patterns and practices Improving Web Services Security in a printed hard copy

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SEI Architecture Expert (ArchE) tool Version 3.0 is Available

Overview (from SEI)

The SEI Architecture Expert (ArchE) tool is a design assistant that helps architects explore architectural designs driven by quality attributes. ArchE shows the architect proposals for improving the current architecture and allows the architect to decide on the best alternative.

The main feature of ArchE 3.0 is a collaborative infrastructure, called ArchE Reasoning Framework Interface, which permits the integration of quality-attribute reasoning frameworks developed by third-party researchers in ArchE. The ArchE 3.0 distribution includes a Developer's Guide with the required steps for developing external reasoning frameworks.

Read more and get it here.

Do NOT install SQL Server 2008 RTM if ...

After a week of installing, uninstalling, hacking at the registry, and cutting and pasting files all over the place, yesterday I decided to wipe SQL 2008 RTM and VSTS 2008 off my box and to start over fresh.

Here is the history.

The end result of wiping everything off the box and then re-installing it resulted in being forced to use the C drive for all the VSTS files, about 4 gig worth. SQL Server forces you to install BIDS to your C drive. I selected the D: for every option, but it ignores the request. This forces you to install all the VSTS files to your C drive, you get no other option.

I consider this to be a huge installation bug, and therefore will not be recommending the use of SQL Server 2008 to anyone, especially at work, where our systems do not have that much room and we use BIDS everywhere. So Do NOT install SQL Server 2008 RTM if you do not have the room on your C drive for all of VSTS 2008 and SP1.

Two drives have been around since the beginning of time, to not account for that is a big oversight.

If the software I depend on to build software can not be built to be installed correctly, there is something wrong. SQL Server was months late, of course that is 99% a marketing issue Microsoft has, but that should not become our problem.

They recall food with bacteria, they should recall this mess.

From Microsoft dll Hell to Microsoft Installation Hell

Update 14 Aug. 2008- After spending a few hours on the phone with MS, we decided I should uninstall VSTS and everything associated with it (Unity, SCSF, WCSF, VS SDKs, etc.) and SQL 2008 Server. This will take at least a day.

Then install in this order
1. SQL Server 2008
2. VSTS 2008
3. VS SP1

I'll post how it goes.

===============Original Below=================
Regretfully I have been sitting on getting started with project until SQL Server 2008 came out. Part of that project includes SSRS and I need BIDS (Business Intelligence Development Studio) to create the reports. The past 36-48 hrs have resulted in continuous failure to get BIDS installed.

Over all this has been a pathetic installation process. I know the team has a lot going on, but this may top the office 2007 mess originally released (http://realworldsa.dotnetdevelopersjournal.com/office2007install.htm).

I am Running Vista 64 with VSTS installed on the D drive. Apparently a situation that confuses the install.

I have tried the workarounds I found out on the web with no luck... listed below
--Changing the ConfigurationFile.ini http://forums.microsoft.com/msdn/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=3736462&SiteID=1
--Removing KB945140 VS Shell hotfix
--uninstalling old Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.Interop.*
--Wiping everything related to SQL off the box, including express stuff.

My suggestion to all those that have not started down this path of self-inflected torture to wait until you see these issues addressed by Microsoft and then move forward with SQL Server 2008.

I have posted this in the technet forums, on MS Connections as a bug, and will be opening up a support ticket today.

I will post any resolutions back to this blog entry.

.NET Framework 3.5 Service Pack 1 Release Version is Available

READ THIS BEFORE INSTALLING (Click here)

Brief Description (from MSDN)
Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 Service Pack 1 is a full cumulative update that contains many new features building incrementally upon .NET Framework 2.0, 3.0, 3.5, and includes cumulative servicing updates to the .NET Framework 2.0 and .NET Framework 3.0 subcomponents.

Overview (from MSDN)
.NET Framework version 3.5 Service Pack 1 provides the following new features and improvements:

--ASP.NET Dynamic Data, which provides a rich scaffolding framework that enables rapid data driven development without writing code, and a new addition to ASP.NET AJAX that provides support for managing browser history (back button support). For more information, see What’s New in ASP.NET and Web Development.

--Core improvements to the CLR (common language runtime) that include better layout of .NET Framework native images, opting out of strong-name verification for fully trusted assemblies, improved application startup performance, better generated code that improves end-to-end application execution time, and opting managed code to run in ASLR (Address Space Layout Randomization) mode if supported by the operating system. Additionally, managed applications that are opened from network shares have the same behavior as native applications by running with full trust.

--Performance improvements to WPF (Windows Presentation Foundation), including a faster startup time and improved performance for Bitmap effects. Additional functionality for WPF includes better support for line of business applications, native splash screen support, DirectX pixel shader support, and the new WebBrowser control.

--ClickOnce application publishers can decide to opt out of signing and hashing as appropriate for their scenarios, developers can programmatically install ClickOnce applications that display a customized branding, and ClickOnce error dialog boxes support links to application-specific support sites on the Web.

--The Entity Framework is an evolution of the existing suite of ADO.NET data access technologies. The Entity Framework enables developers to program against relational databases in according to application-specific domain models instead of the underlying database models. For more information, see Getting Started with the Entity Framework. The Entity Framework introduces some additional features, including support for new SQL Server 2008 types, default graph serialization of Entities, and the Entity Data Source. This release of the Entity Framework supports the new date and file stream capabilities in SQL Server 2008. The graph serialization work helps developers who want to build Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) services that model full graphs as data contracts. The Entity Data Source provides a traditional data source experience for ASP.NET Web application builders who want to work with the Entity Framework.

--LINQ to SQL includes new support for the new date and file stream capabilities in SQL Server 2008.

--The ADO.NET Data Services Framework consists of a combination of patterns and libraries, which enable data to be exposed as a flexible REST (Representational State Transfer)-based data service that can be consumed by Web clients in a corporate network or across the Internet. The ADO.NET Data Services Framework makes data service creation over any data source. A conceptual view model of the underlying storage schema can easily be exposed through rich integration with the ADO.NET Entity Framework. Services created by using the ADO.NET Data Services Framework, and also compatible Windows Live (dev.live.com) services, can be easily accessed from any platform. For client applications that are running on Microsoft platforms, a set of client libraries are provided to make interaction with data services simple. For example, .NET Framework-based clients can use LINQ to query data services and a simple .NET Framework object layer to update data in the service.

--Windows Communication Foundation now makes the DataContract Serializer easier to use by providing improved interoperability support, enhancing the debugging experience in partial trust scenarios, and extending syndication protocol support for wider usage in Web 2.0 applications.

--The .NET Framework Data Provider for SQL Server (SqlClient) adds new support for file stream and sparse column capabilities in SQL Server 2008.

Get it here.

Get VSTS 2008 and the .NET 3.5 SP1 here.

Get VSTS 2008 SP1 here.

Get TFS 2008 SP1 here.