I happen to have an old copy (2012-07-04) of the measured skills I saved to compare the MCSA2012 normal exams vs. the upgrade exams:
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Skills Being Measured
This exam measures your ability to accomplish the technical tasks listed below.The percentages indicate the relative weight of each major topic area on the exam.The higher the percentage, the more questions you are likely to see on that content area on the
exam.
The information after “This objective may include but is not limited to” is intended to further define or scope the objective by describing the types of skills and topics that may be tested for the objective. However, it is not an exhaustive list of skills
and topics that could be included on the exam for a given skill area. You may be tested on other skills and topics related to the objective that are not explicitly listed here.
Create Database Objects
Create and alter tables using T-SQL syntax (simple statements).
This objective may include but is not limited to: create tables without using the built-in tools; ALTER; DROP; ALTER COLUMN; CREATE
Create and alter views (simple statements).
This objective may include but is not limited to: create indexed views; create views without using the built-in tools; CREATE, ALTER, DROP
Design views.
This objective may include but is not limited to: ensure code non regression by keeping consistent signature for procedure, views, and function (interfaces); security implications
Create and modify constraints (simple statements).
This objective may include but is not limited to: create constraints on tables; define constraints; unique constraints; default constraints; primary and foreign key constraints
Create and alter DML triggers.
This objective may include but is not limited to: inserted and deleted tables; nested triggers; types of triggers; update functions; handle multiple rows in a session; performance implications of triggers
Work with Data
Query data by using SELECT statements.
This objective may include but is not limited to: use the ranking function to select top(X) rows for multiple categories in a single query; write and perform queries efficiently using the new code items such as synonyms
and joins (except, intersect); implement logic which uses dynamic SQL and system metadata; write efficient, technically complex SQL queries, including all types of joins versus the use of derived tables; determine what code may or may not execute based on
the tables provided; given a table with constraints, determine which statement set would load a table; use and understand different data access technologies; CASE versus ISNULL versus COALESCE
Implement sub-queries.
This objective may include but is not limited to: identify problematic elements in query plans; pivot and unpivot; apply operator; cte statement; with statement
Implement data types.
This objective may include but is not limited to: use appropriate data; understand the uses and limitations of each data type; impact of GUID (newid, newsequentialid) on database performance, when to use which data
type for columns
Implement aggregate queries.
This objective may include but is not limited to: new analytic functions; grouping sets; spatial aggregates; apply ranking functions
Query and manage XML data.
This objective may include but is not limited to: understand XML datatypes and their schemas and interoperability with limitations and restrictions; implement XML schemas and handling of XML data; how to handle XML
data in SQL Server and when and when not to use it, including XML namespaces; import and export XML; XML indexing
Modify Data
Create and alter stored procedures (simple statements).
This objective may include but is not limited to: write a stored procedure to meet a given set of requirements; branching logic; create stored procedures and other programmatic objects; techniques for developing stored
procedures; different types of stored procedure results; create a stored procedure for data access layer; program stored procedures, triggers, and functions with T-SQL
Modify data by using INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE statements.
This objective may include but is not limited to: given a set of code with defaults, constraints, and triggers, determine the output of a set of DDL; know which SQL statements are best to solve common requirements;
use output statement
Combine datasets.
This objective may include but is not limited to: difference between UNION and UNION all; case vs. isnull vs. coalesce; modify data by using MERGE statements
Work with functions.
This objective may include but is not limited to: understand deterministic and non-deterministic functions; scalar and table values; apply built-in scalar functions; create and alter user-defined functions (UDFs)
Troubleshoot and Optimize Queries
Optimize queries.
This objective may include but is not limited to: understand statistics; read query plans; plan guides; DMVs; hints; statistics IO; dynamic vs. parameterized queries; describe the different join types (HASH, MERGE,
LOOP) and describe the scenarios in which they would be used
Manage transactions.
This objective may include but is not limited to: mark a transaction; understand begin tran, commit, and rollback; implicit vs. explicit transactions; isolation levels; scope and type of locks; trancount
Evaluate the use of row-based operations vs. set-based operations.
This objective may include but is not limited to: when to use cursors; impact of scalar UDFs; combine multiple DML operations
Implement error handling.
This objective may include but is not limited to: implement try/catch/throw; use set based rather than row based logic; transaction management
