The June 2010 update is now available for download

Jun 15, 2010 09:39 GMT  ·  By

The SQL Server 2008 R2 Developers Training Kit is a great resource Microsoft is providing free of charge for developers building on top the company’s latest data platform. The SQL Server 2008 R2 Update for Developers Training Kit June 2010 update is, as the official label implies, a refresh of the previous version of the kit. Released on the Microsoft Download Center earlier this week, the June 2010 update is now up for grabs. Obviously, Microsoft is attempting to make it as easier as possible for developers targeting its data platform to take advantage of the benefits offered by SQL Server 2008 and SQL Server 2008 R2.

Roger Doherty, SQL server technical evangelist, Microsoft Developer and Platform Evangelism, reveals that the update is set up to introduce a couple of additional units of new content. Essentially, the Redmond company is outlining the SQL Server 2008 R2-related improvements in Excel 2010 and SharePoint 2010. In addition, the refresh also covers updates and changes to SQL Server 2008 R2 RTM since the data platform was launched.

“Excel is the most popular data analysis tool in the world, and Excel 2010 offers a range of powerful data analysis and visualization improvements that makes it the ideal self-service analysis client,” Doherty stated. “SQL Server 2008 R2 introduces PowerPivot for Excel, a free Excel add-in that makes it possible for information workers to create their own powerful analytic models by combining and relating data from a wide variety of data sources.”

In addition to Excel 2010 enhancements, SQL Server 2008 R2 also features new improvements designed to make it play nice with SharePoint 2010. It is important to note that, just as it is the case with Excel, Microsoft’s business collaboration platform can tap SQL Server 2008 R2 for business information.

“SQL Server 2008 R2 PowerPivot for SharePoint makes it easy to publish analytic models created with SQL Server PowerPivot for Excel to SharePoint 2010 and share them with other users with Excel Services. SQL Server 2008 R2 Reporting Services supports SharePoint 2010 integration, making it easy to publish and access reports using familiar SharePoint paradigms,” Doherty added.

Below, you will be able to find a list of the new additions in the SQL Server 2008 R2 Update for Developers Training Kit (June 2010 Update), courtesy of Doherty:

New Presentations (10): “•What's New in the Excel 2010 Client; •Loading and Preparing Data for Analysis in SQL Server PowerPivot for Excel 2010; •Creating Reports with SQL Server PowerPivot for Excel 2010; •Defining DAX Calculations with PowerPivot for Excel 2010; •Introducing SharePoint 2010 Insights; •What's New in SharePoint 2010 Excel Services; •What's New in SharePoint 2010 PerformancePoint Services; •Developing KPI's and Scorecards with SharePoint 2010 PerformancePoint Services; •Developing Reports and Dashboards with SharePoint 2010 PerformancePoint Services; •Managing PowerPivot for Excel 2010 Solutions in SharePoint 2010.

New Demos (10):

“•What's New in the Excel 2010 Client; •Loading and Preparing Data for Analysis in SQL Server PowerPivot for Excel 2010; •Creating Reports with SQL Server PowerPivot for Excel 2010; •Defining DAX Calculations with SQL Server PowerPivot for Excel 2010; •Introducing SharePoint 2010 Insights; •What's New in SharePoint 2010 Excel Services; •What's New in SharePoint 2010 PerformancePoint Services; •Developing KPI's and Scorecards with SharePoint 2010 PerformancePoint Services; •Developing Reports and Dashboards with SharePoint 2010 PerformancePoint Services; •Managing Excel 2010 PowerPivot Solutions in SharePoint 2010.

New Hands-on Labs (6):

“•Loading and Preparing Data for Analysis in SQL Server PowerPivot for Excel 2010; •Creating Reports with SQL Server PowerPivot for Excel 2010; •Defining DAX Calculations with Excel 2010 PowerPivot; •Developing KPI's and Scorecards with SharePoint 2010 PerformancePoint Services; •Developing Reports and Dashboards with SharePoint 2010 PerformancePoint Services; •Managing Excel 2010 PowerPivot Solutions in SharePoint 2010.

New Videos (20):

“•Presentation: What's New in the Excel 2010 Client; •Demo: What's New in the Excel 2010 Client; •Presentation: Loading and Preparing Data for Analysis in SQL Server PowerPivot for Excel 2010; •Demo: Loading and Preparing Data for Analysis in SQL Server PowerPivot for Excel 2010; •Presentation: Creating Reports with SQL Server PowerPivot for Excel 2010; •Demo: Creating Reports with SQL Server PowerPivot for Excel 2010; •Presentation: Defining DAX Calculations with PowerPivot for Excel 2010; •Demo: Defining DAX Calculations with SQL Server PowerPivot for Excel 2010; •Presentation: Introducing SharePoint 2010 Insights; •Demo: Introducing SharePoint 2010 Insights; •Presentation: What's New in SharePoint 2010 Excel Services; •Demo: What's New in SharePoint 2010 Excel Services; •Presentation: What's New in SharePoint 2010 PerformancePoint Services; •Demo: What's New in SharePoint 2010 PerformancePoint Services; •Presentation: Developing KPI's and Scorecards with SharePoint 2010 PerformancePoint Services; •Demo: Developing KPI's and Scorecards with SharePoint 2010 PerformancePoint Services; •Presentation: Developing Reports and Dashboards with SharePoint 2010 PerformancePoint Services; •Demo: Developing Reports and Dashboards with SharePoint 2010 PerformancePoint Services; •Presentation: Managing Excel 2010 PowerPivot Solutions in SharePoint 2010; •Demo: Managing Excel 2010 PowerPivot Solutions in SharePoint 2010.”

SQL Server 2008 R2 Update for Developers Training Kit (June 2010 Update) is available for download here.