New member Introduction

[Antwoord]

@Isaac
Thanks for your observations about DBMS that's very useful, MS SQL server does make good sense for me since it plays nicely with Access and Excel. Also because I work in businesses of all sizes it is often used. infact it reminded me of a project where I was Finance lead and joint sponsor on a migration from mysql to MS Dynamics project for a large high transaction volume ecom business that had experienced high growth, of course wearing my "finance hat" I did not need to go deep into the tech side ( a relief because the finance part alone was life shortening!!) but I've always found it interesting and useful to appreciate how my IT ( and other function) colleagues do their job - learning more on MS SQL Server will be useful for my own personal DB education and also collaborating with IT colleagues.
Which parts of MS SQL server Express 2019 would you recommend to supplement Access learning? (just the standalone installation, or all the extra parts like "SQL Server Reporting services" "SQL Server Management Tools" & "SQL Server Data Tools"?

 

[pbaldy]

@The_Doc_Man
I just tried to change my username but it seems there is also a time bar until January 21st;

I will get it done as soon as it unlocks (or sooner if Admin manually unlocks it)

If you ping @Jon with your desired new name he can change it for you.

 

[Isaac]

@Isaac
Thanks for your observations about DBMS that's very useful, MS SQL server does make good sense for me since it plays nicely with Access and Excel. Also because I work in businesses of all sizes it is often used. infact it reminded me of a project where I was Finance lead and joint sponsor on a migration from mysql to MS Dynamics project for a large high transaction volume ecom business that had experienced high growth, of course wearing my "finance hat" I did not need to go deep into the tech side ( a relief because the finance part alone was life shortening!!) but I've always found it interesting and useful to appreciate how my IT ( and other function) colleagues do their job - learning more on MS SQL Server will be useful for my own personal DB education and also collaborating with IT colleagues.
Which parts of MS SQL server Express 2019 would you recommend to supplement Access learning? (just the standalone installation, or all the extra parts like "SQL Server Reporting services" "SQL Server Management Tools" & "SQL Server Data Tools"?

I would definitely just start by installing SQL Server Express along with the actual sql service running and an instance of a 'local' server (it should mostly make sense once you start following the prompts, just don't forget what things are named, write them down maybe). That will give you a "server" to actually connect to, and you can then start creating a Database and Tables, running code, etc.

Then (probably separately, I can't remember), simply install SQL Server Management Studio - that's what you'll use to actually connect, write code, save procedures, etc.

For SQL Server Reporting services, I've never used that (or really seen it used for that matter) without the help of an actual DBA or someone who knows DBA-ish things, nor Integration Services, so I wouldn't worry about those for later down the road.

SQL Server Data Tools is a good idea (but not to start with, later), this is where you learn to create SSIS packages to easily & powerfully load/move data....and generally do ETL work. Without actually paying for Integration Services, you can still use the free data tools to create an SSIS package and run it from your local machine - which, that alone, will give you pretty much all the learning in SSIS that you need to make the skill completely ready for the marketplace.

so download sql server express, install it along with a named instance, generally just accept all the defaults and continue, then also install sql server management studio and you should be good to go.

you can easily load data to your new sql tables by simply using Access as an intermediary, too.

 

[Jon]

Mr Free is now freed of his old name. Welcome Antwoord!

 

[Antwoord]

thanks for fixing that for me Jon

 

[Jon]

You're welcome.

 

[Antwoord]

@Isaac
Thanks so much for the insight, I'm torn between my new learning DB obsession and wanting to build two tools in Access which I'm working on, but I am definitely up for SQL and will be trying it soon.