SQL Server Interview Questions

SQL Server Interview questions - Part 1
What is the significance of NULL value and why should we avoid permitting null
values?
Null means no entry has been made. It implies that the value is either unknown or
undefined.We should avoid permitting null values because Column with NULL values
can't have PRIMARY KEY constraints. Certain calculations can be inaccurate if NULL
columns are involved.
What is SQL whats its uses and its component ?

The Structured Query Language (SQL) is foundation for all relational database
systems. Most of the large-scale databases use the SQL to define all user and
administrator interactions. It enable us to retrieve the data from based on our exact
requirement. We will be given a flexibility to store the data in our own format.
The DML component of SQL comprises four basic statements:

* SELECT to get rows from tables
* UPDATE to update the rows of tables
* DELETE to remove rows from tables
* INSERT to add new rows to tables
What is DTS in SQL Server ?

Data Transformation Services is used to transfer the data from one source to our
required destination. Considering am having some data in sql server and I need to
transfer the data to Excel destination. Its highly possible with dialogue based tool
called Data Transformation services. More customization can be achieved using SSIS.
A specialized tool used to do such migration works.
What is the difference between SQL and Pl/Sql ?
Straight forward. SQL is a single statement to finish up our work.Considering, I need

some data from a particular table. “Select * from table” will fetch the necessary
information. Where as I need to do some row by row processing. In that case, we
need to go for Programming Logic / SQL.
What is the significance of NULL value and why should we avoid permitting null
values?
Null means no entry has been made. It implies that the value is either unknown or
undefined.We should avoid permitting null values because Column with NULL values
can't have PRIMARY KEY constraints. Certain calculations can be inaccurate if NULL
columns are involved.
Difference between primary key and Unique key?

Both constraints will share a common property called uniqueness. The data in the
column should be unique. The basic difference is,
· Primary key won’t allow null value. Whereas, unique key will accept null value but
only one null value.
· On creating primary key, it will automatically format the data inturn creates
clustered index on the table. Whereas, this characteristics is not associated with
unique key.
· Only one primary key can be created for the table. Any number of Unique key can
be created for the table.
Select Statement in SQL Server
String Functions in sql server

Substring/Len/replace/Ltrim/Rtrim
SQL Server Interview Question - Part 2
What is normalization?
Normalization is the basic concept used in designing a database. Its nothing but, an
advise given to the database to have minimal repetition of data, highly structured,
highly secured, easy to retrieve. In high level definition, the Process of organizing
data into tables is referred to as normalization.
What is a stored procedure:

Stored procedures are precompiled T-SQL statements combined to perform a single
task of several tasks. Its basically like a Macro so when you invoke the Stored
procedure, you actually run a set of statements. As, its precompiled statement,
execution of Stored procedure is compatatively high when compared to an ordinary
T-SQL statement.
What is the difference between UNION ALL Statement and UNION ?

The main difference between UNION ALL statement and UNION is UNION All
statement is much faster than UNION,the reason behind this is that because UNION
ALL statement does not look for duplicate rows, but on the other hand UNION
statement does look for duplicate rows, whether or not they exist.
Example for Stored Procedure?
They are three kinds of stored procedures,1.System stored procedure – Start with
sp_2. User defined stored procedure – SP created by the user.3. Extended stored
procedure – SP used to invoke a process in the external systems.Example for system
stored proceduresp_helpdb - Database and its propertiessp_who2 – Gives details
about the current user connected to your system. sp_renamedb – Enable you to
rename your database
What is a trigger?
Triggers are precompiled statements similar to Stored Procedure. It will automatically

invoke for a particular operation. Triggers are basically used to implement business
rules.
What is a view?
If we have several tables in a db and we want to view only specific columns from
specific tables we can go for views. It would also suffice the needs of security some
times allowing specfic users to see only specific columns based on the permission
that we can configure on the view. Views also reduce the effort that is required for
writing queries to access specific columns every time.
What is an Index?
When queries are run against a db, an index on that db basically helps in the way the
data is sorted to process the query for faster and data retrievals are much faster
when we have an index.
What are the types of indexes available with SQL Server?
There are basically two types of indexes that we use with the SQL ServerClustered -
1. It will format the entire table, inturn physically sort the table.
2. Only one clustered index can be created for a table.
3. Data will be located in the leaf level.
4. By default, primary key will create clustered index on the table.
Non-Clustered Index
1. It wont touch the structure of the table.
2. It forms an index table as reference to the exact data.
3. A reference to the data will be located in the leaf level.
4. For a table, we can create 249 non clustered index.

Happy Learning!!!
Regards,
Venkatesan Prabu .J
SQL Interview question
Extent Vs Page?
Pages are low level unit to store the exact data in sql server. Basically, the data will
be stored in the mdf, ldf, ndf files. Inturn, pages are logical units available in sql
server.The size of the page is 8KB.
Eight consecutive pages will form an extent 8 * 8KB = 64KB.
Thus I/O level operation will be happening at pages level.The pages will hold a
template information at the start of each page (header of the page).
They are,
1. page number,
2. page type,
3. the amount of free space on the page,
4. the allocation unit ID of the object that owns the page.
Extents will be classifed into two types,
1. Uniform extents
2. Mixed extents
Uniform Extents:It occupied or used by a single object. Inturn, a single object will
hold the entire 8 pages.
Mixed Extents:Mulitple objects will use the same extent. SQL Server will allow a max
of eight objects to use a shared extent.
Property of SQL Server :Initally if an object is created, sql server will allocate the
object to the mixed extent and once if the size reaches 8 pages and more...
immediately, a new uniform extent will be provided for that particular object.
Herecomes, our fragmentation and reindexing concepts.

SQL Server Interview Questions

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SQL Server Interview Questions

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SQL Server Interview questions - Part 1

What is SQL whats its uses and its component ?

The DML component of SQL comprises four basic statements:

What is DTS in SQL Server ?

What is the difference between SQL and Pl/Sql ?

Straight forward. SQL is a single statement to finish up our work.Considering, I need

Difference between primary key and Unique key?

Select Statement in SQL Server

String Functions in sql server

SQL Server Interview Question - Part 2

What is a stored procedure:

What is the difference between UNION ALL Statement and UNION ?

Triggers are precompiled statements similar to Stored Procedure. It will automatically

What are the types of indexes available with SQL Server?

2. Only one clustered index can be created for a table.

3. Data will be located in the leaf level.

4. By default, primary key will create clustered index on the table.

1. It wont touch the structure of the table.

2. It forms an index table as reference to the exact data.

3. A reference to the data will be located in the leaf level.

4. For a table, we can create 249 non clustered index.

SQL Interview question

Eight consecutive pages will form an extent 8 * 8KB = 64KB.

3. the amount of free space on the page,

4. the allocation unit ID of the object that owns the page.

Extents will be classifed into two types,

Herecomes, our fragmentation and reindexing concepts.

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