I was in a conversation this morning with a couple other SQL guys (Twitter again) and the subject of Dynamic Management Views (DMVs) came up in regards to SQL Azure.  Running through the MSDN details it did not seem that they were supported.  After a couple emails with the SQL Azure team I have been given assurances that they will be added in a few months. 

The DMVs that will be available are only those which have database scope.  This is another great step in making SQL Azure a very viable alternative to local hardware.

My list of items in Program Files (x86) keeps shrinking and thank goodness for that.  The continued drive to 64 bit is joined by SSMS and is available here.  This build also supports SQL Azure if you need additional sales pitch.

The OSLO story just continues to amaze and perplex me.  I am a bit late with the reference but Doug Purdy posted on the 10th about the next transformation of OSLO, now being called SQL Server Modeling.  What should not be missed are the roughly 60 comments on this post - many of those taking an adversarial feel.

While a part of me enjoys the existence of SQL Server continuing I was really hoping to see some sort of transcendent technology coming our way.  I suppose the PDC conference next week could still have some big "wow" moment but that now seems less and less likely.

I would love to hear from you, dear reader...what do you think about this change in name (and likely direction)?

The SQL Azure Team Blog has an update on some changes in the CTP2.  First and foremost, the product is now feature complete.  Second, if you have been using the October CTP you have now been provisioned over to the go-live production clusters.

Additional Transact-SQL enhancements have been made as well, with Table Value Parameters being the most interesting to me.

PDC 2009 will see lots of discussion about SQL Azure so if you are making the trip to Los Angeles be sure to catch a session.

One more note on SQL Azure, if you are using Visual Studio 2010 beta check out the SQL Azure Explorer on CodePlex.  The add-in gives you the ability to navigate your instance as you would a normal SQL Server instance.  Good stuff!

If you are doing any project work where you are responsible for moving data objects through multiple environments you will want to check out the post today on Gert Drapers blog.  You can get the slides from his recent presentation at the New England SQL Server Users Group.  Very interesting reading.

If not, you need to start.  As Aaron Bertrand mentions in his blog today this will become mandatory in a future version (hopefully vNext) of SQL Server.

If you are looking at this post with a puzzled look I am referring to ending SQL statements with a semicolon.  In SQL Server 2008 these terminators are only required with CTEs, MERGE, and Service Broker. 

I have been a fan of them for a long time.  They add to the clarity of code as well as now making your code future proof.  Double win!

I tend to get pulled into a lot of discussions around best practices in regards to SQL Server.  I am always a little shocked (and saddened) that so few people seem to be aware of the SQL Server Best Practices site.  This site is loaded with white papers and other content from various Microsoft groups and MVPs.

Do yourself a favor and head on over there once you have read whatever you were looking for on this blog.  No rush though, take your time.  ;)

As promised, here is the Powerpoint and code samples from tonight's AtlantaMDF meeting.  Thanks to everyone who came out and for all the great questions!

AtlantaMDF_Aug10_CDC.zip (1.31 mb)

As a guy that came up through the data side of the house I am very accustomed to writing stored procedures as the interaction between database and application.  On my current project we are using L2SQL for that interaction and while most things have been acceptable I would not call it a pleasant experience.  Most of my concern has come from actually looking under the covers at the generated SQL and being absolutely appalled at some of the things I have seen.  In those cases we have fallen back to stored procedures, which in an odd way has been disappointing as I had hoped we would only do one or the other.

I have hope for the future based on a post on the ADO.NET team blog about improvements they are making in the generated SQL of Entity Framework.  I believe that EF will be the future for most data driven applications (whether you find that idea palatable or not) so I am happy to see early realization that version one has a long way to go in terms of generating quality SQL.

I am curious though to hear from the fine readers of this blog if you are still in stored procedure land or if your development team(s) kicked the tires on either EF or L2SQL.

There are a couple sites available to you to get more detail on the upcoming SQL Azure CTP.  You can check the documentation site here or the product/service page here.

I'm very intrigued by this CTP and see a lot of focus going that way for me.  The overall reception of this CTP might not be in the realm of a SQL Server offering but I think there will be some fascinating discussion if nothing else.