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Keep up with the latest developments in Microsoft
Technologies
Would you like to improve your skill set and become an expert in the field?
SSW trainers are some of the best in the world, with pragmatic experience as well as extensive technical
knowledge. They are speakers at development conferences around the world and will provide all that material,
plus more, presented in 1.5 hour workshops featuring real-world scenarios. Our 'Power Sessions' adds a little fun
into the mix, and are perfected so that you can stay at the forefront in the latest Microsoft Developer Tools.
Visual Studio and TFS
- Visual Studio Ultimate 2010 (was Team System (aka VSTS and TFS))
- Visual Studio 2010 Testing with Team Foundation Server (TFS) 2010 - the life of a bug
- What is new in VS2010 & .NET FX 4.0... and what should you use in your next project?
- Visual Studio 2010 Team System - An Overview
- Visual Studio 2010 Team System - Drilling into Work
Items and Customization
- Visual Studio 2010 Team System - Extending
Check in Policies
- favorite Third Party Tools for Team Foundation
Server (TFS) and Visual Studio Team System (VSTS)
- Team Foundation Server 2010 (TFS) for Successful Project Management
- Visual Studio for Database Professionals (Data
Dude)
- Managing Schema Updates (smack down of Red-Gate vs Data Dude)
Visual Studio
- Data Binding in ASP .NET 2.0
- The Top 15 tips for Real World Windows Forms
Applications (including "What's new for Visual Studio 2010")
- A big peek at ASP .NET 2 Applications
- Building a VB.NET Windows Service
- XML Web Services in .NET
- An Examination of DotNetNuke
- An Examination of IBuySpy.com - the .NET Northwind
- Visual Studio Tips and Tricks
- Building Windows Applications with VB.NET
- Building Web Applications with ASP.NET
- Using Office Web-Component Graphs in .NET
- Building Advanced Data-Centric Winform Smart Clients
- eXtreme Programming for .NET Developers
- Boost Your Productivity with the best Microsoft's .NET
Application Blocks (Configuration & Exception Block)
- Migrating from Access Forms to .NET Windows Forms
- Real World ClickOnce
- Windows Workflow Foundation
SharePoint
- Getting Started with Microsoft Office SharePoint Server
2007
- I feel the love again? Using Access 2007 and SharePoint 2007 together
- SharePoint - follow the Yellow Brick Road to Public
Web Sites
- SharePoint - 8 Tips from the Trenches
- Something About Mary (SharePoint and Office 2010)
- SharePoint Foundation 2010 (was Windows SharePoint Services or WSS4)
- Developing for Microsoft SharePoint 2010
- What is new in SharePoint 2010
Office
- What's new and different in Office 2007?
- Connect your enterprise data to Microsoft Office with VS.NET
(aka Smart Tags)
- Build on Your Knowledge of Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Access 2007
CRM
- Microsoft Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
SQL Server
- Top 15 SQL Server DBA Tasks for SQL Server 2008
- The best tools to Audit Your SQL Server Database "The
SQL 2000 Best Practices Analyzer"
- Design and Implement Database Solutions Using Microsoft
SQL Server 2008
- Planning and Managing a Smooth Migration from Access
to SQL Server
- Favorite 3rd Party Tools for SQL Server
- Introduction to SQL Indexing
Reporting Services
- The best ways to show your data
- Up and running with Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Reporting
Services
- What's new in Reporting Services 2008 + Developing
Custom Report Items
- Migrating from Access Reports to Microsoft SQL Server
Reporting Services
- Reporting on Data in Microsoft Exchange Using SQL
Server 2008 Reporting Services
- Twelve Tips for Better Reporting Services
- Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services: Architecture
Overview
Web Design
- Up and Running with Expression Web Designer
- 10 CSS Best Practices
Data and LINQ
- Up and running with LINQ
- Visual Studio 2010 and LINQ
- 'LINQ to SQL' vs 'LINQ to Entities' (Part 1)
- Hardcore LINQ to Entities (Part 2)
- Using LINQ to SQL with WCF - the Brad and Angelina of Data Access (Part 3)
Business Intelligence
- Microsoft PerformancePoint 2010 (Part of SharePoint 2010)
Non-English Courses
- Chinese: Get your application working correctly with Windows 7/Vista
- Chinese: VSTS Realworld
Other
- 15 Rules to Better Code + Tools to Keep your Code Healthy
(including FX Cop)
- Rules to Better Code and Successful Projects
- Great solutions via Extreme Programming (XP)
- An A-Z on Writing Better Specs
- Component-based Design in .NET
- Favorite 3rd Party Tools
- How to Earn More $$$
Visual Studio and TFS
Visual Studio Ultimate 2010 (was Team System (aka VSTS and TFS))
Microsoft Visual Studio Team System has given us the integration of development,
project management, testing and analysis tool that was missing in the previous version
of Visual Studio. In this talk you will learn about Visual Studio, Visual Studio Team System and Team
Foundation Server 2010. You will also see what's currently hot on the Visual Studio
widgets scene with a demo-driven session on the most useful tools for Visual Studio
Team System
Features covered include:
- What's in Visual Studio
- What's in Team Foundation Server 2010
- Hot widgets: Team Foundation Power Tools, MSSCCIs, Diff Dog, SSW Code Auditor, MS Build GUI and much more!
Visual Studio 2010 Testing with Team Foundation Server (TFS) 2010 - the life of a bug
Visual Studio 2010 makes up a large part of a .Net developer's life. This session will delve
into the 'life of a bug' by taking a walk in the shoes of an everyday bug from discovery to release (and the
steps that make up the in-between). Come along and check out the new features that will make you
happier by making your code better, your job easier, and your team more productive by reducing
the obstacles you face in your everyday coding life. Learn:
- What are the new features for testers and developers
- How you now care - even if the tester can't reproduce the bug
- How to stop struggling to find the source of the bug in your code
- How can you streamline the testing process and make sure you don't repeat the same bugs
- How to automate more and reproduce bugs easier and discover problems sooner.
What is new in VS2010 & .NET FX 4.0... and what should you use in your next project?
A couple of years ago Visual Studio 2008 + .NET 3.5 brought us exciting new features like LINQ-to-SQL, lambda expressions,
auto implemented properties and anonymous types... Could things have got better?
Yes, and in this session Adam Cogan will show you how to Boost Your Productivity with:
- The important enhancements to the IDE in VS2010
- The new tricks and language features in .NET 4.0 to keep developers coding effectively and productively
- Plus a couple of things that will make your teams work better together
Visual Studio 2010 Team System - An Overview
Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Team System is an integrated software development platform
to build the mission-critical applications that businesses depend on. It extends
Visual Studio’s integrated and productive experience from the developer to
the entire development team by delivering powerful new role-based tools for software
architects, developers, testers and project managers. In this session you will see
an overview of these tools and how they can improve your software development cycle.
Visual Studio 2010 Team System - Drilling into Work Items and Customization
Visual Studio Team System (VSTS) and Team Foundation Server (TFS) combine to integrate
the whole development cycle from initial design, testing and development as well
as bug tracking and project management tools. In this session you will be taken
through everything you need to know to optimize your software development cycle
using VSTS:
- How a bug tracking system will work
- How TFS work items work
- The missing pieces
- Customizing TFS to work in your organization
- Integrating work items and your bug tracking system
- A review of third-party tools
Visual Studio 2010 Team System - Extending Check in Policies
Visual Studio Team System (VSTS) and Team Foundation Server (TFS) combine to integrate
the whole development cycle from initial design, testing and development as well
as bug tracking and project management tools.
Check in policies can stop developers checking in code that:
- does not comply with existing unit tests
- does not comply Static Code Analysis Rules (aka FXCop)
- is not associated with a Work Item
But what if you want more checks? In this session you will learn about extending
check in policies and what you can do with them. You will also see the steps that
were involved for SSW Code Auditor the first commercial
check in policy for TFS.
favorite Third Party Tools for Team Foundation Server (TFS) and Visual Studio Team
System (VSTS)
Learning the big world of Microsoft Team System can be made easier when you know
the great tools that 3rd party vendors have released. These smart cookies have built
some great programs and utilities.
Team Foundation Server 2010 (TFS) for Successful Project Management
Visual Studio Ultimate (formerly Visual Studio Team System (VSTS)) and Team Foundation Server (TFS) are the cornerstones of development
on the Microsoft .NET platform. These are the best tools for a project manager to have successful projects and for the developers to have a
focused and smooth software development process.
Come and see Adam Cogan, Microsoft Regional Director, VSTS Champ and Chief Architect from SSW show you:
- How to successfully gather requirements with User stories
- The right want to use work items
- The way to complete a work items and send a "done"
- Use templates for your standard work items
- The extra work items that developers always forget
- What is good and bad about Excel and Project integration
- What you can use from the built in reporting as well as the Project portals available on from the SharePoint dashboard
- The important reports to give your Project Manager
Walk away knowing how to see the project health and progress. Visual Studio Ultimate is designed to help
address many of these traditional problems faced by project managers. It does so by providing
a set of integrated tools to help teams improve their software development activities and
to help project managers better support the software development processes.
During this session we will cover the lifecycle of creating work items and tracking of releases using Visual Studio Ultimate and Team Foundation Server.
Visual Studio for Database Professionals (Data Dude)
In this session Adam will provide introduction to Visual Studio Team Edition for
Database Professionals and will cover: schema maintenance, unit testing and data
generation, including a discussion on ways of extending this newly released product.
Managing Schema Updates
(smack down of Red-Gate vs Data Dude)
Best practices, SQL Compare, SQL Packager, Data Dude 2010 and SQL Deploy.
Nowadays everything (except Exchange of course) runs off a database. Why do so many places
have a weak schema deployment strategy? In this session learn the best ways to move from
one version to the next, using tools like RedGate SQL Compare, RedGate SQL Packager, Visual
Studio 2010 Database Professional (aka Data Dude) and SSW SQL Deploy.
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Visual Studio
Data Binding in ASP.NET 2.0
Do you want to connect people to your data? You will learn how to unleash the data
binding potential of ASP.NET 2.0 to assist you in creating powerful data-driven
websites in a snap. You will discover how to utilize the newest ASP.NET 2.0 data-bound
controls to give your users a rich and responsive web experience. You will also
see how the improved caching works.
Are you ready to be connected? Let us show you how!
The Top 15 tips for Real World Windows Forms Applications (including "What's
new for Visual Studio 2010 ")
Creating solid and flexible windows forms applications, only comes from experience.
Learn the top 15 rules that every developer should follow when making windows applications.
Adam will demonstrate techniques such as configuration management, the right and
wrong way of making inherited forms and 3rd party controls. See how to benefit from
user controls and effective exception management.
Also see how Windows Forms 2.0 is a giant step forward. Learn how Windows Forms
2.0 makes it easy to build professional looking applications and see demonstrations
Learn how less code is more, and how code reuse really reduces your development
time.
A big peek at ASP .NET 2.0 Applications
Adam Cogan will give a talk on: ASP.NET overview, working with data, caching improvements
to significantly boost the performance of the next generation of ASP.NET applications,
master pages for consistent web sites, new membership features, and personalization.
Building a VB.NET Windows Service
Building a Windows Service in VB6 was a tricky affair and so rarely done. With VB.NET,
the Windows Service is now easier to build and deploy. This session will:
- Let you know when you need a Windows Service
- Show you how to build a Windows Service that is a useful real life utility
- Provide tips and tricks for developing Windows Services
- Help you understand .NET remoting
- Assist you to use it for real performance
XML Web Services in .NET
Are programming Web Services hard or easy? Is it a real paradigm shift for developers?
Well you will see how Web Services provide a rich set of components that are easy
to use. They communicate using standard Internet protocols and are becoming the
key building blocks for the next generation of both Microsoft Windows or Web based
applications. In this fast paced session, see how to speed your development by plugging
Web Services into your own application development projects.
An Examination of DotNetNuke: Developing a web site...the quick way!
Adam will compare IBuySpy Portal vs DotNetNuke, then he will take a deeper look
into the new DotNetNuke 2.0, which now offers a mature portal framework that helps
increase everyday organizational efficiency.
DotNetNuke is an open source reference application for everyone from the aspiring
webmaster to the experienced ASP.NET developer. Adam discusses:
- The history of the Project
- Multiple Database Support
- Portal Features
- Portal Architecture
- Skinning (via a two-tiered presentation model)
- Module Development
- Run-time extensibility
An Examination of IBuySpy.com - the .NET Northwind
www.IBuySpy.com can be considered the "Northwind" of ASP.NET applications.
As the model for .NET Web apps, this session will step you through the important
features IBuySpy promotes including:
- Cross-browser support for Netscape and Internet Explorer
- Clean code/html content separation using server controls
- High performance catalogue pages that use output caching
- 3-tier ADO.NET data access using Stored Procedures
- Forms authentication
- SOAP XML web services
An essential session for advanced ASP.NET developers.
Visual Studio Tips and Tricks
A fun fast-paced session about getting the most from the Visual Studio IDE.
The Visual Studio development environment is full of new features to make developers
more productive. Learn the favorite tips and tricks that our own developers use
in Visual Studio. See examples of how third-party products can extend Visual
Studio .NET. Learn how to take advantage of the free Web hosting feature. This session
is 99.9% demo.
Building Windows Applications with VB.NET
Learn how to take advantage of Visual Studio support for Windows Forms to build
more powerful Windows apps with SQL Server and connect them to Web Services.
This session will detail how to create a VB.NET/ SQL Server desktop database application.
We will discuss the advantages of VB.NET over Access and VB. You’ll also learn
about:
- Using .NET as a replacement for Enterprise Manager
- Data Binding in a Windows Form using SQL Server
- How to utilize a UDL and connection strings
- Using the SubMain for application startup
- Using client side sorting and filtering
- Using the new error handling Try-Catch-Finally
Building Web Applications with ASP.NET
ASP.NET is a revolutionary new version of Microsoft's Active Server Pages. It provides
a wealth of new features that make developers more productive and the applications
they build faster, more reliable and scalable. There's a lot to learn about ASP.NET
and this session is devoted to bringing you the latest and best information. You
will walk away with code samples you can plug into your application.
- ASP.NET and the .NET Framework
- Validating Data Using the ASP.NET Validator Controls
- Moving from ASP to ASP.NET
- Building Web Services
- Making Sense of ADO.NET
- ASP.NET Configuration and Deployment
Comprehensive list of .NET training topics
Using Office Web Components Graphs in .NET
Too often we expect users to read and understand data in a table instead of showing
them an easy to understand graph. This was because we had to rely upon expensive
3rd party charting tools. The new expanded charting function in Office XP Office
Web Components offers developers a great solution to this problem.
This session will show you how to create a dynamically driven graphs in ASP.NET
with tips and tricks for fine–tuning your chart with some of the new features
in OWC 10, such as automatic axis scaling, label orientation, and color control,
and as well as some of the manual override features. We also discuss the features
of good and bad charts.
Building Advanced Data-Centric Smart Clients
Get techniques for performing data validation, 'dirty' record recognition logic,
and many other routine capabilities of data applications, with minimal code. See
the end result: a set of tools and techniques that allow a typical data maintenance
program to be created in just a few minutes, and also allow it to be extended and
improved for a specific application.
eXtreme Programming for .NET Developers
Presented by Adam Cogan, this session will cover how to incorporate eXtreme Programming
practices with .NET- connected technologies to create high quality, low cost software.
Adam will walk you through the 12 tenants of eXtreme Programming and then tell you
what works and what doesn't.
How to implement is discussed and demo'ed in the context of Visual Studio.
Boost Your Productivity with the best Microsoft's .NET Application Blocks (Configuration
& Exception Block)
All developers need exception management and all developers need to store settings.
Microsoft has built these two code sets called: Application Blocks to address these
tasks. They are ready to use but are missing some important functionality. Come
see how they have been extended, ready for you to insert them straight into your
applications.
Migrating Access Forms to .NET Windows Forms
Do you have Microsoft Access Database applications in use in your organization?
Are you challenged with upgrading them to the most recent version or are you looking
to move the data or reporting into SQL Server for greater reliability and scalability?
If so, this session is for you. It will help you understand what your options are
and how to move forward with confidence.
Real World ClickOnce
ClickOnce is a technology that allows developers to write Windows Forms applications
that utilize the powerful features of the client, yet are as hassle-free to deploy
and update as a Web page.
ClickOnce provides a rich set of easy to use capabilities for deploying and updating
smart client applications, including lots of options and ways of approaching things.
Once you understand how to get your application out the door and updated, using
the myriad of options that ClickOnce provides, lots of other questions arise, including
how to make it more secure and how things will change in the future.
The problem for developers is that ClickOnce provides so much flexibility for getting
your smart client applications into your users hands. Come learn how to conquer
the challenges of employing ClickOnce in real world enterprise environments. This
session will quickly review the process of deploying an application with ClickOnce,
focusing on what is placed where and what security mechanisms and configuration
is involved. It will then cover how to move ClickOnce applications from development
machines onto production servers including the server configuration required and
the modifications needed to your manifest files.
Also covered will be how to version your ClickOnce applications to control who gets
what version when, as well as how to tighten down security using trusted publishers
and avoiding user prompting. (The goal being to take the trust decisions out the
users hands and put them back in control of your enterprise administrators).
Strategies for tracking application usage and restricting access to ClickOnce applications
will also be discussed.
Windows Workflow Foundation
Adam Cogan and Mark Liu will be introducing Windows Workflow Foundation. We will
discuss some real world scenarios, go over the architecture of the framework, and
talk about some common problems people may face when adopting this new technology.
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SharePoint
Getting Started with Microsoft
Office SharePoint Server 2007
In this session, we will explore the design goals and features of Office SharePoint
Server 2007. You also manage documents and Web content using Office SharePoint Server
2007. We will cover:
- The design goals and features of Office SharePoint Server 2007
- How to manage documents and Web content using Office SharePoint Server 2007
- The Office SharePoint Server 2007 features for organizing and finding data
- How to implement business solutions using Office SharePoint Server 2007
I feel the love again -
Using Access 2007 and SharePoint 2007 together
SharePoint 2007 and Access (along with the rest of Office 2007) have had an enormous
amount of work done in this version and they work together beautifully.
SharePoint 2007 is, to many, a web version of Access. Come see Adam Cogan show you
how you have a lot of options including:
- using SharePoint data in your Access solution
- using Access to report on your SharePoint data
- upsizing your access data to SharePoint and then continue with Access as the frontend
- upsizing your entire Access solution to SharePoint and then finish using Access
as your platform
In addition we will look at using SharePoint data in other Office applications.
SharePoint - follow the Yellow
Brick Road to Public Web Sites
Come join us as we learn how the largest public SharePoint site in Australia (www.WorleyParsons.com) got up and
running.
Adam Cogan of SSW will share his experience
and lessons learnt on this project. Adam will also show you how to sexify the look
and feel of your site (or de-SharePointing with style)
More info:
- Why companies want SharePoint's Web Content Management
- How to sexify the look and feel (aka de-SharePointing with style)
- Reducing use of tables via ASP.NET control adapters
- Cross-browser compatibility - the easy way with JQuery
- How to use the Custom Navigation Control Adapters - the golden pearl
- Customizing SharePoint web parts
- How to deploy (and how you can avoid three all-nighters)
- Performance - targeting anonymous users
- The lessons learned (aka rules)
SharePoint - 8 Tips from the Trenches
John Liu (aka
Liuy) rarely gets out of the hot and sticky SSW trench. Come hear his war
stories dealing with SharePoint solutions. John has delivered SharePoint sites for
clients such as Microsoft, WorleyParsons and the worst one: Adam Cogan.
Topics he will cover are:
- Getting the design right
- Web Parts - All the good stuff you get for free
- Performance tips for publishing sites
- The dirty stuff - deployment
- Less manual steps via SPConfigModification
- Dark data - CAML
- The 3rd party tools you need
- Things needed in SharePoint 2010
Something About Mary (SharePoint and Office 2010)
Come see Adam Cogan explain what works well with SharePoint and Office for Mary
and the other knowledge workers.
First you will get an overview of what is great about having SharePoint in your
business.
Then see real world examples of:
- Using SharePoint 2010 and Office 2010 together
- Where it fits with other important Microsoft products like CRM 4 and TFS
- Examples of how Word and Excel can be integrated into business processes (separate
from SharePoint), and then followed by
- Examples of how Word, Excel, PowerPoint can be combined with SharePoint to improve
visibility/searchability/versioning across the company
- Overview of how data can be synchronized between the two (eg using Access and Excel)
- Overview of what 'workflow' (really!) means
- How Office can be incorporated into company workflows with SharePoint
- Extending SharePoint with Office SharePoint Designer 2010 (free!)
- Where VBA and VSTO fit in terms of how solutions can be developed
- Examples of other interesting Office/SharePoint integrations
(eg the the Atlassian SharePoint Connector and Atlassian Office Connector)
This is a good chance for you to consider new ways of using Office in your company,
along with pitfalls to avoid. Adam gets excited about this session because too often
companies limit Office to just an email application, word processor and spreadsheet
- completely missing the positive impact it can have on the entire business process.
SharePoint Foundation 2010 (was Windows SharePoint Services or WSS4)
In this session, SSW will provide an introduction to SharePoint Foundation 2010
with the aim of evaluating its effectiveness for Enterprise Content Management (ECM).
We will also look at document and record management scenarios and taking advantage
of the rich new Workflow and Content Management System.
Developing for Microsoft SharePoint 2010
Adam Cogan will introduce you to the ins and outs of SharePoint, including how it
can help with both enterprise portal/search as well as document management solutions.
You'll learn how SharePoint can provide for relatively simple development of departmental
solutions. All the while, he'll illustrate these key features
with lively demonstrations, examples and code!
What is new in SharePoint 2010
In this session Adam Cogan will provide information about what is new in SharePoint 2010
and his personal favourites. The SharePoint Team has invested in many including:
- UX support for Silverlight and Ajax
- Their Web Content Management System
- Digital Asset Management System (for videos)
- Visual Studio 2010 tools for SharePoint 2010
- Developer Platform
- Office 2010 integration
- RESTful Web API
- Tagging and Rating
Lets see what is good and what’s not.
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Office
What's new and
different in Office 2007?
In this fun and informative session, you will discover the upcoming suite of tools
in Office 2007. You will be led through the new features including:
- New collaboration capabilities that enable workers to more easily share, access
and synchronize information and documents across a wide range of devices
- Improved Business Intelligence capabilities such as OLAP reporting within Excel
2007
- New User Interface to streamline access to common functions
- Extensible XML-based file formats and improved XML support
Connect your enterprise data to Microsoft
Office with VS.NET (aka Smart Tags)
Wondering how to develop better Word, Outlook and Excel solutions that can either
communicate over XML Web Services or automatically make your applications more productive
through intelligent hyperlinks? Smart tags provide a way to connect directly to
your database. With or without defined terms you can associate user actions right
from within these applications. We will build a real world solution from woah to
go. Smart tags work by recognizing certain types of text and then offering related
functions and commands - this session will cover both topics: Smart Tags and XML
Web Services in Word, Outlook and Excel. Join us on the journey as we teach you
how easy it now is to build interactive applications that leverage XML web services
inside Word, Outlook and Excel, and extend these applications with Add-ins.
Build on Your Knowledge of Microsoft
Access
Microsoft Access plays an integral role in the Microsoft Office suite. Small-to-Medium
enterprises still use the familiar Access front-end as the centre-piece for their
database systems. For developers wanting to keep this valuable market, a knowledge
of Access is an invaluable tool for rapid development. This session can go hand-in-hand
with the Access to SQL Server Upsizing session.
- Design and develop quality solutions with Microsoft Access
- Build on your knowledge of using Access
- Leverage the strengths of Access to build powerful applications
- maximize form and report events to enable outcomes
- Develop better shrink wrapped applications
- Modulise/genericise your development for easy reuse and/or smaller deployments
- What's new in Access 10 (2001)
Microsoft Office Access 2007
Adam Cogan will cover
Microsoft Office Access' 2007 new and improved features which can help you:
- Provide the ability to get you started quickly with prebuilt applications that can
be modified or adapted to changing business needs
- Track and report information with ease
- Integrate Access 2007 with SharePoint
- Collect information through forms in email or import data from external applications.
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CRM
Microsoft Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
Adam Cogan will introduce
Microsoft CRM which has been designed to provide a complete suite of powerful marketing,
sales, and customer service capabilities, all with a familiar and consistent user
experience based on Microsoft Office and the Microsoft Office Outlook messaging
and collaboration client.
The session will be broken into the following sections:
- Up and Running on Microsoft CRM
- Experiences with customizing and extending CRM
- Using Workflow in CRM
- Planning for Microsoft CRM 5
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SQL Server
Top 15 SQL Server
DBA Tasks for SQL Server 2008
Examine how to automate your SQL Server 2008 servers and set them on "auto-pilot"
for routine tasks. Examine how best to take advantage of the DBMaint utility to
automate your backups and reorgs. Take a look at how to configure your alerts and
operators to get proper notifications when events occur. Examine administering proper
security, testing your restores, and routine performance monitoring/tuning. Examine
resources to help you diagnose problems as they occur on your SQL Servers.
The best tools to Audit Your SQL Server Database
- The "SQL 2000 Best Practices Analyzer"
Microsoft recently released a tool called "Best Practices Analyzer". All
SQL Server developers and administrators should run this tool. Come learn about
many issues you can't afford to ignore from Database Design and SQL Server 2008
Readiness to T-SQL issues and poor Configuration choices.
This is a great session for everyone - from the new SQL Server developer to the
old DBA! You'll all be impressed when you see how to run the tool and how to fix
the identified issues.
Design and Implement Database Solutions
Using Microsoft SQL Server
Microsoft SQL Server has set the fastest TCP-C Performance record ever and is setting
itself as the preferred database for both developer and industry. In this session
you'll learn to:
- Plan and initiate a logical data model
- Create solutions for performance, maintainability, and scalability
- Implement stored procedures and triggers
- Develop and maintain explicit, implicit, and distributed transactions to ensure
data integrity
- Run Index Tuning Wizard and Database Maintenance Wizard
- Utilize SP Mail as the most powerful work-horse in your application
- Use DTS (Data Transformation Services) effectively
Planning and Managing Your Smooth Migration from Access to SQL Server
When Access mdb's hit their limit of scalability, corrupting too often and unable
to handle the number of concurrent users required, it's time to upsize to SQL Server.
But upsizing your application involves a lot more than running the Upsizing Wizard...
This session will demonstrate what changes to make to your application before running
the Upsizing Wizard and what to do after. You will be walked through development
tools, application interface changes, query design and stored procedures to bring
scalability for more users. You'll begin by learning how to:
- maximize the benefits of MS SQL server in your application
- Upsize MS Access applications to MS SQL Server/MSDE while maintaining the user interface
in Access
- Design efficient applications for MS SQL Server
- Weigh up when to use the new ADP Access 2000 option as opposed to link tables
- Move processes to stored procedures (action queries) and views
- Use triggers for de-normalized fields
favorite 3rd Party
Tools for SQL Server
Microsoft's tools don't have all the answers. Let someone else's hard work save
you time in SQL Server development. Adam reviews some of the best SQL Server tools
on the market from Red-Gate, Lecco, Embarcadero, FMS and others.
SQL Server 2008: Advanced Indexing Strategies
In this session we look at a fast-paced collection of indexing tips and tricks based
on an already optimized base table structure. How you create your base table - as
well as cluster it - has a big impact on that table's performance.
Once the base table structures have been defined and you have to further improve
system performance, where do you look and how do you do this? In this session we
will talk about targeting both the known and finding the unknown performance problems.
Once you know where the problems are we'll go through numerous options to improve
the performance using indexes.
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Reporting Services
The Best Ways to Show Your Data
Today there are a myriad of ways to connect to and display your data. What are the
options? Which technology gets you across the finish line with the lowest cost and
greatest flexibility? In this session we will compare the most popular reporting
technologies in the industry:
- Reporting Services 2008
- ASP.NET 2.0
- Crystal
- Access (via SSW Access Reporter)
- Office Web Components (OWC)
- OLAP - Reporting Services 2008, Data Analyzer and 3rd Party Web Solutions
We will take you through developing the same sample report using all these technologies
so you can make an informed decision on what is best for your organization
Up and Running with Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services
OK so you know about how the new powerful reporting platform from Microsoft will
change the landscape of enterprise reporting. Come see Sydney based SQL Guru and
MS Regional Director Adam Cogan show the developer features of this latest addition
to the Microsoft SQL Server family of products. You will see real world examples
of this server-based platform when used for creating, managing, and delivering both
traditional, paper-oriented reports and interactive, Web-based reports. Reporting
Services 2008 combines the data management capabilities of SQL Server and Microsoft
Windows Server with familiar and powerful Microsoft Office System applications to
deliver real-time information to support daily operations and decisions.
What's new in Reporting Services 2008 + Developing Custom Report Items
Reporting Services makes viewing your data a breeze and SQL Server 2008 brings database
reporting to a whole new level. In this session you will learn how to take full
advantage of the new Report Designer that is integrated into Visual Studio 2010.
We will discuss the core product improvements, reporting improvements, the better
integration, and the richer developer experience.
You will also discover how to create and implement Custom Report Items - custom
data visualization controls that allow you to make powerful reports.
Migrating from Access Reports to Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services 2008
Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services is a new web-based reporting solution from
Microsoft. It solves many of the issues with existing reporting solutions, such
as deployment, scalability and availability.
In this session, you will learn about all the important differences between Access
Reports and Reporting Services, and equip yourself with the knowledge to make a
decision on whether or not to move your reports into Reporting Services. You will
also be taken through a real demo of an Access to Reporting Services migration.
Reporting on Data in Microsoft Exchange Using SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services
Come see a code packed session that will show how to extend the out-of-the box features
of Reporting Services. Everyone who has an Exchange Server 2000/2003 should be reporting
on it - but nobody does. Following this, we will explore the creation of a real
Reporting Services solution. You will learn about the important issues of security,
data access, rendering, and delivery. We will also discuss the deployment issues
of an application that requires Reporting Services. Sample code is provided so you
can use this useful solution.
Twelve Tips for Better Reporting Services
OK so you know about how powerful this reporting platform from Microsoft is. Come
see Sydney based SQL Guru and MS Regional Director Adam Cogan show the right and
wrong ways to develop reports and show data to users.
Microsoft SQL Server 2008
Reporting Services: Architecture Overview
In SQL Server 2008, the report server has been re-architected to remove the dependency
on Internet Information Services and provide better control over memory usage. Get
an overview of the Reporting Services 2008 architecture and the impact on installation,
upgrade, and reporting services management tools.
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Web Design
Up and Running with Expression Web Designer
Tristan Kurniawan is SSW Graphic Designer and the person responsible for
the Web 2.0 look on SSW and other sites. He will begin by explaining how Microsoft’s
latest offering can integrate Web design and development teams. Then Tristan will
show how to use Expression Web through each stage of a website design and share
his tips on real-world web development and modern web standards. You will see how
this is a tool for creating great CSS-based, standards-compliant Web sites.
10 CSS Best Practices
Sick of style saturation?
Tristan Kurniawan, SSW Graphic Designer, will show you how to apply these
CSS best practices to regain creative control over the layout and design whilst
streamlining the process of creating and maintaining your website.
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Data and LINQ
Up and Running with LINQ
Linq is the future of ORM on the .NET platform and with the release of Visual Studio
2008 only months away it will become mainstream. In this presentation you will learn
about the different types of LINQ and how to use LINQ to quickly build data-driven
applications.
Visual Studio 2010 and LINQ
Come and hear Adam Cogan and Eric Phan present Visual Studio 2010 and LINQ
LINQ is the future of ORM on the .NET platform and with the release of Visual Studio
2010 only months away it will become mainstream. In this presentation you will learn
about the different types of LINQ and how to use LINQ to quickly build data-driven
applications.
'LINQ to SQL' vs 'LINQ to Entities' (Part 1)
LINQ (Language Integrated Query) is a key innovation introduced with .NET 3.0 which
brings SQL-style query expressions into VB and C#.
In this session Adam will compare 'LINQ to SQL' and 'LINQ to Entities' showing the
strengths and weaknesses of each and in what situations each should be used, providing
you with a roadmap of what tools/techniques should be used in what situations.
Adam's discussion will include:
- Introduction to both 'LINQ to SQL' and 'LINQ to Entities'
- Building models in the data designers of each framework
- Mapping your database in a conceptual schema and modifying the schema
- Hooking up your application to your new data layer
- Show the advantages of LINQ over more traditional ADO.NET methods
To finish Adam will build an application that uses both data layers and how easily
you can make your applications data aware.
Hardcore LINQ to Entities (Part 2)
Adam will take a deep dive into LINQ to Entities showing you best practices, pitfalls
to avoid, and answers to the most frequently asked questions, telling you exactly
what you need to know. Adam will pull apart all the key components of the LINQ to
Entities framework, discussing and showing how each part integrates with each other,
and how you can quickly create and modify your data access conceptual schema.
This session will provide samples on how you can use the power of LINQ plus the
new ADO.NET Entity Framework, to build advanced and fully featured data access layers
immediately, without pain.
Using LINQ to SQL with WCF - the Brad and Angelina of Data Access (Part 3)
LINQ to SQL has been out for a while now. Come and hear SSW experiences and hear
if it is ready or not.
Find out how you can
- use LINQ to SQL with WCF
- the right way to structure your projects
- 6 helpful tips
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Business Intelligence
Microsoft PerformancePoint 2010 (Part of SharePoint 2010)
Microsoft PerformancePoint 2010 (part of SharePoint 2010) is an integrated performance management application designed to help improve operational and
financial performance across all departments and all levels of your organization.
With Microsoft PerformancePoint 2010 as part of SharePoint 2010, you can monitor progress, analyze what is driving variances, and plan your business from budgeting
to creating management reports. You can have metrics, key performance indicators (KPIs), and reports delivered to every desktop through
intuitive scorecards, dashboards, and the easy-to-use 2007 Microsoft Office system environment. A key component of the Microsoft Business
Intelligence (BI) offering, Microsoft PerformancePoint 2010 (part of SharePoint 2010) can help you understand how performance can align with personal and
departmental.
Adam will also show the new Microsoft Access Services which takes an Access database and turns it into a first class
web solution in 2010.
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Non-English Courses
Chinese: Get your application working correctly with Windows 7/Vista
Windows Vista and Windows 7 introduced a new security architecture which causes many of your applications to break. This is mainly because of UAC,
Virtualization, WRP protection, Session 0 and x64 compatibility issues. This session will help you understand all of these major issues and get
your applications working correctly on Windows 7/Vista.
Chinese: VSTS Realworld
Dipping your toes in Visual Studio Team System isn't easy; you just don't know where to start. VSTS Realworld is designed to guide you through this learning curve
with a series of real-world scenarios, covering requirements, architecture design, development, testing and build. This session lets you experience
a software life cycle on Team Foundation Server and understand how to implement the process in your own team.
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Other
15 Rules to Better Code + Tools to Keep
your Code Healthy (including FX Cop)
Are you looking to eradicate bugs and ensure consistency? Learn how to take control
of your code, ensuring large, complex source code can be simplified, cleaned and
maintained. The focus is on the most popular .NET languages (C#, VB.NET) for both
Windows Forms and ASP.NET; however, you will learn how to maintain quality code
in any language.
As a project or company grows, managing code standards throughout your team becomes
virtually impossible. Consistent code is crucial to future development and maintenance.
Learn how to review your web apps and projects.
The tools we will explore include FX Cop, SSW Code Auditor, and Re-Sharper.
Rules to Better Code and
Successful Projects
Managing a team of coders can be a tricky experience, especially as most coders
like to do things their own way. During this session we go through a list of rules
that help make the development process as smooth as possible. These rules govern
the creation of specifications and schedules, best methods for testing and fixing
bugs and even the employees working conditions.
Great solutions via Extreme
Programming (XP)
Extreme Programming is NOT extreme - it is a discipline of software development
based on values of simplicity, communication, feedback, and courage. It works by
bringing the whole team together in the presence of simple practices, with enough
feedback to enable the team to see where they are and to tune the practices to their
unique situation.
In this session we are going to cover all of the practices of Extreme Programming
including Pair Programming and Test-First Development. While Adam Cogan will be
showing you how it works in the .NET environment, these principles work regardless
of the development environment.
An A-Z on Writing Better Specs
Skipping the spec writing phase is all too common in the software industry. Adam
will teach you how to write one so you get a happier client and write better code
along the way. At the end he will share a whole bunch of tips and tricks you can
start using straight away.
Component-based Design and .NET
This course presents an introduction to the Component-based features of Visual Basic
.NET & C#, and advanced topics such as connecting objects to a database using
ADO.NET, architecting great .NET applications, building components. It starts with
the basics of object-oriented techniques in .NET, including building a class and
creating and using objects from the class. It then details many of the new features
of .NET such as parameterized constructors, function overloading, static class data,
inheritance and inheritance-based polymorphism.
- What does .NET do to replace COM and COM+.
- What functionalities does .NET provide e.g. remoting, assemblies work and how the
development paradigm from VB6 and C++ has changed.
- Overview of how UML can be used to describe components that you're building.
Favorite Third Party Tools
In the big world of Microsoft it's easy to forget that there are a lot of other
smart cookies out there building great programs and utilities. You could spend hours
scouring the net for the latest .exe or you could save time and let Adam show you
the best new tools around. These tools will help you write code quicker, upsize
faster than ever before, and build better ASP.NET 2.0 pages, along with dozens of
other useful tricks that will no doubt save you time if you're developing in Windows
Forms, ASP.NET, SQL Server or Access.
How to Earn More $$$
This one day workshop has been designed for developers. The program is unique in
that it brings together in the one forum two of Australia's leading presenters
in their respective fields. Be prepared to be shocked, challenged and amazed as
Steve and Adam dispel a number of myths about client interactions and what the client
is really seeking from their IT provider.
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