SQL Server Data Tools to go with SQL Server 2014

On the heels of the new release date for SQL Server 2014 RTM, SQL Server Data Tools' (SSDT) availability was announced two days ago. It is fully compatible with SQL Server 2014.

Apart from bug fixes in the previous version, the following are the enhancements:

• Static code analysis extensibility
• Filter capabilities in the editable data grid
• Saving data compare settings to file (.dcmp)
• Additional TSQL Editor connection actions

With this all database tools are fully integrated with the following editions,

• Microsoft Visual Studio 2013 Express for web
• Microsoft Visual Studio 2013 for Windows Desktop
• Professional
• Premium
• Ultimate

These will be pushed via VS Updates. You could also bring it in using Tools | Extensions and Updates menu.

Visual Studio 2013 with SQL Server tools can be downloaded from here:
http://www.visualstudio.com/downloads/download-visual-studio-vs

Note that both SSDT VS 2010 and SSDT VS 2012 are available stand alone.
Review what's new in this update here:
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ssdt/archive/2014/03/25/sql-server-data-tools-for-sql-server-2014-is-available.aspx

Review the posts for earlier version:
http://hodentek.blogspot.com/2012/12/sql-server-data-tools-gets-updated.html

http://hodentek.blogspot.com/2013/02/about-ssdt-and-vs-2012.html

Follow link for more:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/data/hh297027

You need to Uninstall SQL Server 2014 CTP1 to install SQL Server 2014 RTM

SQL server 2014 RTM will be available from April 1, 2014. It's time to take out SQL Server CTP1. You really need to take out CTP1 if you have installed it as these are the general restrictions:

• Upgrading from SQL Server 2014 CTP 1 to SQL Server 2014 RTM is NOT supported.
• Installing SQL Server 2014 CTP 1 side-by-side with SQL Server 2014 RTM is NOT supported.
• Attaching or restoring a SQL Server 2014 CTP 1 database to SQL Server 2014 RTM is NOT supported.

However upgrading from CTP2 is supported but degrading to CTP2 from RTM is not.

According to the same source the following upgrades are supported as seen in the referenced link:

• Attach a SQL Server 2014 CTP 2 database to an instance of SQL Server 2014 RTM.

• Restore a database backup taken on SQL Server 2014 CTP 2 to an instance of SQL Server 2014 RTM.
• In-place upgrade to SQL Server 2014 RTM.
• Rolling upgrade to SQL Server 2014 RTM. You are required to switch to manual failover mode before initiating the rolling upgrade. Please refer to Upgrade and Update of Availability Group Servers with Minimal Downtime and Data Loss for details.
• Data collected by Transaction Performance Collection Sets installed in SQL Server 2014 CTP 2 cannot be viewed through SQL Server Management Studio in SQL Server 2014 RTM, and vice versa. Use SQL Server Management Studio in SQL Server 2014 CTP 2 to view data collected by the Collection Set installed in SQL Server 2014 CTP 2, and use SQL Server Management Studio in SQL Server 2014 RTM to view data collected by the Collection Set installed in SQL Server 2014 RTM.

Watch for a detailed post on uninstalling SQL Server 2014 CTP1 here:
http://hodentekMSSS.blogspot.com