I don't care what any of you say, by far the most exciting announcement from today's MIX08 keynote was SQL Server Data Services (SSDS). [OK, I admit I may be in a minority on this one and I strongly suspect my colleagues in Conchango's Interactive Media team will disagree but hey, this is my blog and I'll say what I like :)]
I won't go into details on what SSDS actually is because plenty of people (including Andy Leonard, Greg Low, Neil Hutson, the UK SQL field engineers and this guy who never leaves his name) have already done that and besides, I think the name is fairly self-explanatory at a high-level. Instead I'll pose some questions that I would LOVE to know the answer to.
- How do I bulk load data INTO one of these services? Will there be a SSIS connection manager especially for pushing data to SSDS?
- Will there be any easy way to access my data from from the SSAS/SSRS Data Source View?
- Will they host SSAS databases?
- Can I get hold of the database backups? Can I get CSV exports of the data?
- Seeing as all the data will live on Microsoft's servers, will all the data be encrypted?
- Can SSDS be offered by hosting partners that perhaps can specialise in niche implementations (e.g. SAP)?
- Will there by any way to issue complex T-SQL queries such as CTEs against the data?
- Will they store code for us as well (i.e. stored procedures)?
- Will there be a "LINQ to SSDS"?
- Will there be a specialised toolset (god I hope so)?
- Can I have a replicated environment for BI purposes?
- Do I lose the ability to use cool new features like Change Data Capture and SQL Service Broker?
- How do I develop in-house and then deploy to SSDS? Can I use MSIs? Do I have to give them a T-SQL script? Will Datadude directly support SSDS deployment?
- How much does it cost? What are the SLAs?
- Will there be a single point-of-failure and if there is, how much ability will I have to go in and fix a problem?
Now I have to admit I haven't read the whitepaper on SSDS yet which I probably should have done before posting this but hey, I couldn't help myself.
After spending much of the last week fighting a tidal wave of angry customers on my current project due to the lack of support of an application that I have just inherited then I can definitely see a need for a hosted data service where proper DBA activities and processes are taken care of for me. But the removal of control that it brings with it is troubling.
-Jamie
P.S. And how many more piggin' SS*S acronyms are they going to come out with? I thought SSIS, SSAS, SSRS & SSMS was enough! :)