SQL Server 2000 XML Distilled

Rating:
Summary: Recommended for all SQL Server 2000 Developers and DBA
Review: Even though this book is one of the first attempts of Curlingstone press, the book is by far one of the best covering how to use XML in SQL Server. Most other books are copy cats of MSDN online refrence but this book stands out by covering SQL XML 3.0 in great detail and explains each and every topic with very good practical examples.

I highly recommend for all the developers who want to get the data from SQL Server 2000 in XML format. The book also covers in great detail about programmatic access of SQLXML in VB6 and .NET.

If you are planning an integration with Biz Talk server and SQL server or if you are planning to expose your Stored procedures through Web services, I think this is the only book which covers those topics through case studies.

I strongly recommend this book to all SQL Server 2000 Developers and DBA's.

Rating:
Summary: Not to be missed - check out this excellent book!
Review: SQL Server 2000 XML Distilled, from cover to cover its 100% professional & 100% technically absorbing.

The content is mega interesting & discussed as you would use it here on planet-earth. It really gets into the juicy everyday issues.

For example, converting data-types, and modeling enumerations: from XML code to creating a table & then inserting values into the table.

Talk about nitty-gritty discussion: when it comes to OPENXML, in other books it's the same old story "it impacts performance", well that's not the case in this book - here there is a download file to setup and test, & a series of timing graphs supported with clear & objective discussion. The book even identifies an apparent level of fixed overhead for the number of elements that are parsed.

Rating:
Summary: Comprehensive, Reality-Based Guidance
Review: The people who wrote this book have a great deal of real-world experience using these technologies, and it shows. While the SQL Server product documentation and the first generation of SQL Server XML books are great for giving you a categorical treatment of the features, this book emphasizes the techniques that are proving to be most useful while providing experience-based warnings about potential pitfalls in other techniques. It's also great for getting perspective on pros and cons when you are designing something that could be implemented in multiple ways using SQL Server XML.

Rating:
Summary: A grounded-feet, hands-on approach on using XML with SQL
Review: The recent breed of book on XML technology put database applications on its target. However most developments are far from being suitable to daily programming tasks.

This book's approach is refreshing for any programmer working with Microsoft SQL 2000. It shows uses of xml technology with this relational database but spares the reader the frustrating "some day you be able" prehamble usually found in texts about recent technology.

Each topic is followed by ready-to-run samples. Of course XML technology is a bit foreign for relational database administrators, and these topics demand a fair degree of explanation. Anyway the book balances appropriately the theory/samples ratio.

Rating:
Summary: By far the most complete book on XML support with SQL Server
Review: The title says it all - if you need to work with any aspect of SQL Server 2000 XML support this is the best source. Whether it's the integration of SQL Server and IIS, T-SQL XML extensions or SQLXML3, this book has it all.

Full of helpful examples in T-SQL as well as VB6 and VB.NET. There are several other books out there that scratch the surface of XML support in SQL Server, but none of them are as complete as this one.

In addition to having a ton of examples this book also does a good job of explaining when to use each supported option.

Furthermore, plenty of performance data is provided to help you decide what will work best in your environment.

Curlingstone has really taken time to make this book as technically sound as it could be.
Whether you are a developer or a DBA keep this one handy!

Rating:
Summary: By far the most complete book on SQL Server 2000 XML Support
Review: The title says it all - if you need to work with any aspect of SQL Server 2000 XML support this is the best source. Whether its the integration of SQL Server and IIS, T-SQL XML extensions or SQLXML3, this book has it all.

Full of helpful examples in T-SQL as well as VB6 and VB.NET. There are several other titles out there that scratch the surface of XML support in SQL Server, but none of them are as complete as this one.
In addition to having a ton of examples this book also does a good job of explaining when to use each supported option.

Furthermore, plenty of performance data is provided to help you decide what will work best in your environment.

Curlingstone has really taken time to make this book as technically sound as it could be. Whether you are a developer or a DBA keep this one handy!

Rating:
Summary: Great companion resource to SQLXML BOL
Review: This book is an excellent addition to the documentation provided with SQLXML, especially if you are just starting to use SQLXML. The book helps you decide if SQLXML is right for your situation. If it is, the book will continue to walk you through some real examples, covering some of the pros and cons of different methods. Being a developer, I highly recommend this book if you are using or considering to use SQLXML in a Microsoft environment.

Rating:
Summary: Too narrow
Review: This book is technically competent, but goes right past the two most important factors; if you are developing XML, then you will probably be using Java, and that if you are developing applications (even with XML) on SQL server, then you are probably using COM+. Sorry.

Rating:
Summary: Ideal technical publication
Review: This is what a technical publication should be. The book covers all aspects of SQLXML, from programming to administrative issues (including security concerns -- everyone needs to do more of that). It even discusses some of the other technologies out there, such as Oracle's integration with XML and the native xml datatype. If you are using or thinking of using SQLXML, I'd consider this book to be required reading.

Rating:
Summary: Ideal technical publication
Review: This is what a technical publication should be. The book covers all aspects of SQLXML, from programming to administrative issues (including security concerns -- everyone needs to do more of that). It even discusses some of the other technologies out there, such as Oracle's integration with XML and the native xml datatype. If you are using or thinking of using SQLXML, I'd consider this book to be required reading.