Episode 23: IO, IO, It’s Off to Tune We Go

The number one reason organizations choose Power BI is the ability to visualize data; however, even with all the immediate choices, many report developers desire to create custom visualizations. In this episode, we chat about custom visualizations for Power BI: how to get them, how to pick them, and when (if ever) you would consider building your own. Have a favorite custom visualization you have used? Let us know! The show notes for today's episode can be found at http://sqldatapartners.com/2019/04/17/episode-166-custom-visuals. Have fun on the SQL Trail!

17 Apr 201929min

Why should I care about this episode? I know many of you are going to ask that question. Artificial Intelligence is getting lots of buzz and in this episode we invite Hope Foley from Microsoft to discuss why and how AI is relevant to those in the data platform community. We get a little help from Kevin Feasel as we try to connect the dots between all the hype and how this can and will affect you in the future. Did we do a good job? Let us know and contribute to the conversation. The show notes for today's episode can be found at http://sqldatapartners.com/2019/03/27/episode-165-artificial-intelligence. Have fun on the SQL Trail!

28 Mars 201941min

DAX is the acronym for Data Analysis Expressions, and it is the formula language used throughout Power BI. In this episode we talk about DAX concepts and how they are simple and straightforward, but can be confusing for those coming from a relational database background. DAX uses some unique programming concepts and patterns which can make it difficult to fully use and understand. We talk about some experiences getting started with this language and ideas on how you can get started. The show notes for today's episode can be found at http://sqldatapartners.com/2019/03/20/episode-164-the-dax-episode. Have fun on the SQL Trail!

21 Mars 201925min

Are you experiencing challenges managing Very Large Databases (VLDBs), or anticipate challenges with future growth? In this episode, we are joined by Aaron Hayes to discuss the practical advice on managing very large databases in SQL Server, focusing on common problem areas we have found, along with our own experiences. Topics include storage layout decisions, unique tuning challenges, HA/DR implications, and database restores, along with the challenges of getting backups, re-indexing and DBCC checks into your maintenance windows. No comparisons here -- we are sure you will enjoy the discussion regardless of your database size. The show notes for today's episode can be found at http://sqldatapartners.com/2019/03/12/episode-163-very-large-databases. Have fun on the SQL Trail!

13 Mars 201940min

In this corner, coming in with all its Excel glory we have Power Query! And in this corner we have a new programming language, DAX! Have you ever felt like there is a tug of war going on between these two technologies? In this episode, the team discusses the two technologies, what they do, when -- and perhaps more importantly, WHY might you use them. The show notes for today's episode can be found at http://sqldatapartners.com/2019/02/27/episode-162-power-query-vs-dax. Have fun on the SQL Trail!

28 Feb 201928min

How do you migrate 8,000 databases on a single instance in an environment that doesn't tolerate downtime? Today's episode focuses on migration strategy and how our guest Andy Levy faced the challenge of moving all those databases in the time constraints given him by the business. We also talk about some of the strategies Andy employs to administer and monitor all those databases. The show notes for today's episode can be found at http://sqldatapartners.com/2019/02/20/episode-161-migrating-upgrading-8000-databases. Have fun on the SQL Trail!

21 Feb 201945min

The traditional model for Power BI is to pay per user, but what if you want to use the reports in your web app and don't know who all the users would be? In this episode the team explores Power BI Embedded -- how it differs from the traditional service, what you need to set it up, and some reasons why you might explore this option over the others. The show notes for today's episode can be found at http://sqldatapartners.com/2019/02/13/episode-160-power-bi-embedded. Have fun on the SQL Trail!

13 Feb 201930min

So what happens when you want to use data from two different sources, manipulate it (transform it) and then present the data in Power BI -- and you don't know how to use SSIS? Well, it turns out you can use Power BI dataflows. In this episode we explore the topic of dataflows with our guest, Matthew Roche, and talk about the scenarios and types of folks dataflows was intended for. The show notes for today's episode can be found at http://sqldatapartners.com/2019/02/06/episode-159-power-bi-dataflows. Have fun on the SQL Trail!

6 Feb 201945min