SQL Server 2012 Has Launched!
Microsoft Releases SQL Server 2012 to Help Customers Manage “Any Data, Any Size, Anywhere”
Microsoft Courts Big Data Market With SQL Server Update

SQL Server 2012 Developer Training Kit
SQL Server 2012 Adoption Cook Book
Use Upgrade Advisor to Prepare for Upgrades

Simplify SQL Server licensing with MAP Tookit 6.5
Download: Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit
New virtualization software reduces SQL Server 2012 licensing costs

CIOs Overcome Shortage of Business Analytics Talent

 
RESOURCES
new Resources added this month highlighted below

microsoft.com/BI
BI TV
Business Intelligence Scenarios
Microsoft BI Labs  (tools include: Analytics for Twitter, Calendar Analytics,
PivotViewer , extension for SSRS, Fuzzy Lookup Add-In for Excel)

Microsoft Virtual Academy – SQL Server 2012

BI Case Studies
Centene Corporation – (Healthcare) BI for CRM
London Borough of Lewisham, LoveCleanStreets – (City Gov’t)  Windows Azure
MetLife – (Financial Services)  Fast Track Data Warehouse
Life Care Centers of America – (Healthcare) Dashboards
SK Communications – (Media) StreamInsight
BNZ – (Financial Services)  SQL 2012 xVelocity
Bank of Nagoya – (Financial Services)  SQL 2012 xVelocity
Menlo Worldwide – (Logistics)  SQL 2012 BI
Volvo Car Corporation – (Manufacturing)  SQL 2012 BI
Copenhagen Airports – (Transportation)  SharePoint for Internet
G&T Conveyor Company – (Manufacturing)  Oracle & Cognos displace

SQL Server
SQL Server Home Page
SQL Server Training Portal
SQL Server Team Blog
SQL Server Best Practices – technical white papers
SQL Server User Education – documentation team blog
SQL Server Reporting Services Team Blog
Project Barcelona Team Blog

Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Toolkit
Microsoft SQL Server Migration Assistant 5.2 is Now Available
Technical Reference Guides for Designing Mission-Critical Solutions

Microsoft White Papers – SQL Server 2008 R2
Best Practices for Data Warehousing with SQL Server 2008 R2
Using SQL Server Integration Services and StreamInsight Together
Whitepaper and Samples: DAX in the Tabular BI Semantic Model
Microsoft’s Big Data Roadmap and Approach|
Infrastructure Planning and Design Guides for SQL Server

My Top 5 SQL Server 2012 Features…
New Demo of Power View is Live!
Video: SQL 2012 Power View on SharePoint 2012
Technet: Power View (SSRS)
Tutorial: Create a Sample Report in Power View

SQL 2012 Product Specifications
SQL 2012 Backward Compatibility
SQL 2012 Discontinued Features

SharePoint
SharePoint Home Page
Microsoft SharePoint Team Blog
End-User Videos
SharePoint Training Portal
Training courses on Office.com
SharePoint 2010 Architectures Overview
SharePoint 2010 Technical Diagrams 

PerformancePoint Services Blog
Up to Speed with PerformancePoint Dashboard Designer
Getting Started with PerformancePoint Services
PerformancePoint Services Architecture

PerformancePoint Services Overview
PerformancePoint Services Administration
Plan, Design, and Implement a PerformancePoint Dashboard
Getting Started with Dashboard Designer
Overview of testing and deploying a dashboard by using Dashboard Designer
Create a Balanced Scorecard by Using Dashboard Designer
Add Visio Services reports to a PerformancePoint dashboard
Create a PerformancePoint strategy map as part of a Balanced Scorecard
PerformancePoint Services SuperFlows
How to Navigate PerformancePoint Dashboards and Explore Data 

Excel Services on Office.com
Getting Started with Excel Services
Resources for learning about Excel Services 

PowerPivot Component Architecture
Planning and Architecture (PowerPivot for SharePoint)
PowerPivot Security Architecture Diagram
Video: PowerPivot and Power view Lifecycle and BI Semantic Model Overview 

Office
Office Training Portal
The Microsoft Office Blog

PowerPivot Home Page
PowerPivot Team Blog
Kasper de Jonge PowerPivot Blog
Microsoft SQL Server PowerPivot Planning and Deployment
How to Use The SQL Server Data Mining Add-ins with PowerPivot for Excel
QuickStart: Learn DAX Basics in 30 Minutes 

Where to begin: PowerPivot for Excel
15 Spreadsheet Formatting Tips

SQL Azure
What is SQL Azure?
SQL Azure Demos
Azure DataMarket
Get your SQL Server database ready for Azure

Big Data
www.microsoft.com/bigdata
www.hadooponazure.com

Big Data for Everyone: Using Microsoft’s Familiar BI Tools with Hadoop
Microsoft’s Hadoop roadmap reveals new big data deliverables
Big Data, Hadoop and StreamInsight

NEWS & PRESS RELEASES
Microsoft, GE, and Starbucks Celebrate Being Names Some of the World’s Most Ethical Companies
Road map 2012: Microsoft’s big bang of new releases
Suddenly Microsoft if the Hippest Tech Company Around

Big Data Market to Grow to $16.9 Billion by 2015: IDC
BI Goes from Geek to Chic
Cloud Growth Spurs Demand for Data Centers
CIOs Plan to Increase Cloud Spending
10 ways big data changes everything
Military Intelligence Redefined: Big Data in the Battlefield
Public Sector Urged to Make Better Use of Big Data
Analytics Drives Next Generation Of Moneyball In Sports

. 

You’ve seen the demos, and maybe tried PowerPivot some on your own.  Now take your skills to the next level.  

In this webinar, Wayne Snider will show you:

• How to easily avoid some common mistakes
• How to fix sort problems
• How to create hierarchies, and when they will not be used

All sessions 12-1pm ET/9-10am PT
09.March.12
16.March.12
23.March.12 

Got PowerPivot?  Have Mariner train you today

Wayne Snyder, SQL Sever MVP, is Mariner’s Distinguished Architect and one of the most sought out database experts.
With 30+ years of experience, he co-wrote Wrox SQL 2008 Professional Database Administration, is the past president of PASS and manages the website www.msbicentral.com.
When he's not at the computer keyboard, he's at the musical keyboard for Soundbarrier, a rock and pop band featuring music from the 60s to today.
LinkedIn Profile  Twitter @sqlwayne   

For more than a decade, Mariner has been helping clients leverage their data - from any data source to any device - through the use of business intelligence, analytics, data warehousing, business scorecards and performance management dashboards. Mariner serves clients in a variety of industries including utility, healthcare, education, media and manufacturing sectors. Singularly focused on providing analytic solutions, we help business people organize, use, analyze and share data to improve sales, customer service, logistics, productivity and financial insight. Mariner is a Microsoft Certified Gold Partner with competencies in Business Intelligence and Data Platform.

Mariner-Insight to Achieve.
www.mariner-usa.com 

SQL 2012 Virtual Launch – March 7
Virtual Launch Event Registration
SQL Server 2012 Special Ops Tour – local launch events
Why Microsoft Partners are Pumped for SQL 2012

Big Data, Hadoop and StreamInsight
www.microsoft.com/bigdata
Big Data for Everyone: Using Microsoft’s Familiar BI Tools with Hadoop
Microsoft’s Hadoop roadmap reveals new big data deliverables

Microsoft Dynamics Puts Analytics on Steroids

RESOURCES

new Resources added this month highlighted below

microsoft.com/BI

Business Intelligence Scenarios
How to Choose the Right Business Intelligence Technology to Suit Your Style

BI TV
-   Strata Conference 2012 and Power View Contest
-   Gaining Insights On Your Competitors with Competitive Intelligence
-   Predictive Modeling Competitions Can Solve Complex Real-World Problems
-   Using Big Data To Save Consumers Money 

Microsoft BI Labs  (tools include: Analytics for Twitter, Calendar Analytics, PivotViewer, extension for SSRS, Fuzzy Lookup Add-In for Excel)

BI Case Studies
Centene Corporation – (Healthcare) BI for CRM
Great Western Bank – (Financial Services) SQL 2012
Texas Children’s Hospital – (Healthcare) SPS 2010 Dashboards
Patten Industries – (Wholesalers) SAP migration
Edgenet – (Data Services) SQL 2012 StreamInsight
Co-operative Group Limited – (Retail)  Oracle migration
London Borough of Lewisham, LoveCleanStreets – (City Gov’t)  Windows Azure
MetLife – (Financial Services)  Fast Track Data Warehouse
Life Care Centers of America – (Healthcare)  Dashboards
Sumitomo Rubber Industries – (Manufacturing)  Oracle Migration
SK Communications – (Media)  StreamInsight

SQL Server
SQL Server Home Page
SQL Server Training Portal
SQL Server Team Blog
SQL Server Best Practices – technical white papers
SQL Server User Education – documentation team blog
SQL Server Reporting Services Team Blog

Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Toolkit
Microsoft SQL Server Migration Assistant 5.2 is Now Available

Microsoft White Papers – SQL Server 2008 R2
Best Practices for Data Warehousing with SQL Server 2008 R2
Fast Track Data Warehouse 3.0 Reference Guide
Using SQL Server Integration Services and StreamInsight Together
Project Barcelona Team Blog
What is Metadata?
Blog: Let’s Talk About SQL Server
Whitepaper and Samples: DAX in the Tabular BI Semantic Model
Microsoft’s Big Data Roadmap and Approach
Infrastructure Planning and Design Guides for SQL Server

Download: SQL Server 2012 Release Candidate 0 (RC0)
My Top 5 SQL Server 2012 Features…
New Demo of Power View is Live!
Video: SQL 2012 Power View on SharePoint 2012
Video: Power View Cars and Fuel
Video: Natural Interaction and Microsoft BI
Technet: Power View (SSRS)
Tutorial: Create a Sample Report in Power View

SQL 2012 Product Specifications
SQL 2012 Backward Compatibility
SQL 2012 Discontinued Features

SharePoint

SharePoint Home Page
Microsoft SharePoint Team Blog
End-User Videos
SharePoint Training Portal
Training courses on Office.com
SharePoint 2010 Architectures Overview
SharePoint 2010 Technical Diagrams

PerformancePoint Services Blog
Up to Speed with PerformancePoint Dashboard Designer
Getting Started with PerformancePoint Services
PerformancePoint Services Architecture
Creating BI Dashboards Using SharePoint 2010, No Programming Required
What Else is PerformancePoint Services for SharePoint 2010 – And what else is it?
PerformancePoint Services Overview
PerformancePoint Services Administration
Plan, Design, and Implement a PerformancePoint Dashboard
Getting Started with Dashboard Designer
Overview of testing and deploying a dashboard by using Dashboard Designer
Creating a Balanced Scorecard by Using Dashboard Designer
Add Visio Services reports to a PerformancePoint dashboard
Use Visio Services with SharePoint lists
Create a PerformancePoint strategy map as part of a Balanced Scorecard
PerformancePoint Services SuperFlows
How to Navigate PerformancePoint Dashboards and Explore Data
Viewing reports and scorecards on Apple iPad devices

Excel Services on Office.com
Getting Started with Excel Services
Resources for learning about Excel Services

PowerPivot Component Architecture
Planning and Architecture (PowerPivot for SharePoint)
PowerPivot Security Architecture Diagram
Video: PowerPivot and Power view Lifecycle and BI Semantic Model Overview

Office

Office Training Portal
The Microsoft Office Blog

PowerPivot Home Page
PowerPivot Team Blog
Kasper de Jonge PowerPivot Blog
Microsoft SQL Server PowerPivot Planning and Deployment
How to Use The SQL Server Data Mining Add-ins with PowerPivot for Excel

Where to begin: PowerPivot for Excel
15 Spreadsheet Formatting Tips

SQL Azure

What is SQL Azure?
SQL Azure Demos
Azure DataMarket
Get your SQL Server database ready for Azure

NEWS & PRESS RELEASES

Microsoft Reduces Pricing for SQL Azure, Offers New 100MB Database Option
Analysts see looming cloud push from Microsoft
Windows 8 adds help for visually impaired, physically challenged
Windows 8 Consumer Preview: What should testers expect?
Microsoft launches Windows 8 Consumer Preview, with over 100K changes from dev preview

Big Data Can Boost Security Defenses, Has Privacy Baggage: Microsoft

Understanding the Value of In-Memory Technology: A Comparative Approach

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Have content to add to next month’s BI Update?  Email me your suggestions!

.

SQL 2012 Virtual Launch – March 7
    Virtual Launch Event Registration
    SQL Server 2012 Special Ops Tour – local launch events

Natural Interaction and Microsoft BI

Extra! Extra! Apple iPad Users Can Now View SharePoint Business Intelligence Content

Microsoft SQL Server Migration Assistant 5.2 is Now Available 

RESOURCES
new Resources added this month highlighted below 

microsoft.com/BI 

Business Intelligence Scenarios
How to Choose the Right Business Intelligence Technology to Suit Your Style

BI TV
Gaining Insights On Your Competitors with Competitive Intelligence
Predictive Modeling Competitions Can Solve Complex Real-World Problems
Using Big Data To Save Consumers Money

Microsoft BI Labs
    Analytics for Twitter
    Calendar Analytics
    PivotViewer extension for SSRS
    Fuzzy Lookup Add-In for Excel

BI Case Studies
Centene Corporation – (Healthcare) BI for CRM
Great Western Bank – (Financial Services) SQL 2012
RealtyTrac –  (Data Services) SQL 2012
Edgenet – (Data Services) SQL 2012
Texas Children’s Hospital – (Healthcare) SPS 2010 Dashboards
Patten Industries – (Wholesalers) SAP migration
Revlon – (Consumer Goods) Project Server
Co-operative Group Limited – (Retail)  Oracle migration

SQL Server
SQL Server Home Page
SQL Server Training Portal
SQL Server Team Blog
SQL Server Best Practices – technical white papers
SQL Server User Education – documentation team blog
SQL Server Reporting Services Team Blog

Microsoft White Papers – SQL Server 2008 R2
Best Practices for Data Warehousing with SQL Server 2008 R2
Fast Track Data Warehouse 3.0 Reference Guide
Using SQL Server Integration Services and StreamInsight Together
Project Barcelona Team Blog
What is Metadata?
Blog: Let’s Talk About SQL Server
Whitepaper and Samples: DAX in the Tabular BI Semantic Model
Microsoft’s Big Data Roadmap and Approach

Comparing the Business Value of Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 and…
   Oracle Database 11g
   IBM DB2 9.7 
   Sybase ASE 15.5 

Download: SQL Server 2012 Release Candidate 0 (RC0)
MyTop 5 SQL Server 2012 Features…
New Demo of Power View is Live!
Video: SQL 2012 Power View on SharePoint 2012
Video: Power View Cars and Fuel
Technet: Power View (SSRS)
Tutorial: Create a Sample Report in Power View

SQL 2012 Product Specifications
SQL 2012 Backward Compatibility
SQL 2012 Discontinued Features

SharePoint
SharePoint Home Page
Microsoft SharePoint Team Blog
End-User Videos
SharePoint Training Portal
Training courses on Office.com
SharePoint 2010 Architectures Overview

PerformancePoint Services Blog
Up to Speed with PerformancePoint Dashboard Designer
Getting Started with PerformancePoint Services
PerformancePoint Services Architecture

Creating BI Dashboards Using SharePoint 2010, No Programming Required
What Else is PerformancePoint Services for SharePoint 2010 – And what else is it?
PerformancePoint Services Overview
PerformancePoint Services Administration
Plan, Design, and Implement a PerformancePoint Dashboard
Getting Started with Dashboards
Getting Started with Dashboard Designer
Creating a Balanced Scorecard by Using Dashboard Designer
Create a PerformancePoint strategy map as part of a Balanced Scorecard
PerformancePoint Services SuperFlows
Getting Started Using the Business Intelligence Center
What is SharePoint Business Intelligence?
How to Navigate PerformancePoint Dashboards and Explore Data
Viewing reports and scorecards on Apple iPad devices
What’s So Special About SharePoint’s December Update?

Excel Services on Office.com
Getting Started with Excel Services
Resources for learning about Excel Services 

Use Visio Services with SharePoint lists

Office
Office Training Portal
The Microsoft Office Blog 

PowerPivot Home Page
PowerPivot Team Blog
Kasper de Jonge PowerPivot Blog
Microsoft SQL Server PowerPivot Planning and Deployment
How to Use The SQL Server Data Mining Add-ins with PowerPivot for Excel

Where to begin: PowerPivot for Excel
15 Spreadsheet Formatting Tips
Video: PowerPivot and Power view Lifecycle and BI Semantic Model Overview

SQL Azure 
What is SQL Azure?
SQL Azure Demos
Azure DataMarket
Get your SQL Server database ready for Azure

NEWS & PRESS RELEASES

Microsoft gets it right with Windows 8 on ARM, and why Apple should be worried
Building Windows for the ARM processor architecture
Microsoft Improves Mobile BI Reporting for the iPad

Survey: Business Intelligence Back on Top of CIOs Minds
Why big data means a big year a Hadoop
Analyst Outlines Microsoft’s Cloud, Mobile and BI Efforts in 2012

.

SQL Server 2012 Release Candidate is now Available!

Download: SQL Server 2012 Release Candidate 0 (RC0)
My Top 5 SQL Server 2012 Features…
New Demo of Power View is Live!

Get your SQL Server database ready for Azure

Data Analytics, Business Intelligence Workers in Demand

RESOURCES

microsoft.com/BI

BI TV
Gaining Insights On Your Competitors with Competitive Intelligence
Predictive Modeling Competitions Can Solve Complex Real-World Problems
Using Big Data To Save Consumers Money

Microsoft BI Labs
Analytics for Twitter
Calendar Analytics
PivotViewer extension for SSRS
Fuzzy Lookup Add-In for Excel 

BI Case Studies
Centene Corporation – (Healthcare) BI for CRM
Great Western Bank – (Financial Services) SQL 2012
RealtyTrac –  (Data Services) SQL 2012
Edgenet – (Data Services) SQL 2012
Texas Children’s Hospital – (Healthcare) SPS 2010 Dashboards
Patten Industries – (Wholesalers) SAP migration
Revlon – (Consumer Goods) Project Server

SQL Server
SQL Server Home Page
SQL Server Training Portal
SQL Server Team Blog
SQL Server Best Practices – technical white papers
SQL Server User Education – documentation team blog
SQL Server Reporting Services Team Blog
Business Intelligence Scenarios

Microsoft White Papers – SQL Server 2008 R2
Best Practices for Data Warehousing with SQL Server 2008 R2
Fast Track Data Warehouse 3.0 Reference Guide
Using SQL Server Integration Services and StreamInsight Together
Project Barcelona Team Blog
Blog: Let’s Talk About SQL Server
Whitepaper and Samples: DAX in the Tabular BI Semantic Model
Microsoft’s Big Data Roadmap and Approach

Comparing the Business Value of Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 and…
   Oracle Database 11g
   IBM DB2 9.7
   Sybase ASE 15.5 

SharePoint
SharePoint Home Page
Microsoft SharePoint Team Blog
End-User Videos
SharePoint Training Portal
Training courses on Office.com
SharePoint 2010 Architectures Overview 

PerformancePoint Services Blog
Up to Speed with PerformancePoint Dashboard Designer
Getting Started with PerformancePoint Services
PerformancePoint Services Architecture

Creating BI Dashboards Using SharePoint 2010, No Programming Required
What Else is PerformancePoint Services for SharePoint 2010 – And what else is it?
PerformancePoint Services Overview
PerformancePoint Services Administration
Plan, Design, and Implement a PerformancePoint Dashboard
Getting Started with Dashboards
Getting Started with Dashboard Designer
Getting Started Using the Business Intelligence Center
What is SharePoint Business Intelligence?
How to Navigate PerformancePoint Dashboards and Explore Data
Viewing reports and scorecards on Apple iPad devices

Excel Services on Office.com
Getting Started with Excel Services
Resources for learning about Excel Services

Use Visio Services with SharePoint lists

Office
Office Training Portal
The Microsoft Office Blog
PowerPivot Home Page
PowerPivot Team Blog
Kasper de Jonge PowerPivot Blog
Microsoft SQL Server PowerPivot Planning and Deployment
How to Use The SQL Server Data Mining Add-ins with PowerPivot for Excel

Where to begin: PowerPivot for Excel

SQL Azure
What is SQL Azure?
SQL Azure Demos
Azure DataMarket

NEWS & PRESS RELEASES

Understanding Microsoft’s big-picture plans for Hadoop and Project Isotope
Microsoft cloud to power environmental big data

Oracle’s Downward Spiral
In Oracle's core competency, databases, Microsoft's (Nasdaq: MSFT) SQL Server scored significantly higher satisfaction ratings among survey respondents. More than 80 percent of participants gave Microsoft SQL Server "excellent" or "very good" ratings, compared to the 43 percent that gave the Oracle DB an "excellent" or "very good" rating.

 2011: the Year Cloud Computing Shook the Data Center
Cloud business analytics full of promise but hitting barriers
Big Data: Why All The Fuss?
Business intelligence in the cloud: is SaaS BI in your future?
Why Mobile BI?  Just ask anyone in Hollywood
‘Big data’ finds ally in predictive analytics, but combo requires care

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Have content to add to next month’s BI Update?  Email me your suggestions!

Posted May 18 2011
Presented by Steve Yi

Length: 7 minutes

Benefits of SQL Azure
- easy to manage, highly available, flexible
- elasticity, scalability, reliability

Demo - Steve shows you how to:
- use SQL Azure data with Excel
- set up for advanced analytics using PowerPivot and SQL Azure data

.

Phoenix, AZ - May 24
Denver, CO - May 25
Salt Lake City - May 26
Tampa, FL - June 14

Click here to learn more and register

SQL Server 2008 R2 Business Intelligence Training Course 

The Secrets of Time Management… Revealed
Conquer Your Calendar: Use PowerPivot to Analyze Your Time
Calendar Analytics Tool – download here

Microsoft Tech-Ed Conference
May 16-19 – Atlanta, GA
Click here to learn more

We Loaded 1TB in 30 Minutes with SSIS, and So Can You
SQL Server Migration Assistant v5.0 is now available
– migrate from Sybase, Oracle, MySQL, and MS Access

UPCOMING EVENTS

Drive Business Intelligence and Deliver Actionable Insight
May 5 –  Irving, TX
May 5 –  Kansas City, MO
May 5 –  Redmond, WA
May 10 – Alpharetta, GA
May 11 – Minneapolis, MN
May 12 – Charlotte, NC
May 18 – Chicago, IL
May 24 – Cincinnati, OH
May 24 – Waltham, MA
May 25 – Houston, TX

Making SharePoint BI Work: Kerberos Authentication for SharePoint 2010
Hosted by MS BI User Group of NY
May 9 – New York, NY
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Drive Higher Returns with Data Visualization & Business Intelligence
Hosted by IDV Solutions
May 10 – Minneapolis, MN
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The Latest in Cloud, Mobile, Collaboration & Reporting
Hosted by Mariner
May 11 – Charleston, SC
May 17 – Charlotte, NC
June 1 – Raleigh NC
June 8 – Ashville, NC

Microsoft Tech-Ed Conference
May 16-19 – Atlanta, GA
Click here to learn more

Predictive Analytics: The Cloud Meets the Client for Powerful Analysis
Hosted by CSG Professionals
May 19 – Portland, OR
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Drive Higher Returns with Data Visualization & Business Intelligence
Hosted by IDV Solutions
May 26 – Charlotte, NC
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UPCOMING WEBCASTS
* all times listed below are for Pacific Time Zone

Best Practices for Using Project Server 2010
Sponsored by SharkPro Software
May 20, 9am
Click here to learn more

Increasing Collaboration and Transparency around Financial Processes
Sponsored by Tagetik
May 25, 9am
Click here to learn more

Project Intelligence with Microsoft Project and SharePoint 2010
Sponsored by Projility
May 25, 7:30am
Click here to learn more

 RESOURCES

microsoft.com/BI
BI TV

SQL Server
SQL Server 2008 R2 Home Page
SQL Server Training Portal
SQL Server Team Blog
SQL Server Best Practices – technical white papers
SQL Server User Education – documentation team blog
SQL Server Reporting Services Team Blog
SQL Server 2008 Virtual Labs
Business Intelligence Scenarios
Microsoft White Papers – SQL Server 2008 R2
Best Practices for Data Warehousing with SQL Server 2008 R2
Fast Track Data Warehouse 3.0 Reference Guide
Using SQL Server Integration Services and StreamInsight Together
Project Barcelona Team Blog

SharePoint
SharePoint Home Page
Microsoft SharePoint Team Blog
End-User Videos
SharePoint Training Portal
Training courses on Office.com
SharePoint 2010 Architectures Overview

PerformancePoint Services Blog
Up to Speed with PerformancePoint Dashboard Designer
Getting Started with PerformancePoint Services
PerformancePoint Services Architecture

Excel Services on Office.com
Getting Started with Excel Services
Resources for learning about Excel Services

Office
Office Training Portal
The Microsoft Office Blog

PowerPivot Home Page
PowerPivot Team Blog
Kasper de Jonge PowerPivot Blog
Microsoft SQL Server PowerPivot Planning and Deployment
How to Use The SQL Server Data Mining Add-ins with PowerPivot for Excel

NEWS & PRESS RELEASES

Organizations Speed Business Results With New Appliances From HP and Microsoft
A Glimpse at Project Crescent
Microsoft to relieve ‘Excel hell’ with Web crawler for enterprise data
Introduction to Project Barcelona
The Next Step in BI: Predicting the Future

Gartner: BI, analytics software spending jumps 13.4 percent
Social Networking Comes to BI
Data Analysis Is Creating New Business Opportunities

 . 

Posted 3/7/11

***content provided below is extracted from a Microsoft case study
Click here to read more

Software and Services
Windows Azure
Microsoft Live@edu
Microsoft Visual Studio
Microsoft Silverlight
Microsoft SQL Azure
Microsoft ASP.NET

Vertical Industry
Universities

Curtin has designed its degree programs to help prepare students for the workplace immediately upon graduation. The university recognizes the importance of technology in an increasingly internationalized business world, so students not only study the latest technologies, they also use them as part of their education. Realizing that the days of static, text-based learning have passed, Curtin created a dynamic web-based tool for students and staff called iPortfolio.

“iPortfolio is a personal learning space,” explains Heath Wilkinson, Director of Business Systems at Curtin University. “Students capture and upload learning materials—articles, photos, videos, and more—from within their courses and from external sources. They then use iPortfolio to reflect on these materials, journal about their learning, collaborate with peers, elicit feedback, and even develop an electronic portfolio to present to prospective employers.”

“Maintaining iPortfolio data for all current and former students presents a huge storage challenge,” notes Wilkinson. “We need high-quality, highly reliable, highly scalable storage that can be managed easily and cost- effectively, but the SAN can be expensive and difficult to expand. We needed an alternative storage strategy that we could implement without compromising functionality and performance.”

Curtin began investigating the Windows Azure platform as a replacement for the existing Oracle and SAN system in early 2010. Windows Azure offers a highly scalable cloud-based environment for hosting, development, and service management, with a pay-as-you-go cost model and a worldwide network of data centers.

With cloud-based storage, Curtin has eliminated the need for an expensive and difficult-to-scale SAN. “Previously, if we hit storage barriers, we had to take time to work with the infrastructure team to provision new SAN hardware,” says Wilkinson. “The per-gigabyte cost of SAN storage can be extremely high, but we now have easily scalable, highly reliable storage with triple backup protection at a fraction of the previous cost. And because we can use and pay for Windows Azure storage on demand, as we need it, it’s easy to meet our ever-increasing capacity needs and predict what our ongoing costs will be.”

By moving to hosted storage and computing resources, Curtin has also reduced ongoing infrastructure support costs. “We have eliminated the need to worry about things like hardware maintenance, disaster recovery, and data backups because it’s all done for us,” says Wilkinson. “That not only saves us money, but also allows us to move our IT administrators onto projects that really add value for students and staff.”

“The technologies that work with Windows Azure will enable us to add new features like video and audio blogging and audio feedback for portfolio items,” says Wilkinson. “We are definitely able to offer a richer and more reliable media experience. We’re planning a Windows Mobile phone application so that students can capture their learning anywhere, as it happens, on their mobile phone. It’s Windows Azure that is making these things possible.”

Heath Wilkinson
Director of Business Systems, Curtin University

University Identifies IT Project Priorities, Delivers Results to CIO and VP of Finance

Posted 5/12/2010

***content provided below is extracted from a Microsoft case study
Click here to read more

Software and Services
Project Server 2010
Exchange Server Enterprise 2010
SharePoint Server 2010
Outlook 2010
Project Professional 2010

Vertical Industry
Universities

Marquette University wanted a means to include and prioritize both active and potential projects, provide tools for more effective resource management, and expand and automate project business intelligence across the university.

Marquette deployed Project Server 2010 in a virtual environment on an HP ProLiant BL460c G1 blade server computer and used the features of Project Server 2010 to expand project and portfolio management practices.  And because Project Server 2010 is built on SharePoint Server 2010, interoperation is seamless. For example, a SharePoint Server 2010 workflow automatically routes change orders to the appropriate approval authorities.

Approximately 370 team members (people working on projects, inside or outside the IT Services department) and upper-management staff access information in Project Server 2010 through the Microsoft Project Web App technology. “They can view their tasks, look at their projects, or go to project workspaces to update their issues—all through a Web browser".

The Marquette IT Services department uses Project Server 2010 to rank its potential projects. “For the first time, this year we were able to send the Office of Finance a list of projects prioritized using a methodology in Project Server 2010, rather than using our best guess of what the priority should be.  We can show Finance a ranked list of the projects we want to see funded.”

"With the new business intelligence features of Project Server 2010, you can get more information out more easily than you could before.  The dashboards will automate some of the reporting steps that we take right now, freeing up a few hours per month. But more importantly, the information will be timely and available.”  From dashboards, users will be able to drill down to find out more about what they’re interested in.

Smith measures his department’s performance partly by the satisfaction of IT and non-IT project sponsors and their demand for project management services. “People keep coming to ask us to run projects for them. They say, ‘You did a good job last time and we want you to do so again.’ That’s very gratifying for us.” He says that the number of projects his office is managing has increased by 5–7 over the last year—and they’ve increased in size and importance as well.

Dan Smith
Senior Director of IT Services, Marquette University