SQLInsights Update: Self-Service Reporting and Analytics Unit Available

This is the  eleventh and final unit in the SQL Server 2008 R2 Business Intelligence Training Course (a.k.a. SQLInsights) on MSDN. This unit introduces the fundamentals of how to enable great self-service reporting and analytics The SQL Server 2008 R2 Business Intelligence Training Course (SQLInsights) will help you learn how to build your first Microsoft Business Intelligence solution.

SQLInsights is a great resource for developers, consultants and evangelists who need to learn the basics of how to build solutions that deliver integrated reporting, analytics and dashboard experiences. It contains a rich set of videos and hands-on labs that are perfect for self-paced learning.experiences with Report Builder 3.0 and PowerPivot.

You can find SQLInsights on the MSDN Training and Certification Resources page at the following URL:

https://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9761002

You can download the offline version of the SQL Server 2008 R2 Update for Developers Training here. The Training kit contains a rich set of presentations, demos, hands-on labs and videos that are perfect for self-paced learning or for conducting your own training.

New Content: Build Your First Microsoft BI Solution with SQL Server 2008 R2

This update includes a rich new set of content designed for developers who want to learn how to build their first Microsoft Business Intelligence solution with SQL Server 2008 R2. Microsoft BI solutions leverage your existing technology investments in .NET, SQL Server and Office to develop rich integrated reporting and analytics experiences that empower users to gain access to accurate, up-to-date information for better, more relevant decision making. This content is a complete training course that contains eleven units covering all the key aspects of Microsoft BI solution development. You can find it by navigating to the Getting Started - BI Developers page. Here is a summary of what’s included:

  • 31 presentations (PowerPoint slides, videos and transcripts included)
  • 27 demos (installer scripts, videos and transcripts included)
  • 12 hands on labs (installer scripts included)
Other Content

This update includes all of the content from the previous release. Here’s a quick summary of what is included:

  • Getting Started Building Web Applications With SQL Server
    This content is for web developers who are new to SQL Server and are just getting started building their first solution. You can find it by navigating to the Getting Started - Web Developers page.
  • SQL Server 2008 R2 Update for Developers
    This content provides a complete training course with six units covering all the key improvements in SQL Server 2008 R2, including StreamInsight and Data-tier applications. Integration with Office 2010 and SharePoint 2010 is also covered. You can find this content by navigating to the SQL Server 2008 R2 - Overview page.
  • SQL Server 2008 Update for Developers
    This content covers all the key improvements in SQL Server 2008, including new date and time data types, spatial data types, FILESTREAM, Transact-SQL improvements and support for .NET CLR assemblies. You can find it by navigating to the SQL Server 2008 - Overview page.
Usability Improvements

This update features several usability improvements that we hope will make it easier to navigate and use the training kit:

  • The master configuration wizard no longer auto-starts and can be launched manually from the Prerequisites page if needed. This makes it easier to use individual demos or hands-on labs without having to install the prerequisites for the entire training kit.
  • Remote SQL Server instances are now supported for many demos and hands on labs. Unfortunately we were not able to add support for remote SharePoint 2010 installations. This still requires manual intervention.
  • We reworked the menu structure and content pages to improve navigation and discovery of content.
  • We added a desktop shortcut to the main training kit page (default.htm).