Instant Querying
-
Instant Querying
As much as employers seem to dislike Instant Messaging by employees, it's a low impact technology that has a lot of benefits. In a large company, especially one that is geographically dispersed, it's a tool that I find fulfills a need between email and the phone.
And now it might be integrated to allow database queries by IM. At least in customer service applications, but I can see this coming into play as corporate developers look to implement other ways to allow access to data.
At first glance it may seem that a quick web application would work just as well for short queries. I know with the cumbersome, slow, bloated Management Studio in SQL Server 2005, I'd be thrilled if I had a Trillian plugin that let me quickly connect to SQL Server and run some short query. An "sp_who", or even some custom procs for administrative work. It won't
be long before QA is a thing of the past and we'll all be swearing each time we start up SSMS.
Or imagine you have some short procs setup with names like "dailysales", or "widgetinventory" that some business guy can just type in an IM window and get results. It's lighterweight than a web app even, no menu required.
And if you could invoke an application role from the IM connection, it would be a great way to secure things.
It would be like a new millenium command line 🙂
Steve Jones
-
With XMPP (Jabber) the IM messages are 100% XML. This allows you to do anything you can imagine. It even supports tabular results to be shown directly to the user (using XEP-0004).
-
Now THAT's a genius idea! Who's going to be the first to write this program up??
- "It won't be long before QA is a thing of the past and we'll all be swearing each time we start up SSMS".Unless MS decides to do something that will stop QA from connecting to a 2005 server, it can be a free standing product without installing all of the 2000 client tools. I believe there is post in one of the forums (can't find it right now :mad
that details which files are needed for QA alone. Of course, keyword, syntax verification, etc. will not keep up with changes in the product. There are some very good freeware tools out there that are "lightweight" and stay in step with SQL Server "enhancements".MG
"There are two ways of constructing a software design. One way is to make it so simple that there are obviously no deficiencies. And the other way is to make it so complicated that there are no obvious deficiencies."
Tony Hoare"If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur." Red Adair.
-
Is anyone else frightened by this? The last thing I need is a bunch of people muckin around running 'queries' in our database. I worked in a company where almost every customer service rep knew how to log directly into our production database and run queries. Since they were all logging in as the SA, you could not tell who did what. These $8/hr people had the power to bring the company to its knees. Really not a good idea. I wouldn't open my systems to this. Developers who have legitimate access needs can find other ways to get in.
-
I'm not sure I'd want to use it, and I know I wouldn't want to be the admin behind it. As the database evolves, and how things are stored change, results can start to vary if you don't have a centralized group that understands what is going on. It's almost always better to limit the people who can query to those you can rely on to check their numbers, and know how everything is stored.
on the same note... I'm not sure I'd want results in an IM window. A big issue I have is the size you have to work with. IM is mean to be a pretty compact window. how much result can you really fit in there?
I think some of the query methods like texting responses (google search), email responses, or web applications designed for mobile access are great, and most of those would be well worth porting to something like this. but... IM as a query base? that just scares me... I can't totally place why... but it does...
-
Employees that know the SA password?!? Eek! That's a good Halloween story.
My take from reading the original post is that there would be some sort of security model in place to ensure the server knows who's hitting it. Then, in the case of some Anon user, certain selects would only be available... just like any other application that hits the server.
-
Its very difficult to expose the the MSN messenger program to other programs, serverwise. And they are taking away or have taken away corp windows messenger in exchange to do the same thing.
The reference to trillium and others is the way to go for that to work, but they also are the most easily hacked and abused since it is somewhat greymarketish.
A smallish SDI app with messenger tied into it would be feasible and effective but probaly would end up looking like outlook but resultant sets in the mail inbox.
The direction MS seems to be heading toward is increasing marketshare of the blog, myspacish option if only to generate more ad revenue streams, and thereby intergrating live messenger and keeping its API private.
The admin end of applications seems to left unwieldly because it then increases revenues streams through training and support.
-
Very funny Steve.
Actually I think the previous commentors missed your point. MS has made things so much "better" that we're trying to get back to a command line just to get the smallest things done. I'm not sure he was proposing that we open up databases to users with the SA password 🙂
Did anyone take notice that Oracle's stock has doubled since the latest release of MS SQL and its new interface ??? I'll bet Steve did
Del
-
I do like the way you think!
-
I don't know enough about IM to weigh in on the issues discussed so far, but if nothing else, Steve was helpful in bringing it up. For example, from a security standpoint it would be useful to know what SQL queries can be passed through IM technology in order to prevent SQL injection attacks if they are possible via IM.
-------------------
A SQL query walks into a bar and sees two tables. He walks up to them and asks, "Can I join you?"
Ref.: http://tkyte.blogspot.com/2009/02/sql-joke.html -
Now if you're a GUI DBA then you love SSMS, but I'm old school - command line all the way. I'm already swearing everytime I start up SSMS ... EM had more simplicty in some respects. As for QA, bring it back - NOW !
RegardsRudy KomacsarSenior Database Administrator"Ave Caesar! - Morituri te salutamus."
-
I'm almost glad to see that I was not the only one have slowliness issues with SSMS. Is it really that slow???
And yes please keep QA working with at least the next 2-3 versions of sql server. please please pretty please
. -
I don't miss the QA. I thought I would, but once you get used to the interface of SSMS, it's pretty much the same thing as QA for 2000 was. I still don't like querying by IM, but I can see where some companies might find it useful...
-
It won't happen. Why not? Some of the largest users of SQL Server are the federal government and they do not allow IM. Most people don't realize the real problem with IM. Anything sent by IM is ignored by the firewall and antivirus. A/V doesn't check IM stuff until it's already on your computer.
I just left a Fed Gov job and downloading any version of IM was a fire-able offense.
-SQLBill
Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 17 total)
You must be logged in to reply to this topic. Login to reply