March update of SQL Server Data Tools to support SQL Server 2014

On the heels of the new release date for SQL Server 2014 RTM, SQL Server Data Tools' (SSDT) availability was announced two days ago. It is fully compatible with SQL Server 2014.

Apart from bug fixes in the previous version, the following are the enhancements:

• Static code analysis extensibility
• Filter capabilities in the editable data grid
• Saving data compare settings to file (.dcmp)
• Additional TSQL Editor connection actions

With this all database tools are fully integrated with,

• Microsoft Visual Studio 2013 Express for web
• Microsoft Visual Studio 2013 for Windows Desktop
• Professional
• Premium
• Ultimate

These will be pushed via VS Updates. You could also bring it in using Tools | Extensions and Updates menu.

Visual Studio 2013 with SQL Server tools can be downloaded from here:
http://www.visualstudio.com/downloads/download-visual-studio-vs

Note that both SSDT VS 2010 and SSDT VS 2012 are available stand alone.
Review what's new in this update here:
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ssdt/archive/2014/03/25/sql-server-data-tools-for-sql-server-2014-is-available.aspx

Review the posts for earlier version:
http://hodentek.blogspot.com/2012/12/sql-server-data-tools-gets-updated.html

http://hodentek.blogspot.com/2013/02/about-ssdt-and-vs-2012.html

Follow link for more:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/data/hh297027

You want to back up your prior version SQL Server data to Windows Azure ? No Problem!

SQL Server 2012 supported backing up database to Windows Azure . Of course higher versions will also be capable and in fact SQL Server 2014 will also do so more easily. What if you wanted to backup your SQL Server 2005, SQL Server 2008, SQL Server 2008R2 to the Cloud. Well, a new 3 step tool released by Microsoft can do it, no problem(it appears). The tool supports backup compression and encryption to boot.

Access tool download link here:
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=40740



For prior versions of SQL Server, the Tool provides (from Microsoft site):

Easy integration with Windows Azure Blob Storage.

Off-site SQL Server backups, accessible from anywhere.

Encryption and compression for cloud and on-premises SQL Server backups.

SQL Server Backup/restore with Windows Azure Blob Storage Service

Backup/Restore feature details here:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj919148(v=sql.120).aspx