Wednesday, November 24, 2021

Top 5 Courses to Learn Microsoft SQL Server Database and Transact-SQL in 2024 - Best of Lot

Hello guys, you might know that along with Oracle and MySQL, Microsoft SQL Server is one of the most popular relational databases in the tech world. It's used in many big organizations like Investment Banks, Insurance companies, and particularly at firms that use Microsoft technologies like Windows Server. With the growing popularity and market share of Microsoft Azure, there is a good chance that the demand for Microsoft SQL Server will also increase, particularly in the cloud. There is already a high demand for both Microsoft SQL Server DBA and Programmers who have SQL Server experience, and that's why it's an excellent decision to learn MSSQL in 20243.

If you also think so and looking for some awesome resources to kick-start your SQL Server journey, then you have come to the right place. In the past, I have shared a lot of free books and courses to learn Microsoft SQL Server, which was really liked and appreciated by my readers

But they kept asking me about comprehensive, in-depth, and best online paid courses. After answering them individually on Facebook Messenger and LinkedIn, I have decided to share those courses as an article, and here we are.

In this article, I am going to share some of the best courses to learn Microsoft SQL Server in 2024. They are not free, but they are completely worthy of your time and money. I have also chosen courses that teach you SQL Server from scratch.

If you already know SQL and familiar with any relational databases like Oracle, MySQL, Sybase, IBM DB2,  PostgreSQL, SQLite, etc., then you will learn quicker, but that's not required or mandatory.





5 Best Online Courses to learn Microsoft SQL Server for Beginners in 2024

Without wasting any more of your time, here is my list of some of the best courses to learn from Microsoft SQL Server in 2024. As I have told you, these courses cover MSSQL from scratch, which is important for beginners and people who want to learn end-to-end.

I have also chosen hands-on courses that show SQL code live and also explain how it works because unless you explain how your SQL query is evaluated by the SQL Server engine and how indexes and join work together, you won't be able to troubleshoot and optimize your query for faster execution.

Upon request of my readers, I have also included SQL Server courses to pass the Microsoft SQL Server 70-461, 761: Querying Microsoft SQL Server with Transact-SQL certification. 

If you are preparing for that coveted certification, then this course will really help you. Still, even if you are no preparing for the MSSQL Certification exam, the course will help you to learn Microsoft SQL Server in depth.


1. Microsoft SQL for Beginners - Udemy

This is one of the most comprehensive courses to teach you how to write SQL queries using Microsoft SQL Server and the T-SQL language.

This course totally focuses on SQL queries, and you will learn how to select, update and delete data, how to use group by clause, how to filer rows using WHERE and HAVING, and how to use aggregate functions like SUM, AVG, MAX, MIN, etc. You will also learn how to sort data using the ORDER BY clause and join multiple tables together to generate reports etc.

Since SQL Query is the most important skill for any programmer and developer, this is a good starting point to learn Microsoft SQL Server. Whether you are a programmer or an aspiring DBA, this course will give you a stepping stone to learn more about Microsoft SQL Server.

Talking about social proof, this course is trusted by more than 24,626 students, and it has on average, 4.5 ratings from close to 6400 participants, which is amazing. A big thanks to creator Brewster Knowlton for creating this awesome course.

5 best Courses to learn Microsoft SQL Server Online




2. 70-461, 761: Querying Microsoft SQL Server with Transact-SQL

To be honest with you, I have learned most of my SQL Server fundamentals by reading books on 70-461 and 70-761, and this course just takes that to the next level. This is a known truth, and I can say it from personal experience that you learn a lot when you prepare for a certification.

It's then you focus on details like how exactly a SQL query is executed, what is the difference between WHERE and HAVING, how does a temp table work, and so on. This creates questions and curiosity in your mind, which further motivates you to do research and pay attention, and eventually learn the details which matter.

This course covers almost everything a developer or a junior SQL Server DBA should know like Tables, SQL SELECT queries, views, tables, Triggers, SQL Server 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019, exams 70-461 and 70-761, and much more.

If you are preparing for Microsoft SQL server certification, then this course will certainly boost your chances, and even if you are not preparing, you will learn much better by following this course.


best Courses to learn Microsoft SQL Server for beginners





3. Introduction to SQL Server By Dan Sullivan

This is another introductory course on Microsoft Server from Pluralsight, and it's delivered by Dan Sullivan, an independent consultant, author, and speaker, and data geek.

This course provides an introduction to relational databases and SQL Server. It starts with a high-level introduction to relational databases and follows up with the use of the Data Modification and Data Definition Languages that are part of SQL Server.

Though, you will need a Pluralsight membership to access this course, which costs around $299 per annum. There is a good chance that your company may already be supporting Pluralsight and then can access this course for free.

Alternatively, Pluralsight also provides a 10-day free trial and 200 minutes of free watch time, which is enough to access and complete this course for FREE.


best pluralsight course to learn Microsoft SQL Server






4. Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS)

The Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services or SSRS is one of the most important features or parts of SQL Server, which allows you to Build reports. It's an essential skill to learn, particularly for DBAs, who are often tasked to implement reporting.

This course is all about creating reports in SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS). No prior knowledge is needed, but some knowledge of T-SQL would be useful. It covers how to manage layouts and add interactivity to your report.

It also covers several aspects which are tested in Microsoft's 70-466 exam "Implementing Data Models and Reports with Microsoft SQL Server" certification exam. If you are preparing for that exam, then this course can be a great help to you.

best Udemy course to learn SSRS (SQL Server Reporting Services)



5. Microsoft SQL Server 2016 Certification (70-764)

This is another certification course I have included in this list to learn Microsoft SQL Server in depth. This course provides comprehensive and practical coverage of SQL Server essentials so that you can pass the Microsoft SQL 2016 (70-764) exam.

This course is very useful for junior SQL server DBA and aspiring DBAs who want to pass Microsoft SQL Server 2016 Certification (70-764) - Administering a SQL Database Infrastructure.

If you don't know this certification exam is intended for DBAs who perform database installation, maintenance, and configuration tasks including setting up database systems, making sure those systems operate efficiently, and regularly storing, backing up, and securing data from unauthorized access.

In this course, you'll learn how to configure data access and auditing, manage backup and restore of databases, manage and monitor SQL Server instances, and manage high availability and disaster recovery.

best course to pass Microsoft SQL Server Certification


After completing this MSSQL course, you will have the necessary skills and knowledge to pass the Administering a SQL Database Infrastructure Exam as well as in-depth knowledge of Microsoft SQL Server from DBA's perspective.


That's all about some of the best courses to learn Microsoft SQL Server in 2024. As I have said MSSQL or Microsoft SQL Server is one of the top databases and #2 in the Big 3 of the database behind Oracle and ahead of MySQL. Many enterprises and tech companies use Microsoft SQL Server and with the growing market of Microsoft Azure, more and more companies will opt for SQL Server in Cloud.

This means an increased demand for Microsoft SQL Server professionals and Programmers who have worked on them. If you want to stay ahead of curve and give your resume a boost, learning SQL Server skills will pay rich dividends.

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Thanks for reading this article so far. If you like these best SQL Server and T-SQL courses then please share it with your friends and colleagues. If you have any questions or feedback then please drop a note.

P. S. - If you are new to SQL and Database in general and want to learn DB fundamentals and SQL basics before deep dive on PostgreSQL then you can also check out this list of free Websites to learn SQL and Database for beginners.

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