Learn a technique to fetch column data for MySQL crosstabs by emulating views. By replacing tables with a subquery subset, the resulting view will contain a limited dataset that has been filtered for that column field.

Get an introduction to the various editions of IBM Informix Dynamic Server, and compare features, benefits, and licensing considerations in a side-by-side table. Regardless of which edition you choose, IDS brings you legendary ease-of-use, reliability, stability, and access to extensibility features.

The IBM DB2 9 release features a significant architectural departure from prior versions. For the first time since its debut, DB2 is providing a new query language, new storage technology, new indexing technology, and other features to support XML data and its inherent hierarchical structure. But don't worry, all of DB2's traditional database management features remain, including its support for SQL and tabular data structures. Explore DB2 9's XML technology, and learn why IBM now considers DB2 a "hybrid" or multi-structured database management system. Originally written in 2006, this article has been updated to include product changes in DB2 9.5 and 9.7.

MySQL has an interesting architecture that sets it apart from some other enterprise database systems. It allows you to plug in different modules to handle storage. What that means to end users is that it is quite flexible, offering an interesting array of different storage engines with different features, strengths, and tradeoffs.

MySQL database synchronization is enhanced with command line mode, comparison reports, and GUI improvements

NoSQL databases offer an alternative to traditional relational databases, but they might not be the right fit for everyone.

Much has been said about why Oracle acquired Sun, how it will be the demise of the free world and produce a one-world database monopoly. While there is probably a little truth in the statement, we should keep in mind that much of what is happening can be beneficial for the end customer.

This infrastructure will allow you to focus on your application's look and feel to create more elaborate and elegant Flex applications.

Sean Boon from the Reporting Services team here. In the spirit of last week’s SQL Server Sequence question about Reporting Services 2008 R2. I wanted to talk more about the new visualizations and how they can help you effectively communicate insights in your data.

 

Maps.  Maps can be very powerful visualizations.  They can consume and visualize SQL Server geospatial and geometry data directly (as shown by Ed Katibah here, and myself here) “regular” data, and combine multiple datasets using map layers.  Maps can integrate ESRI shape files, as well as directly integrate with Bing Maps.  
Sparklines.  Sparklines are defined as “data intense, word-sized graphics” and are commonly used in tables to show trends.  You can find a walkthrough of how to add sparklines to your reports here. 

Data Bars.  Data bars, much like sparklines, are small charts typically found in the cells of a matrix or table.  Instead of containing many values though, they usually contain one or just a few values. You can see an example in a portion of a report, provided below, that shows both sparklines and data bars in action.

Indicators.  Indicators are small icons you can use to denote status or trends in your reports. While Report Builder 3.0 contains several pre-configured indicators, you can mix and match icons from different indicator sets to create your own unique sets.  You can even provide your own images to be used as indicators!  Indicators can also be embedded inside gauge report items. 

Our team is really excited to bring you these new visualizations in the Reporting Services 2008 R2 release! We especially had a lot of fun testing these features. At one point, one of our team members even hooked up a GPS recording device as he drove around town just so he could upload the data into SQL Server as spatial data types and display his route on the map. As an unintended consequence (ok, maybe it was intentional), he was also able to calculate his speed along the route and display it using the color rule feature on the map. We’re not going to comment on what that map reveals =).

Let us know how you like the new data visualization features in 2008 R2. Send us your examples or your comments to the SSRS team or myself at www.twitter.com/SSRS and www.twitter.com/seanboon respectively. We also have a team blog with even more Reporting Services information.

One of the initial obstacles a database administrator encounters is learning where features of his/her system live or reside on a less familiar system. Steve Callan approaches this feature comparison by taking SQL Server and mapping its features back into Oracle.

This document will show a technique on how to alternate your page header in a IBM Report Studio report. This is most effective when the report is published to PDF.

This document will show the best way to create a multi-tab report veiw in the IBM Cognos 8 Portal.

In his latest article, Marcin Policht demonstrates a variety of tools that can be employed to execute SQL Server Integration Services packages, focusing in particular on the method leveraging functionality available within the Business Intelligence Development Studio.

Ronald Bradford has been guiding DBAs through key aspects of database integration for years. In this Q&A, he discusses the pros and cons of migrating from Oracle to MySQL (hint: it's not just about cost savings). He also weighs in on how Oracle's acquisition of Sun will shape the future of MySQL and its community.

Views can be an effective tool for speeding up your selects and simplifying complex queries. Learn what indexed views are, where you might want to use them, how to create them, and what constraints exist with their use.

Version 1.6.3 of this database design and round-trip engineering software has been released.

Interoperability and standards are the latest buzzwords in the healthcare industry today. Use of standards is key to giving hospitals and doctors the capability to interoperate to share patient records better. IBM Research has been investigating the healthcare industry's evolution of standards, including the IHE and HL7 standards. This article offers a brief introduction to these standards and protocols, and it offers a scenario of an IBM DB2(R) pureXML(R) solution that follows the IHE QED protocol.

This article discusses the storage mechanisms of IBM FileNet Content Manager and describes how to effectively use storage areas and storage policies with IBM FileNet P8 applications. It also discusses storage farming strategies to distribute I/O load and to provide for continuous storage availability. Finally, it discusses storage area state transitions and what to do when a storage area reaches its size limit.

This document will help assist any installation issues that might occur while installing, configuring andusing IBM Cognos 8 Go! Dashboard FP1 or IBM Cognos 8 Go! Dashboard FP2.

Archive log destinations can be tricky when defining or viewing in Oracle Database. Stick to a few common rules and never get lost.