SQL Server TechNet/MSDN Web Updates

Moving on...

chriskil — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:31:00 GMT

One thing that is constant at Microsoft is change and I am moving on to support a different web site here on TechNet, so I will no longer be supporting the SQL Server Tech and Developer Centers and maintaining this blog.

Thank you for reading along and suggesting improvements to the sites - it's been a pleasure and I'll see you on our other sites!

Best regards,

Chris

What's New on the SQL Server Tech and Dev Centers - 7 April, 2008

chriskil — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 02:55:00 GMT

Greetings from the damp and cold Pacific Northwest, U.S.!

Today, 41 degrees F and raining. So much for Spring. (But the moss is looking gorgeous!)

It's the first Monday of the month, and per usual, we have a new monthly theme, Trusted Data Platform. You can learn about the features in SQL Server 2008 that make it a more secure place to store your data.

We've also added twelve new MVP blogs to our blogs page - are there any other blogs or SQL Server web sites we should be listing in our community area?

SP2 is important, but we thought it was time to change our featured download for SQL Server 2005. If you have legacy data or need to corral Access databases that have popped up in your organization, you'll want to explore the SQL Server Migration Assistant for Microsoft Access.

Here's hoping the Spring has come to you in the Northern Hemisphere, and that Autumn is warm enough to go to the beach in the Southern.

Cheers!

What's new on the SQL Server Tech and Developer Centers - 19 Mar., 2008

chriskil — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 19:01:00 GMT

Spring is here in the Seattle area. The cherry blossoms are out and the rhododendrons, azaleas and moss are beginning to bloom. Of course, between the brilliant flashes of light peeking through the clouds which we think is coming from the sun, we're also having the regular mid-40's F and rain going on. All that moss doesn't get green without water, so it balances out. :-)

In case you missed it, we quietly launched a new tab on the sites, Product Information, which is an aggregation of SQL Server 2008 product information links. These links are handy to orient you to SQL Server 2008 if you're new to it or to share with others that want to understand why they should consider buying it when it becomes available.

Our new monthly theme, Productive Data Platform, rolled out this week, and links to information about why SQL Server 2008 will help to reduce the cost of managing your data.

Tibor Karaszi, SQL Server MVP, posted about the SQL Server script repository and the comments thread highlights how hard it can be to find useful information on the sites. I'd love to hear any thoughts you might have about how I can help make the information you're looking for easier to find.

Chris

New technical team blog link added to blogs page

chriskil — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 21:54:00 GMT

Email is a funny thing. It's asynchronous nature makes it easy to postpone a request to a later time, but that can come back to bite you later, as it did me, today.

I had received a request from a member of the SQL Server Engine team to add a link to their blog, SQL Server Storage Engine, to the blogs page back in November, but the email thread was about something different, so I put it in my "to-do later" bucket and promptly forgot it. Ugh. My bad - I'm sorry.

This is a great technical blog and I hate that I sat on this, so check out their blog!

Chris

SQL Server Data Services

chriskil — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:09:00 GMT

In case you missed it, Microsoft announced SQL Server Data Services (SSDS) today at MIX08, and you can sign up for a free beta.

It's "a Web-facing utility-based services designed for businesses and developers that need scalable, highly available, secure and easily programmable on-demand data storage with robust database query capabilities."

For those that don't read marketing, it's SQL Server provisioned via the web. ;-)

Whew! (Or, what a global web launch looks like.)

chriskil — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 23:55:00 GMT

Yesterday was nuts around here as my team worked to execute on a global web launch to support the SQL Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 and Visual Studio 2008 worldwide launch. Local launch events are happening worldwide for the next month if you'd like to pick up some launch SWAG and get up close with these products.

Across all three product sites on TechNet, MSDN and WWW:

1,840 pages were pushed live
762,380 words were translated
11 languages supported

Add in the hundreds of people who had a part on the product, site management, web production, localization, and project management teams, and you can imagine what quality control was like yesterday. :-)

("What about Italian?" "The Russian pages need a quick fix!" "Who has the German pages checked out for editing?" etc., etc.)

Anyway, we made it, and my team had a well-earned company-provided lunch yesterday to celebrate. Thanks to everyone who helped with SQL Server!

So, how did we do? Do you feel like there is enough information on the Microsoft web about these products? Any glaring gaps?

What's new on the SQL Server Tech and Developer Centers - 22 Feb., 2008

chriskil — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 23:43:00 GMT

Yes, the home page changed again and there are some new SQL Server 2008 pages. :-)

What pages are new/updated?

· The home page (TechNet/MSDN)

o The top panes are redesigned utilizing a Featured Resources RSS (headline) feed, and the Downloads and How Do I? sections use content rotators to cycle different content in. (Try refreshing the page a few times to see what changes.)

o We’ve added headers to the blog and forum posts, as well as displaying the last post time and providing an RSS link. This should hopefully make it easier for you to figure out what you're reading and who's writing it.

· A SQL Server 2008 product page

· A SQL Server 2008 downloads page

· The Learn page is now featuring 2008 learning content

· The Versions page now links to the new product page, instead of the 2008 monthly theme page

How'd we do?

Cumulative Update 6 for SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 2 available

chriskil — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 00:41:00 GMT

Lost in the hoopla around the new CTP for SQL Server 2008, Cumulative Update 6 for SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 2 was also released. We now have this linked on the home pages of the Tech and Developer Centers.

SQL Server 2008 February CTP is now available!

chriskil — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 01:34:00 GMT

Just in time for the 2/27 worldwide launch, a new CTP is available for SQL Server 2008!

IT Pro access.

Developer access.

There are also SQL Server 2008 CTP Books Online and SQL Server 2008 feature pack links on the Tech and Developer Center home pages.

Don't forget to use the TechNet and MSDN SQL Server 2008 forums for questions/answers about the CTP. I'm sure that a lot of other bloggers have much to say as well.

Have fun!

What's new on the SQL Server Tech and Developer Centers - 14 Feb., 2008

chriskil — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 23:05:00 GMT

I've just completely rebuilt the blogs page, organizing it by SQL Team, MSFT employee, MVPs and other.

One of my colleagues sent me a list of MVP blogs and I realized I needed to do something to the page as it was getting unwieldy. I also pruned a few stale blogs.

Any others to add?

Chris