Free Platform for Reporting...

The Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Express Edition is the free version of SQL Server, which some people do not know is that there are three versions of the Express Edition ....

• SQL Server 2008 R2 Express Edition with Tools - is the core version of Express Edition to support development include SQL Server 2008 R2 Database Engine and SQL Server Management Studio Express;
•  SQL Server 2008 R2 Express Edition with Advanced Services - Built on SQL Server 2008 R2 Express with Management Tools , but also includes the Full-Text Search and Reporting Services;
• SQL Server 2008 R2 Express - includes  only the SQL Server Database Engine and is used for deployments and redistribution ISV (Independent Software Vendor.

If you need to create a platform for reporting you may use the SQL Server 2008 R2 Express Edition with Advanced Tools.

Software needed:

- SQL Server 2008 R2 Express with Advanced Services. (FREE)

- SQL Server 2008 R2 Report Builder 3.0. (FREE)

The SQL Server 2008 R2 Report Builder 3.0 is a free tool available on the Internet for download from Microsoft download site, has an Office-like environment, it's very easy to use and allows the creation of reports Reports that can be stored locally or may be published in the Report Server, The Reports then could be accessed via the Web through the Report Manager.

Note: The SQL Server 2008 R2 express edition database is limited regarding the size, the Database size may grow up to 10Gb.

This kind of platform is very good for proofs of concept...

SQL Server 2012 Best Practices Analyzer has been Released

The SQL Server 2012 Best Practices Analyzer (BPA) has been released and is available for download at link.
The Microsoft SQL Server 2012 BPA is a diagnostic tool that performs the following functions:

• Gathers information about a Server and a Microsoft SQL Server 2012 instance installed on that Server.
• Determines if the configurations are set according to the recommended best practices.
• Reports on all configurations, indicating settings that differ from recommendations.
• Indicates potential problems in the installed instance of SQL Server.
• Recommends solutions to potential problems.

(Source: MSDN Blogs)

Negative CV and Negative SV

One project in this situation, CV, Cost Variance, Negative, and SV, Schedule Variance, Negative, is Behind Schedule and Over Budget. The following figure illustrates this situation.

If we have a CV Negative, it means that we have AC > EV, and if we have the SV Negative too, it means that we have the PV > EV.

To see the definitions of AC, EV and PV See the post "KPI base de Gestão de projecto" in this blog. (Note: this post will be translated to English soon, currenly in Portuguese).

Possible Causes

This may be caused by one or more of several situations:

• Scope Creep;
• Poorly planned learning curve;
• Lack of skills;
• Inexperienced Team;
• Poor scope definition, leading to rework;
• Too much time on review/Sign-off.

Potencial Solutions

• Review worst affected task(s) to check fo scope creep;
• Increase skill level and/or time commitment of resources;
• Put more experienced resources in a mentoring role with less experienced resources;
• Make sure the team understands the current scope of the project;
• Review the plan to allow for a realistic learning curve (within overall budget/Timeline);
• Adapt the negative approval rule or Exception Reporting.

Positive CV and No SV

A project in this situation, CV, Cost Variance, Positive and No SV Schedule Variance, lies below the planned cost, Under Budget, and with an implementation in line with the plan outlined, On Schedule.

Possible Causes

It's possible that the project may have an experienced team working efficiently. Or, may have other problems:

• Some team members spend less time than planned;
• Team members may be reporting effort for activities other than the project activities;
• The team can be "short cut" way to accomplish goals and do not take into account the quality of what is being produced..

Potential Solutions

• Check the quality and completeness of deliverables;
• Check if the team is to report all time worked on the project;
• Review the skills of team members and review the complexity of tasks, to team members do not exist with excessive powers to the tasks being assigned, and consequently more expensive;
• Verify final costs, if the team is very experienced there may be a problem of lacking financial resources for the completion of the project.

In short, a potential solution is the closer alignment between the skills of the Assign resources to the project and the skills to finish tasks On Schedule and On Quality. This will further align the tasks are completed effectively and On Budget.

The Acronyms of the Luis Quedas'Blog

On this post I have together all the acronyms used on My Blog. The acronyms will be grouped in the following main Areas: Global, Technology and Business.


Global

• BI - Business Intelligence;
• KPI - Key Performance Indicator;

Technology

• BIDS - SQL Server Business Intelligence Development Studio;
• DAX - Data Analysis Expressions;
• DMX - Data Mining Extensions;
• MDX - MultiDimensional Expressions;
• SQL - Structured Query Language;
• SSAS - SQL Server Analysis Services;
• SSIS - SQL Server Integration Services;
• SSMS - SQL Server Management Studio;
• SSRS - SQL Server Reporting Services;
• XMLA - XML for Analysis.

Business

Project Management

• BAC - Budget at Completion;
• EV - Earned Value;
• PV - Planned Value (Schedule-to-date);
• AC - Actual Cost (Burned)
• CV - Cost Variance;
• SV - Schedule Variance;
• CPI - Cost Performance Index;
• SPI - Schedule Performance Index;
• ETC - Estimate to Complete;
• EAC - Estimate at Completion;
• BCAC - Budgeted Cost at Completion (mesmo que BAC);
• BCWP - Budgeted Cost of Work Performed (mesmo que EV);
• BCWS - Budgeted Cost Work Scheduled (mesmo que PV);
• ACWP - Actual Cost of Work Performed (mesmo que AC)

Note: This post will be updated as new acronyms will be written on the Blog.

No CV and No SV

In this case with CV, Cost Variance, null and SV Schedule Variance, Null, the project is aligned with the planned execution, On Schedule and On Budget.

Possible Causes

 The performance of a project is as good as the plan of the project. If the project is, On Schedule and On Budget, doesn't mean that the performance of its implementation is adequate, but means that is aligned with the established project plan.

 You must continue to make focused management to ensure that the initial estimates of the tasks are well done, and ensure that while On Budget and On Schedule the project is also On Quality, that is, the quality of work performed is in accordance with initial specification.

Potential Solutions

To ensure that a project in this situation is On Budget, On Schedule and On Quality you could performe the following tasks:

•   Reviewing the quality and completeness of some examples of deliverables, (review by sample), to be sure it has the quality expected and planned and not defraud the customer's expectations;

• Revise the estimates to make sure that tasks are not overestimated;

• Review the plan and consider whether we can reduce the duration of the tasks through appropriate incentives to the team without diminishing the quality of deliverables.

Undo edits

No CV and Positive SV

A project with CV, Cost Variance, null and SV Schedule Variance, Positive is to be implemented within budget, On Budget, but ahead of plan, Ahead of Schedule.


The following figure illustrates this situation,

Possible Causes

Seems like a good situation, however, if certain tasks are being completed ahead of schedule, some not, some team members may have to proceed with other tasks that were not planned due to dependencies. This type of situation can cause inefficiency of the team as they are starting tasks that can not possibly finish due to dependencies on other tasks that have not yet finished.

Potential Solutions

•  Check the dependencies of the tasks in the Gantt chart of the project, or check the detailed plan of execution of tasks;
• Be sure that the team is working on the planned tasks;
• Ensure that tasks are scheduled to be completed before the next booting tasks. Avoid having too many tasks with a completeness of 80%, or nearly completed.
• Slow down the work of the team. Be sure that the team is not doing overtime unnecessary.