Tech*Ed 2008 IT Pro Session DAT251: Introduction to SQL Server Data Services (Video)

Microsoft released a one-hour video capture of Soumitra Sengupta’s DAT251 session at Tech*Ed 2008 IT Pro, Introduction to SQL Server Data Services on July 9, 2008. Here’s the session description:

Cloud computing offers many benefits to business customers looking to increase operational efficiencies, lower operational costs and/or move to a Software as a Service (SaaS) model. This session provides an overview of Microsoft SQL Server Data Services (SSDS) and walks through on-boarding and typical usage scenarios to show how SSDS brings the power of scale-free storage, distributed computing, and reliable data processing to new and existing business solutions.

I strongly recommend that anyone interested in SSDS who didn’t attend this session watch the entire segment.

Content and Rating

The agenda for Soumitra’s session followed that of Nigel Ellis’s MIX 08 BT05 presentation of the same name, but with greater concentration on data architecture:

• Why SQL Server Data Services (SSDS)
  • Value Proposition
  • Example Scenarios
• SQL Server Data Services (SSDS) Data Architecture
  • Data Model
  • Platform
  • Services Ecosystem
• SSDS Service Delivery
  • Business SLA
  • Roadmap
  • Resources

Soumitra provided a much more detailed description of SSDS data management, including replication techniques, than I’ve seen or heard previously. I’ve been working with SSDS since early in the beta, but I now have a much clearer understanding of the intricacies of clustering, data partitioning, and transaction processing that distinguish SSDS from other purported “cloud databases,” such as Amazon SimpleDB and the Google App Engine.

He also confirmed that SSDS’s forthcoming schema will be based on the Entity Data Model and mentioned that support for business intelligence operations was in the SSDS team’s future plans.

Session Rating: A

(I was surprised by what appeared to be a sparse audience. I expected more interest in SSDS on the part of IT pros, including DBAs, than developers.)

Wish List

Here’s what I’d like to see after watching Soumitra’s presentation for the first time:

• More information on the SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) demo for uploading and downloading data.
• Downloadable SSDS Management Studio and SSDS Command Line applications.
• More details on batched operations.

The RSS feed for all Tech*Ed 2008 sessions released in streaming video format (80 as of 7/10/2008) is here.

Recent Related Posts

• Sprint 3 for SQL Server Data Services Will Add Several New Features (July 9, 2008)
• Seven Security Risks the SQL Server Data Services Team Must Mitigate for Enterprise Users (July 2, 2008)
• LINQ and Entity Framework Posts for 7/2/2008+ (July 6, 2008)
• Mike Amundsen Posts Sample SQL Server Data Services Provisioning Application (July 4, 2008)
• Nigel Ellis Discusses Role-Based Authorization Plans for SQL Server Data Services (July 4, 2008)
• Nigel Ellis Says SQL Server Data Services Will Use the Entity Data Model For Schemas (7/3/2008)
• SQL Server Data Services Needs an Open Development Process Similar to that for ADO.NET Data Services and Entity Framework (6/27/2008)
• Is the ADO.NET Team Abandoning LINQ to SQL? (5/23/2008)

Technorati tags: SQL Server Data Services, SSDS, SSDS Provisioning, Cloud Computing, Entity Data Model, Entiy Framework, SimpleDB, Google App Engine