MSSQLTips

Free MDX Training in Zurich

Charley Hanania — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 15:22:00 GMT

Microsoft Switzerland has a full day Seminar prepared titled: "Introduction to MDX with Chris Webb" its on the 16th of March 2010 at the MS Campus (Richtistrasse 3, 8304 Wallisellen) Details: Registration: 08:30, Seminar start 09:00, End 16:30 If you want to get the most out of your Analysis Services cube it’s essential to know and understand MDX: you need to be able to write queries and calculations. This one-day seminar, aimed at those with little or no previous MDX experience, will teach...(read more)

Breaking into the DBA space

Charley Hanania — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 22:58:00 GMT

I love helping people, I love to teach and I really love hearing about success stories from people in my past whom I've interacted with, had the chance to help out through eith a course, tutorial or just a few helpful hints to get them started in the SQL space. I've been a lot of places and very recently was awarded MVP for SQL Server, and it looks like this is re-igniting some very old friendships and contacts, which to me is as valuable as if not more that the recent awards. Interestingly...(read more)

Nullability settings with select…into and variables

Chad Boyd — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:26:00 GMT

Traditionally there has been a single option for pulling data from one result set into a new table using a minimally logged operation without pushing the data to a flat file first – the select…into statement (if you aren’t familiar with the new minimally-logged insert…into functionality in Sql 2008, you should check it out ). One of the irritations I’ve had with this operation revolves around the way Sql handles setting the nullability attributes for columns created from a static variable value...(read more)

Moderating Hour 16 of the 24 Hours of PASS...

Charley Hanania — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 14:46:00 GMT

Well, it was great, I attended around 12 of the 24 Hours of PASS Virtual event sessions yesterday and the quality of the content, the preparedness of the speakers and overall lack of issues was incredible! Hats off to Rick Heiges , Blythe Morrow , Chuck Heinzelman and PASS management as a whole for getting it together and gluing all of these moving parts into one well oiled and tuned virtual event. They coordinated speakers from the up coming US PASS Summit happening in November as topic presenters...(read more)

SQL Server Saturday - Swiss Style!

Charley Hanania — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 01:57:00 GMT

There are many SQL Server Saturday type events happening in the US, but this is the first we've attempted to host here. Its been a "handfull" to organise to say the least, but enjoyable nonetheless. Its taking place on the 19th of September 2009 at Digicomp Academy, and all you need do to attend is register on the Event's Website: www.sqlsaturday.ch . We've got 3 tracks, BI, App Development and Database Administration 5 sessions per track and a good balance between English and...(read more)

Register for 24 Hours of Super SQL Server and BI Training!

Charley Hanania — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 17:24:00 GMT

As more than 2,700 people from over 60 countries around the world get ready for the most value-packed 24 hours of SQL Server and Business Intelligence training available, PASS wanted to thank you for your amazing support and give you some final 24 Hours of PASS instructions and tips. 24 Hours of PASS will start broadcasting its exceptional lineup of 24 back-to-back webcasts to your computer starting at 00:00 GMT (UTC) on Sept. 2. Once registered, links to each session you registered for should appear...(read more)

Twittering away

Chad Boyd — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 15:04:00 GMT

So, been a while since I posted, there are various reasons for that but nonetheless I hope to start posting more frequently again soon (if anyone is still out there). I have started twittering as well, so follow me there as well (it's actually easier to make time to twitter, given that it takes about 15 seconds to post :-)). And of course, if you are a twitter user, follow the MSSQLTIPS team as well!...(read more)

Powershell Series #1: Setting up Powershell

Charley Hanania — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:54:00 GMT

OK, first things first... I have SQL Server 2008 installed locally (developer edition) on Vista, which I believe installs Powershell for you as a component... I'm using V1.0. The easiest way to see if its installed it to use the "run" command and type powershell... If its not installed, read this article How to Download Windows PowerShell 1.0 . Once that's done, you need to set up your environment. I would encourage you to install Marc's " Tab Completion " Tool for...(read more)

And here starts the Powershell Series...

Charley Hanania — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:30:00 GMT

Most DBA's have a hard time coming to terms with programming languages, and although I've used close to 10 in my history I've always defaulted back to my tried and trusted T-SQL to cater for my data-focussed needs... A while back now though, the hype increased on LINQ for example and now for Powershell, and although I never saw LINQ take off Powershell is another matter in deed... Powershell leverages many components to bring a powerful scripting interface that surpasses the old WMI and...(read more)

SQL Server 2008 Developer Training Kit

Charley Hanania — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:45:00 GMT

The Microsoft Developer and Platform Evangelism Team has put together a training Kit on SQL Server 2008 Covering the following: Date and Time Types Filestream Grouping Sets Reporting Services Row Constructors Spatial Data SQL CLR Table-Valued Parameters T-SQL Merge Statement Within the download is a series of Presentations, Demos and Hands-On Labs that are free and definitely worth the time to look into it. Enjoy!...(read more)

Swiss IT Pro User Group Meeting July 2009 : Virtualization - What's New (VMware / Microsoft)

Charley Hanania — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 03:59:00 GMT

We've got the information for next month's User Group Meeting, Channelled through SwissITPro this month. Theme: Virtualization - What's New ( VMware / Microsoft ) Language: Deutsch Tuesday / Dienstag - 7 July / Juli 2009 17:45 - 21:00 Uhr (Kleiner Apéro 17:45 - 18:15 Uhr) Where / Wo? Digicomp Academy AG (Zürich) Limmatstrasse 50 CH-8005 Zürich Tel. +41 44 447 21 21 Nutzen Sie die Gelegenheit, Ihren Kollege und die Kern Swiss IT Pro User Group Freiwillige kennenzulernen. Session #1: Hyper...(read more)

Re-post from The Microsoft Learning Community and Evangelism Team Blog - free Microsoft Certification voucher

Charley Hanania — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 21:54:00 GMT

For those of you who have enlisted or who are still to enlist for my help to get you through the SQL Server exams on SQL Server 2005/2008, look at this poast as it could get you an exam voucher to give you even more motivation to get through all the study and practice! :) from: http://blogs.technet.com/mslcommunity/archive/2009/06/17/this-rss-is-dead-but-the-new-one-could-win-you-a-free-exam.aspx This RSS is dead… but the NEW one could win you a free exam! As the title says… if you are reading this...(read more)

SQL Management Studio Snapshot Add-In

Charley Hanania — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 10:02:00 GMT

I attended a talk the other day and the speaker was showing SQL Server Potentials and Professionals alike on how easy it was to manage SQL Server from Management Studio. One of the areas emarrasingly was creating Database Snapshots. The presenter looked all over Management Studio for it but couldn't find it... Do you know where it is??? Well look here for it, as its an add in tool written by Sean Price in 2007 :o) http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/seanprice/archive/2007/07/15/sql-management-studio...(read more)

Disk Partition Alignment Best Practices Whitepaper for SQL Server

Charley Hanania — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 10:31:00 GMT

We've been discussing this for so long and warning Sys Admins about making sure our servers are in proper good nic before handing over to us for the SQL install and config. So rather than just talking about it, we can point them to a whitepaper on it... simplifies the list of blog entry links that we generally have to search for and email them ;o) http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd758814.aspx all good :)...(read more)

Backing up Sharepoint Databases for True Point in Time Recovery

Charley Hanania — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 00:32:00 GMT

I've been working on a whitepaper for Quest (for a while) which focusses on Sharepoint Recoverability from a DBA's perspective. As you proably know Sharepoint uses SQL Server to store its data, and although the data structures and usage within the SQL Server databases isn't what a DBA would call "optimal" its heavy use of tables etc brings things such as Performance Tuning, Capacity Planning and Disaster Recovery into the realms of the DBA as a relatively "complex"...(read more)

Failover Clustering and Virtualization - Update from MS CSS

Charley Hanania — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 12:58:00 GMT

Virtualisation and Failover Clustering wasn't one of the options you had for SQL Server previously, but Bob Ward has just updated a KB with details on the change of stance and why its now supported :) In reading my blog, you'll know that I'm not the biggest fan of Virtualisation... You'll also know that its not virtualisationper se that is the issue in my view it's how the term has been percievably made into the be all and end all of issues in IT. It is still immature in my eyes...(read more)

New Swiss PASS Chapter Logo

Charley Hanania — Thu, 28 May 2009 18:50:00 GMT

The brief was to create a logo for the Chapter that represented Swissness as well as being part of PASS. Something subtle, yet effective. We had 29 respondants submit 49 entries over the course of 7 days and there were some really good entries in there as well! The winner was awarded $150 USD, so both them and we are happy :o) In the end I chose the image below, and I hope you like it too. To see it context of the website, just go to www.sqlpass.ch Let me know what you think, I'd be very interested...(read more)

SQL Server 2008 R2 CTP

Charley Hanania — Sun, 24 May 2009 10:19:00 GMT

You may have read my post on the next version of SQL Server coming out called SQL Server 2008 R2, which is expected to launch Q2 next year (2010). Well the CTP will be made available soon for people to play with, but as Simon Sabine has mentioned in his post spaces will be limited, so register soon if you want to get in! http://www.microsoft.com/sqlserver/2008/en/us/r2.aspx...(read more)

SQL Server 2008 Books Online - May Update

Charley Hanania — Sat, 23 May 2009 04:14:00 GMT

SQL Server Professionals are lucky to have what I believe to be the most comprehensive set of product documentation available to them FREE from the vendor through SQL Server Books Online. Added to that is the wealth of Community Content provided to us from Blogs and online information sources like MSDN, TechNet, MSSQLTips, PASS Chapter Websites, SQLServerPedia, SQLMag (etc...) and we really have no excuse for saying that we can't find info on any particular topic :o) The latest Update to Books...(read more)

Swiss SQL Saturdays - Update

Charley Hanania — Fri, 22 May 2009 19:03:00 GMT

"Swiss SQL Saturdays" organisation is well underway and I've spoken now to a good number of stakeholders and possible contributors. I've been lucky now to have lined up some speakers, both from within Switzerland and without, and am now looking at whether anyone from the Swiss regional areas and communities would like to come aboard to help out. Remember, this is the general theme, overview and idea of the event: Free event for SQL Server professionals or those looking to get more...(read more)

Help offered: SQL Server 2005 / 2005 Certifications

Charley Hanania — Sun, 10 May 2009 21:15:00 GMT

I recently met up with one of the Swiss PASS Chapter members who is looking to undertake his SQL Server 2005 Certification exams. Apart from wishing him the best of luck, we reviewed a lot of the content generally covered within the MOC syllabus' (I'm an MCT), SQL Server architecture and walked through a lot of areas that he wasn't 100% clear on. We did this over a few hours in the evening after work, and it looks like a great thing for me to do again for any Chapter member who needs...(read more)

Prepare for the NEXT Version of SQL Server

Charley Hanania — Tue, 05 May 2009 23:37:00 GMT

I just got back from the May Chapter meeting and found out some great stuff that I've done a little more digging into the post to you about! We know that Microsoft has stated that within its product release cycle for SQL Server we should expect to see a new version of SQL Server every 3rd year. Starting with with SQL Server 2005, it proved tru with SQL Server 2008 and so SQL Server's next release (codenamed Kilimanjaro) should be expected in 2011. For those of you who are constantly looking...(read more)

Swiss PASS Chapter May Meeting - Eliminating SQL Server Downtime & Designing Effective Aggregations

Charley Hanania — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 18:28:00 GMT

Hi all, Just a very quick note to mention that we've lined up some great sessions for the May 5th Chapter Meeting to be deliverred by Chris Webb and David Tung (thanks guys!). If you are in the vicinity (ie Switzerland) then definitely put your name down and come along, alternatively you can join us virtually, as we'll be making the sessions available "live" over our MS Live Meeting links (see below) : We've got some PASS Caps and my attendee bag left over from the Conference...(read more)

Predictive Analysis Whitepaper

Charley Hanania — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 20:41:00 GMT

Predictive analysis is basically being able to leverage current and historical data to help make decisions in the future. As a DBA, I of course, LOVE data, and the idea of finding trends and information in hindsight to affect what we can focus effort on or leverage potential opportunities is incredible. MS have released a whitepaper describing how to do this easily through tools and applications such as Sharepoint, Excel and SQL Server. A good read for decision makers, fortune tellers and the otherwise...(read more)

Where OCS meets SQL Server

Charley Hanania — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 23:13:00 GMT

I was lucky to meet Sasa Juratovic yesterday through Dejan Foro and we all got to speaking about how OCS is another MS Enterprise level application that makes heavy use of SQL Server for storing and managing its application data. Through the discussion, we agreed that I could leverage my DBA "skills" and T-SQL knowledge to help fill some wish-list gaps in the product's features (this is generally where cross over communities can help), and I'll be looking into coding a few things...(read more)