December 2006 - Posts

2006 - the Year in Review

This is probably my last post of 2006. It's been a good year. Not perfect, but very good.


got lots of traction in the industry. Most SQL Server technologists I know agree five years was a long time to wait for a new release, but the feature set matches or exceeds the development effort.

Most shops I deal with have either migrated, are testing 2005, or have plans to in 2007.

was released and Service Pack 2 is on its .

- aka Data Dude - went from CTP1 to RTM in six months. Very impressive development cycle!


It's been a good year for the Richmond Developer Community.

We started a new SQL Server Users Group, which is now the official PASS chapter for Richmond, VA! We also held two successful MSDN Code Camps - and the leadership team is planning more for 2007.

Speaking of leadership, the team did an outstanding job in 2007 - thanks to all who led and participated at every level! You folks rock!


Personally, it's been a good year too.

Christy and I bought a house in Farmville, VA - completing our move from Jacksonville, FL back home to Virginia.

We recently learned we're going to be parents again! :)


Business-wise, it's also been a cool year.

I moved from a temp-to-perm position to a permanent consulting gig, and was then recruited by Solid Quality Learning! The relationship with Solid Quality allows me to be an independent consultant. It's nice to be working for me again, although my boss is sometimes a jerk... ;)

I learned a couple difficult lessons as well. Without going into detail, suffice it to say this year affirmed my long-held business standards regarding the importance of integrity, loyalty, and trust. At my age and with my experience with people and in the industry, I am not often surprised by people - but I was surprised this year. My lovely bride Christy has an applicable saying about such times: "Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment." Amen. I believe it is best to always treat people as you want to be treated because you never know...

I also experienced new levels of trust and respect. I worked with an incredibly talented team on a cool project. Loyalty was a hallmark of our experiences on the team. The result? Against seemingly insurmountable odds and obstacles, both internal and external, we succeeded - and made it look easy! My experiences at Solid Quality Learning have underscored the value of loyalty and integrity in all we do. The professionals that lead this company are at once the most talented, intelligent, down-to-earth, humble, and open people on the planet. It is an awesome honor to be part of this organization!

I was honored several times this year:

  • one of the authors of (Wrox)
  • allowed to participate on the leadership team for the Code Camps
  • honored to lead the Richmond SQL Server Users Group
  • honored to lead the Richmond .Net Users Group
  • nominated for MVP
  • honored to deliver the Team Edition for Database Professionals keynote at the Philadelphia Launch Event
  • honored to be invited to Redmond several times to participate in TAP and certification discussions
  • honored to work with a fantastic team to develop an industry-changing application (which I cannot talk about!)
  • honored to be asked to join Solid Quality Learning as a mentor

I don't do resolutions, I merely set goals for the forseeable future. I was able to accomplish two of three goals I set at the end of last year. I find three is a nice round number for goals - and I am working on my three goals for 2007 this last afternoon of 2006.

Here's to 2007 - may you have a safe, prosperous, and happy new year!

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: 2006 Year in Review trust Solid Quality Learning integrity new baby 2007

posted Sunday, December 31, 2006 4:44 PM by admin with 0 Comments

Condolences

Condolences are due to a couple families - one of which is Frank's family, at his Dad's passing.

You are in our thoughts and prayers as 2006 draws to a close and a new year dawns, friends.

:{> Andy

Trust

My older daughters Manda and Penny gave me gift cards to a popular bookstore chain for Christmas. So I purchased a sci-fi paperback (you can't beat sci-fi for inspiration) and The Speed of Trust by Stephen M. R. Covey.

I like this book a lot so far. It reminds me of the ethics I've witnessed at Solid Quality Learning. Here's a quote from Chapter 1 in a discussion about the Sarbanes-Oxley Act:

Compliance regulations have become a prosthesis for the lack of trust - and a slow-moving and costly prosthesis at that.

Amen.

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: Trust The Speed of Trust Stephen Covey business ethics Sox Sarbanes-Oxley

VarDecimal in SP2 (December CTP)

I've been experimenting with the new VarDecimal data type in SP2.

In a virtual PC named vpcPeter (there's a vpcRay and vpcEgon nearby), I deployed the December CTP of SP2. I then created a database named StorageTests and a table inside named dbo.VarDecimalTest.

I wrote a routine that populated a decimal field in dbo.VarDecimalTest with 10,000 rows of decimal(18,5) data type.

I next enabled the vardecimal datatype for the database using exec sp_db_vardecimal_storage_format 'StorageTests', 'on' and executed the test sproc (exec sys.sp_estimated_rowsize_reduction_for_vardecimal 'dbo.VarDecimalTest') to estimate row_len savings:

29.47 / 32.87 ~= 0.8966 equating to a roughly 10% reduction in data table size.

I then enabled the varDecimal data type on the table with the following command: sp_tableoption 'dbo.VarDecimalTest', 'vardecimal storage format', 1. Note that this does not add a new data type per se (executing select * from sys.types still returns only 27 rows...) but it converts existing decimal / numeric rows in the specified table to the new data type - saving space:

Before:


After:

The script I used to generate these results is available here.

My original table is 352 KB, my VarDecimal table table is 312 KB. 352 * .8966 = 315. Pretty darn close.

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: SQL Server VarDecimal 2005 SP2 December CTP

posted Wednesday, December 27, 2006 1:04 AM by admin with 0 Comments

SQL Server 2005 SP2 December CTP released

The SQL Server 2005 team has released .

Some cool fixes are in this release including:

  • A new datatype for the Enterprise Edition database engine: vardecimal. Similar to varchar, this datatype stores only the precision required by the value. There's even a stored procedure included to estimate the reduction in average row size. Cool!
  • Maintenance Plans can now be executed without installing SSIS. Although Maintenance plans remain SSIS packages, selecting the Database Engine option during installation includes the Integration Services execution engine.
  • Logon Triggers!
  • The ability to return text XML query plans when the XML contains more than 127 nested levels.

Some nice touches for SSIS include:

  • The BypassPrepare property of the Execute SQL Task now defaults to True. (Thank you)
  • A new property - ParameterSize - for string parameters in the Execute SQL Task.
  • More variable comboboxes - less variable textboxes.

There are enhancements and improvements to other SQL Server components including:

  • Scripting
  • Management Studio Reports
  • Database Mail
  • The Copy Database Wizard
  • Backup and Restore
...just to name a few!

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: SQL Server 2005 SP2 December CTP

An early Christmas present...

In the US and a lot of the world, today is Christmas Eve.

As I type this, I am watching the sun rise over the pastures and woods here in Farmville, VA this Christmas Eve morning. It is warmer than usual - but that sometimes happens here. I remember wearing short sleeves on Christmas Day in years past. I also remember the high temperature for the day being well below freezing. I'll take a warmer day any day! :)

Christmas came a few days early for the Farmville Leonards this year. Christy and I learned we are going to be parents again!

I'm thinking, since the Philadelphia Launch Event of Team Edition for Database Professionals played a role in this, of somehow working this into the name of the child... if it's a boy, maybe we could name him Sylvester Quentin - that would make for cool initials anyway.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: Baby Merry Christmas

Announcing TFS MSSCCI version 1.2!

Brian Harry blogs about new features in MSSCCI version 1.2! Michal posts some interesting tidbits on his blog as well.

Some cool enhancements include TOAD support and property and checkin dialog improvements. The coolest feature is branching support for VS2003.

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: Team Foundation Server TFS Source Control.MSSCCI 1.2 TOAD VS2003 Visual StudioTeam Suite

posted Thursday, December 21, 2006 11:53 AM by admin with 0 Comments

Installing Team Edition for Database Professionals RTM

If you have access to an MSDN subscription and want to install Team Edition for Database Professionals, you will undoubtedly notice two versions out there: a Trial Version and a Full Version.

The Trial Version is 19MB, but the Full is listed as 3,827 MB! Quite a difference...

Cameron Skinner's blog contains an explanation (apparently I wasn't the only one who noticed) but the short version is: If Team Suite is already installed, you only need the Trial Version.

You do not get updated documentation with the Trial Version, but you can pick that up .

Catching up on the Data Dude team blogs, it's good see the team is catching a breather this holiday season. They earned it - good job team!

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: Team Edition for Database Professionals Data Dude install MSDN documentation

posted Wednesday, December 20, 2006 9:52 AM by admin with 0 Comments

The Richmond Developer / User Group Community

The Richmond User Groups Leadership Team has been pretty busy lately with a significant re-organization and planning for 2007. It hasn't gone as smoothly as it could - and that's my fault - but we've accomplished a lot in the last few weeks. Good job everyone!

We've successfully migrated to a sponsored model. This wasn't as simple as it sounds, but it is complete now and we're excited about the new possibilities!

We're in the process of decentralizing areas of responsibility for the various tasks in each group. I've fumbled a couple hand-offs (analogy disclaimer: it's football season in the US, almost play-off season) but the Leadership Team has responded with the kind of professionalism that has built and will continue building this community.

We're planning two more Code Camps for 2007! Look for more information in upcoming blog entries.

A redesign of the RichmondDotNet website is underway! Check it out for meeting schedule and topic information - keep in mind some meetings are not at the usual meeting facility.

We're excited to have Joe Bennett speak at January's meeting! Joe hails from the Triangle .Net Users Group, where he's President and Executive Director. Joe will be speaking about Custom Attributes and Reflection - cool topic!

Most has gone very well - and I'd like to congratulate the team on a job well done!

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: Richmond .Net RichmondDotNet Users Group January meeting Custom Attributes Reflection Developer Community Leadership Sponsorship

Out of Canada...

I'm on the way back to Farmville from Guelph this morning - with mixed emotions.

It will be great to see Christy, Stevie Ray, and Emma when I get home! I always miss them when I'm on the road.

But I also met some good people in Guelph. They were simply awesome to work with (and for). I believe I made some new friends.

It's always good to be able to "geek out" with people doing cool work. I'm very fortunate in that most of the people I work with (and for) are doing cool work. I love this job!

But it's even more cool when I have time to geek out over a couple pints at a good local pub before hitting the road - even if someone had to twist my arm. ;)

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: Geek out pints pub friends

posted Friday, December 15, 2006 12:19 PM by admin with 0 Comments

Visual Studio 2005 SP1

Microsoft announces the release of .

According to the MSDN website for the service pack:

... issues addressed range in severity from places where the syntax coloring was incorrect to customer reported crashes in various scenarios. In some areas, more than 50% of the bugs addressed were reported by customers through the MSDN Product Feedback Center and Microsoft Connect.

Sounds like Microsoft is trying to encourage users to utilize the MSDN Product Feedback Center and Microsoft Connect. ;) I don't blame them - it's not difficult to report a bug or request an enhancement using these engines.

The site lists the following among some 70 improvements for common development scenarios including:

  • New processor support (e.g., Core Duo) for code generation and profiling
  • Performance and scale improvements in Team Foundation Server
  • Team Foundation Server integration with Excel 2007 and Project 2007
  • Tool support for occasionally connected devices and SQL Server Compact Edition
  • Additional support for project file based Web applications
  • Windows Embedded 6.0 platform and tools support

There are SP1 editions for:

  • Visual Studio 2005 Team Suite
  • Visual Studio 2005 Team Foundation Server
  • Visual Studio 2005 Express Editions
  • Visual Studio 2005 SP1 Update for Windows Vista Beta

It's nice to see support here for the Express editions and Vista Beta - good job VS Team!

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: Visual Studio SP1 Team Suite 2005 MSDN

posted Friday, December 15, 2006 12:06 PM by admin with 0 Comments

Contact Link

Curiosity finally got the best of me.

There's this Contact link hanging out on this page. Theoretically, you can click this link, fill out your name, email address, add a message, click the Send button and rest assured your message will come to yours truly.

Theoretically is the operative word in the previous sentence.

I did not have Community Server's email setup configured properly - proving the setup is not, in fact, idiot-proof.

After an hour or so trying various and sundry permutations of logins and email addresses, I convinced it to work. It dumped a bunch of messages into my personal email box - messages I am determined to answer before retiring for the evening.

My apologies to all who emailed me using this utility - and it is working now.

:{| Andy

Technorati Tags: id10t configure Community Server apology

posted Wednesday, December 13, 2006 2:10 AM by admin with 0 Comments

Team Foundation Server FAQ resource

From the OzTFS ListServ: Chuck Sterling’s "Ozzie Rules Blogging" contains a great FAQ containing Team Foundation Server tips and tricks.

The flow of the document is nice - beginning with the questions: "What is Team Server? What does it cover - version control? build processes? bug tracking? task management?" and continuing through such topics as "Notifications - email to users when builds are broken? How configurable is this?" and "Working from home / remote location?"

Thanks Chuck! (And thanks OzTFS!)

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: Team Foundation Server TFS OzTFS Ozzie Rules Blogging Chuck Sterling

posted Tuesday, December 12, 2006 10:17 AM by admin with 0 Comments

You learn something new everyday...

So....

Work finds me in Guelph (pronounced "Gwelf"), Ontario this fine evening. As I type this, I'm awaiting room service - pasta alfredo with chicken and mushrooms. Yum.

I almost didn't get out of the airport this afternoon. But I learned something very important about Canadian Customs: they don't care one whit for (in my part of Virginia, we'd say "they don't cotton to") Americans coming into their country to work! Who knew? Certainly not moi...

At the airport, I was handed a customs document to fill out. It had a couple checkboxes labeled "Why are you here? Pleasure, Business." I'm here to conduct an SSIS class, so I naturally checked "Business." Wrong answer!

After a bunch more questions: "Who do you work for? Myself. Who hired you? I subcontract for global virtual corporation. How many people work for your company? Just me. What kind of work is it? Training. What kind of training? Microsoft SQL Server Integration Services. And why did they call you to train them on this? I wrote part or this book last summer about it. Where were you on the night of June 21st?"

And the looks kept getting meaner...

I was asked to go sit in a waiting area while they "figured this out." I did. After about five minutes, the official returned to tell me "you are offering specialized training." To which I nodded "yes." "You are free to go," he said.

And go I did.

I went right across the street and rented the last Hertz car on the lot (apparently, if you're he last person to get in line at Hertz, they forego the usual "Which model would you like today?" question...). So, what do you know, I learned a couple new things today!

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: Canada Customs Far from home

posted Sunday, December 10, 2006 8:14 PM by admin with 0 Comments

Writing Again

I remember Brian Knight approaching me about contributing to the (Wrox, 2006) book. He said something like "Writing is a lot of hard work." He was right.

Remembering my younger, wilder days (I'm older and tamer now) I compare it to a hangover. While you're in the middle of it, you swear you'll never do this again. Time passes, healing the wounds and dimming the memories and you begin to think "That wasn't so bad."

Sooner or later you get another opportunity and you say "Ok!" It's when you start facing that first milestone or deadline that the old memories come flooding back.

But seriously, it's all good.

It's a big honor to even be asked to write. One that I humbly accept and hope to continue for many years.

The reason it's sometimes painful for me is I'm so unorganized. You don't have to take my word for it - ask my lovely bride Christy! Lucky for me, Christy keeps me straight and doesn't complain about my lack of organization skills.

To help me with organizing my time, I bought a book on time management... now if I only I can find the time to read it...

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: Writing Time manangement hangover

posted Sunday, December 10, 2006 3:48 PM by admin with 0 Comments

Personal stuff

In the US, it's the Christmas holiday season. Most of us are able to enjoy this time of year without hesitation or reservation. Many are living at the height of our careers thus far - making more money, enjoying more success and job security and personal stability than ever before. Most, many, but not all.

A few dear friends and family members are dealing with crises of varying proportion this holiday season.

Frank's Dad is recovering from a stroke. Our thoughts and prayers are with you, bro.

Andrew Duthie's wife gave birth to their son eight weeks early. The latest update on this is great news! Congratulations Duthies!

My friend since high school (it's been a while) and best man at my and Christy's wedding is now working a few hours a day after discovering - when he began having uncontrollable seizures on 28 Sep 2006 - he had a brain tumor. It was successfully removed in early October.

My brother Jason is unemployed after several years with a large discount retailer - right here at Christmas.

Why mention the troubled and formerly troubled all together like this? Because I believe those going through difficulty need to know others have trod the path before them and come out of the valley stronger.

There are no guarantees in life - of this I'm certain. Bad things sometime happen to good people.

But the simple fact that others have been there before you can give you hope - and hope is a powerful thing! I know, because I've experienced it.

Not too many years ago I was going through a stressful holiday season. As I stared out the back windows of a little house in the middle of a field - looking at the bare, leafless limbs of the distant forest - I thought/prayed (and maybe even said out loud) "Will it ever be Spring?" The bleakness of the woods matched what I felt inside that day.

God answers prayer. And he answered that one. Spring came to the woods, and returned to my soul as well.

If you're hurting this holiday season, I encourage you to talk to someone, email someone, let somebody know. But if you are religious or so inclined, I encourage you to pray. Those who know me personally know I'm: a) no role model; and b) respectful of other's beliefs. I don't want to get all preachy and I'm not trying to push my religion on you - any more than I try to push SQL Server, SSIS, and TFS experiences and best practices on you.

Some of the folks listed above can already tell you, like me, God answers prayer. And others listed above will be able to tell you that in the future.

Peace.

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: Christmas personal stuff people prayer holidays

posted Sunday, December 10, 2006 2:53 PM by admin with 1 Comments

Roanoke Valley .Net and SQL Server User Groups

Tonight's presentation at the Roanoke Valley .Net and SQL Server User Groups was lots of fun! It always good to see Robin, Harold, Joe, and the Roanoke gang - they're good people.

Tonight, Robin announced the first Roanoke Valley Code Camp! I won't steal her thunder - be sure to check the Roanoke Valley .Net User Group website for details!

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: Developer Community Roanoke Code Camp .Net User Group SQL Server User Group

posted Friday, December 08, 2006 12:20 AM by admin with 0 Comments

Updated Team Project Process Guidance

Microsoft recently released .

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: Data Dude Process Guidance Team System Team Edition for Database Professionals

posted Saturday, December 02, 2006 1:41 PM by admin with 0 Comments

Speaking: 7 Dec 2006 - Roanoke Valley .Net and SQL Server Combined UG

I will be presenting an Introduction to at the December combined meetings of the Roanoke Valley .Net and SQL Server User Groups 7 Dec 2006 at 6:00 PM.

I always enjoy trips to Roanoke!

Hope to see you there!

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: Developer Community Roanoke Valley .Net SQL Server User Group

posted Saturday, December 02, 2006 1:23 PM by admin with 2 Comments

Team Edition for Database Professionals Launch Events!

The Philadelphia Launch Event for Team Edition for Database Professionals was a blast!

The crowd was awesome and very engaged. They added insight, made great suggestions, and asked some good questions - it was obvious most folks are excited about the product. From my informal poll, others present are taking a wait-and-see stance.

I hear both groups! I'm excited about the options and support the product enables for database developers, but I also understand the cautious response from most operational (system) DBAs.

I need to write more about this (when I have more time to blog!), but the same traits that make the operational DBA very good at their job also make them very resistant to change. I am working on ways to implement the cool new features of Team Edition for Database Professionals into the daily life of the operational DBA without upsetting the apple cart. To this end, I'm working with some of the smartest operational DBA types on the planet.

I don't believe adoption will be an issue on the developer side of the house. And, even if the product is not adopted into the operational DBA toolkit, it will still make their lives easier beacuse database developers and developers developing database object (yes, there is a difference) will now have integrated testing at their fingertips. Regression testing will become part of the DDLC (Database Development LifeCycle).

More later...


If you're in the mid-Atlantic region and haven't already registered, you can scheduled for Tuesday 5 Dec 2006 at the Grand Hyatt located at 1000 H Street, NW in DC.

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: Data Dude Team Edition for Database Professionals Launch

posted Saturday, December 02, 2006 12:57 PM by admin with 0 Comments