CREATE BLOG dbo.SqlServer

Steve Lamb, a Microsofttechno guru, announced today that Microsoft is accepting applications for Katmai's beta. Want to read the details? Here's a rundown of some of the new features of Katmai: http://www.learnsqlserver.com/Blogs/SqlServerBlog/2007/05/sql-server-2008-some-katmai-info-on-new.html


Apply here: http://blogs.technet.com/steve_lamb/archive/2007/05/29/how-can-i-join-the-early-adoption-programme-for-the-next-generation-of-sql-server-code-named-katmai.aspx


Good luck :)

I received a question in our forum yesterday that stumped (and still stumps) me. Here's the forum discussion on the problem: http://forums.learnsqlserver.com/SqlServerTopic115.aspx?m=217#217

Basically, what we're seeing here is that, when you use brackets to delimit a parameterized expression in a stored procedure/function, your stored procedure will compile but it can never execute unless you override it's value. If, however, you try the same steps with a more declarative SQL, then it works fine.

It's quite odd and I just don't get it. I understand that brackets are a delimiter but why, as a stored procedure parameter, do they explicitly convert the argument to NVARCHAR? Has anyone see this before?

Labels: sql 2005, sql server

Microsoft released build 9.0.3161 (a.k.a. build 3161) for SQL Server 2005 on May 22. This is one of those interim hotfixes that you must receive permission from Microsoft to receive and install. In the past, acquiring this hotfix would've required a potentially-paid phone call to Microsoft Product Support. Today though all you need to do is to submit an online request via Microsoft Online Customer Service (good luck!). I would suggest that you read the fix list (available here) before you decide that you need this version. Check out KB 935356 here.


PDC 2007 Canceled!
Yesterday, Microsoft canceled a developer conference - a big developer conference, the PDC. This is really, really odd in my opinion. If ever there was a year to have a developer conference, I would imagine this would've been it. Think about all the products released this year, last year and next year:

• Windows Vista
• Office 2007
• Exchange 2007
• SharePoint 2007/3.0
• Longhorn/Windows 2008
• Silverlight
• Ajax for ASP.NET
  
• Visual Studio Team Suite for Database Professionals (or whatever the hell that silly name is)
• SQL Server 2008 ("Katmai")
  
• Visual Studio 2008 ("Orcas")

I'm just having trouble understanding the logic of their press release announcing the "rescheduling" (read it here). Interesting tidbit in the article though:

We are currently in the process of rescheduling [emphasis mine] this fall’s Professional Developer Conference. As the PDC is the definitive developer event focused on the future of the Microsoft platform, we try to align it to be in front of major platform milestones. By this fall, however, upcoming platform technologies including Windows Server 2008, SQL Server codenamed "Katmai," Visual Studio codenamed "Orcas" and Silverlight will already be in developers' hands and approaching launch, which is where we’ll focus our developer engagement in the near term.

I don't know what to think but I sure as hell don't believe the press release. I've read a few opinions from folks and one pundit said that he felt Microsoft just wasn't going to be ready for Windows 2008 by PDC and decided to bail. I don't know... I went to TechEd 2003 - paid the $1400 - with the express purpose of getting the prelaunch info on SQL Server 2003 lol. I was mad as #$#% when they announced a few days before the conference that SQL Server v.Next wasn't going to be released until 2004 (lol). As far as I was concerned, the whole conference was a wasted $1400. Therefore, if that is the reason, then I appreciate Microsoft canceling the conference.

I don't know - I'm rambling at this point... Anyway - just wanted to pass on the news about the new hotfix really.

Labels: sql server, sql server 2005

Download it here

It's silly but you have to re-register to download it lol. We had to register to download it only a few weeks ago but, yes, you have to register again. I use the Enterprise Library for the LearnItFirst.com websites and I love it so check it out.

(Okay, so maybe it will be SQL Server 2009 but I doubt it)

Here's a wishlist of items that probably closely reflect the Microsoft Connect information. I must admit - I don't really use Microsoft Connect because I find it difficult and annoying to use the Microsoft Passport Logins - I just don't like 'em.

• Intellisense in the development environment *please*
• We had it in the private betas of SQL 2005 so we know you havethe technology, MSFT
• Bring back the DATE and TIME data types as separate types
• Give us more and better standard reports built in
• The Performance Dashboard and the SQL H2 reports should be included
• Include the SQL Server Health and History tool information as native in the system
• Let me edit/author SSIS packages directly in the SSMS tool
• More wizards for the simplest operations like creating an index, database, SSIS package and make these wizards more easily located
• More user-friendly front end for new people than just the Object explorer for doing SQL management
• Script repository or some better way than the solutions in SSMS
  
• I like the solutions to a degree but I'd prefer server-side storage
• Better SSIS package creation and deployment
  
• It's not easy to figure out for a first-timer how to do *anything* in SSIS
• No more vapor ware
• There is no such thing as the "Business Intelligence Development Studio"; it's just a wrapper around the Visual Studio IDE. Why confuse people more? Just call it Visual Studio and be done with it.
• Do not follow the SharePoint team's lead and name everything SharePoint
• Quick: What's the difference between SharePoint 2007 and SharePoint 3.0 (or is there a difference)? Is there even a product named SharePoint 2007 or is it really Office SharePoint 2007? Or SharePoint Portal Server 2007?
  
• Enough with the "Services" already
• Database Services, Integration Services, Analysis Services, Reporting Services, Notification Services - stop!
• Settle on a name for the core SQL Server product
• I've seen it called SQL Server 2005, SQL Server Database Services, SQL Server Database Engine - which is it?
  
• Give us GUI interfaces to manage Notification Services
• Maintenance Plans should be easier for newbies to work with
• Asking first-timers to understand sub plans just so they can have multiple schedules is too much IMO
• Give us a dashboard-type tool that provides best practices for the various database types
• Drop down to choose "This is a SharePoint database", or "This is a Reporting Services database" or "This database is mostly read only", etc.
• Based on the choice, make recommendations for fill factors, defragment suggestions, etc
• Integrate a new version of the Best Practices Analyzer into the RTM
• Don't make us download it
• Easier ways to work with snapshots - no scripting should be required
• Easier to work with snapshot isolation level - again no scripting should be required
• In SQL 2005 Beta 1, we could drill down into objects by schema in the Object explorer - I'd like that to be an option in the next tool
• Tables -> dbo -> Table1, Table2
• Tables -> HumanResources -> Employee
• More consistent use of schemas in the tools
• The Query Designer, for example, was clearly not updated to use schemas well
• Design a better Query Designer
• MSFT ruined the Query Designer in SQL 2005 since, when you open the tool, it automatically runs a SELECT * FROM the entire table
• Let me create event alerts on system errors again
• Why was it this was removed again? Arrrrrggghhhhh
• Better integration with Active Directory for Logins
• I should be able to check a box next to a Loginand say, "Make this an operator". SQL would then have this person's email and I wouldn't have to keep my email/operators in sync with my Logins
• Better errors and screens for managing Database Mail
• It sure does have the feeling of an alpha/beta product, doesn't it?
• Better visual setup/ways to manage peer-to-peer replication (a.k.a., multi-master)
• Break down the management/catalog views better
• These long names are just killing me!
• What if, instead of just Database.schema.owner we could address items in an "infinite" namespace that the user chooses?
• SELECT * FROM MyDb.HumanResources.Employees_Archive_2006_Q2_PerformanceReports is a horrible way to name (and remember) tables/views/functions/procs
• SELECT * FROM MyDB.HumanResources.Archive.Employees.PerformanceReports.2006.Q2
• I know this isn't ANSI standard and some people may not like it but so what? I like it :)
• Give us a usable System Views map
• The current system views map for SQL Server 2005 is just not usable - I can't search for anything and it's too big to matter :(
• Make it easier for admins to sync Logins from ServerA to ServerB when restoring/attaching databases
• The current approaches create Logins with different SIDs only. I'd like the option for Logins to be identical. This is critical for disaster recovery.
• Allow me to restore a master database from one machine to another
• Again, this is critically important for disaster recovery and I should be able to do this easily
• Give me the option to create server-level roles for management
• I love the granularity of SQL 2005's server permissions but I'd prefer to do role-based management instead of Login-based management

Whew - I'm done. Sorry for any spelling/grammatical errors!

So Microsoft is starting to give us more meaningful details of Katmai and it sounds interesting - not as ground breaking as SQL 2005 (thankfully!) but interesting. Here's a data sheet that's listed as "final" - download it here (PDF). There are also a few other links of interest:

• The "Future Version" page outlines MSFT's goals for the next release
• Press Release about Katmai including time lines and features

The time line looks to be 2008, not "every 18-24 months" as Steve Ballmer had suggested a year ago or so. From the looks of it, here's what appears to be in the next version:

• More natural encryption
• DBAs won't have to worry if their backup/data/log files are accessed by other systems since these will be encrypted
• What happens when I move machines? Dunno...
• Policy-based management and security
• I think this is wonderful - it will make it far easier for Windows network sysadmins to understand how SQL Server security works
• Policies can be synchronized among servers making it easy to keep a set of servers aligned
  
• Also, you can define policies on naming conventions, index management and backup/restore
• This last bullet point seems like one of those things they put in the marketing materials that doesn't ever seem to actually make it into the final release
  
• More BI and more BI tools integrating with MS Office
• This is a deficiency currently so I'm looking forward to the new tools
• You will be able to create reports in Word and Excel for Reporting Services and share them with SharePoint
  
• Won't this require a new version of Office?
  
• Document management will be "native"
  
• Dunno anything further - the marketing materials are quite vague
• Geographic data will be more easily stored
• .NET folks will use "a higher level of data abstraction"
  
• LINQ integration is built into VS.Next ("Orcas")
  
• Even tighter integration with SharePoint
  
• No details on what that actually means
• "Comprehensive data auditing" will be built in
• "...comprehensive data auditing enabling organizations to answer common questions like 'What data was retrieved?'"
• ??? That sure seems unlikely given the current way SQL works but perhaps with event notifications they could do auditing
• Introduction of a "Resource Governor"
• Sounds promising but what is it? Who knows... The documentation so far is quite vague: "The Resource Governor will allow organizations to define resource limits and priorities for different workloads which enable concurrent workloads to provide consistent performance."

All in all this seems awesome - a little too awesome lol. It just seems as though there's too much for a 3-year release cycle to include, especially if you consider how many bugs/problems/logic flaws are in the current SQL Server 2005. My personal wish list is that they would focus more on building a strong SQL 2005 than integrating all this other "stuff" but I do understand the pressures to release these new features/products. Perhaps SQL 2008 will be what we all hoped SQL 2005 was going to be: ready to use in production at RTM?

Don't worry about my whining about SQL 2005 though - I've been disappointed since Day 1 with SQL Server 2005. I suggest you just take what I say about the reliability and development tools for SQL 2005 with a grain of salt :)

I just published a wishlist of items for SQL Server 2008 as well. Check it out here.

I use the 2.0 version for our sites and I love it. The new 3.0 version is one that I haven't played with yet but I will :)

I'll try to do some videos on these soon as well for LearnCSharp.com and LearnVBProgramming.com.

I love, love, love VMWare 5.0 and I've done all the betas of VMWare 6.0 - love it! So when I got the email from VMWare announcing the launch of VMWare 6.0, I was ready to get my upgrade. (Here's a list of the new features in 6.0: http://www.vmware.com/support/ws6/doc/releasenotes_ws6.html#features)

The catch is this: if you subscribed to the "VMware Technology Network Subscription" for $300 per year *and* your subscription expired before last week, you must pay FULL RETAIL PRICE for VMWare 6.0 - $189. So you're asking, "Why did you let your subscription expire then?" Because they bloody well canceled the damn subscription - you couldn't renew it any more. My subscription expired in March - $300 *per year* that I gave them and I wasn't allowed to renew it.

The difference between the full retail price of $189 and the upgrade price of $99 isn't huge but it's the principle of the matter that gets me. In the span of 14 months, VMWare wants nearly $500 and, in my opinion, is trying to really stick it to me, the customer, with this approach.

In full disclosure - to show you how much I love VMWare 5/6, LearnItFirst.com is a Microsoft Certified Partner which means we get "x" number of licenses to run Microsoft Virtual PC 2007 and MS Virtual Serve but I pay VMWare $300 per year for the privilege of using their product because it was so great.

"Wait a minute, Scott. You're kvetching about paying VMWare *less* money than you would've paid them if you had the VMWare subscription - why?" The VMWare subscription included a *lot* more than just Workstation and, to get the same benefits today might cost $500-$700 or more depending on what I wanted a la carte.

I guess I just expected VMWare to sell this to me at the upgrade process and I'm miffed that they didn't.

Want to speak your mind to VMWare about this? Here's their contact us page but egads is it bad. They force you to enter in all sorts of unnecessary/unrelated/annoying stuff just so that you can ask a question. A better suggestion is to email them directly: sales@vmware.com

So here's a url you might want to bookmark: http://forums.learnsqlserver.com/SSMSCustomReports.aspx

I'm going to start dumping a bunch of my SQL Server 2005 SP2+ custom reports here and hopefully others will do the same. With the new feature in SQL Server 2005 SP2 that allows us to create our own custom reports in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) now available, I wanted to have a place to store my .rdl files - and so here it is. I plan on putting lots and lots of my own custom .rdls up here and I hope others do the same so that we can help tame the beast

One thing: if you haven't used custom reports in SQL Server 2005 SP2 yet, check out the SQL Server 2005 Performance Dashboard and get it up and running. It will serve as a great introduction. I also have a tutorial on how to create custom reports for SSMS here.

I've just uploaded my first one: Custom Report to List All Upcoming SQL Server Jobs in the Next 24 Hours. Check it out and let me know what other reports you'd like to see -

I posted a good script today to my "SQL Server 2005 script/code sample repository" (at least I think it's good!). Check it out: http://forums.learnsqlserver.com/default.aspx?g=posts&m=165

Basically, it's a stored procedure that you can use to see all upcoming jobs in the next "n" hours. Want to see all SQL Server jobs running in the next day?

EXEC GetJobsScheduledInTheNextNHours 24

Want to see all jobs running in the next four hours?

EXEC GetJobsScheduledInTheNextNHours 4

Check it out - and let me know if you find any improvements!

---

EDIT: I also uploaded a SQL server 2005 Custom Report that you can use in SSMS :)

I haven't noticed this blog before but wow! There's some very interesting information here. Check it out here. It's called the "SQL Programmability & API Development Team Blog" and it is *intense*. As is usual for the MSDN blogs this year (2007), it's slow to load, often crashes and doesn't display, yada yada yada but overall this is an outstanding blog.

Thanks, MSFT :)

I get this about once per minute for a while and then it seems to go away:

.NET Runtime Optimization Service (clr_optimization_v2.0.50727_32) - Failed to compile: Microsoft.ReportingServices.QueryDesigners, Version=9.0.242.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=89845dcd8080cc91 . Error code = 0x80070002

Also, I have installed SQL Server 2005 SP2 (up to build 3159) *and* Visual Studio 2005 SP1. I have the .NET Optimization Service running on my machine but whatever... The Report Designer works for me in Visual Studio 2005.

Anyone seen this and/or know whether or not anything will "break" as a result? I don't see any obvious effects now but I haven't put it through rigorous testing.

Ran across this 2x in the past week as I was working with new installations of SQL Server 2005 and I thought I'd post about it in case it helps someone else.

If you want to use Database Mail, Service Broker has to be enabled in the msdb database. The script to enable Service Broker is ALTER DATABASE msdb SET ENABLE_BROKER but, unless you have exclusive access to msdb, it will wait until you do before it runs. Here's how to see this in action:

1. Start the SQL Server Agent
2. In a query window, run ALTER DATABASE msdb SET ENABLE_BROKER
1. Notice that you are waiting, waiting, waiting...
3. Stop SQL Server Agent
1. Now notice that your ALTER DATABASE statement has finished

Just something to watch out for!