Stretch your database from Azure Cloud to On premises server

Data need not be something fixed and your hot and cold data can be kept anywhere that makes sense. Of course you need to find which is a less expensive option and which has the priority. Try to consider the pros and cons of putting data on the cloud (energy, bandwidth, server aging; security,etc).

Why do you need this?

Well you want to archive data (historical) but you do not want to store it locally as it is not frequently accessed and your resources are inadequate. However you do want to access. No problem, a query in SSMS can access that data (remotely stored in Azure) as easily as the on premises data. It is possible there may be a bit of latency from the remote site.

Source: MSFT Blog

Wizard takes care of Stretch database

SSMS 2016 has a very good wizard to take care of the Stretch Database.  The Wizard is accessible via the Object Explorer. You need to select the database you want to extend using the Stretch Database feature. It is not necessary that you choose an entire database to extend; you can use the filter to include what you need to go into the Stretch database. Of course, since the remote is on Azure, you should have an account and proper credentials. The Stretch database is always online and querying should have no problem.

How do you enable Stretch Database feature

You need to have an instance of SQL Server 2016. Then just right click the database you want to 'Stretch' and choose the enable option as shown. Just to enable you do not need to be connected to Azure Cloud.

Stretch database is compatible with the other features; Transparent Data Encryption and Always Encrypted and Row-Level Security features.

You do require a Azure account but a free trial is available. There is a price for everything including the new Stretch database feature.

More here:
https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/dataplatforminsider/2016/04/13/keep-data-virtually-forever-with-stretch-database-in-sql-server-2016/

Need more parties in the political arena

Most things have changed in the recent past. Actually the list of things that have changed is endless; communications, transport, all sciences including medicine; medicines for new diseases; banking and finance; and you name it.

What has not changed is the two party rule. Both of them founded more than a century, or more ago (Democratic party founded: 1828, Republican party founded: 1854).

It is time for change, and we should welcome more parties; parties based on ideas that have surfaced in recent election primaries. Both the parties have large number of voters not interested in the most nominated candidates in each party, so why not increase the number of parties?

Existing Democratic Party
Followers of Bernie Sanders
Existing Republican Party
Followers of Donald trump
Libertarian Party

Although this will not work for the 2016 election, it can surely provide a framework for the future.

Microsoft's purchase of LinkedIn

Microsoft bought LinkedIn at a premium (the deal has not completed yet). The price appears very steep. I hope it does not get to the same fate as Nokia.

How does Microsoft integrate LinkedIn?

The most important is of course, integration of LinkedIn with Office commercial by way of channeling information from LinkedIn to Office 365 using feeds. Skype is already integrated. LinkedIn with Skype can lead to more ways of engaging with hires. Video interviews to directly link future employees with employers is perhpas the first of the features. Project collaboration via LinkediN/skype interfaces is also feasible.

The other benefit of getting LinkedIn is the use of LinkedIn's advertising.
It appears LinkedIn is making lots of money according to this article from which the below image was grabbed. Probably Microsoft has made a good deal.

Here is video of the acquisition.

I have been a member (free, of course) of LinkedIn for quite a long time and I am not active now. I did not find it very useful. It did not help me. It provided all kinds of information that I did not need. It is one person's experience and I am sure millions of others have found it useful

Jump start your SQL Server 2016 Exploration journey here.

 Review the following before reading this post:

http://hodentekmsss.blogspot.com/2016/05/watch-out-sql-server-2016-general.html
http://hodentekmsss.blogspot.com/2016/05/download-sql-server-management-studio.html 
http://hodentekmsss.blogspot.com/2016/05/stretch-database-is-nice-feature-of-sql.html


Download the SQL Server 2012 Developer Edition from Microsoft Site.

Mount the .ISO file as described here.


Double click the executable file in the mounted drive.

Agree to updating computer information

SQL Server Installation center is displayed.

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Click System Configuration checker.
Rules get checked as shown.

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Click OK

Click hardware and software requirements. You are taken to Microsoft site to review details.
Details here:
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms143506(v=sql.130).aspx#top_principal
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You can access a virtual machine on which SQL Server 2016 is already installed, if you have an Azure account for evaluation.

• Needs .NET Framework 4.6.1 and will be installed during SQL Server 2016 installation.

Hardware requirements as shown here:

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• You need 1GB except for Express which needs only 512MB. Recommended is 4GB

• x64 Processor, 1.4 GHZ recommended 2.0 GHZ or higher

• No x86 bit server

• No WOW support either

• Management tools OK on WOW

Two types of editions:

Principal Editions--Enterprise, Standard and Web
Breadth Editions--Developer and Express

For Windows 10, the type can be either Standard in Principal
or Developer and Express in Breadth editions

Click on Installation in SQL Server Installation Center to display Installation details

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Click on the first option, New SQL Server stand-alone installation or add features to an existing installation.

The Product Key page is displayed. For developer edition no product key is required.

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Click Next to open the License Terms page as shown.

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Accept License terms and click Next.

Checks Global rules and takes you to product update page as shown
KB3164398---https://support.microsoft.com/en-us

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Click Next.

Install Setup Files page is displayed as shown.--this takes a while!

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Click OK to Rules Check Result Message. Click Next

Features Selection page is displayed. Make selections

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After the 'Please Wait..' window the Instance Configuration window is displayed as shown.

Herein a named instance will be installed.

Installing a named instance called OHANA as shown

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Click Next.                         --after the 'Please Wait..' window


Polybase Configuration page is displayed as shown.

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Click Next. The Server Configuration page is displayed. The various service accounts needs to be set. In what follows, in this installation, the current computer user takes on all the accounts with his Windows password. This is just to keep it simple. In an enterprise, this way of handling must be avoided.

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Regarding initialization look here:
https://msdn.microsoft.com/library/ms175935(v=sql.130).aspx
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In the next couple of interactive windows the Service's Account Name will be changed to reflect the current user assuming them.

Click inside the Account Name window of the SQL Server Agent to bring up the drop-down menu.

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Click Browse...to display the Select User or Group window.

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Click Advanced... button.

Select User or Group (adv) page is displayed.

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Click Find Now button. The Search results pane gets populated with all relevant account information.

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Choose the Current User of computer by highlighting it and Click OK. The current user gets selected.

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Click OK. Current user account name is inserted for the SQL Server Agent's Account Name a shown.

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Do the same for the other services. Actually after doing for the SQL Server Agent you can copy the Account Name and paste in the other services. Enter password for each service, the same Windows password.

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Oops! there was a typo in the Reporting Services password field.

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Error in password for Reporting Services Corrected. Click Next.
Database Engine Configuration page is displayed.

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Click Add Current User on the Server Configuration tabbed pane as shown. The current user's user name gets added to the Specify SQL Server administrators'' pane

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Click Data Directories tab. In Data Directories accept default.

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Click TempDB tab. Note the file names and other details. Just accept the defaults.

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Click File Stream tab. Click all check boxes.

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Click Next.

Analysis Services Configuration mode is displayed
Default is Multidimensional and data mining mode. You can choose only a single server mode.
Accept default.

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Click Add Current User. Current User will be added as an administrator.

Click Data Directories tab.

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Make no changes and click Next.

Reporting Services Configuration page is displayed as shown.

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Accept default and click Next.

The Consent to install Microsoft R Open page is displayed.

Install_018                          --Please Wait window is displaeyd.
Click Next.
Feature configuration check is made and the Ready to Install page is displayed.

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Click Install. The installation took slightly less than hour. This is the fastest ever for SQL Server in all these years.

The computer was not restarted but only the above message window clicked OK.

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That's all.

Start working with SQL Server 2016 Developer free edition

In my previous post, I had mentioned that SQL Server 2016 Developer will be available at the end of year. However, SQL Server Developer 2016 is available at this site here beginning 5/31/2016 .

You can download x64 bit version for English language here;
https://myprodscussu1.app.vssubscriptions.visualstudio.com/Downloads?PId=2057

 Here is a picture of the download site page:

It is possible for me to download as I have a couple of Microsoft Products already for which I have subscribed like, Office 365 and Microsoft Azure. I have registered for many other Microsoft Products over the years.

This is the file you would be downloading:

It is 2 GB and it can take quite sometime to download to your computer.

I also heard that MSDN subscribers can get immediate access to new Microsoft Products which are free.

In any case you would like to download, access the link at the top.

Even if you do not download you can still train in SQL Server 2016 here at the Microsoft Virtual Labs for free.

Here are step-by-step instructions to install SQL Server 2016 Developer on a Windows 10 machine.