Exam 70-464: Developing Microsoft SQL Server Databases

The Exam 70-464: Developing Microsoft SQL Server Databases exam will validate your expertise as a database professional in building and implementing databases across organizations and ensuring high levels of data availability. This certification aims to enhance your knowledge in all the latest features in SQL Server 2014, along with the important capabilities across the SQL Server data platform.

Exam Details

Schedule Your Exam

Follow the steps below to schedule your Microsoft certification exam –

Go to the Microsoft portal, to register yourself
Click on “Schedule Exam” to schedule an exam date at your convenience
Fill all your details asked in the next page that appears
Select the exam delivery option on the Pearson VUE page
Pay your exam fees. You have successfully registered for the MS 70-464 Exam

Exam Retake Policy

If anyhow you are not able to achieve a passing score in the Microsoft 70-464 exam. However, you will have to wait for a minimum of 24 hours before you become eligible for a retake. Failure in the second attempt will result in a waiting time of 14 days before rescheduling your third attempt. The waiting period for the fourth and the fifth attempts will also be 14 days. All candidates are allowed a maximum of five attempts per year.

Exam Cancellation Policy

Microsoft offers candidates to cancel or reschedule their exams within a minimum of 24 hours prior to the exam date. However, to prevent any cancellation fee, you must cancel or reschedule your exam, at least 6 business days prior to the date scheduled for your exam. Also, if you fail to appear in the exam, then you will not receive any refund of the exam fee.

Recertification Policy

Microsoft certification is expected to expire when the products are out of mainstream support although the person`s certification will be recognized. Officially, the MCSA certification will never expire.

Exam Result

Right after successfully completing your Exam 70-464: Developing Microsoft SQL Server Databases, you will be notified of your pass or fail status within a few minutes of completing your exam. Also, printed reports providing your exam score and feedback on your performance will also be provided to you. Your score will be forwarded to Microsoft within five business days.
As far as Beta exam results are concerned, your result will be visible on your Microsoft transcript. However, you will see your result only if you’ve achieved a passing score. Also, this result will be published on Pearson VUE’s site within 14 business days, after the live exam is published.

Note – If you are able to clear the beta exam, you will earn Microsoft credit for that exam and will also receive a resulting certification. Moreover, you are not required to retake the exam in its live version after clearing its beta version.

For Details See – 70-464: Developing Microsoft SQL Server Databases FAQ

Course Outline

Implement database objects (30–35%)

Create and alter tables (Microsoft Documentation: ALTER TABLE )
Design, implement and troubleshoot security (Microsoft Documentation: Design secure applications on Azure)
Design the locking granularity level (Microsoft DocuCreate and update database tables)mentation: Transaction Locking and Row Versioning Guide)
Implement indexes (Microsoft Documentation: SQL Server Index Architecture and Design Guide)
Implement data types (Microsoft Documentation: Data Types)
Create and modify constraints (Microsoft Documentation: Create Unique Constraints)

Microsoft Documentation – SQL Server

Implement programming objects (15-20%)

Design and implement stored procedures (Microsoft Documentation: Create a Stored Procedure)
Design T-SQL table-valued and scalar functions (Microsoft Documentation: Create User-defined Functions)
Create, use, and alter user-defined functions (UDFs)
Create and alter views (Microsoft Documentation: ALTER VIEW)

Microsoft Documentation – SQL Server Machine Learning Services

Design database objects (25–30%)

Design tables (Microsoft Documentation: Create and update database tables)
Design for concurrency (Microsoft Documentation: Scalable Customization Design: Concurrency issues)
Design indexes (Microsoft Documentation: SQL Server index)
Design data integrity (Microsoft Documentation: Data considerations for microservices)
Design for implicit and explicit transactions (Microsoft Documentation: SET IMPLICIT_TRANSACTIONS)

Microsoft Documentation – SQL Server 2019

Optimize and troubleshoot queries (25–30%)

Optimize and tune queries (Microsoft Documentation: Tune applications and databases for performance in Azure SQL Database and Azure SQL Managed Instance)
Troubleshoot and resolve performance problems (Microsoft Reference: troubleshoot performance issues)
Optimize indexes (Microsoft Documentation: Database Advisor performance recommendations for Azure SQL Database)
Capture and analyze execution plans (Microsoft Documentation: Display an Actual Execution Plan)
Collect performance and system information (Microsoft Reference: Windows Performance Monitor )

Microsoft Documentation – SQL Server Big Data Clusters

Preparation Guide – Exam 70-464: Developing Microsoft SQL Server Databases

Exam 70-464: Developing Microsoft SQL Server Databases - Preparation Guide

Instructor-led Training

Course 20464-D: Developing Microsoft SQL Server 2014 Databases

Microsoft provides this 5-day instructor-led course for the candidates appearing in Exam 70-464. This course introduces SQL Server 2014, along with describing logical table designs, indexing, and all the query plans. This course will train you in creating database objects inclusive of views, stored procedures, parameters, and functions. The course also encompasses the common aspects of procedure coding, like indexes, concurrency, error handling, and triggers. This course is particularly designed for Microsoft customers interested in learning SQL Server 2012 or SQL Server 2014. It aims to enhance your expertise in all the latest features in SQL Server 2014, along with the important capabilities across the SQL Server data platform.

The training is primarily for IT Professionals aspiring to get skilled in the SQL Server 2014 product features and technologies in the implementation of a database. Before taking this training, candidates are required to have prior knowledge in writing T-SQL queries, along with basic relational database concepts.

This Microsoft training covers total 15 modules –

Introduction to Database Development
Designing and Implementing Tables
Ensuring Data Integrity through Constraints
Introduction to Indexing
Designing Optimized Index Strategies
Columnstore Indexes
Designing and Implementing Views
Designing and Implementing Stored Procedures
Designing and Implementing User-Defined Functions
Responding to Data Manipulation via Triggers
Using In-Memory Tables
Implementing Managed Code in SQL Server 2014
Storing and Querying XML Data in SQL Server
Working with SQL Server 2014 Spatial Data
Incorporating Data Files into Databases

Microsoft Books

Microsoft provides reference books that can be helpful while studying for the exam. These books contain various useful resources that can be used while studying. Visit Microsoft Press books, to find relevant books to get a deeper insight into the exam objectives, and hence crack the test, and earn your certification.

Join Microsoft Community/ Online Forum

A healthy discussion is always beneficial, no matter where it is done. The prospects of getting resolutions to an issue increase steeply when a greater number of people are involved. Also, multiple viewpoints make the stuff more dynamic. These discussions make the studies more comprehensive. Introverts get a chance to express themselves, who might otherwise prefer staying out of discussions. Forums work really well to build a community that is essential for understanding others.

Practice Tests

Microsoft offers a practice test for the candidates taking its certification exam to give a better understanding of the exam objectives. Regardless of how you prepare for the Exam 70-464: Developing Microsoft SQL Server Databases, a practice run or two can help you in more ways than you might expect. Taking a practice test is a great way to diversify your study strategy and ensure the best possible results for the real thing. Analyzing your answers will help you identify the areas where you need to give special attention to, and will also let you know your alignment with the exam objectives.