Covers the latest version of the ISO SQL standard (SQL-99) and gives readers information they need to know about the differences in vendor-specific SQL implementations including Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, and IBM DB2 Knowledge of this ubiquitous database programming language is becoming more critical as IT departments move toward more integrated heterogeneous platforms Covers growing use of SQL with Web services and XML CD-ROM includes a complete sample database and trial versions of major relational database management software

<b>Alex Kriegel</b>, MCP/MCSD, has worked for Pope &amp; Talbot, Inc., in Portland, Oregon, since 2001 as Senior Programmer/Analyst; prior to that, he worked for Psion Teklogix International, Inc., in the same capacity. He received his B.S. in Physics of Metals from Polytechnic Institute of Belarus in 1988, discovered PC programming in 1992, and has never looked back since. He is also the author of <i>Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Weekend Crash Course</i> (Wiley, 2001). <p> <b>Boris M. Trukhnov</b>, OCP, has been working as Senior Technical Analyst/Oracle DBA for Pope &amp; Talbot, Inc., in Portland, Oregon, since 1998. His previous job titles include Senior Programmer Analyst, Senior Software Developer, and Senior Operations Analyst. He has been working with SQL and relational databases since 1994. Boris holds a B.S. in Computer Science from the University of Minnesota.