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 and applications manage metadata and information...

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 for SQL Server 2005 Latest versions of backward...

Our launch roadshow, here in the UK, was totally over subscribed. So here's another chance to gem up on the plethora of new capabilities. Experts from Scalability, DevelopMentor, and Solid Quality Learning will present practical, real-world information in three tracks covering administration, development...

During, what I hope was viewed as a successful day, many people asked where they could find the slides for the technical sessions. You will be able to find them @ http://www.microsoft.com/uk/launchtour2005 - but you may have to wait a couple of days before they actually get loaded. Hope those of you...

Here's a little self publicity for gig I'll be doing in December: To register please go to https://msevents-eu.microsoft.com/cui/EventDetail.aspx?culture=en-GB&eventid=118761637 05 December 2005 18:30 - 05 December 2005 21:00 (GMT) GMT, London Welcome Time: 18:00 Language: English Microsoft...

After my recent SQL 2k5 BI session, here at TVP Reading, I had an enquiry asking for more info regarding the SAP provider I showed in the list of providers available to SQL Server Integration Services . The best public information I can find is @ http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms216599 . The...

Edited 21st Sept 05 to include picture of herbarium sheet. In my article 'Business Intelligence (BI): The way it is without the blah blah' , I mention that I was aware of some exiting research using the SQL Server OLAP engine, the results of which where hopefully about to hit Nature magazine. I...

At a recent Technet presentation, someone came up to me and asked me if I could post my Fuzzy Logic sample package to my Blog. I confess I haven't got round to wrapping it all up, but now it looks like I'm off the hook as one has been supplied with the samples that come with the product. Here's the...

Its not really SQL Server, but this short 16min video comes from the guy who ultimately takes resposibility for SQL. Bill is asked a number of interesting questions that put his contimued relationship with Microsoft under the spotlight - like why does he bother working? If you haven't seen Bill speak...

For a long time now Oracle enthusiasts have bashed SQL Server for not having Optimistic Concurrency Controls. They would demonstrate a SQL Server reader blocking a writer and possibly a writer blocking a reader. Thus, having appeared to demonstrate that SQL can ' t handle these two operations concurrently...

For sometime a group of Program Managers from the SQL BI team have been working with a customer, Barnes and Noble, to produce a SQL BI solution for their data warehouse and analysis needs using SQL 2005. The leasons learnt from all their work is being continually published to this website http://www...

Sudhi recently asked me how to call an aspx page from a report and pass a parameter held in a textbox, or other control. My solution is: Drag a textbox control on to the report and enter the value "2005/07/28/408325" (without the the quotes) in to it. If this is a new report the textbox should...

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 Packs had been well recieved, to which I quickly...

After all my messing around yesterday, I've decided to create this post in pocket word. I attended a securty session yesterday and was reminded of an issue that can send DBAs scuttling from the room when they learn of it's presence, the 'trojan report'. Reporting Services (RS) reports can use Windows...

I'm in Seattle this week at Microsoft's first TechReady conference. What's more I'm totally mobile; I didn't bring my laptop. Instead I'm relying on my iPaq with built in wireless and bluetooth.1 To help me type I'm trialing a software keyboard I downloaded from pocketgear.com. It's not bad I have to...

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.com/sqlserver2005

The US marketing people for the Visual Studio and SQL Server product teams are pleased to announce the “Escape from Yesterworld” site has launched. In their own words: "Through the fun and interesting links below, people can learn about the benefits of Visual Studio 2005 and SQL Server 2005 in...

I'm grateful to T.K. Anand for this useful code snippet which is useful if you're writing a web services client that consumes OLAP data. The following Adomd.net code can be used for saving and loading cellsets… Save: XmlReader xmlReader = command.ExecuteXmlReader(); string xml = xmlReader.ReadOuterXml...

If you were given an opportunity to create a “cubed” solution for 50,000 different users, would you create one cube with 50,000 roles? Would you create 50,000 cubes – one for each customer? What would you do? This is what Mosha Pasumansky and Dave Wickert from the product team suggest for SQL Server...

A colleague of mine in the States, Rob Caron, is very keen to learn how our customers are deploying Reporting Services; specifically with respect to IIS. When we launched Reporting Services (RS) it was all too easy to say it was a ‘free’ addition to the SQL stack, indeed it was supposed to add value...

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 able to tell him that a report pack was in the pipeline...

SQL Server 2005 Integration Services - Top Reference Site From the people that brought you www.SQLDTS.com we now have www.SQLIS.com . This is a top website for examples, information, news and links to MSDN, MSDNTV and blogs etc covering Integration Services. I know I'm going to find it very useful...

If you'd like to meet with me to discuss any issues arising from my blog posts, anything SQL, or just to say hello, I will be at the Ask the Experts Info desk, here at TechEd at 11:30 - 2pm. Tuesday. And I'll also be at the Ask the Experts stand at 2-5pm Thursday. Hope to see you there. If you're...