Are the customers able to export the data from the reports into something like Excel?  If so, then problem solved - push it back on them.

If they CAN'T export to...

@g.britton In a SQL a agent job, you can call to start a job asynchronously.  So one way to do it is have a 2 jobs.

Job 1 step 1 when...

If memory serves, it is because RAND() is only semi-random.  You need to provide a "seed" which will be used to make it (again) semi random.

RAND() returns a consistent list...

I'll answer things in order.

1:

Honestly, I am not certain what DTL format is, but if you need another tool to convert that to CSV, then it really depends on if...

A nice easy one for Christmas!

Merry Christmas to you and yours as well!  And thanks for all the great QOTD's!

Heh, I enjoy being called:

1 - brain

2 - clever

I feel smart!  S-M-R-T.  But Phil is correct - I prefer being called Brian.

But yes, I think that using CTE's and DATEADD...

Not from me.  I've never configured scale out for Polybase, or anything for that matter.  My systems are pretty lightweight and I've not had a need for it.

My advice -...

To me this seems like a weird request, but there are a few things I am unclear on with it.  First, does this need to be in a while loop? ...

To answer your questions:

1 - SQL (via SSIS) or C# can pull data from a CSV file (and multiple other formats) into SQL Server

2 - You can create as many...

If Microsoft does go this route, I am all for it, but they would need to be careful with it too.

Thing is some of that is already possible.  Parallel job...

First, I'd be looking at getting onto a newer SP for SQL 2008 R2... that thing is pretty old and out of mainstream support.

Next, I'd be asking a few questions:

1...

The error you listed to me looks like an error from Windows service manager (or SQL Server Configuration Manager), not from Polybase.  I would check the log files and/or windows...

I would just like to add that if Die Hard is a Christmas film, so is Batman Returns which is on my watch list this Christmas.

Happy Holidays to everyone!

What do the logs say?  They will very likely tell you exactly why it can't start the service.

Without seeing any logs, my first thought is permissions.  Does the Polybase service...

That is odd that it works fine in the web browser and in MS Word, but not PDF.  This makes it sound like the tool that is creating that PDF...