Future versions of SQL Server?

It is publicly known fact that RDBMSs have well known limitations when it comes to unstructured data management. This is the reason to emerged new database technologies like NoSQL. It is true that NoSQL is not a replacement for RDBMS. However the time has come to include NoSQL features into RDBMS products (then it can’t be called it as RDBMS) or introduce brand new NoSQL product from RDBMS vendors. We need to wait and see how Microsoft react to these new technology trends and how SQL Server change accordingly. Oracle has already announced their NoSQL version called Oracle NoSQL Database. Will Microsoft come up with new NoSQL product?

24x7: A pipe dream or reality? And at what cost? Can a business afford not to be 24/7?

Executive Summary

What is 24x7? In simple terms, it refers to “Always On” or “100 % availability”. Meaning the information system is available to users, at any time, without interruption. No matter what the day is. No matter from where users access the system is.
Web definition of 24x7 is stated below;

“24/7 is an abbreviation which stands for "24 hours a day, 7 days a week", usually referring to a business or service available at all times without interruption.”  [1]

The most popular and the technical term used for the same concept is “availability”. As we learn in our software engineering subject at graduate studies, “availability” is one of the non-functional requirements of an information system. To achieve 24x7 availability, an enterprise has to spend money on it. It does not come free, as many end users may think; in long run enterprises get the return on 24x7. [1]

Database Sharding

Database sharding is a concept of dividing large databases to small data sets to scale out applications. Following article gives the in-out detail about sharding.

http://www.codefutures.com/database-sharding/

Dimensions to use to compare NoSQL data stores

Good article to read if you want to decide which NoSQL product that you're going to be used.

http://huanliu.wordpress.com/2011/01/21/dimensions-to-use-to-compare-nosql-data-stores/

A Co-Relational Model of Data for Large Shared Data Banks

This is very interesting research paper about NoSQL and other database related matters. 


http://queue.acm.org/detail.cfm?id=1961297

Appistry

While I was reading SSWUG magazine I got to know about this word. Then I did more into that and found it is a technology solution for web scale to petabyte large data. So it is interesting to read more about it. Use this link for more information.


http://www.appistry.com/blog/

NEW-STYLE DATABASES FOR NEW-STYLE PROBLEMS

Old-style database systems solve old-style problems; we need new-style databases to solve new-style problems. While the need for conventional database management systems isn't going away, many of today’s problems require a configurable database system. Even without a crystal ball, it seems clear that tomorrow’s systems will also require a significant degree of reconfigurability. As programmers and engineers, we learn to select the right tool to do a job; selecting a database is no exception. We need to operate in a mode where we recognize that there are options in data management, and we should select the right tool to get the job done as efficiently, robustly, and simply as possible.

Above is the excerpt from the article published in ACM. It is an interesting one and take sometime to look at it.

Beyond Relational Databases