Reed Me : community development

If you absolutely must call a WCF service from inside your database, here’s how you do it...

reedme — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 02:02:09 GMT

When I was an operations DBA, this would probably fall into the category of “just because you can do something, doesn’t mean that you should”:

Call a WCF Service from SQLCLR (by Niels Berglund)

However, there are probably a couple of good scenarios where I might advocate for doing just this in future projects, especially if the customers have experienced DBAs and don’t have an existing middle tier admin group. (They exist. I consulted for a couple.)

I’m encouraging Niels to formalize this a bit and put in CodePlex or Code Gallery.

Cool stuff!

SQL RSS code review coming up.

reedme — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 19:37:36 GMT

If you haven’t checked out this project, give it a look. We’re having an MVP code review in about a week.

Forum discussion

CodePlex project

Please file your bugs and suggestions as work items on CodePlex.

As always, if you’re interested in being a contributor to this project, let us know!

Samples forum consolidation.

reedme — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 01:12:37 GMT

Until today, all of the various SQL Server community and samples projects each had their own discussion board on CodePlex. In the interests of simplification that our customers have asked for in our samples experience, we’re consolidating all of those disparate discussion locations to one MSDN forum on the new forum platform.

Microsoft SQL Server Community & Samples Forum

Today and tomorrow, we’ll be closing up the discussion boards on CodePlex and linking those projects to the new forum.

If you’ve got specific questions about community and samples projects or are looking for people or projects to participate with, now you’ve got one place to do just that!

DTLoggedExec updated for the new year (and more).

reedme — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 23:11:43 GMT

Davide describes it best in his own words: What is DTLoggedExec?

If I were a full-time ETL developer or an operations DBA, this is definitely a tool I’d be using every day.

Grab yours today from CodePlex: http://www.codeplex.com/DTLoggedExec/

Now with more open and soon with more source!

reedme — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 22:24:56 GMT

Over the holidays, the SQL Server community & samples test team in China has been migrating all of our open product samples bugs out of our internal VSTS bug tracking database and into the VSTS database which backs the CodePlex TFS system. There are some non-bug work items which will be migrated (mostly related to the AdventureWorksKilimanjaro improvement) after the 1st of the year.

If you want to see new stuff from the community & samples team (create a work item on CodePlex!) or increase the likelihood that we’ll fix your pet bug with one of the samples, vote on the one(s) that you want fixed most and help us prioritize.

CodePlex Project Work Items for SQL Server Product Samples

Microsoft SQL Server Product Samples: Analysis Services

Microsoft SQL Server Product Samples: Data Programming

Microsoft SQL Server Product Samples: Database

Microsoft SQL Server Product Samples: End to End

Microsoft SQL Server Product Samples: Engine

Microsoft SQL Server Product Samples: Integration Services

Microsoft SQL Server Product Samples: Replication

Microsoft SQL Server Product Samples: Reporting Services

Microsoft SQL Server Product Samples: Scripts

Microsoft SQL Server Product Samples: Service Broker

Microsoft SQL Server Product Samples: XML

In other news, we will be migrating all of the product samples discussion forums to the new MSDN forums platform in January in a single consolidated place to chat about SQL Server community and samples projects.

I’ll be in use-it-or-lose vacation territory this afternoon, hence you may or may not hear from me again until after New Year’s. If not, I wish y’all a merry New Year!!

Simplifying AdventureWorks setup

reedme — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:28:11 GMT

FYI, we’re actively working on improving the setup experience for the SQL Server 2008 sample databases (aka AdventureWorks). We’ve heard your feedback and we’re acting on it. Here are some of the salient points you’ll see for the Halloween update (Samples Refresh 1):

Fewer selections to make to choose the appropriate download.
All the AdventureWorks databases (both versions) in one small package.
Streamlined automatic deployment of databases to your local instance.

Here’s a visual comparison of what the release page may look like the next time you download AdventureWorks:

Some potential future improvements that we’re considering for the next refresh of SQL Server 2008 samples:

Individual selection of the databases to install.
Automated deployment of Analysis Services cubes.
A ClickOnce SQL Server Community Samples browser application.

As always, we value your feedback and want to hear it, good and bad. After all, we’re building these things for you! If they’re not what you want/need, tell us what you do want/need!! That’s why we’re in the process of moving all of our community and samples work items out into the open on CodePlex. Create one and tell us what you want to see us working on!

More AdventureWorks in the blogosphere...

reedme — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 02:33:16 GMT

Thanks for the plug, Stuart!

Installing the AdventureWorks Sample Databases (Stuart Cox’s Tech Punch)

We’re working on simplifying the setup experience for AdventureWorks in time for Halloween, but we appreciate the assist!

Cool (Free, Open) Tools: SQL RSS

reedme — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 23:15:40 GMT

Even if nobody has asked you for an RSS feed of data in one or more of your databases, it won't be long before they do! When they do, you can grab this configurable, easy to use data-driven RSS feed widget.

A couple ideas for using this application:

Business intelligence updates delivered to Microsoft Outlook 2007 for management.
Proactive application event logs to your Vista Sidebar news gadget FTW!

I'm sure you can think of more... Check it out!

SQL RSS on CodePlex.com (Microsoft SQL Server Community & Samples)

It's also a great way to get a solid introduction to these technologies:

Change Data Tracking (CDT) feature of SQL Server 2008
SQL Server Reporting Services
The syndication feed feature of WCF
LINQ to XML
ADO.NET

Join us!
This project is a bit different than other SQL Server-sponsored projects. We want YOU to contribute to it. We are actively seeking other people (i.e. not on my team) to enhance and grow this project. Whether you work for Microsoft or not, let us know if you'd like to help!

Oh, snap! Survey sez SQL Server community rulez?!

reedme — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 21:03:49 GMT

OK, I'll admit it. I'm always very behind in reading industry blogs, rags, whatever. And I'm biased. Heh. OTH, Sean McCown can hardly be called biased toward Microsoft... so when he and I agree on something, I'm glad that he's come around to see The Truth™. Hee-hee!

(No, I don't normally talk like that. I don't even know for sure what "oh, snap!" means. It just seemed like a funny thing to say. If I offended anybody, I'm only sorry that it was accidental. ;-)

Tom's blog is what lead me to Sean's (although I'd heard other people discussing it - yes, Microsoft pays attention to the World Outside Redmond™): The real difference between SQL Server and Oracle, in 2 parts (Tom Sullivan)

[Yes, I know I need to stop working and read more blogs. I know. I've only got ~6,000 unread email in my inbox. My Xbox misses me, too.]

Since a big part of my job description is continuing to build and expand the SQL Server community that we're talking about, I'm glad that other people agree that what we (all of us, including YOU) have already created in that community ROCKS!! It's not perfect by any means, but like democracy, it sure [censored]s less than all of the alternatives. Heh.

Part 1 is cool. Thanks for saying nice things about us, Sean! (We didn't even have to pay him to say them. Ha-ha.)

The answer is simple: information. Microsoft has built such a strong community and its members are committed to helping each other. There are so many forums out there you just don't have time to go to them all. And one of the most amazing things I've found is that the MSDN forums are actually sharked by Microsoft's own PSS and dev teams. You just can't get any better than that. You've got both the guys on the support team, and the guys who actually write the code helping you with your problem. You've got MVPs out there writing new and exciting books like crazy. They're really giving up all the secrets on how SQL works, and what you can do with it.
The real difference between SQL Server and Oracle (Sean McCown)

Part 2 is just funny. Although I have to wonder why Sean was surprised at the reaction... The interwebs being what they are, the "overwhelming" response to anything the smells like a troll is usually painful.

Because while I don't know the research skills of everyone who wrote me, I do know my own. I research things for a living basically. And if I've had problems finding some of these resources, then I know others have too.
Oracle's community: part 2 (Sean McCown)

A lot of people think that SQL Server info is hard to find, so I can only imagine how hard it is to find Oracle headlight fluid... We're always working on ways to make SQL Server info easier to find.

Ultimately, though, the community is YOU. You, the SQL Heroes™ are the ones who made it a reality. We've still got a lot of work to do, so this is no time to be resting on our laurels. Which reminds, me? Where is YOUR contest entry? Hrm?

Open Source Day @ Microsoft (tomorrow)

reedme — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 01:05:57 GMT

Actually, every day is an open source day for me @ Microsoft (since that's what I do -- publish and promote open source SQL Server projects), but tomorrow is a special all open, all source, all day day for us.

Tomorrow the bonus for me is being able to sit back and watch for most of the day while the Microsoft Conference Center hosts an all day series of presentations by Other People™.

I'll be the guy wearing the SQL Heroes T-shirt. Feel free to say, "Howdy."

[Yes, Steve (all of the Steves), I'm still working on MDDE, SQL Server Gadgets, updated AdventureWorks installers and 19-zillion other things that you want updated on CodePlex. There're only three of us on this little team. Thank you for your patience.]

Be there. Do that. Get the T-shirt.

reedme — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 20:08:44 GMT

Since I've never been to an MVP Global Summit, Tech*Ed or the SQL PASS summit, I'm looking forward to going this year. Since I will have T-shirts, I'm hoping that I won't have to be lonely. Heh.

SQL Heroes : The T-shirts have arrived.

If you don't have a clue about what kind of project to start, keep an eye on the SQL Heroes blog! Although I will *not* be blogging about actual contest entries until the Contest Period™ is over, I will be blogging about Community Projects™ that *I* want to see.

If you've got a great contest idea that you want to "protect" and you haven't signed up for the contest yet... you'd better get started... or I might "accidentally" blog your great idea for all the world to see. Heh.

Calling all SQL Heroes!

reedme — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 03:51:33 GMT

I'm hoping that I can keep my blogs straight, but for the duration of the contest, I'll be blogging in two places: here and there.

Here will be all the normal stuff you don't read anyway, and over there is your chance to convince me to give you a Windows Home Server. (Well, convince me and the other SQL Ranger judges, and the SQL Server community at large.)

In case you haven't heard, the SQL Heroes Blog is where the Official Contest Rules™ live. Check it out. If you get a chance to come to the MVP Global Summit next month or Tech*Ed-Developer this summer, come introduce yourself. I might even have a SQL Heroes T-shirt for you!

{Open Source} Heroes Happen Here?

reedme — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 23:19:57 GMT

They certainly do. I'm glad to see initiatives like this!

{Open Source} Heroes Happen Here

If you want a Hero Hack Pack, you'd better ask 'em for one soon. While supplies last...

Office is now more open?

reedme — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 20:18:23 GMT

Having been involved with a government archival project, I can say that format longevity is a serious concern.

Particularly in the case of governments, documents may be required to be archived for hundreds of years. Indeed, many local, state, national and international governments are actively in the process of establishing policies that every document must be easily retrievable using standardized formats.
Microsoft 'Frees' Office Formats (InternetNews.com)

The only thing that I'm disappointed about is that the project's in SourceForge, not CodePlex. Hrm.

How do I use Feature X in SQL Server?

reedme — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 00:20:18 GMT

Buck's got a great point about how SQL Server's development themes are managed from the top down:

It isn't a matter of thinking up single features or changes to the product, it's a cohesive direction we all want to go.
Carpe Datum : Why on earth are you working on that?

Reading his blog always make me wish that I could translate the pun in the title of my blog into Latin, too. Heh.

However, when it comes down to actually using SQL Server's new features du jour (see how I get my exotic language points in, too?), it's all about the individual features and changes to the product. Which is where the product samples and community projects come in... We (collectively) have got to take the roadmap and figure out the simplest way to show people how to use individual features and changes to the product in 2008.

Here are of the new features that we're fixin' to show off in the AdventureWorks 2008 family of databases. (Yes, I just moved from Tejas to Redmond, so we're fixin' to. Deal wit' it.)

Support for Entity Framework
Integrated full text indexing support
New data types

New date/time types
ORDPATH
FILESTREAM
GEOGRAPHY

Backup compression

At least that's the current plan. We're working through some changes that we tentatively plan to ship in the CTP6/joint launch timeframe. Among other things, I'd like to figure out how to get transparent data encryption and some others in there, too. BUT some of the self-imposed constraints for the AdventureWorks family of databases are that they have to be easy to deploy... and easy to understand. I've got half a mission statement for the AdventureWorks databases drafted, but those are two of the core principles.

Easy to understand is the driver that prompted Bonnie last year to create the newest member of the AdventureWorks family of databases: AdventureWorks LT. We (before I was part of we) had received feedback from customers that there are some folks who are new to the database universe who struggle with a higher level of normalization that the AdventureWorks OLTP database demonstrates, so AdventureWorks LT was born. It's a subset of the AdventureWorks data in a greatly denormalized format that is easier for instructors to demonstrate simple T-SQL concepts with and easier for new students of database technology to grasp. But I digress... If you yearn for the simplicity of Northwind or pubs, check out AdventureWorks LT and let me know what you think.

If you've got a favorite Feature X that you'd like to see in the AdventureWorks 2008 schemas, now is the time to voice your opinion. Let's hear it!

[Obligatory Disclaimer: Like the Any Key of legend, the name Feature X is a convenient placeholder or wildcard term. There is not now, nor has there ever been, a part of SQL Server called Feature X. As far as you know.]