Featured White Paper(s)
Java Database Connectivity
Database connections are the lifeblood of enterprise applications, administrating the secure and steady flow of information b… (read more)
Upcoming Events
Workshop: SQL Server 911 – SQL Server MVP Chris Shaw’s workshop on everything (and I do mean EVERYTHING) you wanted to know and fully understand about SQL Server backup and recovery is coming up. Make sure you get your reservation in for this virtual workshop. This is 4+ hours where Chris covers all of the options, demonstrates what to do when recovery processes fail, how to restore, how to backup and much, much more. Get more information at the site, including the course outline. Find out why people are raving about the vWorkshops – a great tool for learning the important things you want to know.
Come see Chris Shaw – Workshop: SQL Server 911 We’ll even be issuing certificates after you successfully complete the course quiz. Hope to see you there!
New SelecTViews Show
Craig Utley and Jason Strate are in the studio for today’s SelecTViews. Find out about their thoughts on SQL Server, industry happenings and tips.
[Watch Now]
Establishing Standards for Third Party Applications on Your Servers
At our DBASchool class, we were talking about having standards for applications to be installed on your servers. Of course many applications don’t play by the rules correctly, installing to use SA accounts, setting up protected instances and all sorts of other things.
The biggest successes I’ve had have had to deal with having established rules for software installations. If you can present those rules to the vendor, and the vendor is interested in working with you, you’ll get a lot farther in having their application "behave" as you need. When you set up these rules, you’ll want to call out the assumptions and requirements you have –
– How will the application handle security?
– What are the maintenance requirements for the application (what maintenance should the application install automatically or allow you to do on your own)?
– Access to the database – are you able to apply service packs? Will it impact your service agreements?
Do you have "standards" for applications on your systems? If so, what are they? Have you had successes applying those standards to third-party software? What works best for you in getting things done that make your systems supportable with these applications?
From what I’ve seen, it depends a great deal on the application and vendor of course, but the more mainstream and "shrink-wrap" the application is, the less likely it is that it will bend to support your requirements. Still, it’s worth working with vendors to try to make their applications behave as you need them to.
What works for you? Drop me a note, let me know.
Webcast Today:
Processing Late Arriving Facts with Integration Services
Handling late arriving facts and performing historical loads are common tasks in Data Warehousing scenarios. This webcast takes a look at the pros and cons of three different approaches to this problem using SSIS.
Presented by: Matt Masson.
> Register Now
> 9/30/2009 at 12:00pm Noon Pacific