Dan English's BI Blog: SQL Server

Did you know? SQL Server 2008 includes Dimension Designer Enhancements

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 01:35:29 GMT

SQL Server 2008 includes Dimension Designer Enhancements, new attribute relationships designer, and additional Best Practice Alerts:)

The Dimension Wizard within BIDS 2008 (VS 2008) for Analysis Service Projects has been simplified and introduces a new attribute relationship designer.

The wizard has reduced the number of screens and includes an auto-detection for parent-child hierarchies.

There have also been modifications to the Best Practice Alerts and there are now 57 alerts integrated into the designer along with a new option to add comments to them and disable them if desired.

Check out a screencast about the Dimension Designer Enhancements in SQL Server 2008 here.

Read more about this in the SQL Server 2008 BOL ‘Dimension Designer (Analysis Services - Multidimensional Data) ’.

Video: Did you know? SQL Server 2008 includes Dimension Designer Enhancements (SSAS)

I had to put this screencast up on MSN videos because of the 10 minute YouTube limit enforcement now and I didn’t want to redo the screencast again. I will have to see about getting the Director account on YouTube. I had to put my Tech Night recording on MSN videos too. On YouTube or MSN videos you can perform a search on Magenic and you will get all of my videos and some additional ones. Can’t complain about either of these services though, they are free.

SQL Server 2008 Beta Exams Extended, Open Invitation

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 02:36:44 GMT

Check out the details here - http://blogs.msdn.com/gerryo/archive/2008/07/01/sql-server-beta-exams-extended-open-invitation.aspx

Only good through the end of July, so try and register before it is completely booked.

SQL Server 2008 DBA 71-432 and SQL Server 2008 BI 71-448.

MN PASS SQL Server User Group - ‘Ask the Experts’ panel discussion

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 02:32:11 GMT

Tomorrow, July 15, from 2 to 4 p.m. I will be participating in a local SQL Server User Group ‘Ask the Experts’ panel discussion. I look forward to discussion SQL Server and MS BI with everyone and hearing everyone’s questions. It should be a very enjoyable time and I hope we get a great turnout. Please bring your questions and I will be sure to stay around afterwards if anyone wants to talk more or if you need further explanation or information

I would love to talk about the new release of SQL Server 2008 coming out…will it be later this month, in August, or September. It sounds like it is extremely close and I have been reading blogs that the pricing has already been released (apparently it hasn’t gone up).

You can register for the MN SQL Server User Group event here or visit www.mnssug.org.

SQL Server 2008 (RC0) Report Designer == Report Builder 2.0

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 16:34:55 GMT

Okay, so maybe I didn’t pick-up on it right away when I saw Teo’s blog posting here about the new Feature Pack (June 2008) which is located here, but the standalone Report Designer is no longer part of the SQL Server 2008 installation I went into the start menu after installing the RC0 of SQL Server 2008 and I was confused Where is Report Designer? Then I fired up BIDS (VS 2008) and started up a new Report Server project thinking that it was just integrated into BIDS now. Well first of all I received an error message when I created a new Report Server project (maybe I need to reboot my VPC to resolve this, not sure)

What I did notice though was the the designer within BIDS now is the actual designer that is in Report Designer (maybe this was in CTP6, not sure…I only used the Report Designer to get familiar with the new tool).

So the designer is incorporated into BIDS minus the Office 2007 Ribbon, but still was not what I was looking for. So I fired up the Report Manager web application and launched Report Builder thinking that maybe this is how I access the new Report Designer. Nope, this is still Report Builder 1.0, nothing has changed So now I was on a quest and I remembered Teo’s blog posting, so I downloaded the Report Builder 2.0 install from here and installed that on my VPC.

This provided a new item in my start menu for Report Builder 2.0, separate form the SQL Server 2008 start menu items.

And after I fired up this application I had a winner

The one thing that I am not crazy about, but maybe it is just me and being used to working with the whole project concept (or I am missing something within the product) is that you don’t have the ability to work with a group of reports. I guess this is how all of the other Office products work, so I can’t complain too much. I just like the whole project aspect and being able to work with a whole set of related reports a little more easily.

The one nice thing is that this is an MSI file, so IT will now be able to schedule and distribute this application install throughout the organization as needed without having to install the SQL Server client tools for end-users now

SQL Server 2008 (RC0) Intellisense Enhancements

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 10:42:16 GMT

I looked into a few items in regards to intellisense with the new release to follow-up on my previous two postings SQL Server 2008 Intellisense (CTP5) vs Red Gate SQL Prompt and

SQL Server Intellisense (CTP6) vs Red Gate SQL Prompt - Part II. The only things that I could see that have really changed was some additional support for DELETE, INSERT, and UPDATE statements and some additional metadata (which is great).

DELETE Screenshot	INSERT Screenshot	UPDATE Screenshot

You can also see in the screenshots that some metadata information is being displayed too, I don’t believe this was in CTP6, but I could be mistaken. So now when you are on an item in the drop down list it shows the object type and data type information if it is a column. That is nice, not quite as nice as the metadata information provided with SQL Prompt, but I guess they can’t take all of Red-Gate’s ideas.

Red-Gate SQL Prompt Intellisense

I didn’t really see any other changes other than the additional support and some metadata information but these are all good changes. I did notice that the metadata in the query window tab changed a bit now, so you can see some additional connection information (user and spid) for the query window.

SQL 2008 RC0 Query Tab	SQL 2005 Query Tab

SQL Server 2008 RC0 Object Explorer Details Search

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 23:12:51 GMT

Okay, I heard that this functionality was coming and I am somewhat pleased. It is nice to have this functionality. It took me a while to find it, but then I noticed it embedded in the Object Explorer Details window.

One issue I had right out of the gate was that I typed a search and then started to click around in the Object Explorer window. Well that ended the search since the Object Explorer Details window refreshed based on what I was doing in the Object Explorer. So it would make sense that the search functionality be moved to its own window like most types of search functionality found in the Microsoft products. Just like using the find feature. Plus this means that you can only have one search displayed since there is only one Object Explorer Details window. What if I want to have multiple search results displayed at the same time?

Another issue was the filtering ability on the search. There really isn't any except if you select a database it will limit the search results to the database. You can't filter the search on just tables, views, stored procedures, indexes, etc.

Once you get the results returned then I would like a little more information returned. You do get the path which you can review to determine the database the item is associated with, but just having a database column would be helpful. Plus I would like to be able to do something with the results once I have them. Like being able to just right-click on them and depending on the object type open the table, modify the stored procedure, script the object, etc. The only thing the search is good for is to show me the object type and display a path as to where the object is located (not that I am complaining because this is very useful—and yes I guess I am complaining).

So here is my search laundry list (so far):

create a separate search window with the possibility of having more than one
include filtering capability (based on object type)
include more column metadata information (like database column – path is okay, but database would be more helpful)
include the object type options when you right-click on them (so you can script, modify, or open depending on the object type)
incorporate the search into the right-click context menu when you are in the Object Explorer and click on a folder or object (when it makes sense)

If you agree with these items in the list and would like to vote for these change please go to the Connect site here and vote.

https://connect.microsoft.com/SQLServer/feedback/ViewFeedback.aspx?FeedbackID=350636

SQL Server 2008 RC0 now publicly available

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 14:44:35 GMT

Just got a ping from my colleague and SQL Server Ace in Chicago, Aaron Lowe, telling me that RC0 is now available publicly on the MSDN downloads here. So after trying to get this through MSDN or TechNet Plus subscriptions it is available to everyone Weird...not sure why it just wasn't pushed out this way in the first place. Anyway, Teo Lachev posted a blog today in regards to the SQL Server 2008 Feature Pack for June 2008 here which you can download from here.

Download and enjoy the new release!

SQL Server 2008 RC0 now available...with a TechNet Plus Subscription

Sat, 07 Jun 2008 01:39:31 GMT

I was doing a quick check of my blogs before I sign off for the night and I noticed that Andrew Fryer made a blog posting here stating that a new release is available. It is finally available and I can't even get it I don't have the required TechNet Plus subscription to download the newly released SQL Server 2008 RC0 from here.

There was another blog posting early in the week in regards to the release of the new SQL Server 2008 logo here that provided a little insight in regards to the meaning behind the new logos. Here is what the new colors represent:

IT Management - Microsoft blue
Security - Microsoft green
Application Infrastructure - Microsoft deep red (new color)
Business Productivity Infrastructure - Microsoft deep yellow

And here is the new logo for SQL Server 2008:

Pretty cool

Andrew Fryer did a posting a couple of weeks ago in regards to e-mail signatures here where he posted this clip which is pretty sweet too:

Well hopefully in a week or two the new RC0 will be made available to everyone to download. "BI to the masses!"

Did you know? SQL Server 2008 includes Backup Compression

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 23:30:36 GMT

SQL Server 2008 includes database Backup Compression:

Keeping disk-based backups online is expensive and time-consuming. With SQL Server 2008 backup compression, less storage is required to keep backups online, and backups run significantly faster since less disk I/O is required.

By default, backup compression significantly increases CPU usage, which can adversely impact concurrent operations. You can now create low-priority compressed backups in a session whose CPU usage is limited by Resource Governor.

SQL Server 2008 Developer and Enterprise Editions and later supports compressing backups, and every edition of SQL Server 2008 or later can restore a compressed backup.

· Check out a screencast about the new Backup Compression feature in SQL Server 2008 here.

· Read more about this in the SQL Server 2008 BOL ‘Backup Compression (SQL Server)’.

Did you know? SQL Server 2008 includes Backup Compression

Did you know? SQL Server 2008 includes Auditing

Wed, 07 May 2008 13:31:01 GMT

SQL Server 2008 includes Auditing (server and database):

SQL Server 2008 now enables you to configure server and database level audit specifications. These specifications include server operations such as management changes and database actions such as data manipulation language (DML) and data definition language (DDL) operations. The output of the audits can be sent to a file, Windows Security event log, or the Windows Application event log.

· Check out a screencast about the new Audit feature in SQL Server 2008 here.

· Read more about this in the SQL Server 2008 BOL ‘Understanding SQL Server Audit’.

Video: Did you know? SQL Server 2008 includes Auditing

Did you know? SQL Server 2008 includes GROUPING SETS

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 22:12:09 GMT

SQL Server 2008 includes GROUPING SETS:

Grouping Sets is an extension to the GROUP BY clause that lets users define multiple groupings in the same query. Grouping Sets produces a single result set that is equivalent to a UNION ALL of differently grouped rows, making aggregation querying and reporting easier and faster.

Read more about this in the SQL Server 2008 BOL ‘GROUPING SETS’.

Check out a screencast about the new GROUPING SETS feature in SQL Server 2008 here.

Video: Did you know? SQL Server 2008 includes GROUPING SETS

Did you know? SQL Server 2008 includes Cache Transform screencast

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:38:35 GMT

SQL Server 2008 includes Cache Transform:

The Cache Transform transformation writes data from a connected data source in the data flow to a Cache connection manager. The cache can be populated from text files, XML files, Excel files, etc.; you are not limited to only populating the cache from an OLE DB source. The Lookup transformation in a package performs lookups on the data using the Cache connection manager.

You can configure the Cache connection manager to save the data to a cache file (.caw). The cache file can be populated once and reused throughout the ETL process within multiple Lookup transformations for performing surrogate key lookups and populating the data warehouse.

Read more about this in the SQL Server 2008 BOL ‘Cache Transform’.

Check out a screencast about the new cache transform transformation feature in SQL Server 2008 here.

Video: Did you know? SQL Server 2008 includes Cache Transform

If you are interested in additional information in regards to this topic check out these other blog postings and sites:

http://www.sqlskills.com/blogs/stacia/2007/10/17/SQLServer2008LookupTransformationAndCaching.aspx

http://blogs.conchango.com/jamiethomson/archive/2007/11/16/Katmai_3A00_-SSIS_3A00_-Lookup-component-gets-a-makeover.aspx

You can also check out a video on YouTube done by Jamie Thomson in regards to this new transformation here. The last time I viewed it there wasn't any audio, just video.

You can download the SSIS samples from CodePlex and take a look at a sample utilizing the cache transform here.

Did you know? SQL Server 2008 includes Data Profiling Task screencast

Sun, 06 Apr 2008 14:07:14 GMT

SQL Server 2008 includes Data Profiling Task:

The Data Profiling task is a new task in the Integration Services toolbox. You can use this task inside an Integration Services package to profile data that is stored in SQL Server. The information provided by the profile helps you identify potential problems with data quality. The Data Profiling task provides profiles that help identify data quality problems within individual columns and with column relationships:

Profiles that help identify problems within individual columns

· The distribution of lengths in the column values.

· The percentage of null values.

· The distribution of values in the column.

· Column statistics for numeric columns.

· Regular expressions that match string columns.

Profiles that help identify problems with column relationships

· Candidate key columns.

· Functional dependencies between columns.

· The inclusion of the set of values in one column in the set of values in another column.

Read more about this in the SQL Server 2008 BOL ‘Data Profiling Task’.

Check out a screencast about the new data profiling task feature in SQL Server 2008 here.

Video: Did you know? SQL Server 2008 includes Data Profiling Task

If you are interested in additional information in regards to this topic check out these other blog postings:

http://www.sqlskills.com/blogs/stacia/2007/11/27/SQLServer2008DataProfilingTaskTheQuickVersion.aspx

SSIS: Data Profiling Task: Part 1 - Introduction
Data Profiling Task: Part 2 - Column Length Distribution
Data Profiling Task: Part 3 - Column Null Ratio
Data Profiling Task: Part 4 - Column Pattern
Data Profiling Task: Part 5 - Column Statistics

Data Profiling Task: Part 6 - Column Value Distribution
Data Profiling Task: Part 7 - Functional Dependency
Data Profiling Task: Part 8 - Candidate Key
Data Profiling Task: Part 9 - Value Inclusion

SSIS: Data Profiling Task: Part 10 - Parsing the output

and if you want to know how to dynamically profile tables check out this blog posting which includes the code here.

Did you know? SQL Server 2008 includes Intellisense screencast

Sun, 06 Apr 2008 13:53:46 GMT

A new thing we are trying internally at work is sending out weekly 'Did you know?' (DYN) emails about new features that are included in SQL Server 2008. We are trying to spread awareness and excitement about the new version of SQL Server 2008. The emails include information about a new feature, links to the topic in BOL, a internal discuss in regards to the topic, and SQL Server 2008 information (main page site, trial download site, learning portal, webcasts, and virtual labs). The other item that we are including is a screencast of the new feature. So far I have done two of the DYN topics and I thought I would start sharing them with the rest of the community. Here is the screencast for Intellisense and I will post the other screencast on Data Profiling task next.

SQL Server 2008 includes T-SQL IntelliSense:
Transact-SQL IntelliSense provides intelligent aids for Transact SQL scripting that make language references easily accessible for database developers. When coding, you do not need to leave the Database Query Editor to perform searches on T-SQL language elements or your database metadata. You can keep your context, find the information you need, insert T-SQL language elements directly into your code, and even have IntelliSense complete your typing for you. This can speed up software development by reducing the amount of keyboard input required and minimize references to external documentation.

Read more about this in the SQL Server 2008 BOL ‘Using Intellisense’.

Check out a screencast about the new intellisense feature in SQL Server 2008 here.

Video: Did you know? SQL Server 2008 includes Intellisense

SQL Server Intellisense (CTP6) vs Red Gate SQL Prompt - Part II

Sat, 23 Feb 2008 13:57:18 GMT

This is a quick follow-up in regards to my initial blog entry, SQL Server 2008 Intellisense (CTP5) vs Red Gate SQL Prompt, comparing the Nov CTP5 intellisense against Red Gate's SQL Prompt. Sorry to say, I still have to tip my hat to Red Gate. They include more features, functionality, and intelligence with their intellisense. I guess that is what is going to differentiate them and possibly push people to still buy their product.

Here is the first screen of the new and some what improved CTP6 intellisense:

Some things to point out are the error indicators and the intellisense with the stored procedures that is included now, still no dropdown lists with stored procedures as far as I can tell, but you do get to see what parameters are needed along with their datatypes (one thing that SQL Prompt 2.0 doesn't do). The intellisense for the stored procedure did not show up until I placed the 'exec' command in front of the stored procedure. In regards to the error lists, I though one cool feature would be if it warned you that there was a datatype mismatch within the WHERE clause (ReportID would be expecting an integer value, not a string).

The error list is nice since this is now done prior to actually executing the statements and it will display your laundry list of issues that need to be corrected and you can double click on an item and it will bring you to that specific spot in the query window.

Just wanted to point out the sorting of the dropdown lists. Really no rhyme or reason to the output. Initially it looked like all of the tables were at the top of the list like SQL Prompt, but after further review they were not. Really disappointed, so if you are not sure what you are looking for exactly then good luck because the object types are not grouped together and put in a logical order. Same holds true once you go on to your where clause.

Sorry to say that intellisense still does not work with DELETE or INSERT statements, there are no more additional options available in the Tools Options menu, and no intelligence in the dropdown lists (so if you highlight the table 'Batch' you are not provided with a preview of the column names and datatypes).

Have to say that I still favor the Red Gate product, but still love the fact that this will now be bundled with the product.

SQL Server 2008 Feb CTP6 Installation Experience

Sat, 23 Feb 2008 13:11:06 GMT

Last week I installed the February CTP6 of SQL Server 2008 and I just wanted to share some clips of the new install screens. Lots of new options and I was really impressed with the entire install process. I know this only gets run once, but I just want to say way to go SQL Server Team! One of the initial requirements was the .NET framework 3.5 and I am assuming that is because Visual Studio 2008 is now the version of BIDS that is being installed instead of Visual Studio 2005.


The first screen is the install center which provides lots of nice options and links to additional information - very nice.	Feature selection which included options to install the Microsoft Synch Framework and install the client tools separately from BIDS.	New default install directories that allow you to see what is installed one level higher than before (more intuitive) -- MSSQL10, MSAS10, MSRS10.

Setting up the account information for the different services, startup option, and the ability to set one account to run them all at the bottom.	Set the directories for the database engine, for the tempdb and the backup directory right out of the gate.	Setting the security mode for the database engine and specifying an administrative account (this is required and provides button to simply add the current user).

Set the directories for analysis services and setting the temp and backup directories. You also need to specify an administrative account similar to the database engine.	Specify the configuration for SSRS -- native, SharePoint, or don't configure. Remember IIS is no longer a requirement to run SSRS.	New items in Mgmt Studio now for auditing, encryption, and policy management.

And last but not least Visual Studio 2008 instead of 2005!

SQL Server 2008 Feb CTP6 is now available!

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 11:37:29 GMT

Just woke up and checked the blogs quick and saw that Andrew Fryer made a post saying that CTP6 is available. Microsoft wanted this to be available prior to the L.A. launch at the end of the month and here it is. This is supposed to have all of the functionality that is going to be in the end product that will come out later this year in Q3. Enjoy! Go to the SQL Server 2008 download area here. There is supposed to be a RC1 released in Q2, so there will be one more release prior to the official one later this year. I am just downloading the product now, but Andrew did state that some of the new functionality in this release are:

Data compression.
Integrated full text search - indexes are now part of the database making for easier backup and faster mixed mode queries.
Filtered indexing - indexes with a where clause.
Partition aligned indexed views
Policy based management (the feature formerly known as declarative management framework)
Sparse columns so you can many more columns in a table
Gauges in reporting services

Download it now and get ready for the launch!

Just read another blog posting and I guess Microsoft has a bug bashing contest (you can win an Xbox Elite) going on for this CTP too. There are different product and levels of categories for the bug entries.

Check out the details here.

SQL Server 2008 Intellisense (CTP5) vs Red Gate SQL Prompt

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 02:27:59 GMT

I gave the intellisense in the SQL Server 2008 Nov CTP5 a test run this morning and was a bit disappointed compared to SQL Prompt by Red Gate. I am used to all of the settings within SQL Prompt (enabling options, integration, formatting, snippets, etc.) that the CTP did not meet my expectations. It did the basics, but in my opinion still has a ways to go. Now I see why it was not released with SQL Server 2005.

[Click on the pictures for a larger view of the image]

Here are a few captures of what it looks like and it is similar to Visual Studio intellisense where the CTRL+Spacebar (CTRL+J will also work) will display the dropdown list.

I did like the fact that it would tell you went you had an invalid column (typo) prior to execution.

I was never able to get the intellisense to show up for stored procedures, but it does state that it should work with them. There aren't too many configuration settings either.

Now compared to SQL Prompt the only thing that I haven't seen yet (and maybe it is just the version I am running -- 2.0) is the invalid column message, but otherwise you get quite a few more options.

Setting up how the intellisense gets activated and what applications SQL Prompt will integrate with.

Setting up what you want displayed in the dropdown list and formatting options.

Enabling the capitalization of keywords is kind of a picky thing, but I like it.

And you get snippets, so you can type 'w2' and then TAB and it will execute sp_who2 and the results will be displayed. Code snippets are pretty nice and save you some keystrokes and we all like that.

And the intellisense you get with SQL Prompt is more intelligent.

And it works with stored procedures (the SQL Server documentation says that it should be working, but not sure how to activate this yet -- if it works yet).

Also SQL Prompt works with INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE statements and it does not appear that the SQL Server version does yet. So for now I would have to give Red Gate the advantage, we will see if the SQL Server Team decides to add more functionality and configurations.

UPDATE 2/23/2008 - I have a Feb CTP6 follow up to this posting - SQL Server Intellisense (CTP6) vs Red Gate SQL Prompt - Part II

SQL 2008 and Change Tracking (screencast)

Sat, 08 Dec 2007 14:13:34 GMT

Just got done watching this screencast by Mike Taulty in regards to change data tracking in SQL 2008. I had not heard about this new feature yet and this was a great demonstration of how it works. I would highly recommend watching this if you have or have not heard about this yet. I believe this might require that you install Silverlight in order to watch the video. The video is approximately 16 minutes long.

Video: SQL 2008 and Change Tracking

Short video on working with change tracking in SQL Server 2008 by Mike Taulty.