Anyone completed the SQL Business Intelligence exams?

I've just done my final exam on SQL BI (71-445 & 71-446), have to say I gotta commend Microsoft for the new testing systems; much better than before.

Anyone else done the exams and have some input on them.

Currently revising for MCITP so my girlfriend is not happy ;-), but she knows it's worth it.

I have done MCITP DBA (70-447). Is MS already anounced these exam?. it is nice to know that u have done it. Congrats man..

Madhu

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Thanks, all i could find on the subject was one book on Designing a BI Solution which wasn't the best (but helped me more on the Design exam, but less on the Optimizing a BI solution exam).

Theyre really tough but hopefully worth it.

Word is they'll go official in February 2007 with courses starting up shortly after, should get my results in about 6 weeks time so fingers crossed.

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Hi John,

I also took the 71-445 and 71-446 exams. I can say that a BI exam covering SSRS, SSAS, SSIS and data mining is a good concept. Since BI Development is also becoming a major development branch within SQL Server.

You can find my comments on both exams on my blog entries http://www.kodyaz.com/blogs/software_development_blog/archive/2006/11/30/480.aspx and http://www.kodyaz.com/blogs/software_development_blog/archive/2006/12/27/485.aspx

I'm also waiting the exam scores hoping to pass at least one of them.

Eralper

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totally agree, what i've been hearing from the big companies is that they're trying to shelve Oracle in favour of SQL Server so it's value in the marketplace can only grow.

If anything it'd be a great way to get into the SAP arena.

Good luck on your results, I hope I pass at least one of them, thought I did better on the last exam 71-446 than the optimizing exam.

Now revising for 70-443 (designing a sql system), aiming for my MCITP in SQL 2005, already passed my MCTS so just two exams to do but they're proving really draining.

|||

Hi,

Finally, the release dates are clarified as 2nd of March, 2007

http://www.kodyaz.com/blogs/software_development_blog/archive/2007/01/12/490.aspx

Anyone completed the SQL Business Intelligence exams?

I've just done my final exam on SQL BI (71-445 & 71-446), have to say I gotta commend Microsoft for the new testing systems; much better than before.

Anyone else done the exams and have some input on them.

Currently revising for MCITP so my girlfriend is not happy ;-), but she knows it's worth it.

I have done MCITP DBA (70-447). Is MS already anounced these exam?. it is nice to know that u have done it. Congrats man..

Madhu

|||

Thanks, all i could find on the subject was one book on Designing a BI Solution which wasn't the best (but helped me more on the Design exam, but less on the Optimizing a BI solution exam).

Theyre really tough but hopefully worth it.

Word is they'll go official in February 2007 with courses starting up shortly after, should get my results in about 6 weeks time so fingers crossed.

|||

Hi John,

I also took the 71-445 and 71-446 exams. I can say that a BI exam covering SSRS, SSAS, SSIS and data mining is a good concept. Since BI Development is also becoming a major development branch within SQL Server.

You can find my comments on both exams on my blog entries http://www.kodyaz.com/blogs/software_development_blog/archive/2006/11/30/480.aspx and http://www.kodyaz.com/blogs/software_development_blog/archive/2006/12/27/485.aspx

I'm also waiting the exam scores hoping to pass at least one of them.

Eralper

|||

totally agree, what i've been hearing from the big companies is that they're trying to shelve Oracle in favour of SQL Server so it's value in the marketplace can only grow.

If anything it'd be a great way to get into the SAP arena.

Good luck on your results, I hope I pass at least one of them, thought I did better on the last exam 71-446 than the optimizing exam.

Now revising for 70-443 (designing a sql system), aiming for my MCITP in SQL 2005, already passed my MCTS so just two exams to do but they're proving really draining.

|||

Hi,

Finally, the release dates are clarified as 2nd of March, 2007

http://www.kodyaz.com/blogs/software_development_blog/archive/2007/01/12/490.aspx

Any way to obtain changes in tables?

Hi
I'm Using Merge Replication to replicate info from a Pocket PC app. This
info must be integrated with legacy systems in FOXPRO. Is there a way to
obtain changes (new rows and updated rows) in tables to pass it by textfile
to these legacy systems?
For now, i'm experimenting with a status Column in each table. When
inserting or updating in SQLCE i update this column to 0. Once i replicate I
update it to 1(in the pocket). In the server, a memory resident program is
running every two minutes checking for new records (status=0) and exporting
them to a textfile. This, even when functional, i don't think is the best way
to do it. So I ask you if this can be done by a native way in SQL.
Thank you
Regards!
Omar Rojas
It has been a little while since I've used Merge Replication from a CE-based
device, and I'm a little vague on the restrictions but:
Although ugly and possibly undesirable, a trigger on each table to be
tracked could be used to "catch" changes. it could possible update a
"control" table of table name and key values to be processed later by a
formatter that writes the text file, or other, really quick and simple
processing.
You could get trickier and delve into the replication metadata to capture
this information and avoid the triggers, but that requires a relatively
in-depth understanding of the internals of replication.
Cheers.
"Omar Rojas" wrote:

> Hi
> I'm Using Merge Replication to replicate info from a Pocket PC app. This
> info must be integrated with legacy systems in FOXPRO. Is there a way to
> obtain changes (new rows and updated rows) in tables to pass it by textfile
> to these legacy systems?
> For now, i'm experimenting with a status Column in each table. When
> inserting or updating in SQLCE i update this column to 0. Once i replicate I
> update it to 1(in the pocket). In the server, a memory resident program is
> running every two minutes checking for new records (status=0) and exporting
> them to a textfile. This, even when functional, i don't think is the best way
> to do it. So I ask you if this can be done by a native way in SQL.
> Thank you
> Regards!
> Omar Rojas

any plans for SQL 2K on x64 systems ?

Theres SQL 2000 on IA-64 but none for x64 .. why ? and are there plans for
launching it soon ? Pls let me know . Thanks
SQL 2005 (Yukon) Beta 2 is available to MSDN subscribers. One of the build
platforms is x64. I doubt that this will be retrofitted back into SQL 2000.
Geoff N. Hiten
Microsoft SQL Server MVP
Senior Database Administrator
Careerbuilder.com
I support the Professional Association for SQL Server
www.sqlpass.org
"Hassan" <fatima_ja@.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:ud5SY3yhEHA.2764@.TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> Theres SQL 2000 on IA-64 but none for x64 .. why ? and are there plans for
> launching it soon ? Pls let me know . Thanks
>

any plans for SQL 2K on x64 systems ?

Theres SQL 2000 on IA-64 but none for x64 .. why ? and are there plans for
launching it soon ? Pls let me know . ThanksSQL 2005 (Yukon) Beta 2 is available to MSDN subscribers. One of the build
platforms is x64. I doubt that this will be retrofitted back into SQL 2000.
--
Geoff N. Hiten
Microsoft SQL Server MVP
Senior Database Administrator
Careerbuilder.com
I support the Professional Association for SQL Server
www.sqlpass.org
"Hassan" <fatima_ja@.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:ud5SY3yhEHA.2764@.TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> Theres SQL 2000 on IA-64 but none for x64 .. why ? and are there plans for
> launching it soon ? Pls let me know . Thanks
>

any plans for SQL 2K on x64 systems ?

Theres SQL 2000 on IA-64 but none for x64 .. why ? and are there plans for
launching it soon ? Pls let me know . ThanksSQL 2005 (Yukon) Beta 2 is available to MSDN subscribers. One of the build
platforms is x64. I doubt that this will be retrofitted back into SQL 2000.
Geoff N. Hiten
Microsoft SQL Server MVP
Senior Database Administrator
Careerbuilder.com
I support the Professional Association for SQL Server
www.sqlpass.org
"Hassan" <fatima_ja@.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:ud5SY3yhEHA.2764@.TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> Theres SQL 2000 on IA-64 but none for x64 .. why ? and are there plans for
> launching it soon ? Pls let me know . Thanks
>

ANSII NULL AND QUOTED IDENTIFERS - Upgrade problems

I inherited a system that was started in Access and moved to SQL 2000. The business has grown and we are trying to replace our older systems with ASP.NET and Server 2005.

Currently, we are trying to make a new asp.net page for searching the database for records with matching dates or date ranges. There are several types of dates to search, so they are all optional. Set to default as null in the proc. For each date there is an operator field, such as equal or greater, etc. The proc only looks at the date if the operator is set to EQ" or "IN" and ignores the date if operator set to "NO"

The proc works fine when running under Management Studio, but fails coming through a SQLDataSource to a gridview. It works with integer and string filters, but fails when entering the same date ('07/20/2007') that works in the testing tool. All dates are actually stored as datetime, and they are set as DateTime Control Parameters in the SQLDataSource.

<asp:SqlDataSourceID="SqlDataSource1"runat="server"ConnectionString="<%$ ConnectionStrings:someConnectionString %>"

SelectCommand="spTESTSearch"SelectCommandType="StoredProcedure">

<SelectParameters>

<asp:ParameterDefaultValue="M"Name="TypeCode"Type="String"/>

<asp:ParameterDefaultValue="EQ"Name="FirstPubOp"Type="String"/>

<asp:ControlParameterControlID="FirstPubDateTextBox"DefaultValue=""Name="FirstPubDate"

PropertyName="Text"Type="DateTime"/>

<asp:ParameterDefaultValue="C"Name="UserName"Type="String"/>

<asp:ParameterDefaultValue="NO"Name="SearchTextOp"Type="String"/>

<asp:ParameterName="SearchText"Type="String"/>

</SelectParameters>

</asp:SqlDataSource>

The dates are selected properly in the testing tool, with code such as :

DateDiff(day, FirstPubDate, @.FirstPubDate)= 0

I think my problem is based on option settings for the databases themselves. The old database was set to Ansii Nulls and Quoted Identiers to OFF, and the new ones were defaulted to them being ON. I noticed that the tool also, sets those options on when creating new stored procedures.

Would this difference be causing the dates to be quoted and viewed as objects rather than strings? What are the dangers in changing those options on the database that still gets uploads from the old SQL 2000 database and some Mac-based systems?

I welcome any suggestions on how to get my new stuff running while not breaking my old production systems.

Thanks for the assist!

The options you mentioned should have no relevance to your current issue. Quoted identifiers is referring to whether a statement like:

SELECT "my_column" or SELECT [my_column] is the correct way to specify column/table names that have characters in them that could cause confusion, or are reserved words.

The ANSI NULLS parameter refers to a number of things like if the boolean operation (NULL=NULL) should return true, or NULL.

BTW, the default values on the stored procedure (as specified in the stored procedure) aren't used. They only come into play when you call a stored procedure without specifying a value for that parameter. The parameters you have defined in the SqlDatasource will always pass a value.

Personally, I would first hook up an event to the SqlDatasource_Selecting event. By checking the e.Command.Parameters collection in that event, you can see what it about to be passed to the stored procedure. Verify that passing the values (as they were in the selecting event) works in Management Studio.

If that does not lead you to the problem, then run Sql Profiler, and compare the difference between the queries that get submitted via the web application, and the query submitted by management studio.