Rating: 
Summary: The definitive Sql Server tome
Review: This book is all you need to master Sql Server. I absolutely loved it. I can't say enough about it. I have Henderson's other two books, but the focus is different in this one and I think rightfully so. The other books were more about putting SQL Server to practical use. This book is about that too, but also gets into how the thing is designed, which you need to know if you want to use it effectively and practically. In a sense, Henderson unlocks the secret to using Sql Server practically - he shows you how to learn the technology literally inside out. With each book Henderson seems to get a little better and this one is no exception. I highly recommend that you read this one.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant
Review: I've been reading Henderson since his C++ books back in the 90's and I have to say this is his best work yet. I love how he picks up where he left off in previous books and updates his coverage of various subjects such as full-text-search and SqlXml. This book is like the sequel to all his other books and brings everything I've read by him together in one place - a masterwork if there ever was one.To the reader below that claims Henderson reuses too much from previous books I would only say that he (contrary to the claim) always tells the reader when he is updating something he has said before and lists the book and chapter in which his earlier discussion of the subject appeared. He then proceeds to update the instruction and get into architectural and design details not covered previously. This is spot on. It is exactly what you want: a tie to the past, but lots of new ground and new info. Henderson is at his best in this book and has done something I didn't think possible: topped the previous Guru's Guide books. Also worth mentioning is the excellent Win32 API and programming coverage. This is more in depth and extensive than many whole books dedicated to the subject. As a matter of fact, the first few chapters of this book could be a book unto themselves -- I'd gladly pay separately for the expert teaching and wisdom they convey. They provide the foundation you need to understand the intricacies of SQL Server, something no other book does. Henderson's many years as a developer shine through in this section, and his blending of this foundational material with the architectural and internal details of SQL Server is ingenious and something I've never seen attempted before, let alone pulled off so brilliantly. My favorite chapters in this book are the Query Processor and User Mode Scheduler chapters, each for different reasons. I love the QP chapter because Henderson updates his coverage of this info from previous books and extends it in ways long time readers will find refreshing and insightful. You will not find better cover of the SQL Server Query Processor than you have in this book. I like the User Mode Scheduler chapter because Henderson covers in a succinct yet thorough manner a subject that is integral to understanding SQL Server and that is not covered in any other book AFAIK. I just looked in Inside SQL Server and there's nary a word about SQL Server's User Mode Scheduler in it. This is a real gem and gave me real insight into how the product works. Last I loved the essays at the end. I always look forward to these in Henderson's works and I was not disappointed. Once again his wry sense of humor and wit come through in abundance. They alone are worth the price of the book. Keep up the good work, Ken. I can't wait 'till the next installment. A greatful reader.
Rating:
Summary: Henderson just keeps getting better
Review: This latest installment in the Guru's Guide series does not disappoint. It is exactly what I was expecting. It is master teaching from a master practitioner. Every subject relevant to SQL Server is covered in detail. I have never seen anything like this. I thought the previous two Guru's Guides were great, but this one is the best of the lot. Congrats, Ken, you've done it again -- you've raised the bar for all tech book writers.
Rating:
Summary: Best book of the series
Review: I have all three of the Guru's Guide books and this by far the best. Henderson starts off with the best introduction to Windows and the Win32 programming I've seen in a long while. He then builds on this by talking about each of SQL Server's internal structures. The coverage of Windows and Win32 fundamentals is ingenious. No other book does this. Henderson rightly points out that you have to understand Windows to understand advanced Windows applications such as SQL Server then proceeds to spend a little time teaching you Windows and its fundamental technologies. This is brilliant and done just right: not so much that it changes the focus of the book, but more than you will find in any other SQL Server book and probably most Win32 books! Once the fundamentals are covered, Henderson delves into all the fundamental technologies that make up SQL Server. I loved the User Mode Scheduler and Memory Management chapters. They were done just right. I loved the updates to Henderson's previous coverage of the Query Processor. He has covered this important SQL Server component in both of his previous SQL Server books and it just keeps getting better with each book. This is his best coverage of the subject yet. Particularly enlightening where the sections on parameter sniffing and expression folding. I don't think I've seen many of the topics Henderson covers here talked about anywhere else. I also loved the SQL XML coverage. With the subsequent Web releases of the SQL XML updates to SQL Server, Henderson's SQL XML and stored procedure book had began to become a bit dated. He takes care of that by updating what he has to say about SQL XML in this new book, more than doubling his previous coverage and providing copious examples for every one of the SQL XML technologies. But what really sets this book a part from all others is its internals coverage. Nobody does it like Henderson. It is so much more in depth than Delaney's Inside SQL Server that I would say that if you haven't bought that book yet, that you go straight for this one. Unlike that book, this one covers all of SQL Server -- full text search, replication, DTS, the server engine, SQL XML, Notification Services -- you name it. It is the most complete and deep coverage that has ever existed for any version of SQL Server. Add to this the fact that Henderson writes in a style that is clear and easy to understand and you have the best book money can buy for SQL Server.
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Summary: Absolutely the best SQL Server book
Review: This is by far the best SQL Server book available. It goes far deeper and covers far more topics than Inside SQL Server. What I really like is how Henderson picks up subjects he has covered in previous books and expands upon them. I have his other two SQL Server books, and this updating was done just right. To the guy/gal below who complains about this, this was absolutely the best thing to do. Henderson always tells us when he is updating something he has said in a previous book, and then does so in splendid fashion. Taking the SQLXML chapters as an example, Henderson begins by describing for us the conflict he had in himself regarding whether to update what he had said in his previous book about SQLXML or to do something altogether new that was specifically geared toward architectural and internals details. Ultimately he decided to do both. The result is complete coverage of SQL Server's SQLXML features (his previous book only covers those that were available in the original shipping version of SQL Server) and lots of in-depth architectural info about SQLXML not presented in any other book. This same pattern flows throughout the book. Of necessity, the book covers things Henderson has talked about before - after all, it tries to cover the entire product - but he does so in ways never done before. The result is the best SQL Server book I have ever read.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Reference
Review: Don't let the 1000 pages deter you. Some of the chapters are likely to be considered too in-depth, but the book is loaded with so much info that you're sure to find something that makes it a worthwhile purchase. The material is presented well and the kiddy stuff is skipped so you're not wasting time flipping through material you've known for the last few years. I like the inclusion of the MS Debugger. The examples in the book have given me an introduction to it, and in time I expect that it will come in handy. In my years of reading SQL Server books, few have been as comprehensive as this one. It goes somewhat beyond Inside SQL Server, though I have not purchased that book since SQL 7. This is the type of book from which certification questions should be derived. It describes the nuances in using SQL Server and I've enjoyed reading several chapters of this book highlighting along the way. I consider it a better reference than SQL Server 2000 Resource Kit, and my only complaint is that it doesn't include other important subject areas such as security and hacking. Those areas are addressed in other references like SQL Server Security by Andrews, Litchfield, and Grindlay which I've got ready to read as soon as time permits.
Rating:
Summary: Complex optimisations
Review: Microsoft's SQL Server does not have all the functionality of Oracle or IBM's databases. But Microsoft has put a huge amount of work into beefing it up, as shown in this book. Henderson has done far more than just write a straightforward guide to the query syntax. In fact, the latter is not the emphasis here. Rather, he explains how SQL Server integrates into the Microsoft operating system, for one thing. Like memory mapped files, WinSock and network connections, and how they relate to SQL Server. He provides a long discussion of its memory management; crucial if you are heavily loading up the database. With queries and table joins, you get help on how to optimise, based on knowledge of SQL Server's innards. At over 900 pages, the breadth might seem daunting. But it reflects the complexity and potential of SQL Server. Henderson also provides some nice extra touches. Each chapter ends in a quick list of review questions, to see if you have been paying attention. Plus, at the book's end, he has 2 essays. One is on the drivel that constitutes most [all?] management fads. The second is on pseudo experts in newsgroups. The entire book is worth it, just for these essays! Very biting.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding
Review: Ken Henderson is the premier author of SQL Server and has created his best work yet of his series "Gurus Guide.." with this book. This book digs in to the nuts and bolts of SQL Server like no other author has to date. I have had the honor of meeting him on a few occasions and listenting to two of his presentations - each time I run back to apply my newly acquired skills. We are lucky to have a great programmer, thinker, SQL Server wiz continuously exploring the application so that we might be better dba's and programmers ourselves. Thanks again, Ken
Lee
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Summary: Latest GG is an essential technical SQL Server Reference
Review: .
Ken's latest Guru's Guide is an important book for SQL Server Professionals who build or manage SQL Server systems. SQL Server is tightly integrated with Windows, so understanding how SQL Server uses Windows services is essential to managing it effectively. This book covers the important Windows / SQL Server topics in significant depth, exploring each one from both a pure Windows perspective and then how it relates to SQL Server. The first half of the book is dedicated to covering technical Windows concepts such as I/O, Memory, Thread scheduling, Synchronisation & Sockets as well as covering how SQL Server uses each of these. The second half of the book explores various SQL Server features in the depth you'd expect one of Ken's Guru's Guides. This is not a beginners' book. It will feel at home on your shelf if you're reading books such as "Inside SQL Server" (another excellent SQL book) or "Inside Windows", both MS Press. These are all technically deep references for SQL people which offer real answers to the problems & issues we face in working with SQL Server & Windows. Many other books simply skim the edges of the technical topics that this book covers in depth. If you're trying to learn how to write simple SQL statements, this is not the book for you. If you need or want to understand how SQL Server works inside & interoperates with the Windows environment, this is an excellent guide & reference.
Rating: 
Summary: Be very clear about what you're getting here
Review: Nearly a half of this book consists of a rather detailed (almost on the programming level) exposition of the Windows NT/2000 operating system. Please reread the previous phrase and make sure it registered: I didn't say MS SQL Server, I said the *operating system*. Imagine the two latest Richter books (for Win2K) with most code excised, plus the Solomon/Russinovich one combined: that will be the first half of Henderson's book. I'm not sure I understand the reason for all this information to be in there.
The rest is good, no questions (although there's some overlap with his other (very good) TSQL books).
I find such a structure extremely unusual, unnecessary, and, due to an absolutely exorbitant amount of redundancy in the general OS area--unsuitable for anyone with even a moderate exposure to Windows programming. It looks suspiciously like padding to me, and again, the amount of it is simply mind boggling; I've never seen anything like that before. Four-five hundred pages of padding? C'mon.
Now, one man's padding is another's bible, OK, I suppose this may be a feature rather than flaw to some. But please be aware of this and choose accordingly. I won't pretend to be an ultimate judge here (as for myself, I didn't buy this book).
Just to be fair in general, I'll add that Henderson is a knowledgeable guy and a good writer, which is a rare combination. So I'm not saying the book is bad: I would probably buy the second half of it (for half the price). And I'd easily give this second part four stars, maybe five.
YMMV.
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