Reposted 10/1/06 to include in 'free tools' category I'm constantly asked "what's Microsoft doing about metadata and do we have a solution." In the old days (SQl 2000 and 7), Microsoft provided Meta Data Services, a platform designed to help tools...

I guess now the pressure is off to release the product we'll see more useful samples comming out of corp; here's a link to the latest December update: http://msdn.microsoft.com/sql/downloads/samples/default.aspx

Overview The Feature Pack is a collection of standalone install packages that provide additional value for SQL Server 2005. It includes: Latest versions of redistributable components for SQL Server 2005 Latest versions of add-on providers...

If you're in the UK and you'd like to get your hands on the 'Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Preview Software' then please visit: http://www.microsoft.com/uk/windowsserversystem/sql/2005/evaluate.aspx

when I was over in the US recently, I attended a 'Bill Baker and team unplugged' session, (Bill is the GM for SQL Server Business Intelligence). Reporting Services Report packs came up as a topic for discussion. The team asked the audience if the Report...

More and more people are asking me about SQL 2005 training courses and certification. I believe the exams will be ready in Q1 next year. In the meantme, how about access to the training courses absolutely free until 1st November @ https://www.microsoftelearning...

Not many people know we have a SQL JDBC driver at all, well now we've got a beta version for SQL Server 2005. It works for a wide variety of OSs including: HP-UX, IBM AIX, Linux, Solaris, Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, or Windows XP. Apparently it...

Good news for the chap I met on the 'Ask the Experts' desk at TechEd, who was contemplating jumping through all sorts of hurdles to create reports form Sharepoint data. I couldn't really get my head round the (Sharepoint) problems he foresaw, but I was...

Well I didn't realise, or maybe I just plain forgot, that these reports and the necessary support infrastrucuture come with Reporting Services under the extras folder on the CD - all useful stuff for report heads. Longest Running Reports Most Executed...

Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition: Community Technology Preview April 2005 Download the Community Technology Preview (CTP) of Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition. Unlike beta releases that receive a much higher level of testing and feature...

Additional code samples based on the Business Intelligence Portal for the developer community...

At last, here is a feature comparison between Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Reporting Services vs Business Objects Crystal Reports / Crystal Enterprise that I can actually point you to. We ' ve had our own internal one for quite sometime, but for what I believe...

From the blog hits I received the last time I posted some info on free report packs available for SQL Server Reporting Services, I'm sure many of you will be pleased to find we've just posted two more for IIS and Great Plains. Objective: The Report...

I’m grateful to Andy Steer of Contemporary, one of our Gold BI Partners here in the UK , for pointing me to this useful free utility from.sqldbatips.com Overview: Reporting Services Scripter is a .NET Windows Forms application that enables scripting of...

Okay so these tools aren ' t totally free but I didn ' t really have anywhere else to categorise them. Anyway I ' m sure I ' ve seen advertisements that boast "you can get a ‘free’ toy with every packet of some breakfast cereal". Well these tools are...

Well I’ve been blogging for a 11 weeks or so and looking at my stats I can see the posts that attract the most attention are those that either advertise a freebie or offer a performance tip. So, blatantly pandering to my ratings, here’s another freebie...

At first glance, particularly if you’re a jaundiced techie like me, you may think the Balanced Scorecard is a concept wholly worthy of its acronym, BS. You might find a description of its function couched in those seemingly worthless terms like vision...

Just incase you missed this freebie: Report Packs SQL Server 2000 Report Pack for Microsoft CRM Download this set of six predefined CRM-based reports and a sample database that let you easily visualize and author managed reports to support key sales...

SQL Server SP4 Beta is still Open. Customers can sign up here for the SP4 Beta Program http://www.microsoft.com/sql/evaluation/betanominations.asp . Upcoming Wechat on SQL Server SP4 on February 15, 2:00 – 3:00pm PST. Sign up here: http://www.microsoft...

Stephen Daborn asked this question on my High Availability blog entry and I didn't get back before the post closed - sorry Stephen - been doing a lot of snow boarding recently. Anyway its a good question and it deserves an answer. The best thing to do...

A good number of people have told me just how useful this sample application is: Business intelligence portal sample application for Microsoft Office 2003 is an integrated, web-based OLAP solution that enables employees in an organization to create and...

This tool has been available for a couple of months but I only found out about it yesterday; I was reading some stuff about SQL Server 2005 and found a reference to say this tool will be supported in SQL 2k5. Realising such downloads have sometimes escaped...

We’ve all been waiting a long time for SQL Server 20005 and not everyone has been able to get the betas to get an early look. Well now anyone can get their hands on the beta 2 of SQL Server 2005 Express edition. The Express edition, what’s that? We never...

Because it often pains me to find so many of our (SQL Server) customers aren’t aware of the freebies available to them, I will be posting ‘adverts’ for these freebies from time to time. This is one such tool and this is the advertising pitch: The SQL...

Benchmarking systems is one of the most important things you can do; amazing how many people don’t do it. Benchmarking your disk subsystem is even more vital; even more amazing how many people don’t do it. Why is benchmarking your disk subsystem so important...