SQL 2005 Launched this week and with it we also have some great new tools and documents for your SQL implementations!  Enjoy!

Don’t forget to check out a Best Of SQL Event in your area!

Finally, look for a SQL Launch Event coming to your part of the world soon!

 

SQL Server Express Utility – SSEUtil.exe is a tool that lets you easily interact with SQL Server. Among other things, it allows you to:

• Connect to the main instance or user-instance of SQL Server.
• Create, attach, detach, and list databases on the server.
• Upgrade database files to match the version of the server.
• Execute SQL statements via the console (similar to SQLCMD).
• Retrieve the version of SQL Server running.
• Enable and disable trace flags (for example, to trace SQL statements sent to the server by any client application)
• List the instances of SQL Server on the local machine or on remote machines.
• Checkpoint and shrink a database
• Measure the performance of executing specific queries.
• Create and playback lists of SQL commands for the server to execute.
• Log all input and output.

SQL Server Health and History Tool (SQLH2) – This version of SQLH2 supports SQL Server 2005 RTM collection. SQLH2 collects four main types of information:

1. Feature Usage – What services/features are installed, running and level of workload on the service.
2. Configuration Settings – Machine, OS and SQL configuration settings, SQL instance and database metadata.
3. Uptime of the SQL Server service
4. Performance Counters (optional) – Used to determine performance trends

Application Platform (SQL Server, Visual Studio, and BizTalk Server) White Paper – This paper outlines the Microsoft application platform—the confluence of servers, clients, and devices that can help connect people with business-critical information across the enterprise, thus driving overall business success. This paper focuses on Microsoft’s latest investments in business intelligence, integration, and developer productivity with updated releases of Microsoft SQL Server 2005, Microsoft BizTalk Server 2006, and Microsoft Visual Studio 2005, respectively.

SQL Server 2005 Books Online – Download Books Online for Microsoft SQL Server 2005. Books Online is the primary documentation set for SQL Server 2005. It includes the following:

  • Setup and upgrade instructions.
  • Information about new features and backward compatibility.
  • Conceptual descriptions of the technologies and features in SQL Server 2005.
  • Procedural topics describing how to use the various features in SQL Server 2005.
  • Tutorials that guide you through common tasks.
  • Reference documentation for the graphical tools, command prompt utilities, programming languages, and application programming interfaces (APIs) that are supported by SQL Server 2005.
  • Descriptions of the sample databases and applications included with SQL Server 2005.

Using SQL Server 2005 Integration Services (SSIS) in a Scalable Business Intelligence Solution – Discussion on how Microsoft IT used SQL Server 2005 Integration Services to create a flexible and scalable business intelligence solution. By using SQL Server 2005 Integration Services, Microsoft IT was able to reduce data processing time by 80 percent.

 

SQL Server 2005 Express Edition Documentation and Samples – SQL Server 2005 Express Edition (SQL Server Express) is the next version of MSDE 2000. It is a free, easy-to-use, lightweight version of Microsoft SQL Server 2005. Integrated with Microsoft Visual Studio 2005, SQL Server Express makes it easy to develop data-driven applications that are rich in capability and fast to deploy. To download the samples and product documentation for SQL Server Express, click the links in the Files In This Download section. For the SQL Server Express site on MSDN, SQL Server discussion forums, and SQL Server 2005 product documentation, click the links in the Related Resources box.

 

AdventureWorks OLTP Database Diagram – Download a diagram of the AdventureWorks sample OLTP database. The AdventureWorks sample OLTP database is used in samples for SQL Server 2005 and product documentation for SQL Server 2005 and SQL Server 2005 Express Edition. The diagram is available in both HTML and Visio 2003 format.

 

 

Cheers!