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SQL Language Courses
We currently offer SQL language courses on two platforms: SQL Server and Oracle.

Our Introduction to SQL, Intermediate Applications of SQL, and Advanced Applications of SQL courses cover standard SQL commands, which can be used with a variety of client/server database systems. While these courses are taught using SQL Server, you can apply the commands and concepts to other database systems.

Our Oracle9i course series, including Fundamentals of SQL Using Oracle: Level 1, Fundamentals of SQL Using Oracle: Level 2, and Fundamentals of SQL Using Oracle: Level 3, teaches standard SQL commands in an Oracle environment. The syntax for these commands is specific to Oracle, but most of the commands covered are standard and can be used with other client/server database systems. In addition to standard SQL commands, these courses cover some topics specific to Oracle's SQL*Plus environment.

Overall, the SQL and Oracle series cover similar objectives, including learning standard commands for selecting, inserting, updating, and deleting records. Both series also cover more advanced concepts, such as grouping data, creating joins, writing subqueries, and enforcing referential integrity. You will see the most significant differences in the third course in the series (Advanced Applications of SQL and Fundamentals of SQL Using Oracle: Level 3).

SQL Programming Courses
While the commands taught in our SQL language courses are fairly standard, you will see more variance in database programming statements, depending on which database management system you are using. We currently offer programming courses using SQL Server (with SQL Server's Transact-SQL programming language) and Oracle (using PL/SQL). These courses cover similar concepts used in database application development, including basic programming concepts (such as variables, conditional statements, and loops), stored procedures, triggers, and cursors, but you will see differences in the programming statements used in SQL Server and Oracle.

Oracle Courses for Users with SQL Experience
If you have experience with standard SQL commands but are new to Oracle, you should consider taking our Accelerated Fundamentals of SQL Using Oracle course. In this class, you will become familiar with the Oracle interface by reviewing fundamental SQL commands, focusing specifically on how Oracle's commands differ from SQL standards. This course also introduces more advanced SQL commands, such as those used to modify table structure, establish constraints, create users, and restrict data access.

Oracle Certification
If you are interested in professional Oracle9i certification, you can take our Fundamentals of SQL Using Oracle series (Levels 1, 2, and 3) to help you prepare for your exams. This series covers the certification objectives for the Introduction to Oracle9i: SQL exam (#1Z0-007). In addition to taking these courses, you may want to review Oracle's exam objectives (available on Oracle's Web site) and practice using the relevant commands on your own.

SQL Server Optimization
Special Topics in SQL Server: Optimization explores techniques that will help you improve the performance of large SQL Server applications. Topics include avoiding design pitfalls that can degrade performance, optimizing queries and stored procedures, fine-tuning indexes, and understanding query plans.

SQL Reporting Services
In our SQL Reporting Services course series, you will to create professional reports using Microsoft SQL Server 2005 and other ODBC-compliant databases.

SQL Server Administration
In addition to the courses mentioned above, we offer a three-course series in database administration using Microsoft SQL Server 2005. Introduction to SQL Server System Administration will teach you the basics of installing, configuring, and administering SQL Server. Intermediate SQL Server System Administration builds on the concepts learned in the introductory course, focusing on maintenance, optimization, and performance tuning. Finally, Advanced SQL Server System Administration covers techniques for storing and retrieving data from other database systems and configuring replication, among other topics.

Because administration techniques differ among versions of SQL Server, several topics introduced in our administration series apply only to SQL Server 2005.

For complete course listings, class descriptions, and prerequisites, check out the Class Schedule.