This book focuses on SQL for analytics and it contains SQL code that will be used by a professional data analyst or data scientist to convert data to information. Given the importance of SQL not only in operational databases but also in data warehouses, online analytical processing cubes (OLAP), data mining, reporting applications and even in Hadoop distributions with Hive, one understands that SQL is a must have tool in the belt of any data professional irrespective of data technology or operational platform. This book is not intended for database (DBAs) or system administrators (SAs) and as such it does not contain DDL (data definition language) statements to create logins, backups, functions, etc. A professional who wants to become a system administrator should look at other, excellent books in the market. This one concentrates specifically on SQL for data analysis. All the examples have a business purpose such as inventory replenishment, order reporting, shipping calculations, customer segmentation, cycle-time calculations and a myriad of other business related topics. A fundamental principle from the author of this book is that there should be no software to buy or complex installations on database servers to use it. The reader will simply download the free SQL Server Express edition on his or her own machine as well as the sample database provided online. The author has devoted a whole chapter with step by step instructions on how to download the free version of SQL Server, how to install it, how to download the sample database, and finally how to start using the book. Pindaro has worked on hundreds of business databases in the real world for the last 22 years. Pindaro's exciting relationship with databases started with DBase III back in 1991, continuing with Access, MS SQL Server, MySQL, Oracle, and IBM DB2 for a number of years. He is still in love with all of them. After more than twenty years, he still works with data, information processing, integration, and dissemination. Pindaro also has 17 years of teaching experience on various database subjects at the University level in three different business schools. He taught at all levels, from freshmen to executives with all the inherited fun and challenges. After hundreds of labs and thousands of questions and comments from the students, Pindaro wrote this book to assist his readers in becoming SQL experts so that they can be absolutely successful with their manipulation of data in the working environment. Currently, no matter the position, industry, or job function, it looks like everyone is asking for SQL skills.
