Gathering data through business intelligence (BI) is the key to maintaining an efficient and profitable organization. But where do you start? Sure, having a wealth of company data at your fingertips sounds great, but with so many moving parts, putting together a sound BI strategy can be daunting without a good understanding of the basics.

Fortunately, organizations running Microsoft SQL Server have several tools at their disposal for getting the most out of BI. In this presentation transcript, IT consultant and author Don Jones walks you through the basics of business intelligence, with an eye on the latest SQL Server offerings that you’re likely to get the most out of from the get-go.

Topics covered include:

• The advantages of business intelligence
• Details on the basic BI components
• Inside the Microsoft BI stack
• New features with SQL Server 2008 R2
• How to get started with a BI strategy