Head First books are a good introduction
on
Head First SQL
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· Score: 1
As an introduction to a given topic, I've been pretty satisfied with the quality of O'Reilly's 'Head First' series. They're not meant to be an exhaustive reference for seasoned pro's, but they do a good job of conveying the fundamentals. If this book is on par in quality with the rest of the series, it's probably not a bad place to start if you're approaching it with zero background in databases.
Eighteen months? Probably not. Most companies will come to the table with certain solutions and configurations already tested and certified. Vendors realize that the enterprise computing landscape is varied and incredibly dynamic, and how one shop chooses to handle things may (will?) be completely different from how another shop does it. And since most vendors are trying to claw their way towards that sales valhalla of product ubiquity, they will go to great lengths to determine which products, in-house and third party, their's will or will not "play nice" with. That's why those that can invest millions of dollars into their QA labs. Chances are they'll be able to tell you right away whether their willing to certify their portion of your heterogeneous solution or not. And for more mainstream products like AIX, WebLogic, and Oracle, the vendor will probably be able to refer you to a real-world data center that's already operating with your intended configuration as a proof of concept. Have no doubt though, certified solution or not, finger pointing is an inevitability in this industry. Taking the time to make sure your vendors are willing to commit to your implementation though bounces the onus of support off of you right back onto them. And, joy of joys, they'll be contractually bound to obligate it.
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As an introduction to a given topic, I've been pretty satisfied with the quality of O'Reilly's 'Head First' series. They're not meant to be an exhaustive reference for seasoned pro's, but they do a good job of conveying the fundamentals. If this book is on par in quality with the rest of the series, it's probably not a bad place to start if you're approaching it with zero background in databases.
No such creature, I'm afraid.
Eighteen months? Probably not. Most companies will come to the table with certain solutions and configurations already tested and certified. Vendors realize that the enterprise computing landscape is varied and incredibly dynamic, and how one shop chooses to handle things may (will?) be completely different from how another shop does it. And since most vendors are trying to claw their way towards that sales valhalla of product ubiquity, they will go to great lengths to determine which products, in-house and third party, their's will or will not "play nice" with. That's why those that can invest millions of dollars into their QA labs. Chances are they'll be able to tell you right away whether their willing to certify their portion of your heterogeneous solution or not. And for more mainstream products like AIX, WebLogic, and Oracle, the vendor will probably be able to refer you to a real-world data center that's already operating with your intended configuration as a proof of concept. Have no doubt though, certified solution or not, finger pointing is an inevitability in this industry. Taking the time to make sure your vendors are willing to commit to your implementation though bounces the onus of support off of you right back onto them. And, joy of joys, they'll be contractually bound to obligate it.