Click here to receive your FREE subscription to Campus Technology
News
Microsoft Outlines Next-Generation Databases
10/7/2008
Microsoft is planning to enhance the BI capabilities in the next version of its flagship SQL Server database, the company revealed Monday. The company kicked off its second annual Business Intelligence Conference in Seattle by outlining plans for a new set of managed self-service analysis and reporting capabilities that will be integrated into the next version of SQL Server.
The upgraded BI analysis and reporting capabilities will emerge from a project codenamed "Gemini," and will be part of the upcoming SQL Server "Kilimanjaro" release. Essentially, Gemini is a bundle of easy-to-use tools designed to enable average information workers gather and manipulate structured and unstructured data for better business decisions.
"Project Gemini is going to do for BI what wikis and blogs have done for creating content on the Web," said Kristina Kerr, senior product manager in Microsoft's BI product group. "In the past, you had to have specialized programming knowledge to create a Web site, and there would be a few producers of content and everyone was a consumer. That's the state of the nation right now for BI; there are very few people who can produce that BI information, but everyone ultimately is or wants to be a consumer. With this announcement, we are shifting that paradigm and making it possible for everyone to be a consumer and a producer."
Gemini's managed self-service analysis capabilities will be deeply integrated with Microsoft's SharePoint and Excel, Kerr said. Microsoft expects Gemini to produce "an explosion on information unprecedented in the history of BI, making data truly accessible to everyone in an organization," she added.
The term "managed self-service" underscores the fact that while these capacities will give users a great deal of freedom to slice and dice company data, they won't be without supervision, according to Fausto Ibarra, director of product management in Microsoft's SQL Server division. Gemini enables users to perform analysis and build their own BI solutions with minimal dependence on IT, but it does so within an IT-managed infrastructure that "allows end users to produce, consume and collaborate on personal BI results, while allowing IT to capture business insights in the process," Ibarra said.
Microsoft also gave an update of a project codenamed "Madison," which integrates the technology assets Microsoft acquired this summer from DATAllegro, an Aliso Viejo, Calif.-based provider of data warehouse appliances. According to Ibarra, Madison builds on SQL Server's scaling capabilities to extend "massive scale-out capabilities" into hundreds of terabytes. He said Madison will provide an appliance-like solution in collaboration with hardware partners Dell, HP, Unisys, Bull Systems and EMC, which will enable Microsoft's customers to modify the appliance to conform with their existing hardware environments. Microsoft expects to release Madison formally in 2010, but also plans to provide technical previews within the next 12 months.
Recommended Reading
- Moodle Gets SCORM Improvements, Security Fixes
New versions of Moodle have been released, bringing the most recent stable build to 1.9.3. The latest round of updates includes a number of bug fixes and security enhancements, as well as improvements to the SCORM module.
- Free 'Morro' Antivirus To Replace Microsoft OneCare
Microsoft is rolling out a free antivirus software program for consumers that will compete with products made by Symantec and McAfee. Code-named "Morro," the AV app is expected to be available by the end of 2009.
- Microsoft Demos New SQL Server Features at PASS
Microsoft Wednesday previewed the ability to centrally manage applications and resources in the planned upgrade of SQL Server, code-named "Kilimanjaro."
- Microsoft Unveils Exchange and SharePoint as Services
Microsoft exec Stephen Elop on Monday announced two hosted solutions from Microsoft--Exchange Online and SharePoint Online--which are now available to organizations of all sizes in the United States. The software, paid for by annual subscriptions, is hosted on Microsoft's servers and supported by Microsoft's channel partners.
- 6 Ways Not To Become Rote Using Instructional Technology
There are, in my experience, six strategies to consider with any use of technology that will guard against rote use of technology and facilitate critical analysis of teaching and learning effectiveness. In this article, I'll share with you the checklist I work with and encourage others to work with in learning about and using new technology.
- Bringing Student Web "Stuff" to Campus Enterprise Systems
How can an institution incorporate Web 2.0 learning opportunities for students, and evidence of learning from those opportunities, into existing campus technologies and processes? PlugJam is providing part of the answer.
