Previously, SQL developers have been able to almost entirely ignore the SQLCLR and treat it as a peripheral technology—almost an extension to the main product. With the advent of LINQ and the Entity Framework, this is no longer the case, and the SQLCLR is moving to the center stage. It’s a powerful product but, for many, it is an entirely new way of working with data. Pro Entity Framework 4.0 will help readers understand the implications of the Entity Framework and how it can be used to change their development practices and make their databases more powerful and flexible. Since many readers will be encountering this subject for the first time, the book will create an inclusive environment in which the concepts of .NET development are approached from the perspective of the Relational T–SQL developer to foster a sense of shared–ownership in keeping with Microsoft’s latest best practices.
The introduction of SQL Server 2005 began the process which has seen .NET become an integral part of the SQL Server database technology. SQL Server 2008 is the next evolutionary step in that story. Alongside the more traditional database enhancements in the new release, there is an increasing focus upon a greater and more challenging integration with .NET 3.5. This book shows how to take advantage of this tight integration and how developers and DBAs can manipulate data more easily than ever before.
Scott Klein
.NET ADO Microsoft SQL Server SQL SQL Server 2005 SQL Server 2008 data model