Dan's Blog

I am Principal Program Manager at Microsoft leading the Business Platform Division's (BPD) community team. BPD includes SQL Server, SQL Azure, BizTalk, AppFabric, and other technologies and services.

Oracle Unbreakable == Oxymoron

  And I ask once again… why do people run Oracle?...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 01/18/2012

Designing for Security

I just finished reading this article on NoSQL security. It raised a couple of concerns: 1. Systems...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 01/16/2012

SQL PASS PowerShell Session Materials

  The presentation and scripts can be found here. Two questions came up which I couldn’t answer...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 10/13/2011

Be a Virtual SQL Server Team Member

I’ve been blogging here and here about testing Denali CTP3. Here is a recent picture of the SQL...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 09/28/2011

Have you Downloaded SQL Server Denali CTP3?

At the end of August we released CTP3 (Community Technology Preview) of the next release of SQL...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 09/20/2011

Help Make SQL Server “Denali” The Best Release Yet!

Bugs reported by the community have played a huge role in the amazing quality of past releases of...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 08/21/2011

SQL Server codename “Denali”–“Product Update”

There’s a great new feature in the next release of SQL Server (codename “Denali”) which integrates...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 07/19/2011

Day 13 on the Job

Today is my 13th day in the new job as the community lead for the Business Platform Division. It has...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 07/06/2011

MVPs: Evangelists in Sheep’s Clothing?

I was recently talking to a co-worker and I characterized MVPs as evangelists, among other things. I...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 06/27/2011

Pilot Projects

I spent the first eight years of my career in enterprise IT for a Fortune 15 company. Back then IT...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 06/15/2011

SQL Server Code Name “Denali” – Supported OSes and Upgrade Paths

We are looking for feedback on three items for SQL Server Code Name “Denali”. First, are the...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 06/10/2011

Forgot Your Password?

I’ve seen three basic patterns for handling forgotten web site passwords: Send a change password...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 06/06/2011

Best Practice Policies for Policy-Based Management

Policy-Based Management (PBM) was introduced with SQL Server 2008 – it’s a declarative system for...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 05/27/2011

Loading SQL Server Snapins into your PowerShell Session

Caveat: I don’t write code for a living. But I do know how to get things done, usually using brute...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 03/31/2011

Oy vey – Poor Security Habits Highlighted Again

The March 2011 issues of Database Trends and Application has an article that highlights the results...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 03/28/2011

Changing Service Account & Service Account Password

I recently botched an answer about why one should use SQL Configuration Manager (SQLCM) over Service...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 12/15/2010

SQL Server Express: Dev or Prod?

Most people I’ve spoken to have at least heard of the Express edition. The next question I ask is...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 12/12/2010

Vendor Lock In or Ignorant Design?

I often hear people say '”I’m not going to use Microsoft stuff because the don’t want to become...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 12/06/2010

Database Schema Help

I’m testing out some new stuff and I need your help.Do you have a schema that has a bunch of complex...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 11/21/2010

SQL PASS Summit Focus Groups

This year during the PASS Summit we (Microsoft) will be conducting a bunch of focus groups. This is...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 11/02/2010

Project “Houston” Grows up to become Database manager for SQL Azure

I’ve blogged before on Project “Houston” (here and here). at PDC this past week we announced that as...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 10/31/2010

What Does Failure Mean to You?

We recently announced some changes to a set of technologies that were linked together via the...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 09/25/2010

New SCOM Management Pack for SQL Server 2005, 2008, 2008 R2

Last week we released an updated, almost completely revamped, System Center Operations Manager...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 08/08/2010

Houston we don’t have a problem

Phil Factor recently wrote an editorial about Project Houston. I agree with his meta point that...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 08/01/2010

New UI Design Blog

The UX PM on my team recently started a blog on design: designquirk.blogspot.com/. If you’re...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 06/27/2010

SQL Server Project “Houston” & SQL Azure

In this video from TechEd 2010, Group Program Manager Patric McElroy demos some new and future SQL...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 06/12/2010

NEW! SQL Server Setup Portal

I know I shouldn’t be but when I talk to DBAs I’m amazed how much time is spent...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 05/15/2010

SQL Azure Now Supports Data-tier Applications

As announced today on the SQL Azure blog, SQL Azure now supports Data-tier Applications which are...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 04/21/2010

Not Everyone is an Expert

In my day to day work I interact mostly with experts in the field of database technology and...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 04/08/2010

Automating DBA Processes – the White Paper

A while back I participated in a round table on automating DBA tasks. From that event a few folks...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 04/01/2010

The DB Taste Challenge

This is hilarious! www.martinidesign.com/sql/landing/index_pres.html

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 02/20/2010

Calling All Web Developers

Are you a web developer? Regardless if you use the MS stack, an open source stack, or a combination...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 02/08/2010

SQL Server 2008 R2 Release Date is Set for May 2010

Well folks it’s official we’re going to release SQL Server 2008 R2! The release date is set for May...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 01/20/2010

What Makes a Strong Community?

I often hear people characterize the MySQL community as strong and vibrant. In fact I’ve heard...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 01/06/2010

Best Practice: Naming Constraints

Within SQL Server there are a number of different types of constraints: CHECK DEFAULT FOREIGN KEY...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 10/29/2009

Developing Data-tier Applications Using Visual Studio 2010

Check out this rocking video of Sanjay Nagamangalam demoing the Data-tier Application functionality...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 10/27/2009

PDC Session on the Data-tier Application Component

Are you going to this year’s PDC? Are you still on the fence? There’s a very cool session @ PDC on...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 10/21/2009

Perfect Conference Storm

November is shaping up to be the perfect storm of conferences. In a time when budgets are extremely...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 09/19/2009

PBM – it’s like liquid awesome!

Brent Ozar and Thomas LaRock do a 3 part video series on the power of Policy-based Management (PBM)....

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 08/30/2009

SQL Server 2008 R2 August CTP: Utility Bug

The August CTP of SQL Server 2008 R2 contains a bug in Management Studio when connected to a Control...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 08/22/2009

SQL Server Web Developer Survey

The Microsoft SQL Server product team is undertaking a short survey to help guide potential new...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 06/10/2009

PCI Compliance and SQL Server 2008

Today compliance is a huge focus area for IT. Since compliance is written by lawyers for lawyers it...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 04/19/2009

Using PowerShell to Get Data & Log File Sizes

I was playing around with PowerShell today (yes I’m was geeking out on Saturday afternoon) to learn...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 03/21/2009

Up & Running on Win7

Rock and Roll! Yesterday I did a clean install of Win7 x64 Beta on my Lenovo x301. Setup was fast...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 01/13/2009

What Has 2 Thumbs & Is Excited About Windows 7?

Answer: This guy! I’ve been following very closely the press and reviews on the early peaks of...

Author: Dan Jones MSFT Date: 01/10/2009

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