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Exam 98-364 - Database Fundamentals

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Overview

Language(s): English
Audience(s): Academic
Technology: Microsoft SQL Server 2008
Type: Proctored Exam

Audience Profile

Candidates for this exam are seeking to prove introductory knowledge of and skills with databases, including relational databases such as Microsoft SQL Server. It is recommended that candidates be familiar with the concepts of and have hands-on experience with the technologies described here either by taking relevant training courses or by working with tutorials and samples available on MSDN and in Microsoft Visual Studio. Although minimal hands-on experience with the technologies is recommended, job experience is not assumed for these exams.
Candidates for this exam are in the process of expanding their knowledge and skills in the following areas:

  • core database concepts
  • relational database concepts
  • security requirements for databases and the data stored in them
  • database objects, such as tables and views
  • graphical tools and T-SQL scripts
  • database queries
  • stored procedures

Note This preparation guide is subject to change at any time without prior notice and at the sole discretion of Microsoft. Microsoft exams might include adaptive testing technology and simulation items. Microsoft does not identify the format in which exams are presented. Please use this preparation guide to prepare for the exam, regardless of its format.

Skills Measured

Understanding Core Database Concepts (23%)

  • Understand how data is stored in tables.

    This objective may include but is not limited to: understanding what a table is and how it relates to the data that will be stored in the database; columns/fields, rows/records

  • Understand relational database concepts.

    This objective may include but is not limited to: understanding what a relational database is, the need for relational database management systems (RDBMS), and how relations are established

  • Understand data manipulation language (DML).

    This objective may include but is not limited to: understanding what DML is and its role in databases

  • Understand data definition language (DDL).

    This objective may include but is not limited to: understanding how T-SQL can be used to create database objects such as tables and views

Creating Database Objects (23%)

  • Choose data types.

    This objective may include but is not limited to: understanding what data types are, why they are important, and how they affect storage requirements

  • Understand tables and how to create them.

    This objective may include but is not limited to: purpose of tables; creating tables in a database by using proper ANSI SQL syntax

  • Create views.

    This objective may include but is not limited to: understanding when to use views and how to create a view by using T-SQL or a graphical designer

  • Create stored procedures and functions.

    This objective may include but is not limited to: selecting, inserting, updating, or deleting data

Manipulating Data (26%)

  • Select data.

    This objective may include but is not limited to: utilizing SELECT queries to extract data from one table; extracting data by using joins; combining result sets by using UNION and INTERSECT

  • Insert data.

    This objective may include but is not limited to: understanding how data is inserted into a database; how to use INSERT statements

  • Update data.

    This objective may include but is not limited to: understanding how data is updated in a database and how to write the updated data to the database by using the appropriate UPDATE statements; update by using a table

  • Delete data.

    This objective may include but is not limited to: deleting data from single or multiple tables; ensuring data and referential integrity by using transactions

Understanding Data Storage (17%)

  • Understand normalization.

    This objective may include but is not limited to: understanding the reasons for normalization, the five most common levels of normalization, how to normalize a database to third normal form

  • Understand primary, foreign, and composite keys.

    This objective may include but is not limited to: understanding the reason for keys in a database, choosing appropriate primary keys, selecting appropriate data type for keys, selecting appropriate fields for composite keys, understanding the relationship between foreign and primary keys

  • Understand indexes.

    This objective may include but is not limited to: understanding clustered and non-clustered indexes and their purpose in a database

Administering a Database (11%)

  • Understand database security concepts.

    This objective may include but is not limited to: understanding the need to secure a database, what objects can be secured, what objects should be secured, user accounts, and roles

  • Understand database backups and restore.

    This objective may include but is not limited to: understanding various backup types, such as full and incremental, importance of backups, how to restore a database

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