SQL Server 2008 February CTP (CTP 6)

In case you haven't seen it, Microsoft has released the latest SQL Server 2008 Community Technology Preview (CTP) to the Download site. You can download it here: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=749bd760-f404-4d45-9ac0-d7f1b3ed1053&displaylang=en&tm

The following information comes from the download page (Take special notice of the Visual Studio packs, if you want to use Visual Studio with SQL Server, you'll need to install the appropriate pack)

System Requirements

Supported Operating Systems: Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2; Windows Server 2008; Windows Vista; Windows XP Service Pack 2

For all download types

32-bit systems: Computer with Intel or compatible Pentium III 600 MHz or faster processor (1 GHz or faster is recommended)

64-bit systems: 1 GHz or higher processor

Minimum of 512 MB of RAM (1 GB or more is recommended)

675 MB of available hard disk space
Note:

If you want to use this SQL Server 2008 CTP with Microsoft Visual Studio 2005, you also need to obtain the update Visual Studio 2005 Support for SQL Server 2008 CTP .

If you want to use this SQL Server 2008 CTP with Microsoft Visual Studio 2008, you also need to obtain the update Visual Studio 2008 Support for SQL Server 2008 CTP .

You may install support for both Visual Studio 2005 and 2008.

Power Tools for DataDude

The Visual Studio Team System for Database Professionals team (Hiya Gert!) has announced the arrival of the VS 2008 Power Tools. The Tools provide a host of new features above and beyond what was delivered in VS2005.

Here's a list of features (shamelessly stolen from Gerts blog):

• Command line SQL Static Code Analysis execution through MSBuild, this was the biggest customer request, which is why I was holding the release. This enables SQL Static Code Analysis to be an integrated part of Team Build!
• Data Generation Wizard; this is another customer request where we allow users to create a new data generation plan by pointing at an existing database, the plan will be fully configured by the wizard to pull all data from the database using the Sequential Databound Generator. This way users can use an existing data set and only override columns which impose risks because of for example privacy concerns and save about half a day or more of configuring a data generation plan from scratch, one column at the time.
  File based data generator; this allows you to insert the content of files in to the database (works for string and binary, not for XML yet).
• XML based data generator; this allows you to generate XML based on an XSD (the XSD has to be provided as file right now, and cannot be selected from database or inherited from the data type).
• Unique Regular Expression generator; this adds the ability to generator unique values using the RegEx String generator.
• Refactoring Command Generator has been made available as a MSBuild task for better project build integration so it can be made part of the pre-build and pre-deployment stages in the project. This allows users to automated the results of refactoring to some degree in to the project.
• We added two new test conditions for Database Unit Tests
  ChecksumCondition – Which you can use to verify that the checksum of the data set returned by a database unit test matches the checksum of an expected data set.
  ExpectedSchemaTestCondition – Which you use to verify that the column names and data types of the returned data set match expected values.

Download is available here: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=73ba5038-8e37-4c8e-812b-db14ede2c354&displaylang=en

MS TechReady DEVIL303 - SharePoint and ASP.NET

For those that attended my sessions here at the TechReady 6 conference, here's some promised information.

The slide deck that I used should be available on Comnet, but if it's not, you can send me an email (v-temalo) and I'll make sure you get the deck.

I apologize again for the fact that there were no lab machines available, but as I mentioned, the lab image and documentation can be downloaded from the download center (grab the HOL version of the lab, which is OFCHOL302) or if you simply want to walk through the lab, visit the Hands on Labs area in the BLUE section (Office Development)

SQL Server Business Intelligence & Channel 9

Just found this link on the MSDN Channel 9 Website: http://channel9.msdn.com/wiki/default.aspx/Channel9.SQLServer

Basically it's a landing page for all Channel9 resources that are tagged with Business Intelligence-related content.

Currently there are several BI related screencasts available, including some new Katmai (SQL 2008) content.

OneNote Blog Editor?

Sometimes I find myself learning something new, and then wondering why it's taken so long…

For example, I just now learned that I can use Microsoft® OneNote to publish blog entries. Given that I spend a LOT of time in OneNote, I'm just blown away by the fact that I can use it to post to my blog..

Oh well, so much for my powers of observation I guess.

Community Kit for SharePoint

In case you haven't seen it, there's a project on CodePlex that is centered around "open source" or community contributions to Windows SharePoint Services / Microsoft Office SharePoint Server.. There are several projects underway, including extensions to the blog and wiki templates.

Check it out here: http://www.codeplex.com/CKS

SQL Server Worldwide User Group - Virtual Conference

As I mentioned earlier, I am speaking at the SQLConnections conference in Orlando, April 20-23.

I am speaking as part of the SQL Server Worldwide User Group track, and hopefully will have a good session on the SQL Server 2008 resource governor.

One of the things that the SSWUG is doing this year is offering a "Virtual Conference" that is aimed squarely at the 100-level user to get them up to speed on some of the topics that will be presented at the live conference in April. I was asked to deliver 6 sessions for the virtual conference, and have spent a day in Tucson, AZ filming the sessions.

The guys at Bits on the Wire did a great job of making the sessions easy and comfortable. It was definitely an interesting experience, and hopefully the sessions I taped will be useful.

The virtual conference itself costs only $100, and there's approximately 30 sessions available. The content is targeted at beginners to SQL Server technologies, but the sessions seem like they're pretty good. (At least the ones that weren't mine looked like it!)