October 2006: Month of the Database.

Currently I’m working for Avanade Spain in EADS-CASA in Spain, optimizing a .NET application (ASP and C#/PL-SQL) using large databases in Oracle 9i/10g R2.
At the same time I’m studying for the 70-431 exam (TS: Microsoft SQL Server 2005 - Implementation and Maintenance) for the MCTS - Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist: SQL Server 2005 certification.
In the last month I read five books of Oracle and two of SQL Server 2005 and spent several hours of lab work.
Working with both leaders of the Database market at the same time provide me a better understand of database concepts and the difference between products.
As MCDBA in SQL Server 2000 since 2004, I spent the last two years without extensive work with databases, just the setup of several Windows 2003/SQL 2000 cluster servers and the migration from SQL Server 7.0/2000 and Oracle 8/9 to SQL Server or optimizing .NET applications.
The “intensive” last month help me to improve my knowledge of database modeling, how to use XML in both databases, optimization of the code, migration from ANSI SQL to Transact-SQL or PL-SQL, etc.

Favorite SQL Server 2005 Book: TS: Microsoft SQL Server 2005 - Implementation and Maintenance Training Kit from MS Press (2006)

Favorite Oracle Book: Mastering Oracle SQL from O'Reilly (2004)

ORACLE: Install Oracle 10g with DHCP network configuration

To install Oracle 10g with dynamic network configuration you will to install a loopback adapter on Windows 2003 or Windows XP:

1. From the Start menu, select Control Panel.
2. Double-click Add Hardware to start the Add Hardware wizard.
3. On the Welcome screen, click Next.
4. On the Is the hardware connected? screen, select Yes, I have already connected the hardware, and click Next.
5. On the The following hardware is already installed on your computer screen, select Add a new hardware device, and click Next.
6. On the The wizard can help you install other hardware screen, select Install the hardware that I manually select from a list, and click Next.
7. From the list, select the type of hardware you are installing screen, select Network adapters, and click Next.
8. On the Select Network Adapter screen, make the following selections:
   Manufacturer: select Microsoft.
9. Network Adapter: select Microsoft Loopback Adapter.
   Click Next.
10. On the The wizard is ready to install your hardware screen, click Next.
11. On the Completing the Add Hardware Wizard screen, click Finish.
12. If you are using Windows 2003, restart your computer.
13. Right-click My Network Places on the desktop and choose Properties. This displays the Network Connections control panel.
14. Right-click the connection that was just created. This is usually named "Local Area Connection 2". Choose Properties.
15. On the General tab, select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), and click Properties.
16. In the Properties dialog, do the following:
    IP Address: Enter a non-routable IP for the loopback adapter. Oracle recommends the following non-routable addresses:
    192.168.x.x (x is any value between 1 and 255)
    10.10.10.10
    Subnet mask: Enter 255.255.255.0.
    Leave all other fields empty.
    Click OK. Click OK. Click OK in the Local Area Connection 2 Properties dialog.
17. Restart the computer.
18. Add a line to the C:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts file with the following format, after the localhost line: IP_address hostname.domainname hostname where:
    IP_address is the non-routable IP address you entered in step 16.
    hostname is the name of the computer.
    domainname is the name of the domain.
    For example: 10.10.10.10 mycomputer.mydomain.com mycomputer
19. Check the network configuration:
    Open System Properties, and select the Computer Name tab. In Full computer name, make sure you see the hostname and the domain name.
20. Click Change. In Computer name, you should see the hostname, and in Full computer name, you should see the hostname and domain name.
21. Click More. In Primary DNS suffix of this computer, you should see the domain name.

CERTIFICATION: Microsoft Test 70-296 passed!

Today I passed the Microsoft Test 70-296: Planning, Implementing and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment for an MCSE Certified on Windows 2000.

I got the Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) en Microsoft Windows Server 2003 certification.

Exam Statistics:

10 Citrix Exams
04 Citrix Certifications
20 Microsoft Exams
09 Microsoft Certifications

More Info: http://www.musumeci.com.ar/Web_English/certificaciones_eng.htm

BETA: Windows Vista RC2 Build 5744 Released today!

Microsoft releases today (October 6th, 2006) the RC2 (Release Candidate 2) build of Windows Vista. This will be the last build made available prior to RTM (Release To Manufacturing) build. The build is available in both x86 and x64 versions.