Clik here to view.
SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) – January 2014 update
The SSDT January 2014 release has been updated to support both SQL Server 2012 Parallel Data Warehouse Appliance Update 1 (AU1) and continues to support SQL Server 2012 Parallel Data Warehouse. This...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Forcing a contractor to go W2
I have had a few questions like this: “I was wondering if there is a reason the vendor/broker/head hunter forces a contractor to go on W2? As per many vendors, lots of big banks are insisting that...
View ArticleClik here to view.
24 Hours of PASS: Business Analytics Edition videos online
On February 5, 2014 business intelligence experts took to the virtual stage for the 24 Hours of PASS: Business Analytics Edition to deliver a series of one-hour webcasts, digging deep into the world of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Power BI for Office 365 now available!
Microsoft has announced today the general availability of Power BI for Office 365! Microsoft describes it as: Power BI for Office 365 is a complete self-service Business Intelligence (BI) solution...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Why I just became a Microsoft Employee
I have been an independent consultant (IC) for quite a while now. In an amazing number of coincidences, or just plain fate, in a matter of 17 days I went from hearing about a job opening at Microsoft...
View ArticleClik here to view.
PolyBase explained
PolyBase is a new technology that integrates Microsoft’s MPP product, SQL Server Parallel Data Warehouse (PDW), with Hadoop. It is designed to enable queries across relational data stored in PDW and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Annoying Recruiters
In a follow-up to my blog post Low-rate recruiters – The bane of my existence, Michael Bramante (website) wrote me a hilarious email that I wanted to share, with his permission. I have had many...
View ArticleClik here to view.
What is HDInsight?
There are two flavors of HDInsight: Windows Azure HDInsight Service and Microsoft HDInsight Server for Windows (recently quietly killed but lives on in a different form). Both were developed in...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Introduction to Hadoop
Hadoop was created by the Apache foundation as an open-source software framework capable of processing large amounts of heterogeneous data-sets in a distributed fashion (via MapReduce) across clusters...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Book: Expert Cube Development with SSAS Multidimensional Models
Those of you who use SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) are likely familiar with the “bible” for designing cubes: Expert Cube Development with Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Analysis Services by Marco...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Real-time query access with PDW
The Parallel Data Warehouse (PDW) officially supports Analysis Services as a data source, both the Multidimensional model (ROLAP and MOLAP modes) and the Tabular model (In-Memory and DirectQuery...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Parallel Data Warehouse (PDW) benefits made simple
I have heard people say that the Parallel Data Warehouse (PDW) is Microsoft’s best kept secret. So let me give a 10,000 foot overview on what PDW is and its benefits. Keep in mind the purpose for a...
View ArticleClik here to view.
SQL Server 2014 released April 1st!
SQL Server 2014 has been released to manufacturers (RTM) and will be generally available April 1. Here is the official announcement. Here are my blog posts about some of the new features. More info:...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Book: Reporting with Microsoft SQL Server 2012
I am happy to say I have published my first book! It is called Reporting with Microsoft SQL Server 2012 (order). Much thanks goes to my co-author and friend Bill Anton. Below is a brief overview or...
View ArticleClik here to view.
PASS Summit 2012 session videos online
All PASS Summit 2012 recordings are now available for free to all PASS members (201 of them!). To view, log on to your myPASS account, and watch the sessions from myRecordings. While there, check out...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Parallel Data Warehouse (PDW) AU1 released
Microsoft’s PDW has seen a big boost in visibility and sales over the past year, and part of the reason is due to frequent upgrades to the hardware and software. About every six months there is an...
View ArticleClik here to view.
What is the Microsoft Analytics Platform System (APS)?
Analytics Platform System (APS) is simply a renaming of the Parallel Data Warehouse (PDW). It is not really a new product, but rather a name change due to a new feature in Appliance Update 1 (AU1) of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Modern Data Warehousing Presentation
I will be presenting the session “Modern Data Warehousing” on Saturday at the PASS SQLSaturday Business Analytics edition in Dallas at 4:30pm CST (info). The abstract for my session is below. I hope...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Presentation Slides for Modern Data Warehousing
Thanks to everyone who attended my session “Modern Data Warehousing” at the PASS SQLSaturday Business Analytics edition in Dallas. The abstract is below. Great turnout for the last session of the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Hadoop and Data Warehouses
I see a lot of confusion when it comes to Hadoop and its role in a data warehouse solution. Hadoop should not be a replacement for a data warehouse, but rather should augment/complement a data...
View Article