Learning how to design with Microsoft SQL Server 2012 can be a bit of an uphill challenge – especially if you’re brand-new to working with databases in the first place.

Luckily, you can speed up your learning curve rather dramatically through the help of different resources available online and off – the kinds of resources that you’re going to learn about right now. Each and every one of these have been chosen because of their ease-of-use (as well as their very impactful tips and tricks that they provide), giving you a complete breakdown of all of the capabilities of Microsoft SQL Server 2012.

Let’s dive right in!

Get your feet wet with the Microsoft SQL Server 2012 documentation

Like most things technical, you’ll be able to get a tremendous amount of insider information – as well as a fuel for the basic operations of this platform – if you read the “user’s manual”.

No longer a thick bound book provided in physical format, you’ll be able to access the Microsoft SQL Server 2012 user manual and documentation directly inside of the software itself. Navigate to the help button and you’ll find choices and options to comb through all the documentation – more than enough to get you started learning the ins and outs of this specific platform.

You’re also going to want to jump online and check out any of the basic guides to getting started with Microsoft SQL Server 2012 that you can find. Pay close attention to working with those that have a very “beginner” slant to them, as they’ll be the documents and resources that get you up to speed as quick as possible. Obviously, there are more advanced guides available – and they have a time and place in your learning curve – but start with learning how to walk before you begin to run.

Check out all of the different Microsoft SQL Server 2012 video tutorials available online

After you have gotten a feel for the basics of using this software solution, you’re going to want to further investigate the best practices when using it – something that is more easily learned through watching the video and reading about it.

Luckily, there are all kinds of online resources providing Microsoft SQL Server 2012 tutorials (video tutorials, no less) that can give you a more thorough understanding of at this specific solution. Depending upon where you are in the learning stage, you may find that there are premium and paid options provided by real professionals that would suit your needs best – but if you’re just starting out you may get the most value out of combing YouTube for the top three tutorials.

Nothing beats getting hands-on experience with this platform

Above all else, the very best way to learn all of the different nuances and capabilities of Microsoft SQL Server 2012 is to actually mess around with the platform itself. Obviously, you’re going to want to do so in a relatively clean environment – one that will not have major repercussions down the line – so look into some of the free developer training kits available.

Microsoft makes their own free SQL Server 2012 Developer Training Kit (complete with all different kinds of demonstrations, presentations, and even “labs” where you can mess around with the platform in its entirety) – and it’s downloadable right from the Microsoft website.

A more advanced option (especially if you’re looking to integrate your SQL databases with other modern technologies) would be to download and open source solution like WAMP or MAMP (available for Windows or OS X, respectively). This is a developmental tool that allows you to integrate your SQL databases with a whole host of other web technologies – all in a simulated environment.

Another real “advanced” tip when trying to learn to query Microsoft SQL Server 2012 is to always – always – try to work on projects that excite you or interest you. Following along with tutorials can definitely help you to learn all different functions and capabilities of this software, but the truth the matter is that you’ll lose interest if you’re not moving towards a goal that means something to you.

Maybe one of the more “future proof” technologies of our time, understanding and learning how to develop with SQL databases is well worth the investment. Hopefully you’ve got a better understanding of how to approach learning this technology.

Author’s Bio:

Simon Hopes is a proficient author who writes articles about query Microsoft SQL Server 2012 and similar other topics. You can find his articles on the website Techsherpas.com.