In DetailMicrosoft SQL Server has been part of the enterprise database landscape since SQL Server 7 arrived in 1998 and has evolved into the relational and BI platform of choice by businesses around the globe. The performance and full feature set of SQL Server has been widely recognized by the business community and it is viewed as a powerful weapon in their database and business intelligence arsenal. SQL Server brings numerous benefits to all businesses, central to which is a thorough understanding of the technology, both current and new.This is the book both DBAs and developers always wanted to buy but could never find in the bookstore. This is a SQL Server book that contains only the new features introduced in SQL Server 2012.This book will give you a competitive advantage by helping you to quickly learn and understand the new features of SQL Server 2012. Most readers will already have an established knowledge of SQL Server and will want to update their 2008/2008R2 knowledge swiftly with least pain.This book takes you through all of the new features of SQL Server 2012, from installing core database services and features, to the new administration and updated Transact-SQL functions. You will discover the new Analysis Services features, introduce data alerts and reporting features and explore the new enhancements to Integration Services. In addition you will learn how to automate, cleanse and transform critical business data with DQS and world-class enterprise level availability features.Finally, you will venture into simulating real-world database loads using Distributed Replay and complete your journey with a look at the new SQL Server cloud services and the new Hadoop big data platform.ApproachThis is a hands-on book to quickly get you up to speed with SQL Server 2012. It covers all the new features of the core database engine as well as the business intelligence (BI) services.The book begins by taking you step-by-step through the installation process, showing you what to install and which services and features you need. Once you have your SQL Server in place, you learn how to administer it and then explore new T-SQL functions to expand your query-writing toolkit. You will discover how the enhancements to Integration Services, Analysis Services and Reporting Services make developing BI solutions easier. It will then introduce you to SQL Server Data Tools, your new and improved development environment for creating database and BI projects.A hands-on example guides you through the steps required to run Distributed Replay, giving you the experience you need to apply this in the field. The book then takes you through a detailed example to show you how to create a Data Quality Services project and cleanse real-world data. Easy to follow code samples provide you with the queries you need to set up Availability Groups using the new AlwaysOn technology.Once you are comfortable with these new features you will be ready to migrate your data to the cloud and into SQL Azure. An exploration of Hadoop will help you understand big data and how it really is the next big thing.Who this book is forThis concise reference is for database administrators, SQL Server Developers and BI professionals. Anyone who is familiar with SQL Server 2008 R2 and needs to make the jump to the latest version with the shortest learning curve will find this book useful.