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As I have mentioned in previous posts, I've been working on a data warehouse project. Within the project we decided to use SQL Server 2008 R2 Master Data Services (MDS) to store all the warehouse specific reference data. Here are some reasons why MDS was used: Allowed us to manage the reference data. Reference data could be loaded ...

Introduction I have, as mentioned in a previous blog, been working on a data warehouse project using CDC for extracting the source system data. I would like to share some of the experiences and evaluation criteria used for selecting a CDC tool for our project. The reason for using a specialist tool was as follows: Couldn't move all ...

I am at the beginning of touring user groups around the UK so on train journeys back from a user group meetings I have had time to write out my thoughts on some of the new features that are available in SQL Server CTP 1. The vision from Microsoft regarding this release looks the same as it was in SQL Server 2008 R2Empowering IT – Making it easier ...

  I have often had to report the “days since last event”.  I’m going to do it here using a variety of query languages and compare them.   Consider the following TSQL query on AdventureWorksDW - and the output below.   SELECT d.FullDateAlternateKey, COUNT(dt.OrderDateKey) AS OrderCount FROM dbo.DimDate d LEFT ...

One of our projects presented us with an interesting conundrum. The application was browser based, the technology stack being WIF, MVC, EF, and SQL Server 2008 R2 (EE) (read Simon Evans’ blog for more detail on WIF usage and exceptions). Here's the dilemma. How do we capture which user made changes to data in SQL Server, considering that ...

One of my pet peeves about stored procedures is the lack of clarity they provide a user on the data types of returned columns.  This is especially applicable when the column returned has been calculated. Consider a statement such as this SELECT 10.0/5. It’s not obvious what that data type is. Now consider the fact that as the SQL developer I ...

Given that most people walk around with a GPS enabled mobile device in their pocket all day, it is hardly surprising that there is increasing interest in spatial data. I was surprised, however, that three sessions on spatial data were voted in for SqlBits 7 happening this Saturday (2nd October 2010). 9:30 AM-10:30 AM, You can create UK maps ...

For those of you interested in the principles of Fast Track I thought it’d be worth putting out my SQLBits VI presentation slide deck on my blog. It will of course be available from the SQLBits website in due course. In about 6 weeks time that will be the better resource as the session recordings will be available at that time. Only then will you ...

One of my focuses at the moment is the work that Microsoft have done with various hardware providers to deliver “Fast Track” – A reference architecture for SQL Server Data Warehousing that delivers predictable blistering performance on prescribed commodity hardware. Sounds great I think you’ll agree.  What is even better is that the ...

In SQL Server there are a couple of ways to set startup parameters:  SQL Server Configuration Manager Command Prompt Net start Of these only one can be relied upon as a permanent option. That is the Configuration Manager.  I have been toying with startup parameters recently as part of my interest in Fast Track Data ...