Aaron's space

Just saw a post by Jason here about http://www.sqlservervideos.com/.  I immediately went to check it out and wasn't disappointed.  I especially liked the fact that they had 400 level videos.  So what are you waiting for?  Go check it out!

I'm speaking at the Wisconsin SQL Server User Group in Waukesha, WI this Tuesday (8/12).  If you are interested, RSVP to SQLDBA@new.rr.com 

Presentation: SQL Server 2008 – What do you want to know about it?

SQL Server 2008 introduces a framework for collecting, storing and reporting on server, database, and query performance data.  In order to store and persist performance information, SQL Server 2008 includes a Management Data Warehouse designed to house performance metrics from multiple instances of SQL Server.  In addition, SQL Server 2008 provides Data Collectors to facilitate scheduled capture of common system and database performance measures including DMVs, Windows Performance Counters, T-SQL queries, and SQL Trace.  Microsoft completes the picture with a series of reports and views into the system and database performance.

In this session, we will take a closer look at the SQL Server 2008 Management Data Warehouse capabilities including:

· Setup and structure of the Management Data Warehouse database

· approaches Review the standard data collection types included with SQL Server 2008

· Demonstrate the reporting and analysis capabilities

· Discuss to defining and creating custom data collectors

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Transparent data encryption (TDE) performs real-time I/O encryption and decryption of the data and log files.

Encryption of the database file is performed at the page level. The pages in an encrypted database are encrypted before they are written to disk and decrypted when read into memory.

TDE provides the ability to comply with many laws, regulations, and guidelines established in various industries. This enables software developers to encrypt data by using AES and 3DES encryption algorithms without changing existing applications.

Check out a screencast about the new Transparent Data Encryption feature in SQL Server 2008 via MSN Video below, or if you prefer YouTube or download.

Well it looks like SQL 2008 RTM'd at TechEd in South Africa.  Take a look at Aaron Bertrand's post or sqlmag

A couple weeks ago ESPN has their yearly fundraiser for the V Foundation.  During which they replay Jimmy Valvano's acceptance speech from March 4, 1993 ESPY's (transcript and video) where he accepted the inaugural Arthur Ashe Courage Award and announce the Jimmy V Foundation for Cancer Research (he passed April 28, 1993 from cancer).

In his speech he said "To me, there are three things we all should do every day. We should do this every day of our lives. Number one is laugh. You should laugh every day. Number two is think. You should spend some time in thought. Number three is, you should have your emotions moved to tears, could be happiness or joy. But think about it. If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that's a full day. That's a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you're going to have something special."

We certainly know the saying "Laughter is the Best Medicine" and it has even been researched.  However I was thinking about that and I was trying to remember the last time I really, truly laughed, or even heard another adult really laugh?  You know what I mean...lost it with tears or milk through the nose or something like that.  Certainly I type and see others type LOL in twitter, IM, email, etc. but to be honest we don't really Laugh Out Loud, it might be a smile or chuckle or a smirk or even an occasional "Ha" (like when I saw Joker's disappearing pencil trick :)).  I'm not saying we're depressed or aren't enjoying our lives, jobs, families, but there's a different between a smirk and an all out guffaw.  Perhaps it's just that the humor today is either sexual, predictable or so dry it borders on sarcasm.  Or perhaps we're just becoming too serious/jaded.  Or maybe it's just me.

So when was the last time you really, truly laughed?  Heck when was the last time you even saw someone smiling in their car?