* No other book covers all existing versions of SQL Server - this one does.

* No other book contains as detailed explanations of the inner workings of the authentication and authorization processes.

* This book is the result of nearly two years of research, and every example has been tested exhaustively to ensure the book is technically accurate.

* Lewis has been a contributing author to SQL Server Magazine since its inception and trained hundreds of students on SQL Server since 1995; therefore, he knows how to make complex topics understandable to a wide range of people.

* Lewis has consulted with several Fortune 500 companies on various aspects of database administration, and the book draws on his experience to highlight the critical weaknesses commonly found in even large companies with well-trained administrators.

* If properly applied, the recommendations in this book result in a safer, more secure database environment. For example, this book recommended configuring firewalls to block the traffic used by the Slammer virus long before the virus became news. Those who read this book and followed its advice slept soundly the weekend that Slammer was taking the Internet down.