This month we are pleased to host a SQL Server 2012 presentation from a fellow CSSUG member.

Data Quality Services by Jason Howell, Senior Escalation Engineer, Microsoft Corp. 

SQL Server Data Quality Services (DQS) is a new Knowledge-Driven Data Quality feature set of the upcoming Microsoft SQL Server "Denali" release aimed at the data stewards and IT professionals who seek to improve the quality of their business data. In this session, we describe the concept and main principles behind Data Quality Services from Microsoft, and demo the main capabilities of the product, such as knowledge management, cleansing, matching and profiling.

Imagine you will be able to download, install, and use DQS and after this session. Within minutes you will be able to make simple DQS knowledgebase design choices with minimal developer investment. You will be able to pull data from SQL Server table or Excel worksheets, such as incomplete and unsure customer addresses or product values or almost any custom entity that you want. DQS have specific activities to clean and de-duplicate that data to make suggestions and corrections. DQS presents the results in an interactive and simple-to-use GUI tool to approve, reject, or amend the changes before saving them to the destination of your choosing. Cleansing tasks can be automated with the SSIS DQS Data Cleansing component as well. Most any business user will quickly see the value of DQS and walk away feeling ready to show off their new found smarts to the rest of the team.

Jason Howell is a Senior Escalation Engineer working in the Microsoft Commercial Technical Support business unit, Developer Support Database group from the Charlotte, NC office. He has 10 years of experience in a variety of SQL Server technology areas such as SQL Server Database Engine, Performance, Replication, Integration Services, Analysis Services, Master Data Services, and most recently on Data Quality Services. Jason is a North Carolina native, has a degree in Computer Science from UNC Chapel Hill, and debugs C++ and .Net languages daily working on the most difficult troubleshooting scenarios from Microsoft customers around the globe.

Agenda:

5:30 PM Networking and Pizza

6:00 PM Stump the SQL Experts - open Q&A Forum with CSSUG Members

6:15 PM Main Presentation

7:30 PM Meeting End

7:45 PM Post-Meeting Social Hour - Join Us for Drinks at a venue TBA

Location:

The meeting is being held at the Microsoft Offices in AP1 - the left building as you drive onto the campus.

Sponsors:

TEKsystems® has been a loyal sponsor of the Charlotte SQL Server Users Group. TEKsystems® provides technology staffing and services, helping businesses deploy high-caliber IT and communications expertise. With roots as the nation’s largest IT staffing firm, they’ve become a billion-dollar services company by blending superior client service with an unrivaled ability to source and manage talent to precise specifications, resulting in successful technology executions. Visit www.teksystems.com for more info.

SQL Sentry, Inc., is a Charlotte based company and a long time sponsor of the Charlotte SQL Server Users Group. SQL Sentry creates software products to optimize the performance of Microsoft® SQL Server® environments. SQL Sentry software provides unprecedented visibility and control that enables database administrators to monitor their database environment with confidence, and quickly diagnose and solve complex performance problems as they arise. Visit www.sqlsentry.net for more info.

About Our Group:

Charlotte, NC has a dynamic, growing business environment filled with opportunities for SQL Server professionals. The goal of the Charlotte SQL Server User Group is to encourage and support the growth of that environment by providing a venue for user education and peer collaboration. Our group is a certified Chapter of PASS and we recommend all members join that organization.