Before attending this course, students must:

Have a basic understanding of network architecture. For example, what can fail in a network, Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), differing performance characteristics of network components, etc.

Understand the tradeoffs among the different redundant storage types. For example, what RAID levels mean, how it differs from a SAN, etc.

Understand how replication works and how replication is implemented.

Be familiar with reading user requirements and business-need documents. For example, development project vision or mission statements or business analysis reports.

Have monitoring and troubleshooting skills.

Have knowledge of the operating system and platform. Specifically, must understand how hardware can fail, how the operating system integrates with the database, what the platform or operating system can do, and how the interaction between the operating system and the database works.

Have knowledge of application architecture. Specifically, must understand how applications identify servers to connect to, how applications can be designed in three layers, what applications can do, the interactions between applications and the database, interactions between the database and the platform or operating system.

Know how to use:

A monitoring tool

Microsoft Visio (to create infrastructure diagrams)

Be familiar with SQL Server 2005 features, tools, and technologies.

Have a Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist: Microsoft SQL Server 2005 credential - or equivalent experience.

In addition, it is recommended, but not required, that students have completed:

Course SST9/2778, Writing Queries Using Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Transact-SQL.

Course S9IM/2779, Implementing a Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Database.

Course S9MA/2780, Maintaining a Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Database.

This course is intended for current professional database administrators who have three or more years of on-the-job experience administering SQL Server database solutions in an enterprise environment.