Administrator.
There. Spelled it right. Sorry about that. 🙂 Thanks for all of the notes!
New SelectViews Show is Live
SQL Server service packs, VS CTP, SQL Server features and applications, SQL Server Tip: Auditing your systems.
End-user SharePoint resources for your systems, new mobile devices with SharePoint, upcoming events and more.
[Watch the Show]
Killer Learning Events
We have several things coming up to learn all about SQL Server – from Accidental DBA-type things (DBA School) to Full-up 75-session events (vConference):
– DBA School – Apr 19, 20, 21 – In-Person class that focuses on the things you really need to know – and shows/teaches how to apply it.
– SQL Server Admin Expo – Apr 26 – Free event – 3 sessions by excellent speakers, about SQL Server administration
– Spring 2010 SSWUG.ORG Virtual Conference – SQL Server, Business Intelligence, SharePoint – 75 sessions, 20 speakers…
See you there!
Featured Article(s)
Getting Management to See the Technical Projects
Just as you are ready to start putting the plan in place management takes a look at the plan and for one reason or another, the plan has been pulled and your attention has been focused elsewhere.
Master Data Services
One of the things that I think is really exciting going forward with SQL Server is the direction of master data services. The idea of building the tools and repositories to support the long-sought "single version of the truth" type data stores is something that I think we’ll all come to rely on. By having systems and tools that an help assure you have the "right" information and that your facts are set up correctly and reliably, you add trust to the data you’re using.
Getting your arms around MDS is challenging though because it’s a tall order to "just" explain it. There are so many applications of the technology that it makes it tough to demo meaningfully.
I found a great start though here by Nick Barclay. He goes through the basics and explains things well, and briefly.
Is this something you’re working with yet? I fear that it’s a complex setup, though the payoff is huge as well.
I hope the application and use of the services gets some attention going forward to help make it more straightforward, but I also hope it does suffer the "wow that’s really big and scary to do" of so many business intelligence applications. Everyone wants the results, just not the work to get it going.
For me, I’d sure like to have processes that could help automate the discovery process on some of these. For analysis services, for reporting and other tools, it seems like some deep thought work could be done to help SQL Server recognize data patterns and relationships and then apply that to the information and possible outputs. It would be cool to let SQL Server go off and work, then come back with possible solutions to setting up these tools. I’ve seen some partial work on this (and may be missing more, goodness knows I don’t know every single feature), but it would be nice to see this type of tool.
For our own systems, and as an example, I’m working through to look for trends, then test against the trends to see if they hold true or were just weirdness in the database sample I happen to be looking at. If whatever the element is hold true, it’s possible we can use it for other things like reports and such. It’s tedious, painful and I can only design for those things that I already know. I sure would like the system to come back and suggest things — "hey! we noticed that when you talk about THIS, you sometimes talk about THAT – is that relationship typical/useful/interesting?" Perhaps that borders more on AI.