May 11,2009 - MS announced first information about SQL Server 2008 R2

May 11, 2009. Microsoft announced that the next version of its SQL Server database (current code name Kilimanjaro) will be called "SQL Server 2008 R2".

What's new in R2 (related to SSAS)

Build Robust Analytical Applications
With the in-memory analytics add-in for Microsoft Excel 2010, business users can quickly access, analyze and summarize vast amounts of data directly in Excel without the assistance of the IT department.

Consolidate Your Data
New “data mash up” capabilities will simplify time consuming data gathering and consolidation tasks.  Integrate data from multiple sources, including corporate databases and external sources, using powerful tools within Microsoft Excel.

Share and Collaborate with Confidence
New collaboration tools make it easy to share analytic applications and reports through Microsoft Office SharePoint, where they are refreshed automatically, maintained, and made accessible to others.

R2 Benefits by Workload (related to SSAS)

Self Service Analysis with “Project Gemini”

Add-in for Microsoft Office Excel 2010

Build Robust Analytical Applications

• Combines native Excel 2010 functionality with an in-memory, column oriented processing engine to allow users to interactively explore and perform calculations on millions of rows of data at lightening speeds
• Streamlines the process of integrating data from multiple sources – including corporate databases, spreadsheets and external sources
• Access PivotTables, slicers, and other familiar analysis features in Excel to create reports and perform advanced analysis

Add-in for Microsoft Office SharePoint 2010

Share & Collaborate with Confidence

• Enables users to publish reports and analyses to SharePoint to make them available to others in the organization
• Applications and reports can be refreshed automatically while also maintaining version control and tracking
• Central, secure location where users can easily control who has access to sensitive data while also maximizing the number of people who can view the reports

SharePoint 2010 Management Console

Manage User-Generated Analytical Applications

• Provides a single, comprehensive management tool through Microsoft Office SharePoint that gives IT administrators the ability to set server policies and monitor Self Service BI activities
• IT can manage and secure all BI assets, freeing the original authors to focus on business priorities
• Dashboard views to monitor access and utilization of analyses and reports as well as track patterns of hardware usage to help ensure the right security privileges are applied and user generated solutions are continuously available, up-to-date, and secured