News

UPDATE: SQL Server Tools CTP To Begin in January

• By Kurt Mackie
• December 15, 2008

The Professional Association for SQL Server (PASS) on Monday unveiled a limited private community technology preview (CTP) of "SQL Server Application and Multi-Server Management [tools], as part of the SQL Server codename 'Kilimanjaro'," according to a PASS spokesperson. The CTP is expected to begin in January.

(Editor's note: This article previously described the preview as the "Kilimanjaro CTP." However, this release just concerns management tools for the application. It "does not include any pre-release builds or features" of Kilimanjaro, the spokesperson explained by e-mail.)

Kilimanjaro is the code name for an upcoming Microsoft SQL Server implementation designed to address the business intelligence (BI) needs of organizations. PASS is seeking database administrators (DBAs) for the trial.

The CTP is being sponsored by Dell and MaximumASP in addition to PASS, according to a PASS announcement. Participants will get a free Microsoft SQL Server 2008 trial account, accessible online. The account will include a "Hyper-V image, reporting and analysis services, integration services, and full system admin rights."

The CTP will start in mid-January and last from four to five weeks. Participating organizations need to have one DBA on hand in an IT environment running more than 25 PCs and have "SQL Server installations across their organization," according to PASS.

Kilimanjaro was first unveiled at the Microsoft Business Intelligence Conference in Seattle, held in October. At that time, Microsoft promised it would include easy-to-use analysis tools in Kilimanjaro, described under their code name, "Gemini."

According to a Microsoft announcement, the Gemini tools "will enable information workers to slice and dice data and create their own BI applications and assets to share and collaborate on from within the familiar, everyday Microsoft Office productivity tools they already use."

Registration for the limited private CTP for SQL Server Application and Multi-Server Management tools will be open until Dec. 31, 2008. Applicants have to fill out a survey form and will be notified in early January if accepted. The form page can be accessed here.

Microsoft expects to release the full SQL Server Kilimanjaro product in the "first half of calendar year 2010," according to its announcement. A separate SQL Server project supporting data warehouse-type applications, code-named "Madison," will appear in about the same time frame as Kilimanjaro, according to a Microsoft executive.