SQL Server 2012 RTM–don’t disappoint your customers

A big milestone for SQL Server: on March 6 we have announced that SQL Server 2012 has released to manufacturing (RTM)!  General availability is expected to begin on April 1, but in the meantime you can already start downloading an evaluation of the product.

This means that can expect your customers will be asking you for compatibility of your applications with SQL Server 2012.  “Why would I rush into this?”, you may be asking.  Did you know that SQL Server 2012 has already been deployed for production use by hundreds of global, industry-leading customers, such as Volvo Car Corp., Revlon, the HSN, Sanofi Pasteur, Klout and LG Chemical.

Even locally here in Belgium, we have a number of customers committing their business on SQL Server 2012.  Check our previous post for more details of individual cases.

Now what can you do today to validate your application’s compatibility with SQL Server 2012?  Our colleagues from the US ISV team have written a great blogpost that describes the entire testing and validation process – this is a must read!

In addition, there are a number of licensing updates with this new version of Windows 8.  Check out the licensing page on the product site and/or watch this webcast.

To help you get a good understanding of what SQL Server 2012 can bring for your ISV business, we’re organizing a series of free trainings:

SQL Server 2012 for ISV – New opportunities for ISVs – Overview Session

• April 16 2012, 15-17h

SQL Server 2012 for ISV – Technical session options:

• April 17 2012, 13-17h
• May 3 2012, 13-17h
• May 31 2012, 13-17h

Some additional call to actions:

• Download the SQL Server 2012 evaluation version
• Download the Developer Training Kit
• Visit the MSDN virtual labs
• Follow the SQL Server team on Twitter or SQL Server Team Blog.

Azure business and technical events.

We see many Belgian ISV’s (both traditional software houses and new web startups) interested in the Cloud to implement a Software as a Service application delivery model on the Windows Azure Platform.

To answer the questions they have we decided to organize an informational event at the Microsoft offices in Zaventem. These events are free and you’re hereby kindly invited to join. There are two tracks: a business oriented and a technical one

Dates:

• March 6th, 14-16h (Business, register here)
• March 20th, 14-16h (Business, register here)
• March 13th, 14-18h (Technical, register here)
• March 27th, 14-18h (Technical, register here)

Business sessions: Why Software and Services makes so much sense for ISV’s.

Delivering your application in a SAAS model brings you many advantages. In this business focused session we let you discover what those reasons are … Software as a Service allows you to deploy and sell your application with less investment on infrastructure, you’re more agile to handle growing loads and you can monetize with less sales effort. Think of your application being available as a service which customers can easily find, use and pay for on a recurring base. This idea is a shift from your traditional business model. But it really makes sense. Azure is an application platform that supports you in hosting and running your application as a service. In this session we explain why and show key reference cases (Belgian and international) of companies that are running on Azure.

Technical Sessions: Getting Stared on Azure and optimize your application for the Cloud.

Azure has a lot of technology in place to build cloud applications. These sessions are targeted to the software architects and developers looking for more technical details. We explain the cloud computing concepts and dive in into the different components of the Windows Azure platform from an architectural point of view. You’ll see how the technology allows you to build an application as a service fast and easy and how Azure supports the hosting, storage, database, connectivity and scalability you need. This afternoon has two sessions:

–          How to get started …, learn the basic concepts and the high level architecture of Azure.
–          A more detailed session on how to develop, migrate, deploy and monitor the applications.

Both sessions will discuss useful best practices learned from the field.

Feel free to register (see links above) or mail me at kurt.claeys@microsoft.com for more information.

Join the Belgian Experts and Microsoft Corp Product team for 12 hours of SQL Server 2012

 

Join us for the 12 hours of SQL Server 2012, the next release of the Microsoft Cloud-Ready Information Platform that is scheduled to be released in the first half of 2012. During the 12 hours of SQL Server 2012 we’ll offer you 12 webcasts over 12 hours starting 12:12 CET on February 24th (too bad February 12th is a Sunday).

Together with our 12 speakers, both local and international, we’ll walk you through the all new innovations we’re bringing to the platform, or as we call them "The Fantastic 12 of SQL Server 2012". Our speakers will dive into all the new things around Business Intelligence, Tier-1 Performance & Reliability, the Manageability enhancements and of course the Cloud readiness and integration of SQL Server 2012 and SQL Azure.

Make sure to Register Today and explore the next release of SQL Server 2012 together with us.

Agenda:

Timing	Title
12:12-13:12	Partially Contained Databases
13:12-14:12	An introduction to Data Quality Services (DQS)
14:12-15:12	Power View from the Data Visualisation Perspective
15:12-16:12	Building your first Analysis Services Tabular BI Semantic model with SQL Server 2012
16:12-17:12	What’s new in Integration Services 2012?
17:12-18:12	Manageability Enhancements of SQL Server 2012
18:12-19:12	Building the Perfect BI Semantic Tabular models for Power View
19:12-20:12	SQL Server 2012 and Big Data
20:12-21:12	Extending your data to the cloud
21:12-22:12	Database Schema Management & Deployment using SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT)
22:12-23:12	Inside SQL Azure: Self Governing, Self-Healing, Massively Scalable Database Service in the Cloud
23:12-00:12	Performance and High-Availability at Scale with SQL Server 2012

Bring your idea to life- turn it into an app

Windows Phone 7.5 brings dozens of new platform features to Windows Phone. When you have previously built an application for Windows Phone, you might ask yourself, "How do I take advantage of all these cool new features in my existing Windows Phone application?" Well, there are 2 ways to get your question answered

• You prefer to have a real discussion with an expert and follow an intensive training ? Then this blog post is for you.
• No, you don’t have the opportunity to release a couple of days or you want to do it at your space then I propose here a suggestion of online training.

19- 20 March– Windows Phone 7.5 Deep Dive in the Platform –English – 2 days

You are an experienced developer in Windows Phone or Silverlight. You want to go deeper and develop complex applications. This is the right place for you. No introduction, we suppose you are comfortable with the tools and technology. That means, no “Hello World”. That means no XAML introduction. But instead, we’ll dive in the features offered by the Windows Phone 7.5 platform. You’ll get your hands dirty while doing some hands-on labs, where you get the chance to apply your newly gathered knowledge. Speaker : Gill Cleeren http://www.snowball.be/ registration : http://micbru.fikket.com/event/windows-phone-75-deep-dive-in-the-plateform Place : MIC Brussels http://www.mic-brussels.com

3- 4 April – Windows Phone 7.5 Design – All about Microsoft Blend – English – 2 days

This training of 2 days will focus only on Blend Design almost not on writing C# With Expression Blend for Windows Phone, it has never been easier to create the user interface of your application; simply drag UI elements to the design surface where they can be quickly customized and styled, import assets from tools such as Adobe Photoshop and turn them into data driven UI elements before finalizing your UI with transitions and animation that bring your application to life users navigate from screen to screen. Speaker : Fons Sonnemans from Reflexion IT Topics detail : http://micbru.fikket.com/event/windows-phone-75-microsoft-expression-blend-training Place : MIC Brussels http://www.mic-brussels.com

16-17 April – Windows Phone 7.5 Project call – Français -2 Days

You are an individual, student or a company, your goal is to acquire a new competence This is for you – No marketing blabla – 2 days to learn how to develop, publish and market your Windows Phone 7 Apps. One day to go deeper in Windows Phone features like Second tiles or notification. You will receive a token, coaching, even a phone if you publish some applications Speaker Christophe Peerens http://www.neomytic.be registration : http://events.mic-belgique.be/event/appel-a-projets-windows-phone-75 Place : MIC Mons http://www.mic-belgique.be

4-5 June – Windows Phone 7.5 Project call – Francais -2 Days

You are a student individual or a company, your goal is to acquire new competencies This is for you – No marketing blala – 2 days to learn how to develop, publish and market your Windows Phone 7 Apps. One day to go deeper in Windows Phone features like Second tiles or notification. You will receive atoken & coaching Speaker Christophe Peerens http://www.neomytic.be registration : http://events.mic-belgique.be/event/appel-a-projets-windows-phone-75–2 Place : MIC Mons http://www.mic-belgique.be

Prepare for the Virtual SQL 2012 Launch event!

Welcome

With over 157K downloads of the CTP3 and Release Candidates, and the Virtual Launch Event fast approaching, it’s time to brush up on everything that’s new in SQL Server 2012 and make sure you’re ready to leverage opportunities with our enhanced database platform, BI and developer tools. This update is to ensure you are aware of and can take advantage of training available now.

Below you can find:

1. Updated exam information

2. Updated Learning Paths

3. Tech 100-200 (On Demand)

4. Technical On Demand, Hands-on-labs Online

5. Developers

1. Microsoft Learning has updated exam information for SQL Server 2012. Those exams and preparatory courses with links have additional information:

Exam	Name	Course
70-461 Core	Querying Microsoft® SQL Server® 2012	10774 5 days
70-462 Core	Administering Microsoft® SQL Server® 2012 Databases	10775 5 days
70-463 Core	Implementing a Data Warehouse with Microsoft® SQL Server® 2012	10777 5 days
70-464 DP	Developing Microsoft® SQL Server® 2012 Databases	10776 5 days
70-465 DP	Designing Database Solutions for Microsoft® SQL Server® SQL Server 2012
70-466 BI	Implementing Data Models and Reports with Microsoft® SQL Server® 2012	10778 5 days
70-467 BI	Designing Business Intelligence Solutions with Microsoft® SQL Server® 2012

The Hands on Labs have been upgraded to Release Candidate. See the Technical section below for the replacement links.

Learning Paths

2. Updated Learning Paths – role-based to help partners find training suitable for them. The SI path has been updated with MSL’s instructor-led courses and exams.

§ SQL Server 2012 (Product)

§ System Integrators
ISVs

§ LARs

§ VARs

§ Distributors

§ Hosters

Scroll down for a list of on-demand training available now in the Partner Learning Center (PLC):

3. Tech 100-200 (On Demand)

We have three mini-course (saved searches):

1. SQL Server 2012: Technical Overview for BI Consultants

2. SQL Server 2012: Technical Overview for Database Administrators

3. SQL Server 2012: Technical Overview for Application Developers

that include the following titles:

For BI Consultants:

§ Technical Overview of New Features: SQL Server Code Name Denali

§ SQL Server: Data Discovery and Managed Self-Service BI

§ SQL Server Code Name Denali: Credible, Consistent Data

§ SQL Server Code Name Denali: Complete Data Warehousing Solution

For Database Administrators & Developers:

§ Technical Overview of New Features: SQL Server Code Name Denali

§ SQL Server Code Name Denali: Required 9s and Data Protection

§ SQL Server Code Name Denali: Blazing Fast Performance

§ SQL Server Code Name Denali: Organizational Compliance

§ SQL Server Code Name Denali: Scale on Demand

For Application Developers:

§ Technical Overview of New Features: SQL Server Code Name Denali

§ SQL Server Code Name Denali: Optimized Developer Productivity

§ SQL Server Code Name Denali: Extend Data Virtually Anywhere

4. Technical On Demand, Hands-on-labs Online

The following Virtual Hands-on-Labs in the PLC have been upgraded to Release Candidate:

§ Microsoft SQL Server 2012: Exploring Project Power View – level 200

§ Microsoft SQL Server 2012: What’s New in Datawarehousing and EIM – level 300

§ Microsoft SQL Server 2012: What’s New in Manageability – level 300

§ Microsoft SQL Server 2012: Contained Databases – level 300

§ Microsoft SQL Server 2012: AlwaysOn Availability Groups – level 400

5. Developers

SQL Server 2012 Developer Training Kit contains labs, demos, and presentations to help developers learn to develop database and BI solutions using SQL Server 2012.

How to learn more about SQL Server 2012

The Release Candidate provides a great chance to try the features that will be included when SQL Server 2012 ships.

Download the release candidate here.

 

Hungry for SQL Server 2012 Training?

Full learning path here

Role-based to satisfy your needs:

BI Consultants
Technical Training Technical Overview for BI Consultants

Database Administrators
Technical Training Technical Overview for Database Administrators

Application Developers
Technical Training Technical Overview for Application Developers

Merry Christmas!

Wa want to thank you for engaging with us and we are looking forward to making 2012 even more successful together!

Merry christmas and a happy new year!

 

Kind regards,

Microsoft ISV BeLux team

Wie volg jij? / Qui suivez-vous ?

Every year, we ask our partners and customers for feedback. On many occasions, partners have raised communication and the overload of it.

Introducing…. www.netgenoeg.info or www.justeassez.info, your one-stop shop where you – as a partner – can indicate what information you want and where to find it. Because let’s face it, it’s not always that clear who to follow on Twitter, or to become member of what LinkedIn group. Let alone finding the right email in the overload in your inbox.

Our goal is to send fewer mails, but more tuned to your needs. You will also see different colors in the mails. There are 3 flavors:

• the green ones: information on MPN or generic partner events
• the blue ones: anything that goes out from a sub community of partners
• the pink(ish) ones: all relevant information on training

So, go the site, indicate what your areas of interests are and you can immediately subscribe to the relevant newsletters or join the LinkedIn groups.

Check it out!