Conference 7.286::digital

924.0. "why do we need an outside consultant" by NWACES::LINN (Just another chalkmark in the rain) Wed Sep 20 1989 17:17

General Audience,

    Now here's one that mystifies me.  Why does Digital need an outside
    "consultant" to come in and do an "introduction" course to VAX SQL.
    I understand that "outside consultants" do all, or nearly all, these
    seminars.
    
    We don't have anybody internal who can do this?  If not, why not?
 
    Is this one more example of "the problem?"

    This was sent to me in response to my question of course objectives,
    and who was teaching it.  

    Mail headers and one signature were removed to protect the blameless.
    Otherwise, this is what I received.

	bL

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^


Thank you for your interest in Introduction to VAX SQL (EY-A224E-L0).  Here 
is the course descriptions you requested.  This is an employee course and is 
to be taught by an outside consultant.  

Please contact the Central Registration Office at DTN 249-4670 to enroll.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Introduction to VAX SQL                                                         
                                                                                
COURSE CODE:        EY-A224E-L0                                                 
                                                                                
LENGTH:             3 DAYS                                                      
TYPE:                  LECTURE/LAB                                              
                                                                                
                                                                                
Intended Audience                                                               
                                                                                
This course is intended for programmers, database programmers or database       
managers who need to use VAX Structured Query Language (SQL).                   
                                                                                
Course Description                                                              
                                                                                
SQL is the preferred data definition and data manipulation language for VAX/Rdb 
databases.  Using VAX SQL, you will create a schema, store data in a database,  
and read and update both data and data definitions.  This course does not teach 
Rdb.                                                                            
                                                                                
Prerequisites                                                                   
                                                                                
To benefit from this course, students should understand basic relational        
database concepts such as data normalization, database design and the concepts  
of table, row and column as they relate to a relational database.  Students     
should have knowledge in Rdb.                                                   
                                                                                
Course Objectives                                                               
                                                                                
Upon completion of this course, students will:                                  
                                                                                
  *  Become familiar with the SQL data manipulation syntax                      
  *  Declare transactions and understand their scope and effect                 
  *  Use the advanced DML verbs                                                 
  *  Write programs using all forms of SQL interfaces; interactive, embedded and
     dynamic                                                                    
  *  Understand error processing                                                
  *  Create a database and define the fields, tables, indices and views used in 
     such a database                                                            
  *  Maintain metadata                                                          
  *  Setup data protection                                                      
                                                                                
Course Outline                                                                  
                                                                                
  *  Introduction to DML                                                        
  *  Managing transactions                                                      
  *  Advanced DML                                                               
  *  Programming in SQL                                                         
  *  Error processing                                                           
  *  Data definition - DDL                                                      
  *  Database maintenance                                                       
Digital Internal Use Only                                                       

    This has been discussed here at lenght before, but after looking
    for the better part of an hour I can't find it. To make a long story
    short, there are times when it is more cost effective to contract
    with someone from outside the company to teach classes. Sometimes
    it has to do with the availability of instructors; there appears
    to be a finite number of them. There is a whole explaination of it
    somewhere in this conference from someone in Ed Services. I just wish
    I could find it.
    
    			Alfred

	Topic 821 talks about this issue at length along with some other
	issues about waste. I'd prefer we keep it all in one place but
	will leave this topic (write locked) as a pointer because it's
	not obvious where to find it otherwise.

			Alfred