These courses rarely come to Europe - so if you're interested be quick! From the blurb:- We would like to invite you to attend the upcoming SAP Customer Workshop about How Microsoft Runs SAP. The same session will be held in Munich on February 7...

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...

Many things have changed with SQL 2005, correspondingly we have to change the way we think about troubleshooting performance problems. The most significant change is the advent of the new Dynamic Management Views (DMV), these are going to take some getting...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Some people around here (in the UK) just have too much time on their hands, check this out for a little light entertainment. http://msexp.streamnavig.com/msexp/player.asp?e=E9999&s=9999_en_w&f=9999_en&uid=00011C7758813ADF&lng=en&cou...

It is with sadness that I have to announce that I am changing jobs and moving back into my old role as a Product Specialist, working with our Enterprise customers in a pre-sales capacity. Alas, I won’t have as much time to blog now, but I’ll do my best...

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...

Tony Rogerson of the UK SQL User group has asked me to advertise this event. I think it will be of general interest but also of interest to people migrating or thinking of migrating from Oracle. And remember you've still got three days to enter the Oracle...

New SQL Server 2005 Technical Overview blogcasts from the States Demo 1-1 Using Object Explorer http://www.microsoft.com/winme/0509/25037/SQL-01_Demo1.asx Demo 2-1 Using Queries and Scripts http://www.microsoft.com/winme/0509/25037/SQL-01_Demo2-1.asx...

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...

Edited 20/9/05 to correct typos As Paul Flessner says in his letter http://www.microsoft.com/sql/2005/productinfo/letter.mspx Database Mirroring won't make it in the RTM (Release To Manufacturing) release for SQL 2005. It will be there for people to...

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...

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...

Looks likes I've got to do a presentation on Service Broker for the SQL 2005 launch - so I've been doing some home work on the subject. The best primer I've found is http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnsql90/html/sqlsvcbroker...

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...

The tag line for IT Forum is "3 days of learning one year of solutions" - I'm sure you can sell that to your boss. If you do the details are here http://www.mseventseurope.com/msitforum/05/pre/content/default.aspx

SQL Server has long been criticised for not having an UPSERT command, well now in SQL 2005 we have some good news, we have two new TSQL set operators that give us the complex insert/update logic that constitute an UPSERT. These are INTERSECT and EXCEPT...

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...

More and more ITPros are looking for help in deciding between 64 bit and 32 bit boxes, often they are looking for evidence that 64 bit is worth the investment and worth the risk (of adopting a new platform). This link http://www.microsoft.com/sql/64bit...

Jonathan Allen wrote to me asking what order one should upgrade servers in a replication topology - pointing out that this doesn't seem obviouis from Books On Line, which I agree. The answer is essentially the same as for any previous upgrade: Distributor...

Redmond mag .com have published an article 'Ten Useful Microsoft Blogs' @ http://www.redmondmag.com/columns/article.asp?EditorialsID=1044 Guess who's number 2? Also at number 10 is the UKs own Industry Insiders blog http://blogs.technet.com/industry...