MSDN Virtual Labs allows customers to quickly evaluate or learn how to build applications through a series of guided, hands-on labs which can be completed in 90 minutes or less.

The best part is, the MSDN Virtual Labs do not require any installation and are available to customers immediately for free.

The MSDN Data Access Virtual Labs offers the following labs to try out right now:

  • XML Tools in Visual Studio 2005 New!

    After completing this lab, you will be better able to:

    • Work with XML Editor
    • Work with XML Schemas
    • Work with XSLT Debugger
  • ADO.NET vNext August CTP New!
  • SQL Server 2005 SQL Server and ADO.NET (Lab A)

    In this lab you will learn to:

    • Build a Windows application displaying a bound data grid
    • Execute a long-running query that would normally block the user interface as it runs
  • SQL Server 2005 SQL Server and ADO.NET (Lab B)

    In this lab you will learn to:

    • Build a Windows application displaying a bound data grid
    • Use SqlDependency and SqlNotifications
  • Using Xquery with SQL Server 2005 XML Data

    In this lab you will learn to:

    • Use the built-in methods of the XML data type to execute XQuery queries
    • Execute XQuery and T-SQL together
    • Modify XML data by using XQuery
  • SQL Server 2005 XML Capabilities

    In this lab you will learn to:

    • Store XML data in a table
    • Query XML data using a variety of mechanisms
    • Modify XML data
  • Visual Basic 2005 Lab 2 - Working with Databases using SQL Server 2005

    In this lab you will learn to:

    • Create a Class Library
    • Creating a SQL Server Database
    • Configure MyPhotosDataSet
    • Write Code
  • ASP.NET 2.0 Data Access

    In this lab you will learn to:

    • Use SqlDataSource controls to bind to databases
    • Use ObjectDataSource controls to bind to data components
    • Create and configure data components
    • Parameterize data sources using control values
    • Parameterize data sources using query strings
    • Use GridView and DetailsView controls
    • Customize the columns in a GridView control
    • Customize the rows in a DetailsView control
    • Display images in DetailsView controls using ImageFields
    • Update databases with ObjectDataSources, GridViews, and DetailsViews
    • Configure data source controls to cache query results
    • Use SQL cache dependencies to refresh cached query results
  • Developing a SQL Mobile Application with Visual Studio 2005 and SQL Server 2005 New!

    In this lab you will learn to:

    • Synchronize data between a Windows Mobile®–based device and a SQL Server 2005 backend database
    • Create a SQL Mobile database, set up, and configure SQL Server 2005 and Internet Information Services (IIS) for merge replication.
    • Create a Microsoft .NET Compact Framework application to maintain SQL Mobile data and synchronize it with SQL Server data
    • Synchronize SQL Mobile data with any backend data store using a Web service
  • Architecting Connected Systems: SQL Server 2005 Web Services

    In this lab you will learn to:

    • Create HTTP Endpoints
    • View the WSDL exposed by the Endpoints
    • Consume HTTP Endpoints

    Alex Barnett, Program Manager.