My first article in SQL Server Pro magazine has been published.  It is entitled “SQL Server 2012 Business Intelligence Enhancements” and can be found here.  I hope you enjoy it!

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I had someone ask me the other day if they are using SSIS 2012 Project Versions, is there any benefit to using TFS?  The answer is Yes!  While Project Versions is a new feature that keeps prior versions of SSIS projects as they are deployed to the server… Read more

Using SQL Server views throughout a Business Intelligence (BI) solution can provide a tremendous amount of benefits.  Here is a list of such benefits, taken in large part from the excellent video SQLBI Methodology by Marco Russo and Alberto Ferrari:

Benefit of views

• Can be modified by anyone, even outside…

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First lets define what Business Intelligence (BI) is.  My favorite definitions:

Forrester Research: “Business Intelligence is a set of methodologies, processes, architectures, and technologies that transform raw data into meaningful and useful information used to enable more effective strategic, tactical, and operational insights and decision-making.”

Gartner: “A broad category of… Read more

Thanks to everyone who attended my session “Top BI Enhancements for SQL Server 2012” at the Houston Area SQL Server User Group Monthly Meeting.

Here is the PowerPoint presentation: Top BI Enhancements for SQL Server 2012

Top BI Enhancements for SQL Server 2012

What are the new features and… Read more

Version 2 of Parallel Data Warehouse (PDW) is apparently due this month (and can be ordered as of March 1st).  The official name is Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Parallel Data Warehouse. Info on HP’s version: HP AppSystem for Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Parallel Data Warehouse.  Here are some of… Read more

Next Tuesday, March 12th at 1:15pm CST, I will be presenting the session “Top BI Enhancements for SQL Server 2012” at the Houston Area SQL Server User Group Monthly Meeting.  Below is the abstract.  I will be presenting in person but you can join online.  Details are here Read more

I have been using Microsoft’s Master Data Services (MDS) on a daily basis for the last 8 months.  I also have been using Microsoft’s Data Quality Services (DQS) for the last couple of months.  While both products are very good and are a great solution for Master Data Management… Read more

My most popular blog has been Visual Studio 2012 does not support BI.  In short, this means VS 2012 does not support SSAS, SSIS, or SSRS.  Well, not anymore!  Just released is Microsoft SQL Server Data Tools – Business Intelligence for Visual Studio 2012, or SSDT-BI or SSDTBI… Read more

Data Explorer (download), which I first mentioned in my blog about PASS Summit 2011 (SQL Server 2012 and other PASS announcements), has finally taken the next step and is now a public preview.

Think of Data Explorer as a self-service ETL tool for the Excel power… Read more