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August 4, 2005
1. Perspectives
2. SQL Server 2005 Watch
3. News & Views
4. Events and Resources
5. Featured White Paper
6. Peer to Peer
7. Announcements
SQL Server Performance Tips, Articles, & Forums
SQL Server Magazine Gives DBAs and Developers What They Need
8. New & Improved
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1. Perspectives
by Brian Moran, [email protected]
Have you ever wondered how an Internet site might turn out if you combined SQL Server 2005 and Visual Studio 2005 marketing and educational content with snippets from a bunch of classic, Bgrade monster, scifi, and horror flicks? Me neither. But you can find the answer at http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=1029D:285886 .
"Eons in the making, a triumph for man and technology, destined to make it farther off the launching pad than Microsoft Bob. It's the new adventures of Microsoft SQL Server and Visual Studio 2005! Now there is hope for humanity in the struggle against gargantuan applications, and freedom for developers who toil in DLL hell!"
Imagine text and audio like that running against clips from old Flash Gordon movies, Godzilla rampaging in the background, and references to a host of other classics interwoven into a few short video clips appropriately named:
You get the picture. It's a fun way to spend a few minutes during the course of a day and pretend that you're learning about all the new cool technology out there. Most importantly, the site includes a link that lets you order a free copy of the June SQL Server 2005 Community Technology Preview (CTP). Although the CTP is available through various sources, some folks prefer to get disks in the mail, and this is a quick, simple way to get them.
On a completely different note, you've probably heard that Microsoft has named the next release of Windows (codenamed Longhorn) Windows Vista, and Beta 1 of the new OS is now available to MSDN and TechNet subscribers. I'm busy these days soaking up SQL Server 2005 knowledge in anticipation of the product's release to manufacturing (RTM) this November, but this tidbit about the OS is important news for all Windows users. In last Thursday's WinInfo Daily UPDATE newsletter, Windows guru Paul Thurrott reported about the release of the beta. According to a Microsoft representative, "The focus of Windows Vista Beta 1 is the fundamentals—security, deployment, manageability, reliability, and diagnostics. While the code also includes an early look at the new user interface design, the majority of enduser features in Windows Vista will not be included until beta 2." You can read Thurrott's announcement at http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=10290:285886 , and follow continuing coverage about the beta through Thurrott's SuperSite for Windows at http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=102A3:285886 . You'll find official Microsoft information about Windows Vista and Beta 1 of this product at http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=10296:285886 .
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2. SQL Server 2005 Watch
by Matt Nunn, [email protected]
Producing reports is a common pain point for many SQL Server customers. In SQL Server 2005, Microsoft responds to the concerns of Reporting Services users with a new product: Report Builder. This tool, which will be included in SQL Server 2005 Enterprise, Standard, and Workgroup editions, gives end users a tool they can use to produce reports without working in Visual Studio. In his August Preparing for SQL Server 2005 column, Microsoft guru Matt Nunn describes how this practical tool gives users new reporting freedom—and frees up database professionals, too. Read this article today at
http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=10292:285886
Sponsor: Register Now before PDC05 Sells Out
Join the conversation this September at PDC05, where the next wave of Microsoft platform technologies, including the latest on Windows Vista and Microsoft Office System developer capabilities, will be unveiled. Space is limited, and registration is filling up quickly, so be sure to register if you haven't yet.
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3. News & Views
Speakers from Scalability Experts will present a session called "What Will It Take to Migrate to SQL Server 2005?" at the Get Ready for SQL Server 2005 Roadshow series, a 15city tour that will visit Kansas City and St. Louis next week.
The session delves into the changes in the SQL Server 2005 installation process, offers tips for leveraging new features for different types of installations, and provides guidelines for coping with known gotchas. The session also walks you through the new System Configuration Check (SCC) and its logging processes, as well as the inplace upgrade feature in SQL Server 2005.
Other roadshow content—which focuses on aspects of business intelligence (BI), administration, and development—is presented by Hitachi Consulting, Scability Experts, and Solid Quality Learning. Database administrators, developers, and BI professionals can learn firsthand how to upgrade to SQL Server 2005 in this oneday intensive course, produced by SQL Server Magazine and the Professional Association for SQL Server (PASS) and sponsored by Microsoft. The fee for the event is $99 for preregistration online and $150 for walkin registration. The fee includes a full day of technical content, breakfast, lunch, a oneyear subscription to SQL Server Magazine, a oneyear membership to PASS, an attendee bag, roadshow Tshirt, and the opportunity to win prizes from various sponsors.
Complete information and secure online registration is available at http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=10297:285886 . Upcoming roadshow dates and cities are:
For more information, including the complete agenda and registration
information, visit the following URL:
http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=10297:285886
SQL Server Magazine has extended the deadline for its 4th annual Innovator Awards Program. Because of a technical error that affected the submission form early in the process, the awards committee decided to extend the submission deadline to August 31 to provide readers with sufficient opportunity to submit their innovative SQL Server solutions. After the August 31 deadline, the awards committee, designated by SQL Server Magazine, will review all entries and select one grandprize winner, 3 runners up, and honorable mentions if appropriate. The grandprize winner will win a free trip to the 2005 SQL Server Magazine Connections Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, November 710, a special trophy, and a writeup in the January 2006 issue. You can fill out an entry form today at
http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=10293:285886
"Will your company upgrade to Windows Vista when the final version ships?" Go to the SQL Server Magazine home page ( http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=102A4:285886 ) and submit your vote for
4. Events and Resources
Continuous or realtime backup systems help avoid the danger of losing data if your system fails after the point of backup by providing realtime protection. In this free Web seminar, learn how to integrate them with your existing backup infrastructure, how to apply continuous protection technologies to your Windowsbased servers, and more. Register now and learn how you can reduce your downtime with continuous data protection!
http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=1028C:285886
SQL Server Magazine Connections Fall 2005
Celebrate the release of Visual Studio 2005 and SQL Server 2005 at SQL Server Magazine Connections, November 710, in Las Vegas. All attendees receive a copy of SQL Server 2005 and Visual Studio 2005! Register now to save $100 and attend sessions at Microsoft ASP Connections for FREE!
http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=102A0:285886
New Cities Added—SQL Server 2005 Roadshow in a City Near You
Get the facts about migrating to SQL Server 2005. SQL Server experts will present realworld information about administration, development, and business intelligence to help you implement a bestpractices migration to SQL Server 2005 and improve your database computing environment. Attend and receive a 1year membership to PASS and 1year subscription to SQL Server Magazine. Register now!
http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=1028E:285886
Sort Through SarbanesOxley, HIPAA Legislation, and More—Quicker And Easier!
In this free Web seminar, get the tips you've been looking for to save time and money in achieving IT security and regulatory compliance. Find out how you can simplify these intensely manual, compliancerelated tasks that reduce IT efficiency. Turn these mandates into automated and costeffective solutions. Register now!
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See the complete Windows IT Pro Network guide to Web and live events.
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5. Featured White Paper
http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=1028A:285886
6. Peer to Peer
by Brian Moran, [email protected]
Have you ever been frustrated when using Query Analyzer's grid view to look at long strings of data? It can be frustrating to get the entire string to display. You can doubleclick on the end of the column marker and the column will autoexpand to show the full data. Read the complete tip today at
http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=1028D:285886
Hot Article: SQL Server 2005: The BI Release
The number of new features in SQL Server 2005 is almost overwhelming, but some of the biggest changes are in business intelligence (BI). At the Professional Association for SQL Server (PASS) conference in 2004, Bill Baker introduced the themes of Integrate, Analyze, and Report to describe SQL Server 2005's BI functionality. Virtually every aspect of these BI areas has been either completely revamped, as with SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS), or significantly enhanced, as with Analysis Services and Reporting Services. In his August editorial, "SQL Server 2005: The BI Release," Michael Otey describes some of the significant changes that make BI the big story for SQL Server 2005. Read this article today and post your comments at
http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=1028B:285886
In a Nutshell: The SQL Server 2005 Cost Chopper Competition Microsoft has asked Kevin Kline to serve on the panel of judges for its SQL Server 2005 Cost Chopper Competition, and he's excited about the opportunity to use his experience to honor applicants who have saved their organizations money by migrating to SQL Server. Kevin describes the criteria that judges will use to pick the winners and encourages readers to throw their hats into the ring. Let Kevin know what you think about this competition today at http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=1028F:285886
Hot Threads: Check out the following hot threads, and see other discussions in our 30 SQL Server forums.
http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=10299:285886
Reporting Services: Report Deployment over a Remote Network
http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=10285:285886
Security: Using Windows Security to Access SQL Server Remotely
http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=10281:285886
Tools: SQL Debugger That Recognizes the SHAPE Command?
http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=10286:285886
Administration: Defragment Table with Text Columns
http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=10287:285886
DTS: DTS Package Cannot Read File (I Think)
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Database Design: Questions About Imaging
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Hot Spot
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7. Announcements
Hundreds of free tips and articles on SQL Server performance tuning and clustering. And get quick and accurate answers to your performance and clusterrelated question in our forum. All from the SQL Server performance and clustering authority: SQLServerPerformance.com.
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SQL Server Magazine Gives DBAs and Developers What They Need
With SQL Server 2005 right around the corner, it's important to note that SQL Server Magazine is on target to deliver comprehensive coverage of all betas and the final release. If you aren't already a subscriber, now is the time to subscribe to gain exclusive access to the entire SQL Server Magazine online article database (over 2300 articles) and save 44 percent off the cover price!
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8. New & Improved
by Dawn Cyr, [email protected]
Share Your Story and Get a TShirt!
Have you used a product that saved you time or made your job easier? Send us a short note about how your favorite product solved a SQL Server problem for you, and if we print your submission in the magazine's Hands On department, we'll send you a SQL Server Magazine tshirt. Send your email today to [email protected]!
Build Queries Fast
Fast Report announced FastQueryBuilder 1.01, a visual SQL query builder that lets you create database queries without knowing SQL. The program lets you create queries from applications written with Borland Delphi 4, 5, 6, 7, and 2005 and C++ Builder 4, 5, and 6. The software lets you visually adjust query parameters, create custom windows in the query designer, and embed the designer in any window of an application. In addition, the program lets you save the visual model of a query for future use and editing. The program is delivered as source code to provide maximum querydesign flexibility. You can purchase FastQueryBuilder separately or as part of a pack with FastReport 3 Professional and Enterprise Editions. The product costs $69 for a singleuser license and is available through eMetrix, ShareIt, and RegNow. For information about the product or site licensing options, contact Fast Report at [email protected].
http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=10298:285886
Support Multiple Auditing Methods
SoftTree Technologies announced DB Audit Expert 2.6, a professional databaseauditing solution for SQL Server, Oracle, Sybase, and IBM DB2. The software lets DBAs, system administrators, security administrators, auditors, and operators track and analyze database activity including database security, access and usage, data creation, and changes or deletions. DB Audit's most distinguishing feature is its builtin support for multiple auditing methods, which gives you the flexibility to choose the best fit for your databasesecurity requirements. The product lets you centralize auditing control of multiple database systems from a single location for easy management. The software also lets you create analytical reports and lets you generate realtime email alerts to let key personnel know about changes to sensitive data. And the software provides transparent systemlevel and datachange auditing of existing applications without requiring changes to those applications. Pricing for DB Audit Expert 2.6 starts at $299 for a Management Console license, and a free trial version is available for download. For more information, contact SoftTree Technologies at 8002899256 or [email protected].
http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=102A2:285886
Use Stripes to Simplify SQL Server Management
PureNetworking announced SQL Stripes, databasemanagement software for SQL Server that brings together an array of monitoring and management tools in a single interface. The product works as an array of "stripes," one per SQL Server. Each stripe shows the server name and IP address, status of key services, server version, and harddrive space. Stripes are easy to set up, and you can define a group to monitor each time you launch the program. With a single mouse click, you can see all the databases on a server, their size, free space, owner, and status. Another click gets you a pie chart of database sizes. You can even get a listing of active processes and access to all the tables in the database. Support for SQL statements means you can fetch data from tables, focus on a few rows, or edit data and save changes to your database. From the database listing, you can also drill into views or run basic DBCC statements. You can check out physical files or look into maintenance plan logs and backup job status as well. The product includes an alerting service that can deliver email, visual, or audio alerts if a server goes down, a maintenance job fails, or disk space gets low. Pricing for SQL Stripes starts at $350 for the Standard Edition and $1000 for the Enterprise Edition. For more information, contact PureNetworking at [email protected].
http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=10291:285886
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