A variety of factors are converging to create an information storage explosion. Enabled by new types of information, such as digitization of images and video, and sensor information from RFID tags, the amount of digital information within an organization is mushrooming. Growing regulatory compliance and globalization require that information be stored securely and available at all times. At the same time, the cost of disk storage has dramatically decreased, enabling organizations to store more data per dollar invested. Users must quickly sift through mountains of data to find relevant information. Furthermore, they want to use this information on any device and with the programs that they use every day, such as Microsoft Office System applications. Managing this data explosion and the increase in user expectations creates numerous challenges for the enterprise.

This excerpt is from the document which explains the overview of what SQL Server 2008 is all about, I recommend reading this document.

Related link:

SQL2008_ProductOverview.pdf (809.6 KB)

Bandagi!

To safe time and effort require to install SQL Server 2008 RC0 Express on Windows Vista, install these pre-requisites before you proceed further.

• Windows Installer 4.5
• .Net Framework 3.5 SP1 Beta

Related link:

Windows Installer 4.5: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=5a58b56f-60b6-4412-95b9-54d056d6f9f4

.Net Framework 3.5 Sp1 Beta: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=8C36ACA4-E947-4760-9B05-93CAC04C6F87&displaylang=en

Bandagi!

Download Manager is available as an add-on component for Akamai Electronic Software Delivery customers who use their Web sites to deliver digitized files, such as software, movies, or other large objects. Download Manager provides a simplified method of distributing, downloading, and installing digitized assets via the Internet. Download Manager can be used with Web sites that deliver content via SSL, as well as with sites that require authentication before providing access to content.

For your end users, Download Manager provides a user-friendly application that significantly improves the ease, efficiency, and reliability of their downloads.For your organization, Download Manager offers a simple method for tracking the success or failure of each download and provides automated recovery capabilities.

You must be surprise why I am talking about Akamai in my last blogs, since there is a strategic alliance between Microsoft and Akamai for future Content Delivery - Microsoft is using Akamai Network for all Release Candidates for SQL Server 2008.

Read more about Akamai Download Manager: http://www.akamai.com/dl/feature_sheets/Akamai_Download_Manager_FS.pdf

Bandagi!

Akamai HTTP Downloads helps deliver large-file downloads quickly and reliably to users anywhere in the world, in real time or through scheduled downloads. Whether the files are multi-gigabyte software files or video images, the Akamai Edge Platform handles your downloads - scaling on demand, optimizing delivery paths, and providing accurate tracking and reporting on completion rates.

It features:

• 
  Large File Download Optimization - Leveraging the distributed global Akamai network, this unique capability significantly enhances download performance for end users who are downloading large multi-gigabyte files. The key technology behind Large File Download Optimization is a system for storing, retrieving, and delivering large files as a cluster of individual file pieces. This enables you to increase file sizes in response to market demand, while in parallel providing a quicker, more seamless download experience for the end-user.

• Download Manager - this client software application helps users increase download performance, simplify software downloads, and track end user download behavior while imprioving download completion rates. It can be used for standard downloads and secure delivery via SSL and through end user authentication. Users can:
  Choose the directory where they want to place the file
  Pause or stop the download and resume at a later time
  Seamlessly and automatically recover from dropped connections, system crashes, etc

Related link: http://www.akamai.com/html/technology/products/http_downloads.html

Bandagi!

Akamai's EdgePlatform is one of the world's largest distributed computing platforms. It is a network of more than 34000 secure servers equipped with proprietary software and deployed in 70 countries that relies on applied mathematics and algorithms to help solve congestion and vulnerability problems on the Internet. These servers reside within approximately 950 of the world's networks monitoring the Internet in real time - gathering information about traffic, congestion, and trouble spots. Akamai uses this intelligence to optimize routes and replicate data dynamically to deliver content and applications more quickly, reliably, and securely.

Read more about Edge Platform at http://www.akamai.com/html/technology/edgeplatform.html

Bandagi!

"SQL has come a very long way to go."

Hello and a very warm welcome to my website.  I have been providing Microsoft SQL Consultancy and Training since early 2007.  My key skills, apart from the technology, are making complex database issues understandable and implementable through a methodical, logical and caring approach.

I can help with any SQL Server related problem, from specifying hardware, creating databases to high availability and maintenance.  

I offer Advice, Implementation and Training, whatever you need.

SQL Server Database Performance Tuning and Optimisation is one of my specialities. I understand how SQL Server works at a low level, thus allowing to understand where the problem lies. Full documentation will be produced for your system, including observations and recommendations. We look at hardware, software, queries and index analysis too. 

I can implement or instruct your staff on making the changes.

Upgrading and Consolidating are other key areas.  With the mainstream support retirement of SQL Server 2000 on the 8th April 2008 it leaves no option but upgrading to SQL 2005 or SQL 2008 when it makes its appearance.  Unless you pay the extended support fee.

I also help companies leverage the power of the new features within SQL 2005. This database release contains new and enhanced Indexed Views support. Implementing this at a clients site reduced their wait times from 20 seconds down to 0.6 seconds.  We also can help with smaller clients too with SQL Server 2005/2008 Express.

These are but a few of our experiences. We can take the team lead or project manage SQL projects. We're not just database monsters.

How can I help you?

I can help by custom database building and 've also got lots of Transact-SQL (T-SQL) and DBA Administration experience. If you need any of these things, then please call us, we can show you how to get the best out of SQL Server.