Are you a SQL Server DBA, Developer, Report Writer?
Do you align with a desire to spread God’s Word?
Do you love working in an evolving/energetic environment?

Yes? Well here’s  a neat opportunity.  The Seed Company is a Christian non-profit focused on Bible Translation. Based in Arlington, Texas in the heart of the D/FW metroplex they are seeking a multi-talented individual to fill a big need.

“The Seed Company is a faith-based, 501(c)3 organization committed to the vision of creatively networking God’s people around the world to translate the Bible into every language for His glory”

Here’s the info on the position.

Brief Description: Preserve and extend TSC staff capabilities through database development, administration, and reporting.

Responsibilities:

General:

1. Has servant heart, and a desire to make others more effective in their work.
2. Good interpersonal skills.
3. Strong written and verbal communication skills.
4. Ability to understand user needs and to design database solutions appropriate to those needs.
5. Familiarity with computer networking and security issues.
6. Familiarity with server administration and backup/restore techniques.
7. Ability to document routine tasks.
8. Working knowledge of Microsoft Access, Windows Server and Microsoft Office products.
9. Working knowledge of web technologies.

Specific:

1. Ability to develop and maintain data dictionaries and data models/ schemas.
2. Ability to design and maintain reports and reporting environments.
3. Ability to design and implement user interfaces for data entry and reporting.
4. Ability to design and maintain integration (ETL, SSIS) with other database systems.
5. Knowledge of tools for database design, performance monitoring and user interface development.
6. Thorough understanding of SQL Server and reporting tools.

The position is full-time and will be out of the Arlington, Texas office. There are a number of neat initiatives going on including moving to an SSRS reporting environment (SSRS 2008), the potential to start into Data Warehousing, data integration and automation with a number of internal and external information systems.

Interested parties should contact:

Dave Mutchler
dave_mutchler@tsco.org
(817)-557-2121

Corporate Headquarters

The Seed Company
3030 Matlock Rd. Suite 104
Arlington TX 76015
USA
view map
Phone (817) 557-2121
Toll Free (877)593-7333

Contact Info: Email resumes with cover letter to: dave_mutchler@tsco.org

Business Type: Bible Translation

Comments: The Seed Company is an affiliate of Wycliffe Bible Translators and seeks to make employment decisions in accordance with applicable federal and state employment discrimination laws and regulations. As a religious organization, The Seed Company is entitled to make employment decisions on the basis of religious beliefs and practices of the applicant or employee. All positions require a personal commitment to Christ, evidenced by personal testimony and identification with a local church.

Does your mail delivery look like this?

In our case we are actually blocking port 25 and our external SMTP servers use a set of alternative ports along with SSL. In SSRS 2005 nor 2008, the Reporting Services configuration tool does not offer options for modify the SMTP port nor the use of SSL. As such, we quickly found the following two articles from Microsoft which show how to address these requirements.

Configuring a Report Server for E-Mail Delivery SSRS 2008

Configuring a Report Server for E-Mail Delivery

As of this writing, it looks like both 2005 and 2008 do not yet support authenticated external SMTP services requiring a username and password. There is a feature request here that we did find with a suggested workaround to implement your own delivery provider.

So here are the basics.

SSRS 2005

Simply find the RSreportserver.config file and edit the SMTP configuration section as needed.

[Please note that SSRS 2005 does not support encrypted emails.]

<RSEmailDPConfiguration>
     <SMTPServer>mySMTPServer.Adventure-Works.com</SMTPServer>
     <SMTPServerPort></SMTPServerPort>
     <SMTPAccountName></SMTPAccountName>
     <SMTPConnectionTimeout></SMTPConnectionTimeout>

     <SMTPServerPickupDirectory></SMTPServerPickupDirectory>
     <SMTPUseSSL></SMTPUseSSL>
     <SendUsing>2</SendUsing>
     <SMTPAuthenticate></SMTPAuthenticate>

     <From>my-rs-email-account@Adventure-Works.com</From>
     <EmbeddedRenderFormats>
          <RenderingExtension>MHTML</RenderingExtension>
     </EmbeddedRenderFormats>
     <PrivilegedUserRenderFormats></PrivilegedUserRenderFormats>

     <ExcludedRenderFormats>
          <RenderingExtension>HTMLOWC</RenderingExtension>
          <RenderingExtension>NULL</RenderingExtension>
     </ExcludedRenderFormats>
     <SendEmailToUserAlias>True</SendEmailToUserAlias>

     <DefaultHostName></DefaultHostName>
     <PermittedHosts>
          <HostName>Adventure-Works.com</HostName>
          <HostName>hotmail.com</HostName>

     </PermittedHosts>
</RSEmailDPConfiguration>

SSRS 2008

<RSEmailDPConfiguration>
     <SMTPServer>mySMTPServer.Adventure-Works.com</SMTPServer>
     <SMTPServerPort></SMTPServerPort>
     <SMTPAccountName></SMTPAccountName>
     <SMTPConnectionTimeout></SMTPConnectionTimeout>

     <SMTPServerPickupDirectory></SMTPServerPickupDirectory>
     <SMTPUseSSL></SMTPUseSSL>
     <SendUsing>2</SendUsing>
     <SMTPAuthenticate></SMTPAuthenticate>

     <From>my-rs-email-account@Adventure-Works.com</From>
     <EmbeddedRenderFormats>
          <RenderingExtension>MHTML</RenderingExtension>
     </EmbeddedRenderFormats>
     <PrivilegedUserRenderFormats></PrivilegedUserRenderFormats>

     <ExcludedRenderFormats>
          <RenderingExtension>HTMLOWC</RenderingExtension>
          <RenderingExtension>NULL</RenderingExtension>
     </ExcludedRenderFormats>
     <SendEmailToUserAlias>True</SendEmailToUserAlias>

     <DefaultHostName></DefaultHostName>
     <PermittedHosts>
          <HostName>Adventure-Works.com</HostName>
          <HostName>hotmail.com</HostName>

     </PermittedHosts>
</RSEmailDPConfiguration>

For our case, our particular attention was focused on the following elements:

• SMTPServer
• SMTPServerPort
• SMTPUseSSL

SMTPServer was set to point at the FQDN of our SMTP server. Example: mail.example.com

SMTPServerPort was set to our non-standard SMTP port. Example: 444

SMTPUseSSL needed to be enabled so we set the value to True.

Game Changing Announcement for Microsoft BI

Boy doesn’t this sound like other previous Microsoft endeavors. Hmmmm…. The post/video indicates the following end results.

• Supporting the democratization of BI (aka BI for the masses) with the consolidation of PerformancePoint Server Monitoring and Analytics functions into Office SharePoint Server Enterprise. The new capabilities will be called PerformancePoint Services.
• As I read the announcement, PerformancePoint Planning has been put out of our misery. Service Pack 3 will represent the end of the line for investment in a stand-alone PPS Planning product.

Below is a list of some of the better video tutorials we’ve found on the web.

Tutorials (Reporting Services)

SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services (SSRS) includes the following report design tutorials to help you learn basic skills one step at a time.

Designing Ad Hoc Reports: Tutorials

You can use the following tutorials to learn about ad hoc reporting features in Reporting Services. The tutorials can help you learn necessary skills for creating reports based on models.

Designing Report Models: Tutorials

The tutorials can help you learn necessary skills for creating models that you can use in Report Builder or Report Model Query Designer.

Developer’s Guide: Tutorials (Reporting Services)

Developer’s Guide: Tutorials (Reporting Services)

Tutorial: How to Locate and Start Reporting Services Tools

This tutorial introduces the tools used to configure a report server, manage report server content and operations, and create and publish reports and report models. The purpose of this tutorial is to help new users understand how to find and open each tool.

SQL Server Express 2005 – Getting Started with Reporting Services

This is a good intro albeit for SSRS 2005.

YouTube – SQL Server Reporting Services Playlist.

Great little playlist of some of the better SSRS videos on YouTube.

Week of Warehousing Webinar Series – SQL Server Central

Join SQL Server authors and MVPs for a week of warehousing and get the latest on Microsoft Business Intelligence inside your environment. If you are in any stage of a data warehouse design, administration or planning you won’t want to miss out on this free “week of warehousing” webinar series,

Registration is open to the first 1,000 people in each session and seats are going fast.

5 Days 5 Data Warehouse Topic Summary

Designing a Data Warehouse

Monday Feb 23 9:30AM EST
Featuring: Erik Veerman
Improve the speed of your production can be as easy as giving your users a new place to report against. In this session, you’ll learn from SQL Server MVP, Erik Veerman how a data warehouse can benefit your organization and how to design one for SQL Server. You’ll also see at a high level how the data flows into the warehouse in a Microsoft data warehouse ecosystem.

Designing a Data Warehouse

Monday Feb 23 1:30PM EST
Featuring: Erik Veerman
Improve the speed of your production can be as easy as giving your users a new place to report against. In this session, you’ll learn from SQL Server MVP, Erik Veerman how a data warehouse can benefit your organization and how to design one for SQL Server. You’ll also see at a high level how the data flows into the warehouse in a Microsoft data warehouse ecosystem.

Loading a Data Warehouse with SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS)

Tuesday Feb 24 9:30AM EST
Featuring: Brian Knight
Now that you have a data warehouse designed, how would you go about loading the warehouse from your relational database that has been in production for years. Join Microsoft MVP and author Brian Knight in this session on how to use SSIS to load and synchronize a data warehouse.

Loading a Data Warehouse with SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS)

Tuesday Feb 24 1:30PM EST
Featuring: Brian Knight
Now that you have a data warehouse designed, how would you go about loading the warehouse from your relational database that has been in production for years. Join Microsoft MVP and author Brian Knight in this session on how to use SSIS to load and synchronize a data warehouse.

Introduction to Analysis Services (SSAS)

Wednesday Feb 25 9:30AM EST
Featuring: Siva Harinath
Tired of having to write hundreds of one-off reports? SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) can help clear your report backlog by giving your users the ability to perform ad-hoc reporting with pivot tables. Learn how to create a SSAS cube, how to process it and finally view quick reports to answers questions you didn’t even know you had about your business.

Introduction to Analysis Services (SSAS)

Wednesday Feb 25 1:30PM EST
Featuring: Siva Harinath
Tired of having to write hundreds of one-off reports? SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) can help clear your report backlog by giving your users the ability to perform ad-hoc reporting with pivot tables. Learn how to create a SSAS cube, how to process it and finally view quick reports to answers questions you didn’t even know you had about your business.

Reporting against a Data Warehouse with SSRS

Thursday Feb 26 9:30AM EST
Featuring: Paul Turley
In this session, you’ll learn how to report against your data warehouse and SSAS cubes by using Reporting Services 2008. Learn what’s new and easy ways to visualize data warehouse data in this comprehensive session for beginners.

Performance Tuning and Scaling a Data Warehouse

Thursday Feb 26 1:30PM EST
Featuring: JC Armand
Some of the largest databases in the world are data warehouses, scaling to dozens (or hundreds) of terrabytes in some cases. In this session, you’ll explore how to make your SQL Server 2008 database scale and easy ways to diagnose and troubleshoot problems. You’ll learn how to performance tune and scale the hardware to the OS in this vital session for most organizations.

Register Performance Tuning and Scaling a Data Warehouse

Friday Feb 27 9:30AM EST
Featuring: JC Armand
Some of the largest databases in the world are data warehouses, scaling to dozens (or hundreds) of terrabytes in some cases. In this session, you’ll explore how to make your SQL Server 2008 database scale and easy ways to diagnose and troubleshoot problems. You’ll learn how to performance tune and scale the hardware to the OS in this vital session for most organizations.

Reporting against a Data Warehouse with SSRS

Friday Feb 27 1:30PM EST
Featuring: Paul Turley
In this session, you’ll learn how to report against your data warehouse and SSAS cubes by using Reporting Services 2008. Learn what’s new and easy ways to visualize data warehouse data in this comprehensive session for beginners.

Week of Warehousing Webinar Series – SQL Server Central

General availability for the Windows 7 Beta to end – Windows 7 Team Blog – The Windows Blog

• Starting January 27th, the Windows 7 page will be updated with a warning that time is running out on downloading the Windows 7 Beta and that we will be limiting downloads shortly. People will be encouraged to register and start the download of the Windows 7 Beta sooner rather than later.
• February 10th, new downloads of the Windows 7 Beta will no longer be available. People who have already started their Windows 7 Beta download and have not yet finished will still be able to finish their download and are encouraged to do so.
• February 12th, people will no longer be able to complete their download of the Windows 7 Beta. Anyone who hasn’t finished downloading the Windows 7 Beta will be unable to do so.

Of course, MSDN subscribers, fear not. According to Brandon:

MSDN and TechNet Subscribers will continue to have access to the Windows 7 Beta bits throughout the Windows 7 Beta phase. The above dates do not apply to MSDN and TechNet Subscribers.

1I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— 2for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
1 Timothy 2:1-4

Now that is out of the way, back to technology.

So, did you see the inauguration? I bet you didn’t see it like this. CNN used its iReporter format to collect images from all over Washington to create a virtual 3D picture of the ceremony.

While watching the inauguration online via the CNN/Facebook feed, I saw a technology being talked about that I had seen many months ago, Microsoft Live Labs Photosynth.

Photosynth is a Microsoft technology that creates 3D spaces from anyone’s 2D photos. Hundreds of thousands of synths are viewable on photosynth.com, including the best inauguration synths.

Photosynth is unique in that it looks for similarities between photos in order to recreate a scene. More details are available on the Photosynth site. So, take a look at “The Moment” for yourself.

If nothing else, it gave some buzz to talk about in the blogosphere.

• Gizmodo
• The Washington Note
• Mashable
• Los Angeles Times
• CNET

It was the standard Microsoft event. Got to the Dallas Convention Center at about 7:20 and there was already a line of cars waiting to pay the $8.00 to park in the Convention Center parking garage. I was going to take the TRE to Union Station and then the DART Red line south to Convention Center Station but change my mind at the last minute. Two escalators up and then to the registration area.

Funny enough, the gal getting me registered seemed to think I looked familiar as she also did to me. After about five minutes of asking questions of eachother, we realized we worked for the same retailer in the early ’90s. Funny!

Grabbed my turkey lunch bag from the table. Wow, neat little black zippered Microsoft lunch cooler. I’ll actually hang on to that and use it elsewhere. Almost worth the trip already.

Now to walk the gauntlet of vendors in the exhibitors area. Met the Microsoft BI folks, talked some non-profit pricing numbers, got some information. Then to the Microsoft Unified Communications guy. Just filled out a form and grab some schwag. Developer evangelist talking to a larger group of folks. Figured I’d listen in. Did he just say that they already have support for programming the IRobot Roomba? Cool! Microsoft Robotics Studio.

A few more meets and greets and I’m outta there. Made a few quick calls back to the office checking on this and that. Headed to the arena for the keynote. Arrived early and got those good aisle seats. Yeah! Running 15 minutes late so we got to view the vendor videos, yet again. UGH! Too much marketing. Keynote was okay but not terribly inspiring.

I was in the Data IT Pro track and it was certainly not too stellar. Demos were a bit rough but I guess that can certainly happen. But the primary speaker for two of the sessions just did not have a great personality for speaking and I think that zoned a bunch of people out.

I did get excited about a couple of things.

Windows Server 2008 Terminal Services Remote Apps – Ability to virtualize presentation of applications, not just desktops. Seems like this will steal away from Citrix but hey, good for us.

“Terminal Services (TS) RemoteApp programs are accessed through Terminal Services, and look and act as if they are running on the end user’s local computer. Users can run TS RemoteApp programs side by side with their local programs. If a user is running more than one RemoteApp on the same terminal server, RemoteApp will share the same Terminal Services session.” – Per Microsoft

Visual Studio 2008 will now support PHP. At least that is what the keynote stated. I’ll have to load it up and take a look-see. Also, apparently Windows Server 2008 with IIS 7 is supposed to include support for PHP without us having to go to third party pieces. Keep in mind that I’m skeptical about this. Is this a Microsoft version of PHP? Yikes!

Freebies included:

Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition
SQL Server 2008 Standard Edition
Visual Studio 2008
Windows Vista Ultimate SP 1

I cut out a bit early form there and came back to the office to do some more PHP/SQL coding so the day would not be a complete loss. It was nice to get away from the office for a few hours though and we scored some free licenses of products we will use for the non-profit.

Blessings.