21 March 2012
New SQL BI & PowerPivot 2012 Online Training!
When you registered on ProjectBotticelli.com, you asked to be notified when we upload new content. This is our third newsletter since we have launched our site a few months ago.
Summary of New Content:
- Introduction to SQL Server 2012 Business Intelligence (45 minute video)
- Introduction to PowerPivot for SQL Server 2012 (1 hour video)
- xVelocity, Vertipaq, and BI Semantic Model (short news article)
- New PPTs from BI and Productivity Roadshow 2012, covering SQL Server 2012
News
It's springtime (in the north) and we have just launched our first, online, training course! If you cannot attend our live BI Roadshow 2012 (see schedule here), this course is your best option to learn, in-depth, what is new in the world of Microsoft BI for 2012. The very first such training course on the web, it introduces SQL Server 2012 BI in detail. The first two modules are available online now, the remaining two are in post-production, and will be online in April 2012.
This content took a lot of care and effort to prepare, there are loads of hi-res demos, and it can give you a competitive advantage if you watch it soon. While not free, we were able to keep the costs of the Full Access Membership really low for now—one month of access for less than a cost of a taxi to a typical conference venue. This will go up, so if you have not signed-up yet, don't delay, do it now, and get a headstart in BI. The feedback has been great so far, but if you are not sure, we are happy to offer you a no-quibble refund guarantee.
Also, as a thank you for being a loyal newsletter subscriber, we have a special, launch-time-only promotion, for you:
3–for–2 Months Membership Offer!
Log-in with your account (this offer is for existing users only), select the 3 Month Full Access Membership, and use 3FOR2SUBSCR2012 code at checkout, to get 3 month membership for the price of 2 months! If you are already a Full Access Member, feel free to use this offer to extend your existing membership. This offer must be claimed by 30 April 2012 and we have no plans to offer it again. Please note, it is only valid for accounts that existed before this newsletter was sent out, it will not work for new accounts, it can only be redeemed once, and has no monetary value.
However, as we are also running a promotion, just about to be advertised to our roadshow attendees, offering a 10% discount off 1 month membership, or a 20% off annual and group memberships for the months of March and April, we thought it would be fair to share it with you. If you would like to take advantage of those offers, simply use these codes, and feel free to share them with others: 10%: APR2012OFF10 20%: APR2012OFF20YEAR
New Content
The newest content is our SQL BI course. Two modules are already online. The first one, a 45 minute video, focuses on SQL Server 2012 Business Intelligence, and Big Data. It is a thorough introduction to all that is new, especially if you are making your first steps in the promising world of Big Data. There is a good introduction to Apache Hadoop, HDFS, MapReduce, Hive, PigLatin, and its integration with SQL Server and the Microsoft Application Platform.
The second module, Introduction to PowerPivot for SQL Server 2012, outlines all the new features of new PowerPivot, including Diagrams, Measure Grid, KPIs, Multiple Relationships, Perspectives, BISM integration, and more. These new PowerPivot features are not only relevant to those of you who use PowerPivot, but also to all prospective BI Semantic Model users, as every feature of the newest PowerPivot is also a feature of BI Semantic Model, supported now by SQL Server 2012 Analysis Services, running in its new Tabular Mode. While BISM will be introduced, in detail, in a dedicated module of this course later in April, it is a prerequsite of understaning that module that you follow the PowerPivot one, first. By the way, there are 15 hi-def demos in this module, making it easy for you to follow, and to replicate the steps, as you are learning. Also, there is a detailed chapter listing (in the right-hand column), allowing you to quickly jump into the video at multiple points, and to follow it your way.
Finally, as Microsoft have renamed Vertipaq as xVelocity In-memory Analytics Engine, there is a flurry of new terms sharing the root xVelocity. After a fruitful to-and-fro with people on the product team, we have published a short news piece about xVelocity, clarifying some of those name changes. Read it here to understand these new concepts.
The next few months will be very busy for us all, with many new product announcements, not just about SQL Server, but also Office, SharePoint, and the upcoming Windows 8 Server. It will be great to see Power View and the rest of Microsoft BI work on Apple iPads, iOS, Android, and other mobile platforms. Naturally, we are working hard on bringing you top-class content earlier than anyone else, so that you can stay competitive in today's rapidly changing BI, and IT, landscapes. Make sure you follow us.
Request for Feedback
Do the videos play smoothly, and is the resolution really good? They are supposed to switch bitrate automatically to match your bandwidth conditions, but only you can give realistic feedback about that. Is anything behaving not as you would expect it to, or have you experienced any technical glitches with the site? We know you have high expectations, just as you do when you attend our high-quality conference presentations. Do you like anything in particular, or is something perhaps not so convenient for you? We would be extremely grateful if you would let us know any suggestions or comments you have—just email me: simply hit Reply, and even a one-liner will be much appreciated.
Updated Terms and Conditions
We needed to simplify, and to shorten our T&Cs, to cover the new, paid-for content, as well as the fact that we plan to offer certificates of achievement, which mean we need to record information about the modules which you decided to study and watch. You may get a second email about that change (apologies for the duplication), and in any case, the new T&Cs are here, and it is assumed that you accept them, if you continue using the site. Needless to say, if you are not happy about anything, please let us know. While you can always cancel your account using options in the "My Account" menu, we would hope you would chat to us before you felt that was ever necessary—we mean that, as we care for your satisfaction and privacy more than anything else, and more than many other web organisations seem to.
Thanks for reading and we hope you enjoy the benefits of being a Full Access Member,
Rafal Lukawiecki, Strategic Consultant and Director, Project Botticelli Ltd
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