Applied Visual Studio Team System

Attending the PASS Summit

Steve Jones makes some good points in his blog post Training. I find it difficult to believe the short-sightedness of some organizations when it comes to training events like the PASS Summit.

This year's Summit - like all previous years to date - had enough top notch presentations and labs to make it worth the cost of admission, travel and expenses, and the cost of allowing a database professional to leave work for three days combined. More than enough.

Like Steve, I don't get it.

Also like Steve, I bet we'll see these DBAs at the 2008 PASS Summit in Seattle - and working for another company.

I wonder if those responsible for denying database professionals opportunities for training factor in the cost of hiring and training a new DBA every six to eighteen months?

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: EMPs Database Professionals PASS Training Changing Jobs

Thanks to PASS Attendees!

I'd like to thank the people that attended my sessions at the 2007 PASS Summit in Denver this week! I had a blast and hope you all did as well.

The code will be available from the PASS website and on a DVD. For those in my sessions, I promised I would post the code here for my custom Counts test condition for Team Edition for Database Professionals. Free registration to VSTeamSystemCentral.com is required. The site has been live more than two years. I've sent a total of two emails to registered users during that time. And I never share email addresses - ever.

Extending Team Edition for Database Professionals with custom test conditions is fairly straightforward once you understand it. (Like everything else in life, Mr. Obvious...)

If you are completely new to coding and would like to build a custom test condition for database testing, fear not! The last part of Chapter 4 (entitled Testing the Database) of the Wrox book is dedicated to a beginner's walk-through of building your first custom test condition.

Yes I am promoting my new book. There's a reason: it's a good book.

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: Database testing Team Edition for Database Professionals Custom test condition PASS

SQLServerCentral.com and Solid Quality Socials at the PASS Summit

I just returned from a night on the town here in Denver! First, I mosied over to the SQL Server Central bash and got to meet lots of interesting people including Steve Jones and Andy Warren - how cool was that!

Steve was busy administering the event but we finally got to meet and talk for a few minutes face to face - well, I had to look up to Steve... he's a tall guy! But I've been looking up to Steve for a while now anyway.

Andy's a wealth of developer community knowledge and it was great to hang out with him and discuss User Group, Code Camp, and SQLSaturday stuff.

Then it was time to saunter to the Solid Quality Mentors party. It was great to finally meet the people who have been writing the books I've been reading all these years! Solid Quality has the most awesome support folks on the planet - it was great to finally meet them face to face! I still can't believe I'm part of this cool organization.

It's now time for another run through the material for tomorrow's presentation entitled Applied Team Edition for Database Professionals.

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: Solid Quality SQL Server Central PASS Summit 2007 SQLSaturday

At the 2007 PASS Summit!

I'm at the 2007 PASS Summit!

I was wandering around the Colorado Convention Center earlier today in shorts, unshaven, tired... looking like I'd been rode hard and put up wet. But I caught the last half of Gert Draper's excellent presentation on Team Edition for Database Professionals! Gert is the man.

I'm presenting on the same topic tomorrow (yeah, I know - great move there, Andy...) and then on SSIS Development practices Thursday. This promises to be the geekiest week I've had in a long time!

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: PASS Summit 2007 Denver Team Edition for Database Professionals

Getting Ready For The PASS Summit!

The PASS Summit is less than two weeks away!

I'm getting ready for my presentations. I need a couple laptops to host virtual servers for the demos, so I bought some new gear to take with me.

Check out my Network-In-A-Bag!

It's a power strip, a couple CAT6 cables, power supply, and a NetGear 1G 5-port switch - all in a 1 gallon Ziploc bag.

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: PASS Summit 2007 Networking

Testing With VSTS Sample Chapter Available

The cool people at Wiley (Wrox) allowed the cool people at Solid Quality Mentors to post my chapter, Testing The Database, from the upcoming Wrox release !

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: Team Edition for Database Professionals Database Testing Unit Testing Wrox Solid Quality Mentors Wiley

New Book! Professional Software Testing with Visual Studio 2005 Team System: Tools for Software Developers and Test Engineers

is now available for pre-order at !

I was honored to work on this book with three testing gurus: Tom Arnold, Mike Frost, and Dominic Hopton.

The book covers many aspects of testing. More than just what to test, why to test is also covered. Although the book covers testing with Visual Studio, non-Microsoft technologies are referenced.

The book is written for developers practicing test-driven and test-first methodologies, and for test engineers. It provides great insight into the Visual Studio testing framework.

I got to write a chapter on Testing the Database. I use Team Edition for Database Professionals in the chapter to build a database project, then test it. I'm really happy with the chapter. The last section contains a detailed, step-by-step walk-through of building a custom test condition in C#, then integrating it into the TEDP test conditions. I wrote it assuming no experience with the Visual Studio 2005 IDE and little or no experience with software application development. I wrote it so database professionals with no exposure to application development could write their own custom test condition.

The book should be available in September!

:{> Andy

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Raleigh Code Camp - tomorrow!

I'm looking forward to speaking at the Raleigh Code Camp tomorrow!

I'll be presenting on Team Edition for Database Professionals and Incremental Loads with SSIS. It going to be fun!

If you're atending tomorrow and read this blog, please introduce yourself!

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags:

Testing With Powershell

I caught this article on by in this month.

The article, combined with Kevin Hazzard's recent presentations at Richmond Code Camp and the Richmond .Net Users Group, piqued my interest in .

Unlike other scripting shells, Powershell works with .Net objects. It exposes all parts of the .Net framework, but truly exercises reflection.

This makes Powershell ideal for quick, interface-free testing.

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: Powershell Testing

Managing The Thing You Cannot Touch

Yesterday I wrote about The Thing You Cannot Touch. Today I'm going to tell you some ways to manage the situation.

First, try to determine why You Cannot Touch The Thing. This is invaluable information in charting the waters ahead - especially if you're consulting.

Second, accept the fact that there's better than a 90% chance that you will not, in fact, be allowed to Touch The Thing. In my experience, three things must be true for you to overcome the business friction imposed by The Thing:

• You have to try everything else first.
• Everything else must fail to sufficiently address the issue.
• The source of the issue must be mission-critical.

Regardless, your best knee-jerk reaction is acceptance. This is tough for a professional. In your heart of hearts you know what it takes to solve the real issue. And yet, you've been told You Cannot Touch It.

The good news? There's also a better than 90% chance you can find a way to solve the issue - or at least alleviate the client's pain - without Touching The Thing.

Modern enterprise applications are comprised of lots of moving parts. The Thing is probably not the sole source of pain. Addressing other bottlenecks may do the trick - at least for now.

And, if you're the person they called last time they had an issue and you solved it (and weren't "difficult" to work with), you'll likely get the call next time.

How cool is that?

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: Consulting Software Development Satisfying The Customer Leveraging New Business

The Thing You Cannot Touch

I have this theory about consulting. I call it The Thing You Cannot Touch. Since a few friends have found it amusing I thought I'd share. It goes like this:

A potential client contacts your firm. A conference call is arranged to discuss the issue. During the call, the issue is defined. Resolution theories and attempts to date are shared, along with their results. The current status is explained - along with

The Thing You Cannot Touch.

Sometimes an attempt at justification accompanies the announcement: "We know it can't possibly be _______ so we're not going to waste any time looking at it."

Other times, it's just put out there for what it is: "You can't touch _______."

My experience has shown the heart of the issue almost always lies with The Thing You Cannot Touch. It needs to be fixed but someone, somewhere, for some reason does not believe it to be so - and so it Cannot Be Touched.

Sometimes it's political - It's someone's "baby". They built this application just ten short years ago - worked nights and weekends and toiled and sweated and bled to make it work - and rode it all the way to CIO, after all. Who are you, lowly consultant, to tell them VB 6 code should be re-written in this new fad known as .Net? Doesn't Vista support VB 6 until the mid-20-teens?

Sometimes the decision-maker doesn't understand the differences in the technologies.

Sometimes it's a purely market-driven business decision - and the decision-maker is right and justified in choosing to keep hands off The Thing. It's not all about technology folks... it's sometimes about what I like to describe as the (little "s") software (big "B") Business.

If you find yourself on a consulting conference call and The Thing You Cannot Touch comes up, pay attention. Tomorrow I tell you how to Manage The Thing You Cannot Touch.

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: Consulting Software Development Thing You Cannot Touch Old Code Outdated Code VB 6

It's MVP Day

So far as I know, s are annouced the first day of each quarter.

Congratulations to Frank La Vigne who was re-awarded Tablet PC MVP for another year!

Update! Darrell Norton was renewed as an ASP.Net MVP!

Congrats also to David Silverlight, the brains behind Community Credit, XML PitStop, NonProfitWays, Code Camp Evals, and many other cool websites - at least one of which he's asked me not to talk about yet! David was also re-awarded as an XML MVP.

I was nominated for Q3 / 2006 but not awarded. I was disappointed but understood: the process looks at your community involvement over the past year, and I sort of "came out of nowhere" a few months earlier.

I was fortunate enough to be nominated again earlier this year. And today I received the news I was awarded SQL Server MVP! The email arrived around 4:30 AM EDT. I was up until 3:45 AM EDT polishing off my Testing The Database chapter for the upcoming Wrox book: - so I almost knew about it real-time!

It's a huge honor and I am humbled and overwhelmed all at the same time.

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: About Andy MVP SQL Server

It's called "Iterative" for a reason...

Iterative development has many strengths and a few weaknesses. But one thing is not in dispute: iterative means you make more than one pass through the code.

The major weakness of iterative development is its unpredictability. It's definitely time and material project work. This can be very frustrating to the folks trying to budget the project.

One strength of iterative development is the quality of the code and final product. Combined with test-driven development practices like Test-First Development, iterative development completes a project and leaves a suite of regression tests in place. This increases the development cycle for version 1.0, but pays for itself many times over with each subsequent iteration.

I was asked for an estimated delivery time once by a project manager. I'd been given time to do a thorough analysis (sometimes I miss those days) and had an answer: "6 months."

"Unacceptable, you have three months." the PM responded.

Undaunted I replied "Ok. You can have the application in six months, or you can have a three-month project - three months late."

They didn't like either option so they moved me off the project and hired new people. Last I heard, they're still working on it...

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags:

When to Test

All software is tested. Some of it is tested before it's deployed, some immediately thereafter.

;)

It's always good to test before deployment. It's even better to test deployment itself.

I'm honored to be part of a really cool team of Test Engineers / Authors writing (Wrox). I'm not sure about similar books in the marketplace (one bad thing about writing is it consumes all my reading time!). This book is written for individuals and teams developing software using Visual Studio Team System. And it will help you understand when and why to test (before deploying, even!).

I know this is a great book - I've been reading the chapters as they're turned in! The other three authors are testing gurus. Not only are these guys very good Test Engineers, they're also cool people. It's been an honor to work with Tom, Dominic, and Mike.

This has been a fun writing project!

:{> Andy

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I will present SQL Server Tips and Tricks 8 Feb 2007

After the Freezing Redneck Tour 2007 wraps up this week, I'm looking forward to the next meeting of the Richmond SQL Server Users Group.

I've decided to present on SQL Server Tips and Tricks. I have three topics in mind:

• SqlClr
• An Introduction to Incremental Data Warehouse ETL with SSIS
• A surprise topic!

Trust me, if you work with SQL Server data warehouse ETL you will like the surprise. ;)

Hope to see you there!

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: Developer Community Richmond SQL Server Users Group SqlClr Incremental ETL

A couple changes!

I've started a new blog: Applied Business Intelligence!

I will continue to blog here about Team System topics. I'll probably continue to share personal stuff here as well - I'm debating that...

I've also changed my login here at VSTeamSystemCentral.com. I'll no longer be posting as that dry and boring "admin" guy - now I'll be posting as me!

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: New blog Applied Business Intelligence BI SSIS ETL Reporting Services

Re-Import Schema in Team Edition For Database Professionals

What happens when I want to refresh the schema in a Team Edition for Database Professionals database project? Say I've created a project, imported a database schema, and then I make some changes using SQL Server Management Studio. How do I get my updates into my database project?

There are a couple ways to accomplish this. This post describes one method.

Once created the project shows up in Solution Explorer:

I right-click on the project name (Test1) and click Import Database Schema:

I configure the import dialog as shown:

After I click Finish, the import process fires:

After import completes, I note the warnings and click the Finish button. When I right-click on the project name (Test1) in Solution Explorer, my context-sensitive menu has changed. To proceed with the demonstration, click Unload Project:

Once the project is unloaded, Solution Explorer now contains only the project file. I right-click the project and click Edit Test1.dbproj:

The xml containing the project definition opens in the IDE editor (There are always risks when editing xml project definitions, so be careful. It's a god idea to make a backup before editing begins.):

If I collapse all but the last tag (the tag that contains the schema definitions), I can easily highlight this information:

Once deleted, I save the file and close it:

Right-click the project name in Solution Explorer and select Reload Project:

If I forgot to close the file earlier, I will receive this prompt:

When the project reloads, the schema is empty:

A right-click on the project name in Solution Explorer brings up the earlier menu, allowing me to import the schema:

There are always risks when editing xml project definitions, so be careful. It's a god idea to make a backup before editing begins.

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: Data Dude Team EDition for Database Professionals Import Re-import refresh schema

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

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

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

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

Updated Team Project Process Guidance

Microsoft recently released .

:{> Andy

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

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

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

Off to the Philadelphia Launch Event!

is about to launch! :)

If you read this blog and will be attending the Philadelphia Launch Event on launch day - Thursday, 30 Nov 2006 - please introduce yourself!

My lovely bride Christy and I will be there. We're making the road trip today - preparing to leave in a few minutes in fact (as soon as someone quits blogging and finishes packing!).

It's an honor to be asked to deliver a keynote at a Microsoft launch event - I'm so excited!

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: Team Edition for Database Professionals Data Dude Philadelphia Launch Event

The Clean Break

For the first time since 2001, I find myself sitting behind the president's desk in the global headquarters of my own business!

The new venture is called Andy Leonard Technologies, Inc. and this my first full-time day on the new office.

I mostly perform work for Solid Quality Learning as a mentor. For those who are unfamiliar with S. Q. L., it's a fantastic company! Not only are the people industry-recognized experts, they're actually cool! They engineer the entire process of joining their ranks so that it's low-stress. It has allowed me to ramp up quickly - and for that I am very thankful.

Mentoring is a great concept - it's a hybrid between consulting and instructing. Here's how it works: I join teams for a number of days or weeks. While working together, we develop a specific set of objectives - usually to develop template projects, best practices, and establish a foundation for the working environment. Together, we build out example projects using the templates to demonstrate their effectiveness.

In addition to this, I'm also a trainer. When training, I lead excellent classroom-based instruction courses. I currently lead the ETL with SSIS course, but I am ramping up on more course material - hoping to lead others.

In my previous jaunt into business, I operated ASI. ASI specialized in industrial automation and integration. It was a lot of fun for me because it brought together several disciplines I enjoyed (and still enjoy!): engineering, electrical control systems design, and software development.

ASI started in 1995 when I wrote one of the first completely web-based Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) called Plant-Wide Webs. Plant-Wide Webs started using dynamic HTML before DHTML was widely available, then graduated to ASP. Writing the application and running the business were cool experiences!

I learned a lot about business and myself. :)

Most of those lessons were learned the hard way. I remember looking at the checking account one day during my first few months of entrepreneurship and seeing $80 in there. I thought "I must've done something stupid." I was right, and this was the beginning of my understanding of business development.

When Solid Quality Learning called I was ready. I understood the risks of making the leap. I knew it would be a lot of hard work. But, unlike last time, this time I have a fantastic team supporting me - and outstanding business development support!

The person who deserves the most credit has to be Christy. Not only does she support this decision, she's actively involved - booking my flights, making hotel arrangements, and renting cars... she's awesome! She even jumps onto mapping software and talks me in from the airport to the hotel so I don't drive around lost my first night in a new town! (The car rental people always ask "Do you know where you're going?" and look at me funny when I say "No, but I'll find it!") Christy does this in addition to taking care of Stevie Ray and Emma without help from me (when I'm out of town or holed up in the office) - and she does it without complaining.

Thanks, Cutie. I couldn't do this without you!

It feels good to be back. So far, the new boss is treating me ok... but it's still early on the first day... ;)

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: Andy Leonard Technologies, Inc. Self-employment SQL Server Solid Quality Learning SQL

Team Edition for Database Professionals RTM 30 Nov 2006!

Grant Fritchey posts an excellent article about database Unit Testing with Visual Studio at SQLServerCentral.com.

Grant begins the article with a lament regarding all his work to automate unit testing using TSQLUnit and CodeSmith - only to have Team Edition for Database Professionals come along and integrate this functionality into Team Suite! I nearly shared the same fate.

Earlier this year, I was ready to start a community initiative to develop a plugin for Visual Studio and/or Team Foundation Server that would facilitate automated database testing. My logic: This was long overdue. As a web developer in pre-.Net days, I could practice test-driven development. I found TDD added a self-organizing emphasis to my thinking and work.

When I became a database developer, I searched for similar tools and methodologies for my database objects. To my shock and dismay, there were none. Since that time I've found some but they lacked the crucial integration component I sought.

(aka TEDP or Data Dude) - about to be officially !

Yours truly will be delivering the keynote at the Philadelphia Launch Event that very day!

Database development increasingly consumes more enterprise project development life-cycle time. As application developers take advantage of agile methodologies and development tools like Visual Studio Team Suite, their portion of the development lifecycle improves in quality and takes less time. It was all we poor database developers could do to keep up - and usually we needed to be ahead of the application developers (so they would have data to work with!).

Now, we have a fighting chance.

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: Team Edition for Database Professionals TEDP Data Dude RTM Test-Driven Development SQL Server Test-driven database development

30 Nov 2006 Launch Event Keynote! Team Edition for Database Professionals

It's official - I am presenting the keynote at the !

After the keynote, I'll be participating in a panel discussion alongside some recognized names in the industry!

If you read this blog and you're going to be in the Philadelphia area 30 Nov, and then introduce yourself!

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: Team Edition for Database Professionals Data Dude Philadelphia Launch Event

Build a Custom Data Generator

Sachin Rekhi posts this entry entitled Creating a custom data generator: PersonGenerator.

Sachin's blog boasts quite a collection of useful information about Team Edition for Database Professionals - it's definitely worth a read!

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: Team Edition for Database Professionals Data Dude Data Generator

FAQ Friday

I was honored to be G. Andrew Duthie's guest today on FAQ Friday. (I know, "next time post something before the event, Andy.")

Thanks Andrew for asking to be on the webcast!

We talked about SQL Server Integration Services, Team Edition for Database Professionals, Team Foundation Server, and SQL Server 2005. We managed to get in some tips and tricks for the query window in SQL Server Management Studio, including viewing and executing SQLCmd statements in an SSMS query window.

FAQ Fridays rock!

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: FAQ Friday SQL Server Integration Services Management Studio SQLCmd

Team Edition for Database Professionals CTP6!

was released Wednesday.

As with previous versions - notably CTP5 - projects built in previous versions will not load properly in CTP6. "Breaking features" were added and they're common in CTPs. It beats the alternative of no CTPs, so no whining!

One note: Connection passwords are stored in the registry - although encrypted - whether you check the "Save my password" checkbox or not. There are a few other gotchas, but they're documented in the ReadMe.

In a related note, Microsoft has started scheduling launch events for Team Edition for Database Professionals! Sign up today!

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: Team Edition for Database Professionals Data Dude CTP

RCC2-10 days: Countdown to Code Camp

Only 10_{10 (decimal, lest you bit-heads think I mean there are only 2)} days remain until the second Richmond MSDN Code Camp! (That's 1010₂ days for you_we bit-heads.)

The schedule has been posted!

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: Developer Community Code Camp Richmond, VA

Richmond SQL Server Users Group September meeting

The Richmond SQL Server Users Group will hold its next meeting Thursday, 14 Sep 2006 at the usual meeting place: the Markel Facilities at 4600 Cox Road in Glen Allen, VA. [map]

I will be presenting on the topic: - Part 2: Testing and Data Generators.

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: Developer Community Richmond Va SQL Server Users Group Team Edition for Database Professionals

Team Edition for Database Professionals Webcasts

There are now four webcasts available at :

Because of schedule conflicts I was only able to attend the first presentation live and it was great! I haven't viewed the remaining presentations yet but I am sure they are awesome as well.

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: Team Edition for Database Professionals Team System webcasts