Database Reference
In-Depth Information
No matter which method you choose, make sure you set aside plenty of hours for not only developing the
deployment files but testing them as well. This process can be exhausting, because you will have to deal with
many different departments to get permission to access the resources you need and many different computer
configurations. Plan accordingly!
Release Documentation
Releasing your solution requires more than simply implementing it. Developer documentation such as SDKs and
dev specs are also required. Additionally, users need documentation to teach them how to use the software you
developed for them.
Programmer writers (for release documentation) and technical writers (for user documentation) who know
their job very well will be able handle the majority of the documentation for you.
Ideally, they will have been working with your team for some time and are familiar with the ins and outs of
your BI solution. Even better, they have been in on the project from the beginning and have been present for the
team meetings that determined the direction that your BI solution would take.
If this is the case, then congratulations, you did it right! You will likely have much, if not all, of your
documentation ready to be released at the same time that your software is released. This contributes to your
professionalism and helps keep your client happy.
SDKs
If you write your software correctly, it will be usable for many applications. A software development kit (SDK) is a
set of documents that includes the following:
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Code examples
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Comments within the code
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Descriptions of procedures
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Parameters
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Return values
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Instructions describing how to use the code
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Links to related SDK subjects (depending upon how they are stored)
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License and legal information declaring how and where it can be used (free or public)
SDKs can also be written for code that is not included in the official release but could be useful for future
versions. The more details included, the better.
Typically, these documents are stored together online to form a library. They can also be stored as a simple
text document. However you choose to store it, your SDK library should include a complete list of all of the
SDKs organized under different topics (such as stored procedures, custom DLLs, or data warehouse tables) for
convenience and searchability.
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In 2010, the Microsoft Interoperability team released an sdK describing how PHP (an open source competitor
to AsP.nET) can interact with Microsoft's ssRs web service. It is a good example of how creating sdKs can enhance
your software, because this sdK has gone a long way toward making ssRs the most flexible and robust reporting
software in the industry. It is also a good example of what a professional sdK looks like. For more information, go to
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