Previously, SQL developers have been able to almost entirely ignore the SQLCLR and treat it as a peripheral technology—almost an extension to the main product. With the advent of LINQ and the Entity Framework, this is no longer the case, and the SQLCLR is moving to the center stage. It’s a powerful product but, for many, it is an entirely new way of working with data. Pro Entity Framework 4.0 will help readers understand the implications of the Entity Framework and how it can be used to change their development practices and make their databases more powerful and flexible. Since many readers will be encountering this subject for the first time, the book will create an inclusive environment in which the concepts of .NET development are approached from the perspective of the Relational T–SQL developer to foster a sense of shared–ownership in keeping with Microsoft’s latest best practices.

• Comprehensive coverage of the new greater and more challenging integration with .NET 3.5
• Written from a real–world perspective and examines the features offered by LINQ and the Entity Framework that will help solve problems experienced by professional developers
• Contains insight, interpretation, analysis, and evangelism instead of just plain fact

What you’ll learn

• Examine the SQLCLR architecture.
• Learn the fundamentals of LINQ.
• Use LINQ with SQL and datasets.
• Extend LINQ.
• Gain a holistic view of the features of LINQ and the Entity Framework and how they segue with other features of the .NET Framework and native features of the operating system.
• Write practical applications of LINQ and the Entity Framework.

Who this book is for

.NET and SQL developers who use Microsoft SQL Server 2008 as their back–end database. Database administrators who create, manage, and secure those databases.

Table of ContentsChapter 1: Introducing the ADO.NET 4.0 Entity Framework
Chapter 2: The Entity Data Model
Chapter 3: The Entity Data Model Inside and Out
Chapter 4: Querying the EDM
Chapter 5: Working with Entities
Chapter 6: Stored Procedures and the EDM
Chapter 7: Relationships and Associations
Chapter 8: T4 Code Generation 
Chapter 9: Model-First Development
Chapter 10: Code-Only Development
Chapter 11: N-tier Development with WCF Data Services
Chapter 12: Performance Tuning and Exception Handling
Chapter 13: Data Binding with the Entity Framework