UPDATED Feb 2012: This is my presentations explaining ways that you can leverage Microsoft's Silverlight and other cool data visualization techniques in your Microsoft BI solutions. In this version, I focus a little more on how to use existing Silverlight controls and the new Silverlight data exploration tool in SQL Server 2012 called Power View (in Denali, it was called Project Crescent).

1. Bring Microsoft BI Dashboards to Life with
Cool Data Visualizations
Mark Kromer http://www.sqlmag.com/blogs/sql-server-bi.aspx
Microsoft Technology Specialist http://mssqldude.wordpress.com
http://twitter.com/mssqldude
mkromer@microsoft.com

2. BI Visualization Business Drivers
• Why spend the time on “cool” BI dashboards?
– They’re cool!
– Eye Candy
– Compelling to the end-user
– Keeps business users engaged
– Encourages data exploration
– Improve BI Application & Database ROI
– Access important data quickly in small area (Tufte /
Sparkline)
– Make it easier to make better decisions

3. Microsoft SQL BI Presentation Tools
• Packaged Silverlight Controls
– PivotViewer Control
– Silverlight Chart Controls
• Custom BI Silverlight Controls
• 3rd Party OTS Silverlight BI Controls
– Infragistics
– Telerik
– Visifire
• Mobile BI
– Extended Results
– Blue Granite
• Silverlight in SQL Server 2012
– Power View

4. Comparing the Techniques
Technique Impact Time to Programming Maintenance
Production Reqd
Report Builder/Crescent Medium Low Low Low
SharePoint / PPS Medium Low Low Low
Open Source Controls Medium Medium Medium High
Packaged Controls High High Medium Medium
Custom Silverlight High High High High
Mobile High Medium High Medium
Cloud
High Medium Medium Medium

5. What is Silverlight?
…a powerful …a free plug-in powered by
development platform the .NET framework that is
for creating engaging, compatible across multiple
interactive applications browsers, devices and
for many screens across operating systems to bring a
the Web, desktop, and new level of interactivity
mobile devices wherever the Web works.
With support for advanced data integration, multithreading, HD
video using IIS Smooth Streaming, and built in content protection,
Silverlight enables online and offline applications for a broad
range of business and consumer scenarios.

6. Works with what you have

7. Silverlight Compatibility

8. Silverlight Compatibility (from MSFT)

9. Designer Tools

10. Silverlight Basic Files

11. Silverlight Data Binding (Basic)

12. Silverlight Binding to SQL Analysis Services

13. Silverlight Client Data Binding
• Bind objects via the DataContext or
ItemSource properties
• Bindings to parent objects apply to children
unless otherwise specified

14. Silverlight Data Binding (XAML)
<Grid x:Name="LayoutRoot" Background="White">
<StackPanel x:Name=“RandomName”>
<TextBlock Text="{Binding forza}" />
<TextBlock Text="{Binding azzurri}" />
</StackPanel>
</Grid>

15. Silverlight Data Binding (Code Behind)
public class Foo
{
public string forza
{ get; set; }
public string azzurri
{ get; set; }
}
public MainPage()
{
InitializeComponent();
Foo foo = new Foo();
foo.forza = "hello";
foo.azzurri = "world";
LayoutRoot.DataContext = foo;
}

16. Packaged Silverlight Controls
Technique Impact Time to Programming Maintenance
Production Reqd
Packaged Controls High High Medium Medium
PivotViewer blog: http://petcu40.blogspot.com
PivotViewer CTP1 Download:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&Famil
yID=d31f609d-a353-41ad-a1a4-f81456e3a6c4

17. Custom Silverlight Controls
Technique Impact Time to Programming Maintenance
Production Reqd
Custom Silverlight High High High High

18. Mobile Business Intelligence
Technique Impact Time to Programming Maintenance
Production Reqd
Mobile High Medium High Medium
• RoamBI: http://www.roambi.com
• PushBI: http://www.pushbi.com
• WP7 Native Cloud BI App:
http://bit.ly/A5u4Go

19. To the Cloud … Cloud BI
Technique Impact Time to Programming Maintenance
Production Reqd
Cloud High Medium Medium Medium
• Empower decision-makers on any device
– Real-time BI
• Direct knowledge points
– Not drill-down
– Not dashboard
• Silverlight
• Azure
• SQL Server
• PowerPivot
• My Sample: http://bit.ly/zOnSjC

20. SQL Server 2012: Power View
Technique Impact Time to Programming Maintenance
Production Reqd
Report Builder/Crescent High Low Low Low

21. Thank you
Mark Kromer
Microsoft Technology Specialist
SQL Server Data Platform
mkromer@microsoft.com