Level: Intermediate
Andrew Brust
Senior Director, Market Strategy and Intelligence
Datameer
This full-day workshop will get you up to speed on key new features of SQL Server 2008 and 2008 R2, as well as the emerging pre-release features of the next version of SQL Server code-named “Denali.” Lenni and Andrew will pull no punches as they rip through the newest capabilities in SQL Server 2008—including the most recent enhancements added in SQL Server 2008 R2. We’ll begin with an overview of what’s new in SQL Server 2008, and then dive right in to an intensive demo-packed tour of the most important features for developers.
We’ll start with the many exciting enhancements made to T-SQL. Learn how to use table-valued parameters to marshal entire sets of rows across the network from client to server, and to pass them between stored procedures and UDFs. Find out about MERGE, a powerful new DML statement that combines the capabilities of four (or more) separate operations, and INSERT OVER DML, which enhances our ability to capture change data from the OUTPUT clause of any DML statement. Other T-SQL enhancements we’ll cover include the new date and time data types (with time zone awareness), and GROUPING SETS feature for greater flexibility in composing aggregate queries.
We’ll then look at SQL Server’s newest release: 2008 R2. Originally dubbed the “BI Refresh” by Microsoft insiders, R2 adds the brand new PowerPivot self-service BI product, a revamped version of Reporting Services with a new Component Library feature and a new version of Report Builder. We’ll look at each of these products in depth and see how to use them together. We’ll also cover the basics of SQL Server 2008 Analysis Services, and its APIs, to set the context properly.
Then we’ll examine the new “beyond relational” features in SQL Server 2008, which will get you thinking outside the box with respect to the types of data that can be managed by a relational database system. Learn how to use the new hierarchyid data type to cast a hierarchical structure over any relational table. With FILESTREAM, database developers can finally enjoy the native ability to store large binary objects in the file system transparently, and with full transactional capabilities. The new geospatial data types enable you to integrate location-intelligence into the database, and we’ll build several location-aware applications on top of these new data types.
We’ll finish up with the powerful new enterprise-level data warehousing and security features including Change Data Capture, SQL Server Audit and Transparent Data Encryption. You’ll learn a ton of new SQL Server features in this information-packed day!
Learning Objectives:
· Learn the T-SQL enhancements added to SQL Server 2008
· Examine the latest BI features in SQL Server 2008 R2, including PowerPivot and enhancements to Reporting Services
· Explore unstructured data storage, including native file streaming, and the new hierarchical and geospatial data types
· Use enterprise-level features added to SQL Server 2008, including Change Data Capture, Transparent Data Encryption, and SQL Audit
· Preview new capabilities planned for the next version SQL Server code-named Denali