Microsoft developers and DBAs are faced with a plethora of data access technologies available for the .NET framework, but there seems to be nowhere to turn to get a comprehensive perspective on what data access technologies to use and when.

For those taking a serious look at conceptual data access model, such as NHibernate, LINQ to SQL and the Entity Framework, we’ll cover strategies on how to address real world challenges that allow you to get the most from the technologies and understand the trade-offs you’ll have to make.

Join Stephen Wynkoop, Microsoft SQL Server MVP and Rob Steward, DataDirect VP of R&D as they bring different perspectives to the technologies surrounding .NET data access.

Join Stephen Wynkoop, SSWUG Co-founder and Microsoft MVP, to learn how you can improve the performance, reliability and security of your .NET applications. Whether your .NET applications are built using C# or VB.NET, it is highly likely that they rely on a relational database such as SQL Server, Oracle, DB2 or Sybase.

Learn about the benefits of using ADO.NET providers that are 100% managed; the only option if you want to leverage the full power of the .NET Common Language Runtime (CLR). The CLR provides numerous capabilities that help ensure that 100% managed code performs well, scales effectively and is highly reliable and secure.

This webinar will discuss how the DataDirect Connect for ADO.NET providers allow full leverage of the .NET Framework for applications that rely on SQL Server, Oracle, DB2 and Sybase. This is critical since the ADO.NET providers that Oracle, IBM and Sybase are not 100% managed.

Learn how to break the ties of traditional business intelligence and business activity monitoring solutions by exposing real-time, flexible access to heterogeneous data sources - providing far more value to the business than the static, summary data that older tools typically provide.

In just two years time, Web services have gone from early trials to an industry standard that is rapidly transforming the mainframe into a new source of business value. Pure business logic, screen-based applications and data can be service enabled for re-use in Java or .NET applications to immediately accelerate project ROI or serve as a foundation for an expanded Service–Oriented Architecture. What impact will Web Services and SOA have other major infrastructure investments, for example WebSphere MQ? Tune–in to this special Shadow Tech Talk webinar exploring the latest Web services technologies. Unlock the value of your mainframe CICS transactions and VSAM data - Exploit the power of your MQ infrastructure through mainframe Web Services.

Has the juggernaut of SOA finally slowed, tripped up by the realities of today’s economics? There is no denying the value Service Oriented Architectures bring to an organization, particularly mainframe-heavy vertical industries like Insurance. Indeed, SOA’s ability to enable rapid, re-use and revitalization of legacy assets can have a distinct impact on the business. But what value is business agility if the technology expense or opportunity loss is too great a burden?

In this webcast, we will explore how insurance organizations can cost effectively utilize SOA to accelerate application modernization, essentially making SOA viable for the business. Join Insurance and Technology, Celent and DataDirect Technologies for this important webinar on the economic realities of SOA in the Insurance industry, revealing new patent-pending technologies that can dramatically lower the costs of mainframe SOA enablement.

This webinar discusses how DataFlux is utilizing DataDirect’s Data Integration products to help organizations analyze, improve and control their data from a single data quality integration platform.

You will learn:

• The critical need for data quality and control in enterprise and partner data
• The challenges of supporting heterogeneous data sources
• Expanding the DataFlux market using DataDirect’s XML-based technologies

Scott Gidley, co-founder and CTO of DataFlux discusses how incorporating DataDirect’s XML-based products into their dfPower Studio and DataFlux Integration Server has allowed them to quickly expand their markets by providing support for non-relational formats and industry vertical standards such as HL7 & ACORD.

Join Dipak Patel, Senior Director of Development for DataDirect OpenAcess SDK, as he shows you how to rapidly integrate specialized data sources into your application. You will learn:

• How OpenAccess SDK lets YOU develop a custom driver for any data source in a matter of weeks
• What type of data sources you can unlock using OpenAccess
• Steps required to implement a custom driver
• How OpenAccess was used to create an ODBC driver for salesforce.com