Barney's Blog

Blog archive

Smarter Databases

It's been a bit of secret how much Microsoft has been pushing SQL Server 2005 and 2008 as a business intelligence (BI) platform. But Microsoft doesn't want it to be such a secret anymore, and has a range of new features to increase the IQ of BI in the next rev of SQL Server. Topping the list? New reporting and analysis services aimed not just at BI gurus, but rank-and-file managers and information workers.

Like any important initiative in Redmond, it may take a while, but eventually Microsoft usually gains a leadership position. Who knows? It may even happen some day for the Zune!

Posted by Doug Barney on October 09, 2008


Featured

  • World Map Image

    Microsoft Taps Nebius in $17B AI Infrastructure Deal To Alleviate Cloud Strain

    Microsoft has signed a five-year, $17.4 billion agreement with Amsterdam-based Nebius Group to expand its AI computing capabilities through third-party GPU infrastructure.

  • Microsoft Brings Copilot AI Into Viva Engage

    Microsoft 365 Copilot in Viva Engage is now generally available, extending Copilot's AI-powered assistant capabilities deeper into the Viva platform.

  • MIT Finds Only 1 in 20 AI Investments Translate into ROI

    Despite pouring billions into generative AI technologies, 95 percent of businesses have yet to see any measurable return on investment.

  • Report: Cost, Sustainability Drive DaaS Adoption Beyond Remote Work

    Gartner's 2025 Magic Quadrant for Desktop as a Service reveals that while secure remote access remains a key driver of DaaS adoption, a growing number of deployments now focus on broader efficiency goals.