Sync SQL data in large scale using Azure SQL Data Sync

“Azure SQL Data Sync allows users to synchronize data between Azure SQL Databases and SQL Server databases in one-direction or bi-direction. This feature was first introduced in 2012. By that time, people didn’t host a lot of large databases in Azure. Some size limitations were applied when we built the data sync service, including up to 30 databases (five on-premises SQL Server databases) in a single sync group, and up to 500 tables in any database in a sync group.

Today, there are more than two million Azure SQL Databases and the maximum database size is 4TB. But those limitations of data sync are still there. It is mainly because that syncing data is a size of data operation. Without an architectural change, we can’t ensure the service can sustain the heavy load when syncing in a large scale. We are working on some improvements in this area. Some of these limitations will be raised or removed in the future. In this article, we are going to show you how to use data sync to sync data between large number of databases and tables, including some best practices and how to temporarily work around database and table limitations”

Read more at https://azure.microsoft.com/en-gb/blog/sync-sql-data-in-large-scale-using-azure-sql-data-sync/

 

Master-Sync-Group

Latest SSRS Report Viewer Now Generally Available

Microsoft has just released its latest update to the Report Viewer for SQL Server generally available.

This update replaces the Report Viewer 2015 version and has included several enhancements made for SSRS 2016; including modern browser support, cross-browser printing, report parameter positioning, and a modern look-and-feel.

As with previous releases of the SSRS Report Viewer Control, it is also backwards compatible and works with SSRS versions 2008-2017.

For more details please visit: http://tinyurl.com/ReportViewer2017

To install Microsoft.ReportingServices.ReportViewerControl.WebForms, run the following command in the Package Manager Console

Install-Package Microsoft.ReportingServices.ReportViewerControl.WebForms

See Reporting Services Blog for additional information https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/sqlrsteamblog


About the Report Viewer control

We’ve heard from many of you using the existing Report Viewer 2015 control in your existing ASP.NET Web Forms apps and awaiting an updated version with, among other things, modern browser support. This update is for you.

A few things to know about this Report Viewer control:

  • It’s an ASP.NET Web Forms control (there’s a Windows Forms version as well) for your existing apps. (Developing new web apps on ASP.NET Core/MVC and other web frameworks? Know that your scenario is on our radar as well.)
  • It enables you to embed paginated (RDL) reports into your app. (Looking to embed Power BI reports or mobile reports? We’re not building that support into the existing Report Viewer control since it’s limited to ASP.NET Web Forms apps, but you can embed any report using an iframe and the rs:Embed=true URL parameter.)
  • It supersedes the Report Viewer 2015 version and includes several enhancements we made for SSRS 2016: modern browser support, cross-browser printing, report parameter positioning, and a modern look-and-feel.
  • It works with SSRS 2008-2017, and with paginated reports stored in Power BI Report Server.

What’s new in this update

With this update, the Report Viewer control

  • Includes Microsoft.SqlServer.Types and SqlServerSpatial140 assemblies, which you may need to render reports that contain maps.
  • Won’t affect your app’s version of jQuery.
  • Won’t affect your app’s jQuery UI CSS.
  • Supports the SizeToReportContent setting in IE11 and Firefox.
  • Reduces occurrences of redundant scrollbars in IE11.
  • Shows correct toolbar buttons on pages whose ResponseEncoding is not UTF-8.

Install the NuGet package

To install the Report Viewer control into your app,

  1. Open your ASP.NET Web Forms project in Visual Studio 2015 or 2017.
  2. Open the NuGet Package Manager Console (Tools > NuGet Package Manager > Package Manager Console).
  3. Enter this command in the console:
    Install-Package Microsoft.ReportingServices.ReportViewerControl.WebForms

That’s it; your project now has the files you need.

Add a Report Viewer control to your page

If your project doesn’t reference an earlier version of the Report Viewer control, you’re ready to add a Report Viewer control to your page. You’ll need to add

  • A Register tag.
  • A ScriptManager control.
  • The ReportViewer control itself.

Your page will look something like the following:

<%@ Page Language=”C#” AutoEventWireup=”true” CodeFile=”Default.aspx.cs” Inherits=”_Default” %>
<%@ Register Assembly=”Microsoft.ReportViewer.WebForms, Version=14.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=89845dcd8080cc91″ Namespace=”Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms” TagPrefix=”rsweb” %>

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html xmlns=”http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml”>

<head runat=”server”>
< title></title>
< /head>

<body>
< form id=”form1″ runat=”server”>

  <asp:ScriptManager runat=”server”></asp:ScriptManager>

  <rsweb:ReportViewer ID=”ReportViewer1″ runat=”server” ProcessingMode=”Remote” Width=”850px” Height=”680px”>
<ServerReport ReportServerUrl=”http://your-report-server/reportserver” ReportPath=”/Some Folder/Some Report” />
</rsweb:ReportViewer>

</form>
< /body>

</html>

Just use your ReportServerUrl and ReportPath in place of the sample values above.

Check out this article for a step-by-step walkthrough.

Update an existing app

If your existing project references a previous version of the Report Viewer control, you’ll need to update a few references in your web pages and web.config file; see this article for more info.

Source: https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/sqlrsteamblog/2017/07/27/updated-report-viewer-control-now-generally-available/

Global Firm Takes an Evolutionary Leap in Data Management with Self-Service BI (Case Study)

A case study I was involved in just got published on Microsoft.com.

Over the past few years a lot of the work I have been involved in has been subject to NDAs, including this work with Microsoft (via my employer). Hence been unable to blog about my work or any of the great features of SQL Server 2014 or the Power BI suite of products.

Over the past year as part of the case study we were given advance access to SQL Server 2014 builds, Power BI and enhanced features of SharePoint. We also had assistance and regular contact with the SQL development team and Power BI guys.

As direct result of my participation I was lucky enough to enjoy a few trips to the USA, including to Seattle, Charlotte (for SQL PASS 2013 conference) and Tampa; making 2013 a very enjoyable and educational year for me 🙂 

Business intelligence (BI) information is only valuable when the right users can discover, analyze, use and share it with others—and all in a timely manner. Current technologies produce data at overwhelming rates, often faster than business users can analyze it, and the bottleneck is frequently the time that it takes to generate useful and impactful reports. At US-based supply chain management giant Jabil, as in many enterprises, data analysis has long been a time-consuming and intensive collaboration between the business groups and IT, creating customized reports whose information, by the time it’s used, is already growing stale. With its new solution built on Microsoft SQL Server 2014 and SQL Server 2014 Power View, Jabil users can create their own reports in minutes from business critical data sources using Microsoft Excel, with IT providing training and guidance—freeing up time to work on strategic projects.

Full case study @ http://www.microsoft.com/casestudies/Case_Study_Detail.aspx?CaseStudyID=710000004223

Download PDF of Case Study