This is an annoying problem I have had a few times: I open a SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) project in SSDT, and see that the Toolbox pane is empty, displaying a “There are no usable controls in this group.  Drag an item onto this text to add it to… Read more

The Master Data Services add-in for Excel has Data Quality Services functionality to help you match data before publishing it to the MDS repository.  When you make a connection, if a DQS database is installed on the same instance of SQL Server as the MDS database, you will be able… Read more

I am fortunate enough to have been selected to give a presentation at the PASS Business Analytics Conference in Chicago on April 10-12.  Below is my presentation abstract along with more info about the conference.  My session will be on Friday, April 12th at 11:15am in the Chicago Ballroom IX.… Read more

After installing SP1 to SQL Server 2012 (11.0.3000) on one of our servers, I noticed higher than normal CPU loads due to msiexec.exe running non-stop.  The cpu percentage would bounce from 0% to 13%, and the application log would have five new entries about MsiInstaller and RestartManager about every 30… Read more

When using SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) to build a cube, you may start out with one fact table, but then decide to add another fact table.  You are then faced with a decision: Do you add that fact table to your existing cube and have multiple measure groups, or… Read more

After upgrading to SQL Server 2012 SP1, I ran into a bug in Master Data Services (MDS) that applies only to models that are deployed or created after SP1 is applied (models deployed or created before SP1 is applied are fine): When executing a staging entity load stored procedure… Read more

The Master Data Management (MDM) hub is a database with the software to manage the master data that is stored in the database and keep it synchronized with the transactional systems that use the master data.  There are three basic styles of architecture used for Master Data Management hubs: the… Read more

When installing Master Data Services (MDS) in SQL Server 2012 or installing SQL Server 2012 sp1 (and possibly a CU), you might see the message “The Microsoft SQL Server license has expired” when trying to pull up the MDS web UI.  The page is redirected to ‘/MDS/EvaluationExpired.aspx’ with the title… Read more