Microsoft Learning:

Exam 70-431:

TS: Microsoft SQL Server 2005 - Implementation and Maintenance

Published:October 12, 2007
Language(s):English
Audience(s):IT Professionals
Technology:Microsoft SQL Server 2005
Type:Proctored Exam
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About this ExamThis Microsoft Technical Specialist (TS) exam, Exam 70-431: TS: Microsoft SQL Server 2005 – Implementation and Maintenance, became available in January 2006. This exam may contain performance-based testing elements.
Audience Profile
Candidates for this exam are professionals who typically pursue careers as database administrators, database developers, or business intelligence developers. Additionally, they can be people who do not work with Microsoft SQL Server as a part of their primary job functions but who want to show their breadth of technology experience, such as developers, systems administrators, and others. Candidates have sought out knowledge and experience with Microsoft SQL Server 2005 to enhance their technical expertise, and they can implement and maintain databases by using specific instructions and specifications.
Candidates for this exam should be experts in following areas:
  • Tools usage
  • UI navigation
  • Wizards usage
  • Writing code in the appropriate language (Transact-SQL, CLR language, and other scripting languages)
  • Code debugging or syntactic issue resolution
  • Troubleshooting
  • Accomplishing specific focused tasks by using code or UI navigation
Credit Toward CertificationWhen you pass Exam 70-431: TS: Microsoft SQL Server 2005 - Implementation and Maintenance, you complete the requirements for the following certification(s):Exam 70-431: TS: Microsoft SQL Server 2005 - Implementation and Maintenance: counts as credit toward the following certification(s):
Note This preparation guide is subject to change at any time without prior notice and at the sole discretion of Microsoft. Microsoft exams might include adaptive testing technology and simulation items. Microsoft does not identify the format in which exams are presented. Please use this preparation guide to prepare for the exam, regardless of its format.
Skills Being MeasuredThis exam measures your ability to accomplish the technical tasks listed below.The percentages indicate the relative weight of each major topic area on the exam.
Installing and Configuring SQL Server 2005
  • Install SQL Server 2005.
    • Verify prerequisites.
    • Upgrade from an earlier version of SQL Server.
    • Create an instance.
  • Configure SQL Server 2005 instances and databases.
    • Configure log files and data files.
    • Configure the SQL Server DatabaseMail subsystem for an instance.
    • Choose a recovery model for the database.
  • Configure SQL Server security.
    • Configure server security principals.
    • Configure database securables.
    • Configure encryption.
  • Configure linked servers by using SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS).
    • Identify the external data source.
    • Identify the characteristics of the data source.
    • Identify the security model of the data source.
Implementing High Availability and Disaster Recovery
  • Implement database mirroring.
    • Prepare databases for database mirroring.
    • Create endpoints.
    • Specify database partners.
    • Specify a witness server.
    • Configure an operating mode.
  • Implement log shipping.
    • Initialize a secondary database.
    • Configure log shipping options.
    • Configure a log shipping mode.
    • Configure monitoring.
  • Manage database snapshots.
    • Create a snapshot.
    • Revert a database from a snapshot.
Supporting Data Consumers
  • Retrieve data to support ad hoc and recurring queries.
    • Construct SQL queries to return data.
    • Format the results of SQL queries.
    • Identify collation details.
  • Manipulate relational data.
    • Insert, update, and delete data.
    • Handle exceptions and errors.
    • Manage transactions.
  • Manage XML data.
    • Identify the specific structure needed by a consumer.
    • Retrieve XML data.
    • Modify XML data.
    • Convert between XML data and relational data.
    • Create an XML index.
    • Load an XML schema.
  • Implement an HTTP endpoint.
    • Create an HTTP endpoint.
    • Create an HTTP endpoint.
  • Implement Service Broker components.
    • Create services.
    • Create queues.
    • Create contracts.
    • Create conversations.
    • Create message types.
    • Send messages to a service.
    • Route a message to a service.
    • Receive messages from a service.
  • Import and export data from a file.
    • Set a database to the bulk-logged recovery model to avoid inflating the transaction log.
    • Run the bcp utility.
    • Perform a Bulk Insert task.
    • Import bulk XML data by using the OPENROWSET function.
    • Copy data from one table to another by using the SQL Server 2005 Integration Services (SSIS) Import and Export Wizard.
  • Manage replication.
    • Distinguish between replication types.
    • Configure a publisher, a distributor, and a subscriber.
    • Configure replication security.
    • Configure conflict resolution settings for merge replication.
    • Monitor replication.
    • Improve replication performance.
    • Plan for, stop, and restart recovery procedures.
Maintaining Databases
  • Implement and maintain SQL Server Agent jobs.
    • Set a job owner.
    • Create a job schedule.
    • Create job steps.
    • Configure job steps.
    • Disable a job.
    • Create a maintenance job.
    • Set up alerts.
    • Configure operators.
    • Modify a job.
    • Manage a job.
  • Manage databases by using Transact-SQL.
    • Manage index fragmentation.
    • Manage statistics.
    • Shrink files.
    • Perform database integrity checks by using DBCC CHECKDB.
  • Back up a database.
    • Perform a full backup.
    • Perform a differential backup.
    • Perform a transaction log backup.
    • Initialize a media set by using the FORMAT option.
    • Append or overwrite an existing media set.
    • Create a backup device.
    • Back up filegroups.
  • Back up a database.
    • Perform a full backup.
    • Perform a differential backup.
    • Perform a transaction log backup.
    • Initialize a media set by using the FORMAT option.
    • Append or overwrite an existing media set.
    • Create a backup device.
    • Back up filegroups.
  • Restore a database.
    • Identify which files are needed from the backup strategy.
    • Restore a database from a single file and from multiple files.
    • Choose an appropriate restore method.
  • Move a database between servers.
    • Choose an appropriate method for moving a database.
Monitoring and Troubleshooting SQL Server Performance
  • Gather performance and optimization data by using the SQL Server Profiler.
    • Start a new trace.
    • Save the trace logs.
    • Configure SQL Server Profiler trace properties.
    • Configure a System Monitor counter log.
    • Correlate a SQL Server Profiler trace with System Monitor log data.
  • Gather performance and optimization data by using the Database Engine Tuning Advisor.
    • Build a workload file by using the SQL Server Profiler.
    • Tune a workload file by using the Database Engine Tuning Advisor.
    • Save recommended indexes.
  • Monitor and resolve blocks and deadlocks.
    • Identify the cause of a block by using the sys.dm_exec_requests system view.
    • Terminate an errant process.
    • Configure SQL Server Profiler trace properties.
    • Identify transaction blocks.
  • Diagnose and resolve database server errors.
    • Connect to a non-responsive server by using the dedicated administrator connection (DAC).
    • Review SQL Server startup logs.
    • Review error messages in event logs.
  • Monitor SQL Server Agent job history.
    • Identify the cause of a failure.
    • Identify outcome details.
    • Find out when a job last ran.
  • Gather performance and optimization data by using DMVs.
Creating and Implementing Database Objects
  • Implement a table.
    • Specify column details.
    • Specify the filegroup.
    • Assign permissions to a role for tables.
    • Specify a partition scheme when creating a table.
    • Specify a transaction.
  • Implement a view.
    • Create an indexed view.
    • Create an updateable view.
    • Assign permissions to a role or schema for a view.
  • Implement triggers.
    • Create a trigger.
    • Create DDL triggers for responding to database structure changes.
    • Identify recursive triggers.
    • Identify nested triggers.
    • Identify transaction triggers.
  • Implement functions.
    • Create a function.
    • Identify deterministic versus nondeterministic functions.
  • Implement stored procedures.
    • Create a stored procedure.
    • Recompile a stored procedure.
    • Assign permissions to a role for a stored procedure.
  • Implement constraints.
    • Specify the scope of a constraint.
    • Create a new constraint.
  • Implement indexes.
    • Specify the filegroup.
    • Specify the index type.
    • Specify relational index options.
    • Specify columns.
    • Specify a partition scheme when creating an index.
    • Disable an index.
    • Create an online index by using an ONLINE argument.
  • Create user-defined types.
    • Create a Transact-SQL user-defined type.
    • Specify details of the data type.
    • Create a CLR user-defined type.
  • Implement a full-text search.
    • Create a catalog.
    • Create an index.
    • Specify a full-text population method.
Preparation Tools and ResourcesTo help you prepare for this exam, Microsoft Learning recommends that you have hands-on experience with the product and that you use the following training resources. These training resources do not necessarily cover all of the topics listed in the "Skills Measured" tab.
Classroom Training
Microsoft E-Learning
Microsoft Press Books
Practice Tests
Microsoft Online Resources
  • Microsoft Learning Community: Join newsgroups and visit community forums to connect with peers for suggestions on training resources and advice on your certification path and studies.
  • Microsoft SQL Server 2005 – Learning Portal: Find special offers and information on training and certification.
  • TechNet: Designed for IT professionals, this site includes how-to instructions, best practices, downloads, technical resources, newsgroups, and chats.
  • MSDN: Designed for developers, the Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) features code samples, technical articles, downloads, newsgroups, and chats.
  • Microsoft SQL Server TechCenter: Find SQL Server–related resources from Microsoft and the broader SQL Server community.
  • Microsoft SQL Server Developer Center: Find SQL Server 2005 articles, downloads, support, and community resources for developers.
Have Questions? For advice about training and certification, connect with peers: For questions about a specific certification, chat with a Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP): To find out about recommended blogs, Web sites, and upcoming Live Meetings on popular topics, visit our community site:
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