25 Articles
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• The Baker’s Dozen Doubleheader: 26 Productivity Tips for Optimizing SQL Server Queries (Part 2 of 2)
  
  Magazine/Issue: CoDe Magazine, 2012 Nov/Dec
  Release Date: Thursday, October 04, 2012
  Quick ID: 1211061
  In part two of this series on optimizing SQL Server queries I’m going to continue with some T-SQL scenarios that pit one approach versus another. I’ll also look at what SQL developers can do to optimize certain data access scenarios. I’ll also compare approaches with temporary tables versus table variables, and stored procedures versus views.
  
  
• The Baker’s Dozen: 13 Miscellaneous SQL Server Tips
  
  Magazine/Issue: CoDe Magazine, 2012 Jan/Feb
  Release Date: Wednesday, December 21, 2011
  Quick ID: 1201071
  To use a music analogy, many installments of “The Baker’s Dozen” have been like “concept albums,” where most or all of the tips work towards a big picture. Then there are times where I present a series of random tips that are largely standalone and don’t form a pattern. In this article, I’m going to present 13 random tips for SQL Server and T-SQL programming.
  
  
• The Baker’s Dozen: 13 Transact SQL Programming Tips
  
  Magazine/Issue: CoDe Magazine, 2011 Nov/Dec
  Release Date: Friday, October 21, 2011
  Quick ID: 1112061
  Even with all the new features in the Microsoft SQL Server Business Intelligence (BI), sometimes the only way to accomplish a task is with good old fashioned T-SQL code. (Fortunately, “code” is the acronym for this great magazine!) In this latest installment of The Baker’s Dozen, I’ll present 13 T-SQL programming tips that could help you accomplish different database tasks.
  
  
• The Baker’s Dozen: 13 Power Tips for Using SQL Server Reporting Services 2008 R2
  
  Magazine/Issue: CoDe Magazine, 2011 Jul/Aug
  Release Date: Sunday, July 03, 2011
  Quick ID: 1108101
  With each new version of SQL Server Reporting Services, Microsoft continues to offer new functionality for reporting. SQL Server 2008 R2, released to manufacturing in mid-2010, represents Microsoft’s fourth major release of Reporting Services in the last 10 years. This fourth release focuses on map generation and various business intelligence/data visualization features. In this article, I’ll demonstrate 13 significant features in SSRS.
  
  
• Using Configurations to Manage SQL Server Extended Properties
  
  Magazine/Issue: CoDe Magazine, 2011 May/Jun
  Release Date: Thursday, March 31, 2011
  Quick ID: 1105061
  Before you start hard coding parts of your project to work with metadata in SQL Server, make sure that the functionality you want isn’t already part of the product.
  
  
• The Baker’s Dozen: 13 Productivity Tips for Building OLAP Databases with Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Analysis Services
  
  Magazine/Issue: CoDe Magazine, 2011 Mar/Apr
  Release Date: Friday, February 11, 2011
  Quick ID: 1103091
  rewarding experience of writing and speaking is taking a seemingly complex topic and making it more understandable and accessible. In this article, I’ll show how to create and use OLAP databases and cubes using SQL Server Analysis Services 2008 (SSAS 2008). The benefits of OLAP are significant, even monumental - but like most technologies, reaping the benefits means considerable research and effort into leveraging the tools. In the case of OLAP databases, developers need to learn the differences between OLAP databases and relational databases, and how to use the tools that SSAS provides. In this article, I’ll walk through how to create an OLAP database and how to use the tools in Analysis Services to enhance the OLAP database. By the end, you’ll see why businesses and other organizations see the value of OLAP databases. I’ll also briefly cover some of the plans Microsoft has announced for the next generation of OLAP tools.
  
  
• Incorporating ASP.NET MVC and SQL Server Reporting Services, Part 1
  
  Magazine/Issue: CoDe Magazine, 2010 Sep/Oct
  Release Date: Friday, August 20, 2010
  Quick ID: 1009061
  Your ASP.NET MVC application needs reports. What do you do? In this article, I will demonstrate how simple it is to weave SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) into your ASP.NET MVC Applications.Your ASP.NET MVC application needs reports. What do you do? In this article, I will demonstrate how simple it is to weave SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) into your ASP.NET MVC Applications.Your ASP.NET MVC application needs reports. What do you do? In this article, I will demonstrate how simple it is to weave SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) into your ASP.NET MVC Applications.Your ASP.NET MVC application needs reports. What do you do? In this article, I will demonstrate how simple it is to weave SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) into your ASP.NET MVC Applications.
  
  
• ASP.NET MVC & the ADO.NET Entity Framework
  
  Magazine/Issue: CoDe Magazine, 2010 Sep/Oct
  Release Date: Friday, August 20, 2010
  Quick ID: 1009071
  Both ASP.NET MVC and the ADO.NET Entity Framework are both very popular topics right now in the developer community.Having spoken at various user group meeting and code camps it is very obvious to me what topics a lot of developers are interested in. I see that sessions about ASP.NET MVC or the Entity Framework are always packed with developers eager for more information. The focus of this article is the Entity Framework, but in the context of an ASP.NET MVC application. As such, I am assuming at least basic understanding of ASP.NET MVC but little-to-none with Entity Framework.
  
  
• The Baker’s Dozen: 13 More Examples of Functionality in SQL Server 2008 Integration Services
  
  Magazine/Issue: CoDe Magazine, 2010 Sep/Oct
  Release Date: Friday, August 20, 2010
  Quick ID: 1009081
  In the last Baker’s Dozen article, I demonstrated 13 SSIS packages to show what Integration Services can do. This article picks up where the last one left off. I’ll show some capabilities in SSIS, such as handling irregular input files, extracting database changes, implementing package configurations, and leveraging the advanced lookup features in SSIS 2008.
  
  
• The Baker’s Dozen: 13 Examples of Functionality in SQL Server 2008 Integration Services
  
  Magazine/Issue: CoDe Magazine, 2010 Jul/Aug
  Release Date: Monday, June 28, 2010
  Quick ID: 1008061
  A skilled database developer might find it difficult to accept that other tools can increase productivity. When Microsoft released SQL Server 2005 Integration Services (SSIS 2005), I did not think that any tool could possibly make me more productive than the C# and T-SQL code I was writing by hand. After some reconsideration (and subtle persuasion from peers), I discovered that SSIS 2005 contained many features that indeed reduced my development time - WITHOUT sacrificing flexibility. Microsoft added new functionality in SSIS 2008 to make a strong product even better. In this article, I’ll present 13 different examples that demonstrate the power of Integration Services.
  
  
• Using the Amazon Web Service SDK for .NET
  
  Magazine/Issue: CoDe Magazine, 2010 Mar/Apr
  Release Date: Friday, February 12, 2010
  Quick ID: 1003071
  The richest set of cloud computing services comes from a little e-commerce company known as Amazon.com. Developers can access the Amazon Web Services (AWS) platform using numerous tools including the .NET platform.Amazon.com is a major player in the cloud computing space and has numerous services available to developers. In late 2009, Amazon released the AWS SDK for .NET. This article will demonstrate using the AWS SDK to create a custom backup service using the Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3).
  
  
• Handling Business-Related Date Tasks in T-SQL
  
  Magazine/Issue: CoDe Magazine, 2010 Mar/Apr
  Release Date: Friday, February 12, 2010
  Quick ID: 1003081
  How many times have you found yourself in need of knowing what the next or previous business date is?What about the dates when a particular quarter begins and ends? Have you had to handle the thorny issue of daylight savings time (DST); when does DST begin and end for this or another year in the US, UK or some other region? And finally, once you have determined you have a need to calculate these various date values, where do you host that logic? This article answers those questions.
  
  
• Developing Database Agnostic Applications with Entity Framework
  
  Magazine/Issue: CoDe Magazine, 2010 Mar/Apr
  Release Date: Friday, February 12, 2010
  Quick ID: 1003101
  Microsoft released Entity Framework, an ORM (Object Relational Mapping) tool, in 2008.Entity Framework gives developers the ability to be abstracted from the underlying relational database management system and allows them to talk to a database using familiar LINQ-based syntax.
  
  
• SQL Server 2008: Two Winning Features
  
  Magazine/Issue: CoDe Magazine, 2009 Sep/Oct
  Release Date: Sunday, August 16, 2009
  Quick ID: 0909051
  SQL Server 2008 has been out for more than a year, and perhaps an overview and assessment is due. From a database administrator’s point of view, what features are standing the test of time?
  
  
• SQL Server Reporting Services Hits its Stride
  
  Magazine/Issue: CoDe Magazine, 2009 Sep/Oct
  Release Date: Sunday, August 16, 2009
  Quick ID: 0909071
  We’ve all heard that version 3 of a Microsoft product is when that product really hits its stride.And while I’m not sure of the truth of that software urban legend, I do have to say that Microsoft, with the release of SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services (which happens to be its 3rd major version), has released a gem of a reporting solution that is sure to please users of prior versions and bring more converts into the Reporting Services fold. The newest version of SQL Server Reporting Services is faster, can handle larger reports, supports a wider variety of browsers, and is more flexible thanks to the new Tablix data region, support for rich text content, and Microsoft Word as an output format.
  
  
• The Baker’s Dozen: 13 Miscellaneous C#, SQL, and Business Intelligence Development Tips
  
  Magazine/Issue: CoDe Magazine, 2009 Jan/Feb
  Release Date: Friday, December 19, 2008
  Quick ID: 0902071
  No, the title isn’t a misprint-this installment of the Baker’s Dozen will visit both sides of the planet. These days, many .NET user group meetings focus on database and business intelligence topics as well as hardcore .NET content. Over the last several months, I’ve spent roughly half my time modifying my own development framework for WCF. The result is some basic but functional factory classes I’d like to share. The other half of the time, I’ve been looking at different capabilities in the SQL Server 2005 and 2008 Business Intelligence stack, and solving requirements that BI developers often face. So rather than pick one side and make the other side wait two months, I decided to combine the two.
  
  
• Ask the Doc Detective
  
  Magazine/Issue: CoDe Magazine, 2008 Nov/Dec
  Release Date: Friday, October 24, 2008
  Quick ID: 0811111
  Nov/Dec 08 Doc Detective column
  
  
• The Baker’s Dozen: 13 Tips for SQL Server 2008 and SSRS 2008
  
  Magazine/Issue: CoDe Magazine, 2008 Jul/Aug
  Release Date: Friday, June 06, 2008
  Quick ID: 0807041
  A major software release either contains a substantial number of enhancements, or a small number of substantial enhancements.The last two releases of SQL Server remind me of the two types of Christmas: SQL 2005 was like receiving a large number of presents, and SQL Server 2008 is like receiving a smaller number of big gifts. Those of you who asked Santa for the ability to INSERT/UPDATE/DELETE in one SQL statement, or to specify multiple GROUP BY statements in a single SQL query, you will be very happy. If you wanted a hierarchical data type, you will be ecstatic. SQL Server 2008 also includes a new and completely re-written version of SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS)-complete with a new interface, new charting features, and (get ready to applaud) no more reliance on Internet Information Services (IIS). So while the temperatures are getting warmer, it’s Christmas Day here at the Baker’s Dozen, and we’re about to unwrap thirteen major SQL Server/SSRS 2008 gifts from Microsoft.
  
  
• LINQ to Relational Data: Who’s Who?
  
  Magazine/Issue: CoDe Focus Magazine, 2007 - Vol. 4 - Issue 3 - Data Programability
  Release Date: Wednesday, October 03, 2007
  Quick ID: 0712062
  With the combined launch of Visual Studio 2008, SQL Server 2008, and Windows Server 2008, Microsoft is introducing five implementations of .NET Language Integrated Query (LINQ).Of these five implementations, two specifically target access to relational databases: LINQ to SQL and LINQ to Entities.
  
  
• Introducing the Microsoft Sync Framework: Next Generation Synchronization Framework
  
  Magazine/Issue: CoDe Focus Magazine, 2007 - Vol. 4 - Issue 3 - Data Programability
  Release Date: Wednesday, October 03, 2007
  Quick ID: 0712102
  The Microsoft® Sync Framework is the new framework and runtime for adding synchronization, roaming, and offline capabilities to applications. It supports peer-to-peer scenarios, works with devices and services, and is agnostic of data types, stores, and protocols. In this article, I’ll cover the high-level vision for the platform as well as the enabled scenarios made possible by the framework for developers, ISVs, and OEMs.
  
  
• What’s New in SQL Server 2008?
  
  Magazine/Issue: CoDe Focus Magazine, 2007 - Vol. 4 - Issue 3 - Data Programability
  Release Date: Wednesday, October 03, 2007
  Quick ID: 0712112
  SQL Server 2008 is scheduled for release in 2008 and promises to deliver an array of new and exciting benefits to both developers and IT Pros alike.
  
  
• Programming SQL Server 2008
  
  Magazine/Issue: CoDe Focus Magazine, 2007 - Vol. 4 - Issue 3 - Data Programability
  Release Date: Wednesday, October 03, 2007
  Quick ID: 0712122
  SQL Server Katmai, now officially announced as SQL Server 2008, introduces a significant amount of new and improved functionality, including enhanced data types and greater programming flexibility for database application developers.
  
  
• Use SQL CLR 2.0-Advancing CLR Integration in SQL Server 2008
  
  Magazine/Issue: CoDe Focus Magazine, 2007 - Vol. 4 - Issue 3 - Data Programability
  Release Date: Wednesday, October 03, 2007
  Quick ID: 0712132
  The integration of the .NET Common Language Runtime (CLR) inside SQL Server 2005 (SQL CLR 1.0) enabled database programmers to write business logic in the form of functions, stored procedures, triggers, data types, and aggregates using modern .NET programming languages.This article presents the advances to the CLR integration introduced in SQL Server 2008, which significantly enhances the kinds of applications supported by SQL Server.
  
  
• The Data Dude Meets Team Build
  
  Magazine/Issue: CoDe Focus Magazine, 2007 - Vol. 4 - Issue 3 - Data Programability
  Release Date: Wednesday, October 03, 2007
  Quick ID: 0712152
  “Integrate the data tier developer in to the core development life cycle and process.”That is one of the main objectives of Visual Studio Team Edition for Database Professionals, also known under its project name “Data Dude”. Bringing the data tier developer into Visual Studio is the first step in enabling closer integration between the application and data tier developer. Having both environments leverage the same Team Foundation Build (Team Build) system enables daily and automatic integration of changes into the build process, enforcing closer integration and shorter feedback cycles between the two originally disjoint disciplines.
  
  
• The Baker’s Dozen: A 13-Step Crash Course for Using LINQ
  
  Magazine/Issue: CoDe Magazine, 2007 - Jul/Aug
  Release Date: Friday, June 29, 2007
  Quick ID: 0707051
  How many software tasks DON’T involve reading through data? Answer: very few. Developers work all the time with database data, XML data, DataSets, collections, lists, and arrays-all with different syntax and functionality for each one. Developers who write T-SQL code often covet set-based language statements when they work against other types of data. Additionally, developers who have coded against strongly-typed custom collections wish they could write SQL database queries with IntelliSense. Language Integrated Query (LINQ), a set of extensions to the .NET Framework for the next version of Visual Studio codename “Orcas”, brings the promise of integrated and uniform query capabilities to increase developer productivity when working with different types of data. While LINQ is a large topic worthy of books, this edition of The Baker’s Dozen will provide a crash course to learn what’s under the LINQ hood.