MSPA Newsletter, May 2009

Lori Turner — Fri, 08 May 2009 20:26:00 GMT

In the May 2009 issue of the MSPA Newsletter, read about:

Deliver Solutions Faster with Windows HPC Server 2008. SIMULIA delivers simulation solutions faster with Windows HPC Server 2008, and sees the advanced programming tool set as a critical asset.
The “Velocity” Project. “Velocity” is the code-name for a distributed in-memory application cache platform for developing scalable, available, and high-performance applications.
Tune Your Web Applications for Performance. Let us show you some Internet Explorer tips and tricks – we can show you how to troubleshoot and optimize the client-side performance of your web applications.
SQL 2008 Opportunities abound! We have workshops, training and consulting engagements that cover the gamut of SQL 2008 features and technologies:

SQL Server 2008 Analysis Services Development and Deployment. An engagement designed to take participants from level 0 to 300 using Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Analysis Services, with emphasis on design, implementation and deployment of OLAP cubes and analytical solutions.
SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services. An engagement designed to take participants from level 0 to 300 using Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services, with emphasis on design, implementation and deployment of reporting solutions.
SQL Server 2008 for Administrators. Learn tools and techniques to install, configure, secure and maintain Microsoft SQL Server 2008 and benefit from an introduction to new features.
SQL Server 2005/2008: Failover Clustering. This workshop provides database administrators the knowledge and skill on how to install, configure, secure, maintain and troubleshoot Microsoft SQL Server Failover Clustering. The workshop covers SQL Server 2005 and 2008 and points out the differences between them. It also includes various hands-on labs designed to provide the students with the practical experience and confidence required to manage SQL Server Failover Clusters in a daily work environment.
SQL Server 2005/2008: Performance Tuning and Optimization. Accelerate time to resolution with proactive planning to keep your IT systems up and running. This workshop provides information on SQL Server general architecture, index and page structures, locking and concurrency, tools and monitoring of SQL Server performance using SQL Management Studio, dynamic management views, query optimization, and insight into SQL OS, memory architecture and programming efficiency. Students take an in-depth look at analyzing performance counters, Profiler events features, blocking, and key dynamic management views for performance tuning.

Can I Redistribute that File? An FAQ for many ISVs. Read the newsletter to learn more…
Upcoming Tech Talks and Local Events. Read about upcoming tech talks especially for our MSPA customers and find open enrollment workshops in your area.

SharePoint and SQL Server 2008, Why Upgrade?

green.cliff — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 04:14:29 GMT

With the imminent release of SQL Server 2008 it is important to understand what possibilities it can offer when we talk about using it as a data store for SharePoint 2007. While nothing will actually change in the SharePoint platform, having a different data store with advanced capabilities provides some options you can't get anywhere else. SQL Server 2008 will offer the following advantages to customers that are using SharePoint.

Encryption, assuming this will be supported at RTM, and there is little reason to believe that it won't be. SQL 2008 will provide encryption on the disk for items that are stored in the database. This is a big boost for those companies that wish to prevent the DBA from being able to potentially expose information stored in MOSS.
Backups can now be compressed. Compression will apply to backups and logs for SQL Server and if applied at the server level can impact backups taken from Central admin also. Estimates are > 25-35%.
Enhancements to database mirroring including automatic page repair, improved performance, and enhanced supportability. This will help those disaster recovery situations become a little easier.
Resource Governor provides a consistent and predictable response to end users. This is accomplished by allowing organizations to define resource limits and priorities for different workloads, which enable concurrent workloads to provide consistent performance to their end users.
Policy Based Administration is a policy-based system for managing one or more instances of SQL Server 2008.

There are probably others I am omitting, but I see these as the highlights. For more information please click here.

Developer Advisory Services for ISVs : SQL Server 2008

MSPA Newsletter, May 2009

SharePoint and SQL Server 2008, Why Upgrade?