In This Issue:
The potential horror of standing up in front of your peers and exposing your ignorance is a strong motivator that can force you to become an expert in a topic. So if you truly want to be an expert, submit your proposal and speak at the 2007 PASS Community Summit.
New Instant Poll: Conference Presentations
"Do you ever present at IT conferences?" Go to the SQL Server Pro home page and submit your vote for:
- Yes, I'm actually a frequent presenter.
- Yes, I present occasionally.
- Yes, I did it once.
- I've submitted proposals, but never been accepted.
- I've never submitted a proposal, but I've thought about it.
- What, me talk? You're out of your mind!
To ensure that future email messages you receive from SQL Server Magazine UPDATE aren't mistakenly blocked by antispam software, be sure to add [email protected] to your list of allowed senders and contacts.
Our Sponsors, Who Help Support the Free Delivery Of This Newsletter:
- Enhance SQL Server Reporting Services with Double-Take
- SQL Server Clustering for High Availability
- Top 6 FAQs About iSCSI
March 1, 2007
1. Perspectives
- Conquer Your Fears: Public Speaking in Your Underwear
2. SQL Server Watch
- Configure SQL Server 2005 SP1 for FIPS Compliance
- Product Watch: EMS and John Wiley and Sons
3. Hot Articles
- Q&A: Active/Passive vs. Active/Active Clustering
- Feature: Automate Date/Time Conversions
- Puzzled by T-SQL: Reverse Engineering Partition Scheme Definition
- In a Nutshell: Books Online
- Hot Threads: Solve a stored procedure corruption mystery and configure SSIS to run on an Active/Active cluster.
4. Events and Resources
- Windows + UNIX/Linux = You Need TechX World!
- Block Unwanted or Undesirable Email
- Manage Security Vulnerabilities
- SQL Server Magazine Connections
5. Featured White Paper
- Manage Compliance Across Multiple Regulations and Standards
6. Announcements
- Introducing a Unique Scripting Resource
- Grab Your Share of the Spotlight!
7. Web Community
- http://www.sqlmag.com
Sponsor: Double-Take Software
Enhance SQL Server Reporting Services with Double-Take
SQL Server Reporting Services is an exciting way for organizations to gain access and insight into their important business data stored in SQL Server. Get an overview of how to increase your production server's performance by offloading Reporting Services to a secondary server. Download your free copy today!
1. Perspectives
Conquer Your Fears: Public Speaking in Your Underwear
by Brian Moran
When you're getting ready for a big presentation at work and you're really nervous about it, do you have those horrible dreams? You know the kind I mean. You're standing up at the podium delivering your speech at the big company meeting. Everything seems to be going well until you notice that everyone is staring, and then you realize that you're doing your presentation in your underwear.
Speaking in public can be scary but it doesn't have to be talking-in-your-underwear bad. If you're a technical person, delivering public presentations is often a great investment in your career. The Professional Association for SQL Server has posted its call for abstracts for the 2007 PASS Community Summit. The deadline for submissions is tomorrow, March 2, and I wish I had written this editorial sooner to give you more time. But heck--a day is still a day, so get busy and write that abstract.
Sponsor: XOSoft
SQL Server Clustering for High Availability
Achieve your database high availability goals. Learn how Microsoft's Clustering Services can be used to improve SQL Server availability, and get guidelines for how clusters can assist with your disaster recovery strategy. Also learn to upgrade and manage your existing clusters. Register today for this free On-Demand Web Seminar!
2. SQL Server Watch
Configure SQL Server 2005 SP1 for FIPS Compliance
The Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) is a standard developed jointly by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the United States and the Communications Security Establishment (CSE) in Canada. FIPS are standards that are either recommended or mandated for use in United States or Canadian government-operated IT systems. FIPS 140-2 is a statement of the "Security Requirements for Cryptographic Modules." It specifies which encryption algorithms and which hashing algorithms can be used and how encryption keys are to be generated and managed.
SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 1 (SP1) or later can be configured and run in a way that is compliant with FIPS 140-2. To do that, SQL Server must run on an OS that is FIPS 140-2 certified or provides a cryptographic module that has been certified. The Microsoft article "Instructions for using SQL Server 2005 SP1 or a later version of SQL Server in the FIPS 140-2 compliant mode" discusses FIPS 140-2 instructions and how to use SQL Server 2005 SP1 or later in the FIPS 140-2 compliant mode.
Product Watch
by Blake Eno
Simplify Database Development and Administrationr
EMS Database Management Solutions announced SQL Manager for SQL Server 2.6, a SQL Server administration and development solution that works with any SQL Server version and supports the new SQL Server 2005 permission system, assemblies, Data Definition Language (DDL) triggers, and XML columns. Key features include management of all SQL Server objects, advanced data manipulation tools, query-building tools, and data export and import capabilities. Improvements were also made in SQL script, editable identity field property, Table Editor, and the Extracting Database tool. You can download a free trial of SQL Manager for SQL Server at EMS Database Management Solutions' Web site. For more information, call 646-362-2260 or 866-775-4968.
Learn All There is to Know About SQL Server 2005
John Wiley and Sons released "SQL Server 2005 Bible", a book written by Paul Nielsen for database developers and administrators covering each level of experience. You'll learn new SQL Server features such as XML integration, Web services, the .NET CLR, and various security updates. The book also teaches you how to develop SQL Server database and data connections, administer SQL Server, and keep databases performing at their peak. The book comprises 6 sections: laying the foundation, manipulating data with select, developing with SQL Server, enterprise data management, business intelligence (BI), and optimization strategies. The book costs $49.99. For more information, contact John Wiley and Sons at 877-762-2974.
3. Hot Articles
Q&A: Active/Passive vs. Active/Active Clustering
by Microsoft's SQL Server Development Team
Q. I've implemented an Active/Passive failover cluster for SQL Server 2000. How is Active/Active mode different from Active/Passive mode? And is it possible to perform Active/Active clustering for this version of the database system?
Read the answer to this question.
Feature: Automate Date/Time Conversions1
For the many shops still using SQL Server 2000, this extensible, data-driven utility can cure a wealth of date-formatting headaches. Read this article today and post your comments.
Puzzled By T-SQL: Reverse Engineering Partition Scheme Definition
Recently, someone posted a question in a private SQL trainers newsgroup asking for a way to produce the code required to generate a partition scheme. The requester wanted to do this with code and not by using the scripting capabilities of SSMS. Itzik Ben-Gan wrote a function called fn_script_partition_scheme that accepts a partition scheme name as input and returns the reverse-engineered CREATE PARTITION SCHEME code. Check out the function and give Itzik your feedback.
In a Nutshell: Books Online
Buck Woody has posted a blog about how parts of the very good and still improving SQL Server Books Online (BOL) are produced. Kevin Kline is helping Buck get some feedback about the blog. Check out the link and let Kevin and Buck know your opinion.
Hot Threads:
- T-SQL: T-SQL Division Problem
- SSIS: SSIS and Active/Active Cluster
4. Events and Resources
Windows + UNIX/Linux = You Need TechX World!
If you work in an environment that includes Windows plus UNIX or Linux, TechX World is the place to go for practical strategies and resources to add to your toolkit. This one-day technical training event will teach you how to make the most of open-source tools on Windows and how to manage and sync multiple directories. Register today!
Do you want to block unwanted or undesirable email? Download this free white paper to learn how to manage the content of messages traveling your network.
How do you manage security vulnerabilities? If you depend on vulnerability assessments to determine the state of your IT security systems, you can't miss this Web seminar. Special research from Gartner indicates that deeper penetration testing is needed to augment your existing vulnerability management processes.
SQL Server Magazine Connections
March 25-28, 2007, Orlando World Center Marriott. Dive into SQL Server 2005 and train with Microsoft architects and world-renowned developers and DBAs. Choose from 40 in-depth, no-hype sessions. Register early to save $100 and attend sessions of the co-located Visual Studio Connections and Microsoft ASP.NET Connections for FREE. For details, call 800-438-6720 or 203-268-3204.
5. Featured White Paper
One common set of controls can help you manage compliance across multiple regulations and standards. Download this free IDC white paper and find out how to map controls to the appropriate regulations, saving time and expense in demonstrating compliance.
Hot Spot: QLogic
Top 6 FAQs About iSCSI
Learn about the 6 top FAQs about the iSCSI protocol, from what it means and what it is used for, to how iSCSI works and the equipment required to create an iSCSI environment, along with cost factors.
6. Announcements
Introducing a Unique Scripting Resource
Scripting Pro VIP is an online information center that delivers new articles (and downloadable code!) every week on topics such as ADSI and PowerShell. Subscribers also receive tips, cautionary advice, direct access to our editors, and a host of other benefits!
Grab Your Share of the Spotlight!
Nominate yourself or a peer to become IT Pro of the Month. This is your chance to get the recognition you deserve! Winners will receive over $600 in IT resources and be featured in Windows IT Pro. It's easy to enter--we're accepting April nominations now, but only for a limited time!
7. Web Community
- Hot Threads
- Reader-to-Reader
- New Instant Poll
- Blogs
