Have you ever wondered how to take your SQL Server skills to the next level? Well, I recently had the opportunity to attend a course on Advanced T-SQL with renowned SQL Server expert, Itzik Ben-Gan, and let me tell you, it was a game-changer.

Before attending the course, I was skeptical about how much I could learn since I had already taught a similar course in the past. However, Itzik’s expertise and teaching style exceeded my expectations, and I walked away with a wealth of new knowledge.

Throughout the five-day course, Itzik shared numerous valuable tips and insights that I had never come across before. Here are just a few of the highlights:

• When using the TOP keyword with 100% and an ORDER BY clause in table expressions (such as views and CTEs), the ORDER BY clause is ignored.
• For scenarios involving only two tables, both JOIN and SubQuery can be optimal solutions.
• You can use the TOP keyword to gradually delete a table with millions of rows.
• Understanding when an Index Scan is faster for retrieving data than an Index Seek.
• Powering up data analysis without using analysis services and grouping set features.
• Trivial plans do not consider index selectivity.

Itzik’s course focused specifically on Advanced T-SQL for SQL Server 2008, and it was spot-on. His sessions were well-managed and perfectly paced, with each topic thoroughly explained and followed up with hands-on exercises and labs.

One of the standout aspects of the course was Itzik’s ability to effectively discuss complex concepts that are often challenging to put into writing. His teaching style made it easy to grasp these concepts and apply them in real-world scenarios.

As an added bonus, all attendees were given two books written by Itzik for free! This was a generous gesture that further enhanced the learning experience.

Overall, I can confidently say that this five-day training was one of the best I have ever attended in this subject. It covered a wide range of advanced T-SQL concepts and left me hungry for more knowledge.

If given the opportunity, I would not hesitate to attend this course again. Learning from Itzik Ben-Gan is an invaluable experience that I wouldn’t want to miss out on.

I would like to express my special thanks to Itzik Ben-Gan for accepting my last-minute registration, even when the seats were full. I would also like to thank Rushabh Mehta for making this opportunity possible for me.

During the course, Itzik even invited me and a few other attendees for dinner at Maggiano, an excellent Italian cuisine restaurant. It was a delightful experience to have dinner with industry experts like Greg Low and Peter Myers, who are also Solid Quality Mentors.

If you’re currently on the waiting list for this course and want to get in earlier than scheduled, please feel free to email me. I’ll do my best to assist you.

Don’t miss out on the chance to explore the world of Advanced T-SQL with SQL Server. It’s a journey that will undoubtedly enhance your SQL Server skills and take you to new heights.