CERTIFICATION OBJECTIVE 1.02
Define and Understand the Basics of the RDBMS

Now that you’ve taken a look at the exam’s certification objectives, let’s get started with reviewing the subject of the Structured Query Language (SQL). This section isn’t specifically analyzed on the exam, but the information presented here is foundational to an understanding of everything else in the book. If you’re a veteran SQL developer, you might want to just skim the rest of this chapter, looking for the “Exam Watch” sections, and moving on to the next chapter. Otherwise, stay tuned and get your thinking well positioned to focus on the remainder of the book.

We’ll start with a cursory review of the reason we have SQL: the relational database management system (RDBMS). This section reviews the history and fundamental principles of the RDBMS.