Brian Swan

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Insights on HDInsight

Analyzing Windows Azure Storage Logs

A few weeks ago, I wrote a post that described how to maximize throughput between HDInsight clusters...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 01/30/2014

Accessing Hadoop Logs in HDInsight

One of the questions the HDInsight team sees a lot is a variation of the question “How do I...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 01/06/2014

Maximizing HDInsight throughput to Azure Blob Storage

The HDInsight service supports both HDFS and Windows Azure Storage (BLOB Service) for storing data....

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 11/25/2013

Insights on HDInsight

I think it’s about time I dust off this blog and realign it with my current focus: HDInsight....

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 11/25/2013

Azure Real World: Managing and Monitoring Drupal Sites on Windows Azure

A few weeks ago, I co-authored an article (with my colleague Rama Ramani) about how the Screen...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 04/17/2012

Reflecting on DrupalCon Denver

I saw a Tweet on Monday that nicely summed up the start to my week:The only thing worse than a...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 03/28/2012

Deploying Drupal at Scale on Microsoft Platform

I find that every conference I attend is a humbling experience. There are just so many knowledgeable...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 03/20/2012

Azure Real World: Migrating a Drupal Site from LAMP to Windows Azure

Last month, the Interoperability team at Microsoft highlighted work done to move the Screen Actors...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 03/19/2012

What is Microsoft Doing at DrupalCon Denver?

Microsoft will be at DrupalCon Denver next week, and I have the good fortune of being one of the...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 03/14/2012

What SQL Server 2012 Means for PHP Developers

Last week, Microsoft held a virtual conference to announce the availability of SQL Server 2012. The...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 03/12/2012

Joomla! 2.5 Adds SQL Server Support!

This is a short post to shareexciting news: Jooma! 2.5, which shipped earlier this week, now has...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 01/26/2012

The SQL Server ODBC Driver for Linux is Available!

The first beta release of the SQL Server ODBC Driver for Linux is available for download! As...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 11/28/2011

Microsoft Announces SQL Server ODBC Driver for Linux!

In this morning’s keynote address at the Professional Association of SQL Server (PASS) Summit...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 10/13/2011

Why is PHP 5.3 on Windows faster than previous PHP versions?

Last week I had the good fortune of hearing Rasmus Lerdorf speak at the Seattle PHP Meetup. His...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 10/12/2011

Version 3.0 (beta) of the SQL Server Drivers for PHP Released!

A Community Technology Preview (a beta release) of v3.0 of the SQL Server Drivers for PHP was...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 09/22/2011

Starting a New Blog: Windows Azure’s Silver Lining

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you have probably noticed I haven’t been publishing...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 08/23/2011

Consuming SQL Server Result Sets as XML with PHP

At last month’s SQL Server JumpIn! Camp, one of the SQL Server features that generated some...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 07/26/2011

I came across lots of good links this week, but I have to say that I’m most excited about the...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 07/15/2011

PHP Driver for SQL Server – Request for Feature Feedback

Jonathan Guerin, the Program Manager for the SQL Server Driver for PHP, just posted a request for...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 07/14/2011

SQL Server Migration Assistant 5.1 Supports SQL Server v-Next

On the heels of today’s announcement at Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference of the...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 07/12/2011

Performance Tuning PHP Apps on Windows with Wincache

A few weeks ago I wrote a post that showed how to improve the performance of PHP applications on...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 07/08/2011

I wish I could attribute my recent lapse in reading to enjoying more time outside in a beautiful,...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 07/01/2011

SQL Server JumpIn! Camp Wrap Up

As I arrived yesterday for day 4 (the last day) of the SQL Server JumpIn! Camp, one participant said...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 06/24/2011

Interview with Ben Waine, 2011 PHP on Azure Contest Winner

I recently had a chance to catch up via e-mail with Ben Waine, winner of the 2011 PHP on Azure...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 06/17/2011

Looking Forward to Next Week’s SQL Server JumpIn! Camp

Next week, Microsoft will host its second SQL Server JumpIn! Camp, and I’m very excited to be...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 06/15/2011

Performance Tuning PHP Apps on Windows/IIS with Output Caching

In this article, I’ll show you how to improve the performance of PHP applications on...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 06/08/2011

For me, the highlight in this week’s list are the first two. Both the SQLSRV and PDO_SQLSRV...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 06/03/2011

Based on my reading list this week, you can infer that I was either very busy with other work or...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 05/27/2011

New Version of Windows Azure SDK for PHP (v 3.0) Available

June 7, 2012 update: The Microsoft Windows Azure team has released a new Windows Azure SDK for PHP....

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 05/26/2011

Consuming OData via JSP in Windows Azure

A colleague recently asked me if I knew anything about consuming OData from a Java deployment in...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 05/24/2011

Working on posts for next week didn’t prevent me from doing my weekly reading. Lot’s of...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 05/20/2011

I happen to think that Friday the 13th is a lucky day (note that I’m knocking on wood as I...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 05/13/2011

Book Review: Easy PHP Websites with the Zend Framework

Several weeks ago (more than I’m willing to admit) Jason Gilmore asked approached me on...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 05/12/2011

Using PDO::quote with Parameterized Queries

I spent some time last week investigating a puzzling issue raised in the SQL Server Driver for PHP...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 05/10/2011

I’m partial to writing, so one of the highlights in this week’s list is the podcast...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 04/29/2011

Sorting Azure Table Entities by Timestamp with PHP

This is a short post that describes one way to sort Windows Azure Table entities by timestamp when...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 04/26/2011

There was a lot of good content this week. Highlights for me included the release of the Windows...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 04/22/2011

How to Use the Storage Emulator with the Windows Azure SDK for PHP

June 7, 2012 update: The Microsoft Windows Azure team has released a new Windows Azure SDK for PHP....

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 04/19/2011

Lot’s of news coming out of MIX11 in Las Vegas this week, some interesting discussion of the...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 04/15/2011

Updating PHP Settings in Windows Azure

I came across this question on Twitter last week: “How can I turn display_errors on for an...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 04/11/2011

Once again, lots going on this week. I found the two articles about Zitec deploying their PHP social...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 04/08/2011

Interview with Mark Brown, Senior Product Manager for Microsoft Web Platform

I recently had a chance to catch up with the very busy Mark Brown, Senior Product Manager for the...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 04/05/2011

I missed posting my weekly reading last week, so this week’s list is longer than usual....

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 04/01/2011

Java Access to SQL Azure via the JDBC Driver for SQL Server

I’ve written a couple of posts (here and here) about Java and the JDBC Driver for SQL Server...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 03/29/2011

A shorter than usual list this week as I didn’t have as much time to read, but the quantity is...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 03/18/2011

Windows Azure Command Line Tools for PHP and web.config Files

Last week, Ben Waine blogged about a problem he ran into when using the Windows Azure Command Line...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 03/17/2011

Architecture of the Microsoft JDBC Driver for SQL Server

I recently began investigating the Microsoft JDBC Driver for SQL Server (see my Getting Started with...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 03/15/2011

As evidenced by the number of “Just for Fun” links, this wasn’t my most productive...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 03/11/2011

Interview with Julian Egelstaff, Technical Architect at Freeform Solutions

I recently had a chance to catch up with Julian Egelstaff, Technical Architect at Freeform...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 03/10/2011

SQL Server Driver for PHP Connection Options: Encrypt

This short post adds to my series on connection options in the SQL Server Driver for PHP. I’ll...

Author: Brian Swan - MSFT Date: 03/08/2011

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