Presented by:  Stella Chan, Lead Program Manager, Microsoft

Why BI?

1. Developers can build applications to track the ever-changing business
2. BI solutions create a holistic view, allowing developers to build solutions that unlock data from silos of line of business applications (consolidation)
3. Build information worker friendly tools that require minimal training and provide insight at the Information Worker's fingertips.

An end-to-end BI offering contains the following components:

Business Intelligence Platform - the BI platform stack consists of the SQL Server 2008 SKU components (database engine, SSIS, SQL Server REporting Services and SQL Server Analysis Services).  These products are at the bottom of the stack.

End User Tools and Performance Management Tools - Excel, or PerformancePoint Server

Client Tier (Delivery) - Reports, Dashboards, Excel Workbooks, Analytic Views, Scorecards, Plans -- all put together through SharePoint as a collaboration platform.

The easiest way to BI bliss?  Recently announced are the Microsoft Chart Controls for the .NET Framework 3.5.  Looks like Microsoft either purchased some part of the Dundas Charting solution or completely ripped it off. 

What's in this release?  ASP.Net and Windows Forms charting components.  Bar and Column Charts, Line Charts, Point Charts, Pie and Doughnut Charts, Area Charts, Range Charts, Circular Charts, Combinational Charts, Data Distribution Charts and Accumulation Charts.

I wish I could share more about the new charting and BI capabilities in SQL Server 2008, but it seems to be a complete lift of the Dundas visualization package -- which is good software, but hardly cutting edge.  Please post your comments on this as I'd love to hear thoughts from the blogosphere.