Posted on February 6, 2023 by Kevin Guisarde .

SQL Server transactions are a critical feature of SQL that ensures data consistency and integrity. Transactions are a way to group multiple database operations into a single, atomic unit of work. This means that either all the operations within the transaction are committed, or none of them are committed, ensuring that the database remains in a consistent state at all times. Transactions also provide rollback functionality, which allows all changes made during a transaction to be undone if an error occurs, maintaining data integrity. These features make transactions an essential tool in maintaining data accuracy and consistency, particularly in high-volume, high-transaction environments. In summary, SQL Server transactions provide developers and data analysts with a powerful tool to manage data consistency and integrity while ensuring the database remains in a consistent state, even in the case of errors or failures.

Agenda

1. Introduction to SQL Server Transactions
2. Types of Transactions in SQL Server
3. Real-world Examples in the Mortgage Industry
4. Commonly Asked Interview Question
5. Conclusion

Introduction to SQL Server Transactions

SQL Server transactions are used to ensure data consistency and integrity. They allow multiple operations to be performed as a single unit of work, either committing all changes or rolling back all changes if any errors occur. In other words, transactions in SQL Server guarantee that the database remains in a consistent state even in the case of failures or errors.

Types of Transactions in SQL Server

Different Concept Types

• Implicit Transactions
• Explicit Transactions
• Savepoint Transactions
• Distributed Transactions

Implicit Transactions

An implicit transaction is one that is automatically started by SQL Server, such as a single SELECT statement. These transactions are automatically committed when the transaction is complete, and they cannot be rolled back.

Example in the Mortgage Industry:

SELECT * FROM Mortgages WHERE LoanAmount > 100000

Explicit Transactions

An explicit transaction is one that is explicitly started by the user. The user must explicitly commit or roll back the transaction.

Example in the Mortgage Industry:

BEGIN TRANSACTION
  UPDATE Mortgages
  SET LoanAmount = LoanAmount + 5000
  WHERE LoanType = 'Fixed'
COMMIT TRANSACTION

Savepoint Transactions

A savepoint transaction allows you to save the state of the transaction and then later roll back to that state.

Example in the Mortgage Industry:

BEGIN TRANSACTION
  UPDATE Mortgages
  SET LoanAmount = LoanAmount + 5000
  WHERE LoanType = 'Fixed'
  SAVE TRANSACTION Savepoint1
  UPDATE Mortgages
  SET LoanAmount = LoanAmount + 10000
  WHERE LoanType = 'Variable'
  ROLLBACK TRANSACTION Savepoint1
COMMIT TRANSACTION

Distributed Transactions

A distributed transaction is a transaction that involves two or more databases.

Example in the Mortgage Industry:

BEGIN DISTRIBUTED TRANSACTION
  UPDATE Mortgages
  SET LoanAmount = LoanAmount + 5000
  WHERE LoanType = 'Fixed'
  UPDATE MortgageRates
  SET Rate = Rate + 0.05
  WHERE LoanType = 'Fixed'
COMMIT DISTRIBUTED TRANSACTION

Real-world Examples in the Mortgage Industry

Script to generate the necessary tables and records:

CREATE TABLE Mortgages (
  LoanID int PRIMARY KEY,
  LoanType varchar(20),
  LoanAmount money
)

INSERT INTO Mortgages (LoanID, LoanType, LoanAmount)
VALUES (1, 'Fixed', 100000),
       (2, 'Variable', 110000),
       (3, 'Fixed', 120000),
       (4, 'Variable', 130000)

CREATE TABLE MortgageRates (
  LoanType varchar(20) PRIMARY KEY,
  Rate decimal(5,2)
)

INSERT INTO MortgageRates (LoanType, Rate)
VALUES ('Fixed', 4.5),
       ('Variable', 5.0)

Advanced Practice Questions

1. What is the total sum of loan amounts for all mortgages with a loan type of ‘Fixed’ and a loan amount greater than $100,000?

SELECT SUM(LoanAmount) 
FROM Mortgages 
WHERE LoanType = 'Fixed' and LoanAmount > 100000

2. What is the average loan amount for all mortgages with a loan type of ‘Variable’ and a loan amount less than $100,000?

SELECT AVG(LoanAmount) 
FROM Mortgages 
WHERE LoanType = 'Variable' and LoanAmount < 100000

3. Retrieve the mortgage record for the mortgage with the highest loan amount for each loan type.

WITH cte AS ( 
  SELECT LoanType, LoanAmount, 
    ROW_NUMBER() OVER (PARTITION BY LoanType ORDER BY LoanAmount DESC) AS RowNumber 
  FROM Mortgages 
) 
SELECT LoanType, LoanAmount 
FROM cte 
WHERE RowNumber = 1

Commonly Asked Interview Question

Q. What is a transaction in SQL Server and how do you use it?

A. A transaction in SQL Server is a sequence of database operations that are executed as a single unit of work. Transactions are used to ensure data consistency and integrity by either committing all changes or rolling back all changes if any errors occur.

For example, in a previous project, I had to transfer funds from one bank account to another. To ensure the accuracy of the data, I used a transaction. I started the transaction, updated the balance of the first account, then checked if the balance was sufficient. If the balance was sufficient, I updated the second account and committed the transaction. If not, I rolled back the transaction.

Conclusion

SQL Server transactions play a crucial role in maintaining the consistency and integrity of data in the mortgage industry. Understanding the different types of transactions and how to use them is essential for data professionals in the industry.