Week 2 is dedicated to teaching you how to work with your database. You'll cover the various ways
to manipulate the data stored inside your MySQL database. You'll learn about MySQL's intrinsic
functions and about interfaces, including the popular Perl DBI/DBD interface:
On Day 8, "Populating the Database," you'll learn the tools and tricks you can use to
populate your database.
On Day 9, "Querying the Database," an SQL primer is given. This basic guide will give
you the foundation necessary to manipulate your data.
Day 10, "Letting MySQL Do the Work—Intrinsic Functions," covers the functions that
are available in MySQL.
Day 11, "MySQL Table Locks and Assorted Keys," introduces you to locks and keys.
The uses and reasons for these features will be covered on this day.
Day 12, "How to Get to the Data—Database Interfaces," starts the topic of interfaces
and the various APIs that are available in MySQL. You'll see how the various
interfaces share common functions.
Day 13, "How to Use MyODBC," covers the ODBC driver interface. On this day we'll
explore the techniques needed to access a MySQL database using this technology.
Day 14, "The Perl Database Interface," covers the Perl DBI for MySQL in great detail.
You'll build on the previous day's lesson and create your own Perl program to access
data via the Internet.
Week 3 introduces some of the more advanced techniques of administrating a MySQL database.
You'll cover how to administrate a MySQL database server, including security and optimization
techniques. At the end of this week, you'll finish things up by building a Web site using MySQL to
build Web pages dynamically and processing user input:
On Day 15, "MySQL and PHP," you'll learn how to interface MySQL with this hot new
technology.
On Day 16, "MySQL and Time," covers how dates are used in MySQL. You'll learn
about the various functions that are available to you from MySQL.
On Day 17, "MySQL Database Security," you'll learn about MySQL security. You'll
learn how it is implemented within MySQL, as well as how to keep your database
secure.
On Day 18, "How MySQL Compares," we'll compare MySQL to other databases. We'll
take a look at the features that other databases have that MySQL does not have and
discuss various workarounds to implement them.
On Day 19, "Administrating MySQL," covers administration in detail. You'll learn about
maintaining logs and searching logs for problems. You'll also learn about backing up
and recovering a MySQL database.
On Day 20, "Optimizing MySQL," you'll learn about performance tuning your database
engine. You'll learn how to build better queries, as well as some tricks to tweak
performance.
On the last day, "Putting It All Together," you'll use what you have learned in previous
lessons to build a working application using MySQL.
About This Book
This book teaches you about the MySQL database management system. You'll learn about a wide
range of topics, from creating to interfacing to administrating. By the end of this book, you will be
able to install, create, use, and maintain a MySQL database. Along the way, you will learn about
database design, as well as how to use a relational database.
Who Should Read This Book
This is book is for you if any of the following are true:
You have outgrown the database you are currently using and are searching for a good
replacement.
You are developing a Web site that needs database access.
You have never worked with a relational database before and want to learn how to use
one.
You are moving to a Linux platform and are looking for a proven RDBMS that can
support your business.
This book will show you the steps, from start to finish, you'll need to know to use MySQL. Every
aspect of MySQL is covered.
If you have never used a Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) before, you may be
wondering if this book is for you. It is. It will walk you through the most difficult situations step by