Bookmark : SQL 2008 Diagnostic Information Queries

Glenn Berry has updated his SQL Server 2008 Diagnostic Information Queries

Well worth a look...

SQL Server 2008 Diagnostic Information Queries

SSIS : Accessing Variables

During some recent SSIS package development I had cause to access a variable I had defined from scripts in both the Control and Data flows.

So that I remember (and for anyone else that cares) here is the subtle difference in syntax.
(I'm using SSIS 2008)

For the Script Task (within the Control flow) >

1) Add your defined variable to the ReadWriteVariables property of the task.
2) Within the script, refer to the variable like this :

Dts.Variables("User::MyVariable").Value = “New Value”


Within a Script Component (inside a Data flow) >

1) Add the variable to the ReadWriteVariables property of the component.
2) Within the script, refer to the variable like this :

Me.ReadWriteVariables("User::MyVariable").Value = “New Value”

Bookmark : How to build and maintain a tiered WSUS infrastructure

Could have done with this a couple of months back...

How to build and maintain a tiered WSUS infrastructure

SQL 2008 Management Datawarehouse : CU 5 Fix

I wasted a lot of time originally trying to get the SSIS data collectors functioning consistently in the MDW.

Therefore i'm happy to see this fix...

http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/sqltools/thread/e1aa9f08-2239-4c0b-b902-b19b8693a799

SQL 2005 Express Edition - No Sql agent!

I've never had a cause to look at the Express edition of SQL 2005 until today.

My suprise finding (and reason for this post) is that there is no SQL Agent!
Google brings back no end of third party solutions however...

http://www.microsoft.com/Sqlserver/2005/en/us/compare-features.aspx