Cristian's Blog

Microsoft Security Bulletin MS11-049

2011-06-15T14:57:00Z

Vulnerability in the Microsoft XML Editor Could Allow Information Disclosure

It's been a while since SQL Server security needed a patch and today it just happened. A vulnerability in Microsoft XML Editor allows an attacker to obtain sensitive information by using a custom Web Service Discovery (.disco) file. Read more about this vulnerability here

Do you want to test Windows Azure and the credit card condition stops you

2011-04-02T12:00:00Z

Do you want to test Windows Azure and the credit card condition stops you?

Not anymore!

You can test Windows Azure without having a credit card using a new promotion:
http://windowsazurepass.com/

There is a small catch - you need a code to use this promotion and the code can be obtained simply by writing an email or message to me.

Save a tree

2010-05-15T13:52:00Z

Did you know?

A ton of recycled paper is equivalent to recycling a newspaper and two white sheets daily for one year.
A ton of recycled paper saves 20 trees, 3.800 kWh, 32.000L of water and prevents 27 kg of pollutants from being released into atmosphere.

So why we recycle paper?

To reduce deforestation, and this way there will be fewer: landslides, climate change, floods, habitat and biodiversity destruction and destruction of recreation areas;
To reduce the imports of wood
To reduce water consumption by up to 60%;
To reduce energy consumption by up to 40%;
To reduce air pollution by up to 70%;
To diminish pollution by up to 35%;
To decreases the amount of garbage deposited in landfills or incinerators.

Personal story: I lost 60kg of extra weight today :) - I mean by that recycling 60 kg of paper. ( For Bucharest you can use "Depozitul de maculatura".)

SQL Server 2008 R2 resources (reloaded)

2010-04-22T07:13:00Z

The SQL Server 2008 R2 RTM is here and with it a lot of new resources.

Test Drive

Webcasts, Videos and events

SQL Server 2008 R2 Virtual Tour
TechNet Webcast: How Microsoft IT Developed Best Practices in Offering PowerPivot as a Service (Level 300)
TechNet Webcast: SQL Server 2008 R2: Server Consolidation (Level 300)
TechNet Webcast: SQL Server 2008 R2: Simplify Management of Your SQL Server Data Platform (Level 300)
SQL Server 2008 R2 Technical Preview: New features and capabilities in SQL Server 2008 R2 Tom Casey, General Manager, SQL Server Business Intelligence (GITCA Fireside Chat)
SQL Server 2008 R2: Self Service Analytics Donald Farmer (GITCA Fireside Chat)
Microsoft Kicking Off SQL Server 2008 R2 Launch Tour at PASS European Conference 2010
24 Hours of PASS: Celebrating SQL Server 2008 R2
For MCT and Educators - MCT & Educator Virtual Summit 2010
SQL Server 2008 R2 Tweetup Video Montage

Blog posts

Books

Documentation

SQL Server 2008 R2 Books Online - downloadable format here
SQL Server 2008 R2 Books Online - What's new
SQL Server 2008 R2 Resource Kit

Whitepapers

E-Learning Clinics (thanks to Greg Low)
- Clinic 10334: Introduction to Managed Self-Service BI with SQL Server 2008 R2 (New)
  [quote]This clinic covers the following topics:
  - Self-service Analysis
  - Self-service Report Authoring
  - Enhancing Report Visualization
  - Managed Self-service BI
  [/quote]
- Clinic 10331: Introduction to Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Master Data Services
  [quote] This clinic covers the following topics:Master Data Services concepts, hierarchies, how to plan and implement Master Data Services Projects. [/quote]
- Clinic 10335: Introduction to Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 StreamInsight
  [quote] This clinic covers the following topics:
  - StreamInsight core concepts
  - Querying Stream-based Events
  - Designing and Working with Event Models
  - Hosting Queries and configuring Adapters
  [/quote]
- Clinic 10336: Introduction to SQL Server 2008 R2 Application and Multi-Server Management
  [quote]
  This clinic covers the following topics:
  - Introducing Application and Multi-server Management
  - Working with data-tier applicationsManaging change in data-tier applications.
  - Managing data-tier applications
  [/quote]
- Clinic 10332: Introduction to Microsoft SQL Azure
  Obviously this clinic is not related to SQL Server 2008 R2 but it's worth mentioning it :) [quote]
  This clinic covers the following topics:
  - Understanding the SQL Azure Platform
  - Designing Applications for SQL Azure
  - Migrating Applications to SQL Azure
  - Achieving Scale with SQL Azure
  [/quote]
- Clinics on Parallel Data Warehouse, SQL Virtualization to published soon.
Local Resources

Slides from the SQL Server 2008 R2 launch (in Romanian from Zoli's blog)

Rafal Lukawiecki - BI with Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 and Microsoft Office System 2010 (event slides - source: Zoli's blog)

Session 1: The Big Picture of Business Intelligence: Goals, Concepts, and the Platform
This session will introduce the overall picture of Business Intelligence and will relate the Microsoft BI Platform to it.
Session 2: The Knowledge Worker’s Perspective: Self-Service of BI
This session will concentrate on how Office System 2010, in particular SharePoint 2010 and its PerformancePoint Services enable anyone to create and use BI in an organization. We will also introduce the very new Microsoft Power Pivot stressing how existing Excel skills enable self-service analysis and also mention other self-service aspects of BI, such as self-service reporting. This session will also discuss the IT Professional challenge of managing the life cycle of a potentially fast, organically growing BI system built by its users.
Session 3: The IT Perspective: Data Warehousing, Management, and Analytical Structures
This session aims to take a look at BI capabilities of the SQL Server 2008 R2. We will introduce Master Data Management and new approaches to massive Data Warehousing.
Session 4: The Analyst’s Perspective: Ad-hoc Analysis with Microsoft Power Pivot and Office 2010 Excel
We will introduce a new language for analysis known as DAX which can help more advanced users create powerful analytical applications all inside Excel and PowerPivot. Finally, we will review the existing Data Mining technologies of SQL Server 2008 R2.
Summary: Microsoft BI for Your Enterprise

SQL Server 2008 Express R2 RTM?

2010-04-21T11:03:00Z

At least the following downloads are available:
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 RTM - Express
Microsoft SQL Server2008 R2 RTM - Express with Advanced Services
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 RTM - Express with Management Tools
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 RTM - Management Studio Express

In case you didn't know the SQL Server 2008 R2 Express Edition - expands the size limit of a user database to 10GB.

Also looking at the downloads related to SQL Server 2008 R2 it seems that also a trial is available for download.

To tweet or not to tweet?

2010-04-11T17:15:00Z

Probably this is not the right question. What is certain is that twitter has become a valuable source of information. I had to add new words to my language, words like "to tweet" "tweetup" "twitterview". You have no idea what tweetup or twitterview means? Tweetup or tweet-up is defined by Macmillan Dictionary as [quote] a meeting of two or more people who know each other through the Twitter short messaging service [/quote]. Impressions from a SQL Server 2008 R2 tweetup can be found on SQL Server Team's FaceBook page and on The blog from the dkRanch - The Tweetup.
As for twitterview - I will assist at the first one (for me) in a few hours:
[quote]

Donald Farmer ‘Twitterview’ with SQL Server Magazine

Attention SQL Server enthusiasts: mark your calendar for April 14, 9:30 AM PDT. SQL Server Magazine is hosting a ‘Twitterview’ with Donald Farmer, Principal Program Manager for SQL Server. This is your opportunity to ask Donald your burning BI questions. This is a continuation of SQL Server Magazine’s article by Shelia Molnar about Microsoft’s BI Strategy.
Not participated in a Twitterview before? It’s easy! Donald will answer your questions via the SQL Server Magazine Twitter account (@SQLServerMag) from 9:30 AM to 10:00 AM PDT.

[/quote]

If you ever need help with SQL Server use the hashtag (a hash tag is simply a tag with the hash "#" symbol as prefix) #sqlhelp.

I will close by mentioning just a few of the channels I follow:

@MS_SQL_Server - The official SQL Server twitter
@billramo - Bill Ramos SQL Server expert on manageability and performance troubleshooting and fan of agile and UI development
@SQLServerMag - SQL Server Magazine is dedicated to helping DBAs, database developers, and BI professionals get the most out of SQL Server.
@SSRS - Blogs Posts and Connecting with the SQL Server Reporting Services Team
@buckwoody - Buck Woody - Database Guy
@mssqltips - MSSQLTips - Your source for daily SQL Server tips
@donalddotfarmer - Donald Farmer - Working @ Microsoft in Business Intelligence. Personal interests: philosophy, art, and indulgences starting with food and wine and ending who knows where?
@sqlpass - Professional Association for SQL Server. Connect, Share, Learn.

Come to the twitterview with Donald Farmer

Published Update
Twitterview: Microsoft’s Donald Farmer on SQL Server 2008 R2 (the transcript)
SQL Server 2008 R2 Tweetup Video Montage

SQL Server 2008 R2 resources

2010-04-11T06:53:00Z

With SQL Server 2008 R2 RTM knocking at the door a list with R2 resources may come in handy.
So here you are:

SQL Server 2008 R2 Update for Developers Training Kit (April 2010 Update)
[quote]
The SQL Server 2008 R2 Update for Developers Training Kit is ideal for developers who want to understand how to take advantage of the key improvements introduced in SQL Server 2008 and SQL Server 2008 R2 in their applications, as well as for developers who are new to SQL Server.
[/quote]
It contains presentations (22), demos (29), hands-on labs (18), videos (35) as well as an utility to help configuring your computer for running the demos.
E-Learning Clinics (thanks to Greg Low)

Clinic 10331: Introduction to Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Master Data Services
[quote] This clinic covers the following topics:Master Data Services concepts, hierarchies, how to plan and implement Master Data Services Projects. [/quote]
Clinic 10335: Introduction to Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 StreamInsight
[quote] This clinic covers the following topics:
- StreamInsight core concepts
- Querying Stream-based Events
- Designing and Working with Event Models
- Hosting Queries and configuring Adapters
[/quote]
Clinic 10336: Introduction to SQL Server 2008 R2 Application and Multi-Server Management
[quote]
This clinic covers the following topics:
- Introducing Application and Multi-server Management
- Working with data-tier applicationsManaging change in data-tier applications.
- Managing data-tier applications
[/quote]
Clinic 10332: Introduction to Microsoft SQL Azure
Obviously this clinic is not related to SQL Server 2008 R2 but it's worth mentioning it :) [quote]
This clinic covers the following topics:
- Understanding the SQL Azure Platform
- Designing Applications for SQL Azure
- Migrating Applications to SQL Azure
- Achieving Scale with SQL Azure
[/quote]
Clinics on Self-Service BI and Reporting, Parallel Data Warehouse, SQL Virtualization to published soon.

Webcasts

Whitepapers

GITCA Fireside Chats

SQL Server 2008 R2 Technical Preview: New features and capabilities in SQL Server 2008 R2 Tom Casey, General Manager, SQL Server Business Intelligence
SQL Server 2008 R2: Self Service Analytics Donald Farmer

PASS - The Professional Association for SQL Server

Articles and blogs

Downloads

Local Resources

Slides from the SQL Server 2008 R2 launch (in Romanian from Zoli's blog)

Rafal Lukawiecki - BI with Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 and Microsoft Office System 2010 (event slides - source: Zoli's blog)

Session 1: The Big Picture of Business Intelligence: Goals, Concepts, and the Platform
This session will introduce the overall picture of Business Intelligence and will relate the Microsoft BI Platform to it.
Session 2: The Knowledge Worker’s Perspective: Self-Service of BI
This session will concentrate on how Office System 2010, in particular SharePoint 2010 and its PerformancePoint Services enable anyone to create and use BI in an organization. We will also introduce the very new Microsoft Power Pivot stressing how existing Excel skills enable self-service analysis and also mention other self-service aspects of BI, such as self-service reporting. This session will also discuss the IT Professional challenge of managing the life cycle of a potentially fast, organically growing BI system built by its users.
Session 3: The IT Perspective: Data Warehousing, Management, and Analytical Structures
This session aims to take a look at BI capabilities of the SQL Server 2008 R2. We will introduce Master Data Management and new approaches to massive Data Warehousing.
Session 4: The Analyst’s Perspective: Ad-hoc Analysis with Microsoft Power Pivot and Office 2010 Excel
We will introduce a new language for analysis known as DAX which can help more advanced users create powerful analytical applications all inside Excel and PowerPivot. Finally, we will review the existing Data Mining technologies of SQL Server 2008 R2.
Summary: Microsoft BI for Your Enterprise

Other resources

For MCT and Educators - MCT & Educator Virtual Summit 2010

Free ebook: Introducing Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2

Enjoy!

SQL Server 2008 R2 gets a release date

2010-01-20T10:25:00Z

According to Data Platform Insider blog, May 2010 will bring SQL Server 2008 R2 both on Microsoft's products price list and also to the customers.

More details here: SQL Server 2008 R2 gets an official date

Security Development Lifecycle (SDL) - Quick Security References

2010-01-19T09:39:00Z

Microsoft SDL (Security Development Lifecycle) team released recently two guidance papers:

The SQL Injection subject is not at all new. As an example 9 years passed since NGSSoftware published their SQL Server Injection Whitepapers.
What brings new the SDL Quick Security Reference on SQL Injection? Among other things it describes the role in addressing this issue for the business decision maker, the architect, the developer, and tester.
The following graphic based on data published by breach.com shows the importance of SQL Injection as a threat:

Get it while it's hot - SQL Server 2008 R2 November CTP

2009-11-14T10:06:00Z

It is supposed to be feature complete. What will differ in the RTM version depends on your feedback!
Download the CTP here: Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 November CTP

Can you guess the new name of Gemini ?

2009-10-19T15:35:00Z

If you answered no, the new name for what we used to know as project Gemini is Power Pivot
You can read more about it at http://www.powerpivot.com/
Yyou can also follow the project on twitter http://twitter.com/powerpivot

Analysis Services Multidimensional Data Tech Center

2009-03-25T08:21:00Z

It's new and fresh and has a lot of Business Intelligence: it's the new Analysis Services Multidimensional Data Tech Center.
Oh, and it comes in two flavors a Dev one and and ITPro:

Enjoy !

Where do I get my Data Mining dose

2009-03-04T02:34:00Z

Until recently the SQLSeverDataMining.com was the place to get SQL Server DM.
Now we have a Data Mining TechCenter.
Enjoy !

Meeting Rafal Lukawiecki - round 2

2009-03-04T02:03:00Z

Rafal came again in Romania for a BI Tour. With this ocassion we had a chance to meet him and freely discuss various subjects. As a side note Rafal is an MVP now :)

As usual we started with BI. Project Gemini - means Power for Excel - in memory analysis. If you want to read more about it, Ron compiled a large list with resources here: http://blogs.msdn.com/ronpih/archive/2008/10/09/the-gemini-project.aspx
Next we moved to the financial problems of the present and what they would mean to BI and more generally to IT. Rafal has a simple statement and I agree with him: IT Solutions should become Business Solutions. IT has no choice but to deliver business value.
Then we went back to BI to several features new in SQL Server 2008, to real life questions and so on.
What's next to come? Rafal expects to see the "Move to the cloud" tendency to evolve. And that is of course exciting.
Before leaving for his plane, I had one more confirmation that Rafal is as geeky as I am (not that I had any doubts about it) when he bragged about his new Sony Book Reades. Pretty cool.

Care for a CTP ?

2008-10-31T22:01:00Z

If you are waiting for SQL Server 2005 SP3, well, you will have to wait (not for long). Or you may want to install the SQL Server 2005 SP3 CTP.