What's New in SQL Server 2012

This is a hands-on book to quickly get you up to speed with SQL Server 2012. It covers all the new features of the core database engine as well as the business intelligence (BI) services. The book begins by taking you step-by-step through the installation process, showing you what to install and which services and features you need. Once you have your SQL Server in place, you learn how to administer it and then explore new T-SQL functions to expand your query-writing toolkit. You will discover how the enhancements to Integration Services, Analysis Services and Reporting Services make developing BI solutions easier. It will then introduce you to SQL Server Data Tools, your new and improved development environment for creating database and BI projects. A hands-on example guides you through the steps required to run Distributed Replay, giving you the experience you need to apply this in the field. The book then takes you through a detailed example to show you how to create a Data Quality Services project and cleanse real-world data. Easy to follow code samples provide you with the queries you need to set up Availability Groups using the new AlwaysOn technology. Once you are comfortable with these new features you will be ready to migrate your data to the cloud and into SQL Azure. An exploration of Hadoop will help you understand big data and how it really is the next big thing. This concise reference is for database administrators, SQL Server Developers and BI professionals. Anyone who is familiar with SQL Server 2008 R2 and needs to make the jump to the latest version with the shortest learning curve will find this book useful.

Rachel Clements

Rachel Clements has worked as a software and database developer for over 15 years across a wide variety of private industries. She is currently a SQL Server BI Developer for an international power tools company in the UK. Her role encompasses all aspects of the BI stack, along with key database administration tasks.

After graduating from Solent University with a degree in Journalism, she began her career in London writing for The Times technology supplement, before becoming a full-time developer. She now specializes in SQL Server and business intelligence, writes articles for SQL Server Club (www.sqlserverclub.com), and tweets at @RachelClements.

As an active member of the technical community, she organizes the Bristol user group SQL Server Club (www.sqlserverclub.co.uk) and is a member of the Developer! Developer! Developer! South West team (www.dddsouthwest.com). Furthermore, Rachel is a regular volunteer at Europe's largest SQL Server conference, SQLBits.

Jon Reade