I frequently find that SQL Server DBAs pay close attention to the features in each new SQL Server version to determine which features will make their lives easier, but they overlook OS features that can make SQL Server easier to work with. Windows Server 2008 offers some wonderful new functionality for working with SQL Server in a clustered environment, as well as distributed queries or transactional replication with queued updating.

What is your favorite type of SQL Server Magazine article?

Go to the SQL Server Magazine home page (www.sqlmag.com) and submit your vote for:

• Step-by-step technical articles
• Interviews with SQL Server experts
• Product reviews where two or more products are compared
• Reader to reader articles that report on field-tested fixes
• Articles about how IT can continue to add business value in a down economy
• Tips and tricks articles

Microsoft Online Services: Implementation Options and the Path to Migration
Join John Savill, the author of Tips & Tricks UPDATE, on Tuesday, February 24, 2009 at 12:00 PM EST for a free webinar about Microsoft’s online services, including Microsoft SharePoint Online, Microsoft Exchange Online, Microsoft Office Communications Online, and Microsoft Office Live Meeting.

You’ll learn about the quality of service, availability options, and licensing options that these hosted services offer. Also, find out how to determine if hosted services are right for your organization and how to migrate to hosted services.
Sign up for this free webinar today!

NULL in the Data Warehouse
by Michelle A. Poolet
Learn what to look for if you’re pulling data from a legacy nonrelational database.

http://www.sqlmag.com/Article/ArticleID/100507/sql_server_100507.html

IBM recently reported in its X-Force Threat and Risk Report that SQL injection attacks jumped 134 percent in 2008 compared with 2007. In addition, exploitation of vulnerable websites increased from a few thousand per day in early 2008 to hundreds of thousands of attacks per day by the end of 2008.

Organizations of all shapes and sizes are currently looking for ways to cut costs, consolidate data, and streamline business processes. "Especially with the economy going down, all of the priorities have been 'Okay, let's see where we can reduce our internal expenses, let's move away from our legacy systems, [and] try to get our data systems in place,'" says Pradeep Tapadiya, founder and CEO of Software Labs. Software Labs' xFusion Studio 4.0 can help you streamline your data migration and integration tasks, simplify your business processes to improve business decision making, and automate manual database tasks.

Oracle Enterprise 2.0 European Virtual Conference—February 19, 2009
How can traditional portals and existing content management solutions go one step further? Will solid and affordable current information systems meet the flexibility and speed of the collaborative tools that every worker requires?

Learn more at Oracle's first E2.0 Live Virtual Conference! Registration is free. Sessions available in 5 languages.

Register for this free event


SQL Connections, March 22-25, 2009, Orlando, Florida
The first 800 paid attendees receive SQL Server 2008 Standard with one CAL. SQL Connections is co-located with SQL Server, Microsoft ASP.NET, Visual Studio & .NET, Architect, and SharePoint Connections. Register for one and attend sessions of concurrent events FREE.

Register today!


Alleviate the Anxiety of Administering Highly Evolved Messaging Environments
Are you having trouble integrating and maintaining the latest messaging technologies while meeting your users’ demands for continuous email availability and impenetrable mailbox security? This webcast explains why the evolution of business email, messaging, and collaboration has many companies evaluating the benefits of a Software as a Service (SaaS) solution for their messaging needs. The webcast includes a case study of MTM Luxury Lodging, a hotel management company that utilizes integrated messaging services.

Register for this webcast now to find out what SaaS can do for you!



FEATURED WHITE PAPER
Ease SharePoint Migration and Ongoing Site Maintenance
Learn about the various migration options you have and a valuable tool that can help with both migration and the ongoing site maintenance often required by content owners and SharePoint site admins—all in this white paper written by independent SharePoint expert Michael Noel.

Simplify your migration task—download this white paper today!



ANNOUNCEMENTS
Achieve Total Desktop Control with Desktop Authority
Desktop Authority is the one-stop solution for users who want control over their desktop without the hassle of logon scripting, Group Policy, user profiles, and multiple security solutions. The software lets you manage, monitor, and secure your system from a centralized location. You can access your desktop from any Java-enabled browser, allowing you to respond immediately to user problems and emergencies no matter where you are.

Try Desktop Authority free for 30 days!


Empower Your Processes with PowerShell!
Join MVP Paul Robichaux on February 26, 2009, at 11:00 AM Eastern time as he equips you with PowerShell how-tos in three informative lessons—all on your own computer! For only $99, you'll learn how to

• execute commands a set number of times or until a preset condition changes
• master tools for formatting and displaying data
• import and export data in CSV and XML formats