The dream job has arrived – learning, testing and recommending Microsoft’s new SQL Server 2012

Microsoft SQL Server 2012 is about to ship on March 7, 2012.

Don’t even think about getting a copy unless you are one of the elite Microsoft beta testers or have the Release Candidate which is available now.

That’s right. You have to be connected to Microsoft to qualify to install and test the new release of SQL server which is better than Oracle in some respects. 

“SQL Server 2012 is set to arrive in three main editions,” reports ComputerWorld “including a new BI (business intelligence) version that adds features such as the Power View data-discovery tool and data quality services to the standard edition’s features. Microsoft is also planning to offer an Enterprise Edition that includes advanced security, high-availability capabilities and a columnar data store on top of the BI edition’s feature set.”

Download the Consumer Preview of Windows 8

Installing that puppy on a fresh Windows Server 2011 would be a dream job.

Then it hit me like a bolt of lightening – that is the dream job: installing the latest software and tools from Microsoft.

We are in the middle of another tech revolution with mobile and Cloud services everywhere. Microsoft is updating its operating systems and server products to capitalize on the change. It would be exciting to be in the middle of it, learning and trying out the new releases and reporting to clients on how to implement them.

The brain explosion alone would be worth the ride. And if someone would pay me to do the work, that would be perfect.

Most businesses have not installed Windows Server 2011 leaving lots of room for learning and consulting on the server platform side. With Azure Cloud services and virtualization to explore there are plenty of opportunities for exciting consulting here. Most corporations are just getting their Server 2008 installations stabilized or experimenting with The Cloud so the room to grow is virtual on the server side.

Windows 8 Metro interface will be on phones, tablets, laptops and desktops

Nokia Lumia with pre-Windows 8 interface

Microsoft is also getting ready to release Windows 8 this fall, which will unify the user experience for both desktop and mobile computing. Your laptop, tablet and smartphone will all share the new “Metro” interface. That will be awesome.

There is a big learning curve for Windows 8 and getting started on that learning could pay dividends.

The best thing about Microsoft is they provide a myriad of learning tools to help their developers, support contractors and sales people to learn. For SQL 2012, they have virtual labs, training, multi-level certification and other tools.

It’s the same across all product families. Microsoft Certification is the ticket to a good lifestyle. Recently a consultant got snapped up by Microsoft by getting his certifications and being an intelligent consultant. He couldn’t believe it when Microsoft sent him an offer letter.

I’ve done the early product cycle before. In the 1980s we were on the leading edge of PC servers with Novell Netware. Despite my job in sales, I took all the Netware training until 3.1 and kept certified.

When Windows NT was in beta, I jumped on board which lead to exciting opportunities to work with Microsoft and clients. I even got to lunch with Steve Ballmer, when he was VP at Microsoft, during the Canadian launch of NT. We had an accounting app, Dynamics, that ran on NT and I demoed it for hours at the Toronto Harbour Castle Hilton NT launch.

After my Windows NT training, I ordered a new server just to install NT over a weekend to surprise the tech staff. “What’s the new server,” rang out around the office Monday morning. Those were heady days that resulted in fantastic growth opportunities for us.

Learning Microsoft technologies gives you the jump on pundits and cynics who dump on Microsoft. You can actually intelligently help clients understand how to make these platforms and tools make them more efficient.

Does it pay? You bet. “Microsoft has created more millionaires in the channel than any other company in history,” said my son, the social media and computer biz expert. He and I were discussing the relative merits of Apple, Google and Microsoft. He is an admitted Apple bigot but recognizes that Microsoft still rules the money side of computing.