SQLBits X is proving to be the most popular SQLBits yet. The team is working very hard to bring the best speakers from around the world. For those who know me you will know my focus is on BI. However I wanted to point out a number of non BI sessions that I would recommend based on my experience of these speakers at the MVP Summit in Seattle or TechED.
Michael Rys
Anyone working with non relational data such as XML or Geospatial data will not want to miss the fact that Michael Rys is in town for SQLBits X.
Michael is a great guy but more importantly he is principal program manager in the SQL Server RDBMS team. He is responsible for the Beyond Relational Data and Services scenario that includes unstructured and semi-structured data management, search, Spatial, XML and others. He has been program manager for the XML features in SQL Server 2000 to 2008 such as FOR XML, the XML data type and XQuery and for Spatial Indexing in SQL Server 2008. He also represents Microsoft Corp. in the W3C XML Query working group and the ANSI SQL standardization effort
Michael is also a senior member of ACM and a member of IEEE and has given many presentations and contributed to several books on XQuery and XML and databases. His weblog can be found at http://sqlblog.com/blogs/michael_rys/default.aspx and can be followed at @SQLServerMike (when he finds time to tweet).
I have seen Michael’s sessions on more than one occasion. It was particularly useful at a time when my head was involved with geospatial data with reporting services. His sessions provided so much clarity that without his insight I would have never have got a project completed. His XML sessions are as equally insightful and delivered with ease.
So if you want insight into these technologies, I would recommend that you sign up for his training day session at www.SQLBits.com His session is Beyond Relational in SQL Server 2012 and SQL Futures with Michael Rys and you would not want to miss this
Tobias Ternstrom
Equally, Tobias Ternstrom gives fantastic presentations. Tobias has been an avid customer of SQL Server since the mid-90s starting out with SQL Server 6. He fell in love with the product and grew into a passionate developer, instructor and architect over the next decade or so. A few years back Tobias joined the program management discipline of the SQL Server Engine. He is currently a Lead Program Manager managing a team of program managers who own the engine-side of the SQL Server & Azure development experience. His areas include T-SQL language, type system, libraries as well as the data-tier application model.
He gives great presentations that I have been privileged to see at the MVP Summits. I would wholly recommend his session that focuses on programmability features that are new to SQL Server 2012. There are exciting features such as the Windowing function, Lead and Lag and iof you want to know more about these I would recommend this session Programmability in SQL Server 2012 and SQL Azure with Tobias Ternstrom.
I am very fortunate that I am given time to go and see these people in action. I work for a company that fully supports my development with the people who are at the cutting edge of SQL Server. The SQLBits committee try to bring these people to the UK for the benefit of the community. SO if you have had thoughts about attending these sessions. I would go for it. It is not often you get to spend a full day with the Program Managers of SQL Server technologies on your doorstep
Oh and someone let the Queen know...... Buck Woody is in town.... I better feed him this time :-)
June represents an exciting time for the SQL Server community with events all over the country in the next few months and there is plenty of knowledge to be gained from willing speakers enthusiastically sharing their knowledge. Furthermore, Paul Randall and Kimberley Trip will be conducting their highly recommended immersion events at London Heathrow in June.
There are other big names within SQL Server that will be teaching this year. The company I used to work for, QA, has excellent trainers teaching SQL Server who I would always recommend. Occasionally a big name speaker will be take a course, unknowingly to the community. Solid Quality Mentors is such a company where their staff will teach at QA offices from time to time. And I know from conversation with Itzik Ben-Gan that he will be teaching Advanced TSQL within QA offices in London during the week of Oct 3-7. A link to the course details can be found here.
http://www.qa.com/training-courses/technical-it-training/microsoft/microsoft-sql-server/microsoft-sql-server-2008-and-r2/advanced-t-sql-querying,-programming-and-tuning-for-sql-server-2005--2008So if you want to be taught by the best experts, consider checking www.QA.com for their advanced SQL courses, you could find yourself being taught by the best in the business in their field.
Chris
I am at the beginning of touring user groups around the UK so on train journeys back from a user group meetings I have had time to write out my thoughts on some of the new features that are available in SQL Server C TP 1.
The vision from Microsoft regarding this release looks the same as it was in SQL Server 2008 R2
Empowering IT – Making it easier for IT departments to manage the scalability and availability of SQL Server
Dynamic Development - Making it easier for database developers to develop SQL Server databases in a consistent application
Pervasive Insight - extending the reach of BI to include business users as well as IT professionals and developers
What is notable is the fact that Microsoft will scale SQL Server to different platforms including
Appliances - SQL Server editions including Parallel Data Warehouse and Fast track that have a dedicated purpose using SQL Server
Box - the traditional implementation that most will be familiar with running a specific edition of SQL Server on a server.
Cloud - SQL Azure, a cloud-based service offering data storage capabilities
The capabilities that are available on each platform will vary, in this blog I will concentrate on the new features that will be available on the box with the release of SQL Server Denali CTP ( Community Technical Preview) 1 available from http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=6a04f16f-f6be-4f92-9c92-f7e5677d91f9
In no particular order, the following are a summary on some features of SQL Server Denali CTP 1
HADRON
One features that addresses the scalability and availability vision is HADRON or High Availability Disaster Recovery Always ON. This is a technology that tightly integrates the database mirroring architecture with Windows Clustering. The key benefit that this has over database mirroring is that up to 5 secondary servers can be defined, which are readable and can be queried. Like database mirroring, endpoints are used to connect between primary /secondary instances like in Database mirroring. Furthermore as the architecture is very similar to database mirroring, Database Mirroring configuration from SQL Server 2005 onwards can be upgraded to HADR.
CREATE SERVER ROLE
You now have the ability to create user defined server level role on an instance of SQL Server. This provides a greater degree of granularity when setting security at an instance level. As a result the sp_addsrvrolemember and sp_dropsrvrolemember are being deprecated and being replaced with the ALTER SERVER ROLE instead. Server roles can be created using Transact-SQL or within SQL Server Management Studio.
Startup Options
You can now graphically configure SQL Server startup options within the instance properties in SQL Server Configuration Manager
Contained databases
Contained databases are databases that contain all the objects and metadata for a database without having dependencies on the SQL Server instance. This makes it easier to move databases between different instances of SQL Server. Contained databases can be defined in one of three configurations:
NONE – This means that the database does have dependencies on the SQL Server instance. This is how all databases created on a SQL Server instance are defined by default
FULL – As yet not available in Denali CTP 1, my understanding is that objects defined in these databases do not have dependencies on the SQL Server Instance
PARTIAL – Some objects have dependencies on the SQL Server instance, other objects are contained within the database
Transact-SQL additions and enhancements
There are a number of T-SQL additions and enhancements in this release of SQL Server including Paging, SEQUENCE and THROW
Paging
The ORDER BY clause has been enhanced to include the ability to page results. Example from Books Online include:
USE AdventureWorks2008R2;
GO
--Using Order by to return all rows sorted by the column DepartmentID.
SELECT DepartmentID, Name, GroupName
FROM HumanResources.Department
ORDER BY DepartmentID;
-- Use OFFSET to skip the first 5 rows from the sorted result set and return all remaining rows.
SELECT DepartmentID, Name, GroupName
FROM HumanResources.Department
ORDER BY DepartmentID OFFSET 5 ROWS;
-- Use OFFSET to skip 0 rows and return only the first 10 rows from the sorted result set using FETCH --NEXT.
SELECT DepartmentID, Name, GroupName
FROM HumanResources.Department
ORDER BY DepartmentID OFFSET 0 ROWS FETCH NEXT 10 ROWS ONLY;
-- OFFSET and FETCH values can be defined within variables
DECLARE @StartingRowNumber tinyint = 1 ,
@FetchRows tinyint = 8;
SELECT DepartmentID, Name, GroupName
FROM HumanResources.Department
ORDER BY DepartmentID ASC OFFSET @StartingRowNumber ROWS FETCH NEXT @FetchRows ROWS ONLY;
GO
SEQUENCE
A feature available to ORACLE database professionals is now available to SQL Server database professionals. SEQUENCE enables you to define a sequence of numbers which is stored and retained in memory. My good friend Aaron Bertrand has two excellent blog pieces on how to implement SEQUENCE and the performance impact that I would recommend:
http://sqlblog.com/blogs/aaron_bertrand/archive/2010/11/11/sql-server-11-denali-using-sequence.aspxhttp://sqlblog.com/blogs/aaron_bertrand/archive/2010/12/13/sql-server-v-next-denali-take-one-part-sequence-and-one-part-set.aspxTHROW
You now have greater flexibility with the TRY…CATCH Transact SQL statements with THROW being introduced in SQL Server Denali. This raises an exception and then transfers execution to a CATCH block.
SSIS enhancements
I will be blogging more on these changes in the future however to areas stand out regarding SSIS which will make life a lot easier
Usability
The usability of SSIS has been improved within Business Intelligence Development Studio. The ability to undo and redo changes in the designer is a small change, but of massive benefit while developing SSIS packages. Copy objects between packages is a lot easier and you can customise the toolbox more easily.
Deployment
There is a new project deployment methodology that will deploy SSIS at a project level rather than the package level that we have been previously used to. The package method of deployment still exists and is referred to as the legacy deployment model. The following tables is taken form Technet Wiki
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/project-deployment-overview-in-sql-server-quot-denali-quot-ctp1-ssis.aspx
that shows the differences and similarity between the project deployment methodology and the legacy deployment methodology
| When Using the Project Deployment Model... |
When Using the Legacy Deployment Model... |
| A project is the unit of deployment. |
A package is the unit of deployment. |
| Parameters are used to assign values to package properties. |
Configurations are used to assign values to package properties. |
| A project, containing packages and parameters, is built to a project deployment file (.ispac extension). |
Packages (.dtsx extension) and configurations (.dtsConfig extension) are saved individually to the file system. |
| A project, containing packages and parameters, is deployed to the Integration Services catalog on an instance of SQL Server. |
Packages and configurations are copied to the file system on another computer. Packages can also be saved to the MSDB database on an instance of SQL Server. |
| CLR integration is required on the database engine. |
CLR integration is not required on the database engine. |
| Environment-specific parameter values are stored in environment variables. |
Environment-specific configuration values are stored in configuration files. |
| Projects and packages in the catalog can be validated on the server before execution. You can use SQL Server Management Studio, stored procedures, or managed code to perform the validation. |
Packages are validated just before execution. You can also validate a package with dtExec or managed code. |
| Packages are executed by starting an execution on the database engine. A project identifier, explicit parameter values (optional), and environment references (optional) are assigned to an execution before it is started. |
Packages are executed with the dtExec and DTExecUI execution utilities. Applicable configurations are identified by command-prompt arguments (optional). |
| During exeuction, events that are produced by the package are captured automatically and saved to the catalog. You can query these events with Transact-SQL views. |
During execution, events that are produced by a package are not captured automatically. A log provider must be added to the package to capture events. |
| Packages are run in a separate Windows process. |
Packages are run in a separate Windows process. |
| SQL Server Agent is used to schedule package execution. |
SQL Server Agent is used to schedule package execution. |
BISM
BISM or Business Intelligence Semantic Model is one of the major additions of SQL Server Denali that will change the way we potentially work with Business Intelligence. The most common misconception of BISM is that people think that it is specific to Analysis Services. It is not, it is hosted by SQL Server Analysis Service, however Crescent (the new adhoc reporting tool complementing SSRS) must have a BISM model in order to work. A second misconception is that the introduction of BISM marks the end of traditional Analysis Services solutions that uses UDM. Again this is not the case. UDM will still play an important role that can be summarised by the following graphic which I do not know who created but I believe came from a TechED session
The BISM is designed to combine the UDM model used by SSAS with the SMDL model used by previous Report Builder applications, representing the model in a relational manner while getting the BI sophistication from UDM. However BISM will evolve over time and as UDM is a more mature model you will still see the relevance of UDM within organisations for years to come. Specifically if you require advance calculation that cannot be currently handled by DAX, (the new querying language for PowerPivot that extends to BISM). Then you will be likely to use UDM. BISM is designed to store the data in the VertiPaq in-memory column store. VertiPaq uses compression algorithms along with multi-threaded query processing that delivers fast performance in retrieving huge data volumes. So much so that this technology is also being introduced in the Database Engine in SQL Server Denali with the new feature of columnar indexes - this is Vetipaq again. So if you have data that cannot fit into the memory, then UDM becomes a consideration. I say that as Vertipaq can be configured to query against data sources therefore preserving the memory that vertipaq uses, but that is for another blog.
To quote the SSAS team from the following blog http://blogs.technet.com/b/dataplatforminsider/archive/2010/11/12/analysis-services-roadmap-for-sql-server-denali-and-beyond.aspx
“You might ask – Why do we have two types of models in Analysis Services? Which one should I use? Is the UDM going to be deprecated now that we have the BISM? The answer is NO! Analysis Services just got a lot better in SQL Server “Denali” with the BISM and VertiPaq and DAX! However the UDM is a mature and industry leading technology and is here to stay. Let me repeat – UDM (OLAP) models are not being deprecated!”
So there are exciting times in this area and I watch and partake with interest as it develops through time
Crescent
In February 2010, I was sat in a room with two other MVPs (Microsoft Valuable Professionals) in Redmond as 5 members of the SSRS team wanted to show us the future of SSRS adhoc reporting . While the demonstration was being given, the MVPs where like kids in a sweetie shop. I don’t mind admitting I was drooling, and it has been very difficult to keep quiet about it since then. Like BISM, Project Crescent is designed to complement the existing report designer in Business Intelligence Development Studio and Report Builder applications that is provided by SQL Server Reporting Services. It relies on a BISM model to work, but its compelling selling point is that if present reports in a Silverlight front end browser that is extremely dynamic. For example, rather than looking at a static chart, the chart can be replayed like a DVD over time to see the result grow within the chart. This is certainly a very useful tool that can be stored in a SharePoint gallery, and while it may be touted as an adhoc reporting tool, I envisage BI professionals using it to create some standard reports that are currently created in Business Intelligence Development Studio. Check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfRpfCav9hg for your first taster…its awesome!
So there are some of my thoughts on what is available in SQL Server Denali CTP1, I know that I have missed out some feature but I hope that future blogs will give you more information about specific topics
Thanks
Chris
Before installing SQL Server Denali CTP1, there are a number of pre-installation checks that should be considered before installing Denali. At the moment the Denali CTP (Community Technical Preview) version that is available to the public is SQL Server Denali CTP 1 and can be downloaded from here:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=6a04f16f-f6be-4f92-9c92-f7e5677d91f9
There are a number of different editions (versions) of SQL Server Denali that is available; each edition provides different features and maximum hardware support. SQL Server Datacenter and SQL Server Evaluation are the only SQL Server editions enabled on this CTP. The information provided here is for DataCenter edition, which is the highest edition available to SQL Server.The considerations are broadly broken down into two areas; the hardware required running SQL Server Denali and the software. From a hardware perspective the following is the minimum hardware requirements to install SQL Server Denali CTP 1.
Memory
- Minimum:512 MB
- Recommended: 2.048 MB or more
- Maximum: Operating system maximum
CPU
- Minimum: 1.4 GHz
- Recommended: 2.0 GHz or faster
Hard Disk Space
| Feature |
Disk space requirement |
| Database Engine and data files, Replication, and Full-Text Search |
711 MB |
| Analysis Services and data files |
345 MB |
| Reporting Services and Report Manager |
304 MB |
| Integration Services |
591 MB |
| Client Components (Other than SQL Server Books Online components and Integration Services tools. |
1823 MB |
| SQL Server Books Online Components to view and manage help content1 |
375 KB |
Note that these minimum requirements do not account for the system resources that you will require to run the operating system.
I have to add at this point that I have a number of installations of SQL Server Denali CTP 1 on my laptop. I use a 64 bit Toshiba Satellite L550-D that is triple booted to Windows 7, Windows 2008 and Windows 2008 R2. This laptop has an AMD Athlon II Dual Core M300 processor with 4GB of memory. In all instances I have installed Denali into a virtualised environment running Windows Server 2008 R2. In my Windows 2008 partition Denali is installed within Hyper-V. In Windows 7, I have used Virtual PC 2007 with Denali installed within it. (purely for convenience so I do not have to reboot into the windows 2008 partition to play J). As with any CTP version of software, I always advise that you should install it within a virtualised instance so if any problems arise, it should not affect your host operating system or installed applications. The software requirement can include the following operating systems:
- Windows 7; Windows Server 2008 R2; Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2; Windows Vista Service Pack 2
- Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 is also required
In my excitement to perform the installation a message appears that informs you that you have to download the following to files:
Windows6.0-KB948465-X86 which can be downloaded here http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?familyid=a4dd31d5-f907-4406-9012-a5c3199ea2b3&displaylang=en
and
Windows6.0-KB956250-x86 which can be downloaded here http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=74a30045-74b5-4165-8917-b65e5ebd8902&displaylang=en
What I did find is that upon installing these updates it took a couple of reboots before the installation could be performed. There is a better way that can help you to avoid strife. When you start the setup the SQL Server Installation Centre is presented.
![]()
Use the System Configuration Checker (underlined) to confirm whether you have the hardware and software available to perform a successful installation of SQL Server, By clicking on the System Configuration Checker link. This will return the following report.
You can click on the view detailed report link to provide more information.
So with that in mind you can quickly check if your machine has the capabilities to run SQL Server Denali CTP 1 before you install it.
Chris
Hi
I will be speaking at the UK DevConnections on Analysis Services at the ExCeL conference centre in London on 13th-15th June 2011. Join top SQL Server names such as Paul Randall, Kimberley Tripp, Simon Sabin and Allan Mitchell ( to name a few), at the IT & DevConnections powered by Microsoft UK in London on 13th-15th June 2011.
- With UK DevConnections you can combine SQL Sessions with other Microsoft technology stacks. Microsoft and leading independent industry presenters will deliver in-depth presentations and cutting edge sessions on
- SharePoint
- Windows
- Exchange and Unified Communications
- SQL Server
- Silverlight
- ASP.Net
- Virtualisation
- Cloud and Azure
As a speaker I have a discount code that entitles give 20% off the cost to register for IT&DEvConnections in June. The code is sql-bits, if people register before the 31st March when the Super Early Bird offer ends you will only pay £639.20 +vat (normal price £999)
Furthermore, there are preferential hotel rates for this event at:
https://logicalvenues.vbookings.co.uk/b/pentonlondon0611/
So if you want to attend a conference with a wide spectrum of technologies, then DevConnections may be up your street Thanks Chris
I am currently working on a number of blog post for Denali CTP 1
keep posted for updates
Thanks
Chris
At the Manchester SQL Server User Group we have had a number of sponser sessions, likewise at SQLBits too
You may think that it would be an hour promoting the software that that a particular vendor has to offer. This is often not the case. many session spend time focusing on the tools, native to SQL Server that can be used for performance tuning and finish off by providing an overview of vendors software and how it can make it easier to perform performance tuning operations on your SQL Server.
Many of you will be attending SQLBits this April. Many of the sponsors will perform a lunchtime lecture surrounding many areas of SQL Server. Event sponsors play a very important role in supporting events such as SQLBits and some of the SQL Server User group events
Based on the presentations I have seen, I would recommend attending one of the lunchtime sessions at SQLBits. I have no doubt you will pick up golden nuggets of information that will help you in your work. I know I have
Chris
SQLBits announced some super-exciting news! A tie-up with our platinum sponsor, Fusion-io. Together we'll be running a series of events called "The Crappy Code Games" where SQL Server developers will compete to write the worst-performing code and win some very cool prizes including:
• Gold: A hands-on, high performance flying day for two at Ultimate High plus Fusion-io flight jackets
• Silver: One day racing experience at Palmer Sports where you will drive seven different high performance cars
• Bronze: Pure Tech Racing 10 person package at PTR’s F1 racing facility includes FI tees, food and drinks.
…plus iPods, Windows Mobile phones, X-box 360s, t-shirts and much more.
There will be two qualifying events in Manchester on March 17th and London on March 31st, and the third qualifier as well as the grand finale will be held in the evening of Thursday April 7th at SQLBits. And if that isn’t cool enough, Fusion-io's Chief Scientist Steve Wozniak (yes, that Steve Wozniak, tech industry legend and co-founder of Apple) will be on hand in Brighton to hand out the prizes! If you'd like to take part you'll need to register, and since places are limited we recommend you do so right away. For more details and to register, go to http://www.crappycodegames.com/
The Games:
In conjunction with SQL Bits, dbA-thletes (that’s you) will compete head-to-head in one of three
separate qualifying events to be held in Manchester, London and Brighton. Four separate SQL rounds
make up the evening’s Games, and will challenge you to write code that pushes the boundaries of SQL
performance. The four events are:
The High Jump: Generate the highest I/O per second
The 100 m dash: Cumulative highest number of I/O’s in 60 seconds
The SSIS-athon: Load one billion row fact table in the shortest time
The Marathon: Generate the highest MB per second in 60 seconds
SQL Server 2008 R2 Best Practices Analyzer (BPA) was released in mid June. Here is a release announcement: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/sqlreleaseservices/archive/2010/06/19/sql-server-2008-r2-best-practices-analyzer-is-now-available.aspx BPA is designed to allow Administrators to validate their SQL Server instances against Microsoft established best practices. It includes best practices validations for SQL Server, SQL Replication, Analysis Services, Integration Services, Reporting Services, and Setup. BPA examines your SQL Server instance with roughly 150 validations of system events, login permissions, SQL Metadata settings, error logs, and reports those items that don’t conform to best practices. For each non-compliant error or warning there are detailed descriptions of the best practice and instructions for becoming compliant. For more information and to download SQL Server 2008 R2 BPA go here: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=0fd439d7-4bff-4df7-a52f-9a1be8725591
It runs on both SQL Server 2008 and SQL Server 2008 R2.
Chris
We have acquired two additional tickets to attend the SQL Server Master Class with Paul Randal and Kimberly Tripp For a chance to win these coveted tickets In the subject line type MasterClass and email SQLFAQ@torver.net before 9pm on Sunday night The winners will be announced Monday Morning Don’t worry if you have already purchased a ticket, should you be win, your ticket cost will be reimbursed
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