Introduction From Quentin Clark

By way of introduction, I run a team in SQL Server called Database Systems Group.  It’s the engineering team that builds the relational systems for SQL.  The single largest piece of this is the core RDBMS itself (usually referred to around here as The Engine), and the most closely-related components supporting that Engine but area also SQL-wide such as manageability (SSMS, SMO, etc.), and connectivity (ODBC, php, sql client, etc.).  My team also include our yet-to-be-shipped high-scale DW engine currently code-named Madison (this is the DATAllegro MPP DW solution that we acquired a bit over a year ago), new relational streaming technology that will be shipped as part of SQL Server 2008 R2, and the Gray Systems Lab in Madison, WI lead by David DeWitt – they do advanced development in the broad database space. ?

?“Because it’s everybody’s business.”  In the database space, this has never been more true.  Businesses are realizing the value of information – not just data, but information that can be leveraged not only by systems, but also presented to those who really need it to make the business more successful.  In the world now where internet search means you can know how many species of ants there are in Madagascar (418 according to the first result returned from Bing ;), knowledge workers have a high expectation for the availability of information to do their jobs.  For the business I am part of, this means, just off the top of my head, high-scale and performant DW, consistent and usable data models, connectivity between heterogeneous systems, closing the “last mile of BI” to get the information on the desktops, and making this all into a cohesive whole and productive developer platform.   It’s about an IT platform that will allow their business to operate more efficiently, and enable more innovation.