#1 Connectivity to SQL Azure

I’m Enjoying the weekend, with Microsoft SQL Server R2 November CTP and its new features from Database engine features to Analysis Services features, Reporting Service features, etc…

I’ll post a series about those features en shaaa ALLAH in the next days, but let’s begin with Database engine features
#1 connectivity to SQL Azure: what’s SQL Azure? is a cloud-based relational database service built on SQL Server® technologies. To learn more about SQL Azure press here

First you need to have Microsoft SQL Server R2 November CTP, get all about it from here and SQL Azure account (I got it from Microsoft Connect)

Open SSMS, and using your Azure account (Server name, username and password) try to login

SQL Server 2008 R2 November CTP3

Updated on 11/11/2009 7:47 PM

Note: The download links below will launch the Akamai download manager which is designed to provide you with more control over your download experience.

Download now Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 November CTP http://care.dlservice.microsoft.com/download/7/B/4/7B4A1F68-4D05-42C1-8982-E5CD8492C6FA/SQLFULL_x86_ENU.exe

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 add-in to Excel that allows very large sets of data to be manipulated efficiently aka Microsoft Gemini now its formal name is PowerPivot

Download: What’s New in SQL Server 2008 R2 November Community Technology Preview (CTP) http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=89550298-D564-40C5-B586-30DC3F909F6F&displaylang=en

It’s now available for download for MSDN and TechNet subscribers,  and it will be available to the general public on November 11^th http://blogs.technet.com/dataplatforminsider/archive/2009/11/09/announcing-the-sql-server-2008-r2-november-ctp.aspx

SQL Server Business Intelligence webcast series

SQLServerGeeks.com cordially invites you to SQL Server Business Intelligence webcast series – with 4 webcasts spread over a week. This is an excellent opportunity to get an upstart with BI on SQL Server. The series is very well crafted with 4 webcasts looking into different facets of BI. If you know nothing about BI, do not miss the first webcast: BI for you. The four webcasts are detailed below. Register Fast. (For clarifications, please write to admin<at>sqlservergeeks<dot>com)

Webcast 1: BI for you

November 6, Friday, 3 pm to 4.30 pm

Webcast 2: Create your first cube

November 9, Monday, 3 pm to 4.30 pm

Webcast 3: Extract data from the cube

November 11, Wednesday, 3 pm to 4.30 pm

Webcast 4: Learn MDX scripting

November 13, Friday, 3 pm to 4.30 pm

To register & browse more details about each webcast, visit www.SQLServerGeeks.com/Events/SQLBIwebcasts.htm

SSIS insert bulk of data into remote table with trigger

hmmm, nice we have SSIS it makes life easier but it usually comes with non-understood problems like

“SQL Server Destination” (2185) failed with error code 0xC0202071 it means when you insert data into table in remote SQL Server don’t use SQL Server Destination component however use OLE DB Destination component, thank you SQL Server Central

Anyway I used OLE DB Destination component and everything went well but I found the trigger which updates something doesn’t fire simply because I do bulk insert and I should tell the BIDS please fire it.

So, right click on OLE DB Destination component then Show Advanced Editor… Component properties FastLoadOptions write FIRE_TRIGGERS

Thank you Piotr Rodak

How to create Database User programmatically?

Well… we need to assign a server login to has access on a database, let’s say the SQL Server Login we had created programmatically should has access on database “Database1″ and for some reasons we should do that programmatically

Well. Create any C# project type (Windows, Class Library or even Console one), add reference to Microsoft.SqlServer.Smo, and Microsoft.SqlServer.ConnectionInfo

/// <summary>

/// Creates database user

/// </summary>

private void CreateDatabaseUser(Database database, String username)

{

User sqlServerUser = new User(datawarehouseDatabase, username); //initializes new User object and we say to which database it belongs and its name

sqlServerUser .UserType = UserType.SqlLogin; //SqlLogin not anything else

sqlServerUser .Login = “login_name”; //associated the user to login name, login name should be valid login name

sqlServerUser .Create();//here’s we create the user on the database and till now the user don’t have any permission on database objects

sqlServerUser .AddToRole(“db_owner”); //or any role like db_databasereader, db_databasewriter,…

}

P.S: There’s catastrophic mistake in Microsoft documentation of User.Login as they documented it as ReadOnly field although it’s not.How we can call the above method?

Server sqlInstance = new Server(

new Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Common.ServerConnection(

new System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection(“.”))); //connects to the local server

Database database = sqlInstance.Databases["adventureworks"]; //initialize new object from database adventureworks

CreateDatabaseUser(database, “RamyMahrous”); //creates user RamyMahrous on database adventureworks

Deploying Reports in Reporting Services Programmatically

May be it’s my bad luck may be something else, but I didn’t find a complete post how to deploy Reports, and Data Sources in Reporting Services in away like BIDS.

First it’s a tool I developed to automate the deployment of BI solution (Creating Data warehouse, installing SSIS packages, creating Jobs, create Cubes and installing reports on Reporting Services Server).

If you don’t have time to read and just need to download the tool, here you’re
Source Code: http://cid-3e2288e7a8e55f56.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/Public%20folder/Deploying%20Reports%20in%20Reporting%20Services%20Programmatically.zip

Herein, I’ll talk about the last thing which is deploying reports.

P.S: It’s my way in designing such task (Installing reports on Reporting Services Server) and it’s not standard or anything else just (follow your heart )

Matching Business Intelligence with Cloud Computing

I really liked this post which talks about how could we make use of Cloud Computing in building Business Intelligence solution to draw the Big Image for the organizations

With Cloud Computing fast becoming the next big thing in IT, the jury is still out on how it can best be matched up with Business Intelligence (BI) to deliver real and sustainable benefits to business.

The focus of BI is the gathering, modelling, transforming and analysis of data (often from disparate systems), in order to provide a “big picture” to a business. Traditionally, BI has lagged behind the business it is meant to support. Reporting and data analysis can take a long time to process, and may run outside of business hours in order to reduce impact on the day-to-day operations. Businesses must wait to understand what is going on, and rely on old information to make decisions.

Enter Cloud Computing. The main benefits include lower cost, multiple redundant sites, and scalable provisioning of resources, which in turn allow for business continuity, disaster recovery and on-demand performance improvements.

More on http://xqrx.com/writing/a_cloud.php

Optimizing Performance in SQL Server® Analysis Services

Update. For whom missed it I found it as a post by Carl Rabeler http://sqlcat.com/top10lists/archive/2009/02/24/top-10-performance-and-productivity-reasons-to-use-sql-server-2008-for-your-business-intelligence-solutions.aspx

Pilot-View on Microsoft Gemini 1

I’ll take in somehow big series about Microsoft Gemini and its features, I found it great very fast while loading big dataset and also I submit bug once it occurs.

I’ll talk in this post about Load & Prepare Data (From Database) in Microsoft Gemini…

First, you should have Microsoft Excel 2010 Technical Preview (until now 12-9-2009) which in Microsoft Office 2010 Technical Preview, don’t you know what’s Gemini check this http://ramymahrous.wordpress.com/2009/05/06/what-you-need-to-know-about-gemini/

First, let’s install Gemini as it’s not by default installed on Excel 2010

If you download it from Microsoft Connect, it comes with two client versions, x64 and x86 choose which fits your processor architecture.

Want to learn SQL Server Data Services (SDS)?

Overview of Microsoft SQL Server Data Services
This 1-hour online clinic provides SQL Server developers who are experienced in implementing database solutions with an overview of SQL Server Data Services (SSDS).

The topics covered in the clinic include:
- Introduction to SSDS
- SSDS Object Model
- Working with SSDS
More on: http://learning.microsoft.com/Manager/ResourceDetails.aspx?resourceId=cbe836be-394e-4a23-9f87-5d12127cccd5&clang=en-US&brand=Learning

Developing an Application for Microsoft SQL Server Data Services
This 1-hour online clinic provides SQL Server developers who are experienced in implementing database solutions with an explanation of the knowledge and skills required to develop an application in SQL Server Data Services (SSDS).

Topics covered in the clinic include:
- Building an SSDS Application
- Enhancing an SSDS Application
More on: http://learning.microsoft.com/Manager/ResourceDetails.aspx?resourceId=9b2d7204-9f2e-4657-a4c7-0952b32ae081&clang=en-US&brand=Learning

More on SQL Azure Database: http://www.microsoft.com/azure/data.mspx