Microsoft extends SQL Server intelligence

Microsoft has extended the reach of its business data platform, demonstrating new business intelligence capabilities for SQL Server 2000 and SQL Server 2005.

The company unveiled its SQL Server Report Packs for Microsoft Exchange Server and Microsoft Business Solutions CRM.

The Report Packs - available for free download - are designed to provide customers with templates of commonly used SQL Server Reporting Services reports that can be modified for individual requirements.

Microsoft said its Reporting Services Report Builder, a self-service ad hoc query tool for building reports, will also be included in SQL Server 2005 Beta 3.

In addition, SQL Server Integration Services, formerly Data Transformation Services (DTS), has been enhanced for SQL Server 2005 Beta 3 with more robust and flexible features that allow customers to integrate data from any location.

Speaking at the 2004 Professional Association for SQL Server Community Summit in Orlando, bookselling giant Barnes & Noble outlined its plans to implement the SQL Server 2000 Business Intelligence offering.

"SQL Server 2000 will significantly reduce the time it takes our developers to aggregate data. In our trial tests, we experienced a 400 per cent throughput improvement with DTS," said Lou Ann Leary, director of merchandise systems at Barnes & Noble, in a statement.

Since its launch in January, nearly 100,000 users have downloaded SQL Server Reporting Services, according to Microsoft.