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May 5, 2005
1. Perspectives
2. News & Views
3. Events and Resources
4. Featured White Paper
5. Peer to Peer
6. Announcements
7. New & Improved
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1. Perspectives
by Brian Moran, [email protected]
Several weeks ago, Microsoft announced its acquisition of DB Best, provider of a leading suite of Oracle-to-SQL Server database-migration tools. This acquisition is the foundation for Microsoft's new SQL Server Migration Assistant (SSMA). SSMA defines and automates all the major steps in the database-migration process and provides comprehensive assessment reports, one-click conversion of all schema and data, one-click conversion of almost all database-resident business logic, and automated testing of the converted code. All these capabilities are available from within a single migration IDE. Currently, SSMA supports database migration only from Oracle to SQL Server 2000. Microsoft intends to support IBM DB2, but hasn't specified a time frame for this support. Microsoft says that the SSMA release to manufacturing (RTM) should happen sometime in the second half of this year, timed to coincide with SQL Server 2005's RTM. So, how will SSMA simplify your life? Here's a quote from the FAQ about SSMA:
"With a single click, SSMA converts all database objects, including stored procedures, functions, triggers, views, packaged procedures, packaged functions, and sequences. SSMA also provides context-sensitive warnings and output messages. The conversion engine encapsulates Microsoft's patent-pending technology that represents one of the most complete PL/SQL to T-SQL conversion capabilities available."
Sounds like magic! To be honest, I'm not an Oracle person, and it's been many years since I migrated data from one database platform to another. I'm not in a position to say whether this is a great product, but from reviews I've read and people I've spoken to at Microsoft, the SSMA solution looks like it will unquestionably save you a tremendous amount of time during an Oracle-to-SQL Server conversion. It won't be totally automated, and I strongly suspect you'll want to do some performance tuning when it's all said and done, but I think you'd be crazy to do an Oracle-to-SQL Server migration without the support of a tool like this.
SSMA's primary Web site, http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=93E1:2621E7 , provides background information and lets you sign up for an SSMA beta that's currently underway. A detailed white paper is available at http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=93E2:2621E7 , and you can find the SSMA FAQ at http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=93E3:2621E7 .
Find & Fix Bad SQL: New Quest White Paper
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2. News & Views
Microsoft's earnings for the third quarter of fiscal year 2005 show that for the eleventh consecutive quarter, SQL Server saw double-digit growth and contributed to a healthy quarter for the Server and Tools group. Microsoft believes there are several factors contributing to strong database revenue growth: enterprise data management platform; integrated business intelligence, developer, and management tools; manageability; high availability; sophisticated business intelligence (OLAP, reporting, and extraction, transformation, and loading--ETL); and continuing strength in the OLAP market. Moving forward, customers using SQL Server and Windows Server will also benefit from the multi-core policy announced last year. This policy lets customers license SQL Server on a per server basis. In addition, Microsoft was the first database vendor to enable customers to utilize passive failover servers with SQL Server without requiring an additional license for passive servers.
"What other databases does your organization use besides SQL Server?" Go to the SQL Server Magazine home page ( http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=3D1:2621E7 ) and submit your vote for
3. Events and Resources
Get the facts about migrating to SQL Server 2005. SQL Server experts will present real-world information about administration, development, and business intelligence to help you implement a best-practices migration to SQL Server 2005 and improve your database-computing environment. Receive a 1-year membership to PASS and 1-year subscription to SQL Server Magazine. Register now!
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In this free Web seminar, explore the new features associated with Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services. You'll discover how to offer the "single version of truth" in your enterprise-reporting environment with the integration of Reporting Services 2005 and the Analysis Service 2005 Unified Dimensional Model (UDM). Plus, you'll discover Report Builder and more. Sign up today!
http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=93E5:2621E7
Get the facts about migrating to SQL Server 2005. SQL Server experts will present real-world information about administration, development, and business intelligence to help you implement a best-practices migration to SQL Server 2005 and improve your database-computing environment. Attend and receive a 1-year membership to PASS and 1-year subscription to SQL Server Magazine. Register now!
http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=93E6:2621E7
http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=5778:2621E7
4. Featured White Paper
Blade servers are the next evolutionary step for the server market. They pack a lot of function into a small space, conserve power, and are flexible. From setting up storage, configuring a file-and-print server, a Web server, an email server, a database server, or a terminal server, you'll learn all the tips you need in this free white paper.
http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=93E7:2621E7
5. Peer to Peer
by Brian Moran, [email protected]
Q. What's the best way to configure SQL Server to handle large amounts of memory, and how do I know when to use the /3GB switch?
http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=93E8:2621E7
Of all a DBA's missions, none is more important than ensuring that vital business services are available to end users. All of your high-end scalability hardware and modern .NET coding techniques will make little difference if users can't access data. Unplanned downtime for an application or the database server can cost an organization dearly in money and reputation. Outages for large online retailers or financial institutions can cost millions of dollars per hour, and when users can't access a site or its vital applications, the organization loses face and customer goodwill. In his June editorial "The High Availability Puzzle," Michael Otey writes about how creating a highly available environment requires more than just technology. True high availability combines platform capabilities, effective operating procedures, and appropriate training of everyone involved with the system. Read this article today at
http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=843B:2621E7
Jim Gray, a distinguished engineer in Microsoft's Scalable Servers Research Group and leader of Microsoft's Bay Area Research Group (BARC), is one of the preeminent scholars of the relational database world. Gray is directly responsible for many important innovations in the relational database world, especially his seminal work around transactions and transaction processing. In this week's blog "New Pronouncements By Jim Gray," Kevin Kline writes about the pleasures of meeting and getting to know Gray, who is currently working on astronomy-related projects, helping to build an open online database of astronomic data. Gray's latest discourse in ACM's Queue is "A Call To Arms," one of the more challenging monologs on database technology and futures that Kevin has encountered. Take a look at it ( http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=93E9:2621E7page=1 ) and let Kevin know what you think today at
http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=93EA:2621E7
http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=3D8:2621E7
Administration: Maintenance Challenge
http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=93EB:2621E7
Performance: Please Help! Connections Dropping
http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=9401:2621E7
T-SQL: Copy Related Rows Stored Procedure
http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=93ED:2621E7
Security: Database Compatibility Level
http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=93EE:2621E7
Data Access: Extracting Data
http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=93EF:2621E7
General Discussion: OpenRowset Again
http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=93F0:2621E7
Hot Spot
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6. Announcements
Your favorite products are on trial in the SQL Server 2005 Readers' Choice Awards. Cast your vote now and you could win an iPod Shuffle or a SQL Server Magazine t-shirt. Voting ends May 15, so don't miss out!
http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=843F:2621E7
Sign up today for your SQL Server Magazine Monthly Pass and get 24x7 online access to every article on the SQL Server Magazine Web site, including exclusive subscriber-only content. That's a database of over 9000 SQL Server articles to help you get all the answers you need, when you need them, for just $5.95 per month! Sign up now:
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8. New & Improved
by Dawn Cyr, [email protected]
Silico-Magnetic Intelligence announced its new training series, "Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Programming," a full-motion video and audio training course on seven CD-ROMs. In the series, database developers can learn techniques for programming and database design to take advantage of new SQL Server 2005 features such as Management Studio, recursive queries, integrated projects, and output pivoting. The CD-ROM format provides a convenient learning environment for the student and is a cost-effective way to acquire database knowledge and administration and programming skills. Each CD-ROM chapter is broken into units, typically 10-20 minutes long, that students can replay as many times as needed. Students learn effectively from the full-motion video, which shows such images as mouse movements in Management Studio, database scripts as they run in Query Editor, and database object scripting. The course is priced at $695. For more information and a free test-drive, contact the distributor at [email protected].
http://lists.sqlmag.com/t?ctl=93F3:2621E7
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