Microsoft Targets BI in New SQL Server Training Kit

It's no coincidence that business intelligence is the focus of Microsoft's brand-new update to the SQL Server 2008 R2 training kit.

The very first item listed in the announcement for the SQL Server 2008 R2 Update For Developers January 2011 Update (seriously, guys: get some professional help for naming your products!) is "Build Your First Microsoft BI Solution with SQL Server 2008 R2."

The Redmond software giant has championed "self-service BI" in everything from the Business Decision Appliance to the project "Crescent" data visualization tool to the PowerPivot plug-ins for Excel and SharePoint.

Microsoft data and storage VP Ted Kummert seems to have made it his personal crusade. In case there's any doubt about that, a search for "Ted Kummert" and "self service BI" garners 3,380 hits in Google and and 1,190 in Bing.

That full-court press just continues with the new training kit update. It includes an extremely comprehensive set of offerings with 11 units that feature (as listed in the announcement):

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

Let's hear it from you professional BI gurus and vendors out there: is Microsoft trying to put you out of business, like some are hinting? Comment here or drop me a line.

Posted by David Ramel on 01/26/2011 at 11:59 AM