Richmond SQL Server Users Group

I'm trying to find wrk in the Richmond area, which has been hard, since it seems that major sites use SQL Server.  I don't have any experience with SQL Server.  I have experience with Oracle and SQL, and know something about SQL Server, but that is of absolutely no help at all.  I don't see that I have many good options:

1.  Get training.  Long and expensive.  Absolutely worthless unless tou can put it into use immediately.  Online training is shorter but also expensive and equally worthless if you can't apply it immediately..

2.  Take college courses.  Cheaper, but takes four months.

The only other alternatives I can see are finding some source of free or cheap training, getting legitimate access to a SQL Server platform, or downloading something which emulates SQL Server.  The second of these options seems very unlikely.  There are probably more options which I have missed.  My basic goal is to be able to get fast, cheap, self-paced, location-independent SQL Server training.  ANy suggestions?

Thanks,

Mike

thirlstane@aol.com

One idea you might consider, just to get your hands on SQL Server software and other MS servers and tools, is to become an "Action Pack" subscriber.  For a few hundres bucks a year, you basically get all MS OS and Server releases. 

 It's difficult to get up to speed without having the product installed locally so you can play with it.  Also, I'm not sure if it's still a free download but Visual Studio Express edition used to be available from MS and included a dumbed-down free SQL Server-like tool.  It is wonderful for developers but you probably need the real thing if your aim is to go in the DBA direction.

SQL Server 2008 CTP is now available for download [http://www.microsoft.com/sqlserver/2008/en/us/trial-software.aspx] (180 days trial version)...  I think this should give you enough time to learn and play around with...

Other thing you can try is virtual labs at http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/sqlserver/cc138238.aspx.