Actian Zen/PSQL Service and Support Course

Click HERE to Register Now!

Course Developer: Goldstar Software Inc.

Level: Beginning to Intermediate

Length: 3 Day

Course Materials: 300+ page, color, printed manual with CDROM and Quick Reference Card (available separately for $500)

Course Objectives: This course is designed to provide a technical foundation to software developers, network administrators and consultants who work with the Zen/PSQL database engine and other related products from Actian (formerly Pervasive Software). The course manuals are designed to act as a reference for the student after the class is completed. While we use the current version of Actian Zen (currently Zen v15) for this course, the material covers Actian PSQL v13 and newer engines, and some material holds true even for the earlier versions of Actian PSQL v12, Pervasive PSQL v11, Pervasive PSQL Summit v10, PSQL v9, Pervasive.SQL V8, Pervasive.SQL 2000i, Pervasive.SQL 7, and even Btrieve 6.15!

Day 1 concentrates on the background information, as well as the server-side installation, licensing, and system configuration. After Day 1, each student should be able to:

• Describe the Zen/PSQL database, its history, its components, and why it is often used.
• Differentiate between the platforms (Workgroup, Server, and Vx/Cloud Server) and know when to use each.
• Determnine the correct licensing requirements for a database installation.
• Install and patch the Zen/PSQL database engine on a server and the Client to a workstation.
• Identify the version and build number of an installed database engine.
• Configure the MKDE on any platform for one or more applications and fine-tune the engine configuration for optimal performance based on existing resources.
• Observe system performance metrics with the Monitor, PerfMon, TaskManager, and other tools, and uise the data to further improve scalability and performance.

Day 2 examines the client side of Zen/PSQL in detail, including the use of troubleshooting tools and our unique "troubleshooting chart". It also covers the all-important issues of the database file system, including file rebuilding, data file recovery, and proper backups. After Day 2, each student should be able to:

• Install and configure the Zen/PSQL client on the workstation for fastest startup times and best control.
• Determine when older DLL's may be impacting a production environment.
• Explain the purpose of each of the utilities provided with the database (and some third-party tools) and know when to use each for troubleshooting various types of problems.
• Use the Connection Troubleshooting Diagram to diagnose network connections issues.
• Identify the basic internal components of an MKDE database file, especially as it relates to supported features and performance.
• Rebuild a data file from one version to another, using command-line and GUI tools.
• Analyze a data file for corruption and repair basic corruption using command line and GUI tools.
• Understand the perils of backing up database files during database access and enable proper backups in 24x7 operations with VSS or Backup Agent (and know when to use each).

Day 3 concentrates on the relational components of Zen/PSQL, including the importance of data dictionary files, the use of basic SQL commands to retrieve and export data, and the many facets of database security, including owner names, SQL logins, and the advanced security options. After Day 3, each student should be able to:

• Identify the Data Dictionary Files (DDF's) and their contents.
• Use the provided tools to build and/or modify DDF's for the database.
• Understand the concepts behind the ODBC drivers and access a database with those drivers from MS Access, the Control Center, or another ODBC application.
• Create simple SQL statements to retrieve data, modify data, and delete data.
• Create more complex SQL code, including database joins, stored procedures, and views.
• Enable and work with security for Btrieve applications and SQL databases.
• Activate the advanced security features to protect a database.
• Resolve common status code error messages from applications.

Course Prerequisites: Student should have experience with installing and maintaining applications in Windows. Experience in computer networking, Windows, and Linux will be a great asset, but is not required. An understanding of database technology and programming techniques will also be beneficial.