Book Image

OCA Oracle Database 11g: SQL Fundamentals I: A Real World Certification Guide ( 1ZO-051 )

By : Steve Ries
Book Image

OCA Oracle Database 11g: SQL Fundamentals I: A Real World Certification Guide ( 1ZO-051 )

By: Steve Ries

Overview of this book

<p>The Oracle Database 11g: SQL Fundamentals I exam is the first stepping stone in getting the Oracle Certified Associate Certification for Oracle Database 11g. The SQL programming language is used in every major relational database today and understanding the real world application of it is the key to becoming a successful DBA.<br /><br />This book gives you: the essential real world skills to master relational data manipulation with Oracle SQL and prepares you to become an Oracle Certified Associate. Beginners are introduced to concepts in a logical manner while practitioners can use it as a reference to jump to relevant concepts directly.<br /><br />We begin with the essentials of why databases are important in today's information technology world and how they work.<br /><br />We continue by explaining the concepts of querying and modifying data in Oracle using a range of techniques, including data projection, selection, creation, joins, sub-queries and functions. Finally, we learn to create and manipulate database objects and to use them in the same way as today's expert SQL programmers.<br /><br />This book prepares you to master the fundamentals of the SQL programming language using an example-driven method that is easy to understand<br /><br />This definitive certification guide provides a disciplined approach to be adopted for successfully clearing the 1Z0-051 SQL Fundamentals I exam, which is the first stepping stone towards attaining the OCA on Oracle Database 11g certification.<br /><br />Each chapter contains ample practice questions at the end. A full-blown mock test is included for practice so you can test your knowledge and get a feel for the actual exam.</p>
Table of Contents (20 chapters)
OCA Oracle Database 11g: SQL Fundamentals I: A Real-World Certification Guide
Credits
About the Author
About the Reviewers
www.PacktPub.com
Preface
Index

Chapter 1. SQL and Relational Databases

We live in a data-driven world. Think for a moment about all the data that exists about you, in computers around the world.

  • Your name

  • Birth date and information

  • Your hobbies

  • Purchases you've made

  • The identity of your friends

  • Your place of employment

The examples are endless. Next, multiply that amount of data by the number of people in the world. The result is a truly staggering amount of information. How is it possible that all this data can be organized and retrieved? In today's data-centric world, it is databases that make this possible. These Relational Database Management Systems (RDBMS) are primarily controlled by a programming language called Structured Query Language (SQL).

In this chapter, we will cover the following topics:

  • Discussing the purpose of relational database management systems

  • Understanding the use of the relational paradigm

  • Examining the use of Entity Relationship Diagrams (ERDs)

  • Looking at the structure of tables

  • Introducing Structured Query Language (SQL)

  • Reviewing commonly-used query tools

  • Introducing the SQL Developer tool