --Tim Anderson
Amazon.com
Surely one of the larger computer books in the Wrox line,
Professional ASP Data Access presents a wide-ranging tour of Microsoft technologies, centering on databases and Web development. It's a rich grab bag of information that will benefit anyone who needs to understand databases and other standards used with Visual Basic and/or C++.
Comprising 1,300 pages, the book provides a significant range of material on Microsoft-centered APIs, like ADO and OLE DB, COM+ and RDS, but it's the cross-vendor perspective that makes it even more valuable. For instance, when discussing database administration, you find out how to do it on SQL Server, Oracle, IBM DB2, and MySQL (a popular freeware database package). You also learn how to use database stored procedures and XML on Microsoft, Oracle, and IBM databases.
The real focus of Professional ASP Data Access is on demonstrating some of today's best practices for programming databases with Microsoft tools. This includes building three-tier Web applications that use database and business objects built in VB and/or Visual C++ ATL and COM+ for better scalability on the server with ASPs used to build browser-based front ends. There's also good coverage of beginning and advanced uses of SQL (including an excellent section on joins) and today's popular XML standard for delivering data between tiers. Many chapters look at newer Microsoft database standards, like OLE DB and UDA, plus coverage of SQL Server 2000 advances like data mining, natural language query capabilities, and other features. E-commerce is explained using a sample Web site that includes membership features. Throughout this title, you'll find plenty of screen shots for setting up and using the variety of tools under discussion (including screen shots for non-Microsoft tools).
Professional ASP Data Access will teach beginning to advanced readers databases from the ground up, and get them up to speed on the latest in Microsoft (and non-Microsoft) APIs and standards. --Richard Dragan
Topics covered:
- History of databases
- Introduction to database design
- Normalization
- SQL tutorial (basics and joins)
- Stored procedures and triggers on SQL Server
- Oracle and DB2
- ODBC and ADO database standards
- OLE DB and Microsoft Universal Database Access (UDA)
- Creating an OLE DB provider in C++
- Tutorial to ADO database programming
- Connecting and retrieving records
- ADO and stored procedures
- Overview of Windows DNA (data, business, and user services)
- COM+
- Building COM+ components with VB and C++/ATL
- Microsoft Transaction Server (MTS)
- MSMQ and COM+ queued components
- ASP and user interface design for Web applications
- Database components (including building OLE DB components in VB)
- Tutorial for using major relational databases (SQL Server 2000, Oracle 8, IBM DB2, and MySQL)
- Nonrelational data sources
- Active Directory
- LDAP and ADSI
- NDS
- The Microsoft Indexing Server
- Internet publishing and WebDAV
- Exchange 2000 tutorial
- Connecting to legacy mainframe data (IBM SNA and Microsoft SNA Server and Host Immigration Server)
- XML tutorial
- XLST and style sheets (including Microsoft XSLISAPI)
- XML capabilities in SQL Server, Oracle and DB2
- Introduction and sample code for a simple e-commerce site (including personalization and security issues)
- Data shaping
- Multidimensional data and data mining in SQL Server 2000
- Remote Data Services (RDS)
- Advanced query support
- Performance and security tips
- Windows 2000 security
- Case studies for a Web-based reports application and using dynamic elements in a Web application
