Writable SQL Server snapshots, production database timelines, and more
Manage data, not infrastructure
Introducing Windocks Complete Data Masking
Postgres and MySQL containers and database cloning
Live Secondary databases and new use-cases
Say Yes to SSRS for AWS RDS and SQL Azure
Database Development with Containers, Git, and Migration Scripts
Cohesity Storage for SQL Server Containers and Instances
SQL Server Containers for Database Migration
2nd Anniversary Review of SQL Server Containers
SSRS Scale Out with Standard Edition Containers
Data as a first-class Docker Artifact
A Petabyte of SQL Server Data on-demand
Introducing SQL Server Containers with SSRS
Windocks: a Multi-Cloud and On-Prem Relational Database Service
SQL Server Containers and Security
When Cloud Storage Costs Don't Matter
Data Delivery with Pure Storage Arrays and Docker SQL Containers and Instances
SQL Server Containers and Data Security
Database Clones for Docker SQL Server 2017 Linux Containers
SQL Server Database Cloning for SQL Containers and Instances
Storage Systems or Apps for Data Delivery?
Windocks vs Delphix: Choosing the Right Data Delivery Platform
Three Ways to Modernize with Docker SQL Containers and Instances
Docker SQL Server Containers and Transparent Data Encryption (TDE)
Docker Windows SQL Server Containers and Database Clones
The Business Case for Containers and Clones
Status Report: First Year Observations
Containers for Enhanced Data Governance and Regulatory Compliance
A Modern, Open Approach to SQL Server Data Delivery
Modernize .NET and SQL Server Development and Test
Case Studies of Containers at Work
Windows Containers Compared: WinDocks vs Microsoft
WinDocks Version 1.04 is Released!
Running Apache Spark in Containers
Continuous Integration with .NET and SQL Server Containers on AWS
A Better Hybrid Cloud: move .NET and SQL Server Server Apps between AWS and Azure in 90 Seconds!
SQL Server Containers and Clones
Git and Windows Containers for Dev and Test
Turn Windows 8.1 into a Container Server
Bi-Modal IT Woes? Disrupt the Status Quo and Cut Your Microsoft Server License Costs in Half
Windows Containers at Work: Top 5 Use Cases Today
A Developers Perspective on Windows Containers
SQL Server in Windows Containers in Under 10 Seconds
Get Started with SQL Server Containers
Understanding SQL Server Containers
Porting Docker's Open Source Project to Windows Server 2012
Modernizing .NET and SQL Server Development and Test
SQL Server in a Windows Container
Windows Server 2012 Containers based on a Port of Docker's Open Source Project
By: Paul Stanton September 28, 2021
Windocks 6.0 introduced support for Linux database virtualization, and a scale-out distributed data repository. This article expands on these new capabilities and introduces database orchestration as a superior approach to on demand database delivery and automation.
Read more
By: Paul Stanton March 22, 2021
Windocks now includes optional SQL Server data masking. This article explores Windocks new data masking and why over 90% of Windocks evaluators choose Windocks over Red Gate in head to head comparisons!
Read more
By: Paul Stanton August 20, 2020
Windocks now supports Postgres and MySQL containers and database cloning, the first commercially support for Postgres and MySQL containers on Windows. The combination of containers with on demand database environments is a recognized best practice for development and test, and DevOps.
Read more
By: Paul Stanton February 10, 2020
Windocks new support for live secondary databases is a game changer for a growing number of use cases. Near real-time access to production databases is a boon for devops, database migration, production database debug support, and even DR with "readiness testing."
Read more
By: Paul Stanton July 5, 2019
AWS RDS is growing in popularity for managed and scalable SQL Server databases as a service. Support for SQL Server Report Server, however, has been limited to conventional instances on EC2 VMs. Read about a new approach that applies SSRS containers for greater scalability and managability.
Read more
By: Paul Stanton May 8, 2019
Containers combined with database cloning is being used to modernize software development. But, the journey toward automated DevOps processes is a step-wise progression. In this article we look at some practical steps to answer the question of "should I be backing up developers containers?"
Read more
By: Paul Stanton March 27, 2019
Cohesity is a leader in secondary data management and storage, so it's not surprising that Windocks customers have asked for turn-key stateful management of Cohesity data with delivery to SQL Server containers and instances. The combination of enterprise class data storage with SQL Server containers opens up new opportunities for modern development and test, and DevOps processes.
Read more
By: Paul Stanton February 14, 2019
Migrations of SQL Server databases to a recent release is an ongoing challenge of SQL Server DBAs. In this article we take a look at how containers and database cloning can simplify the process, with an in-depth look at migration of SQL Server 2008 to SQL Server 2017 Linux containers.
Read more
By: Paul Stanton February 5, 2019
Containers are a new capability for Windows, and SQL Server containers in particular have evolved significantly since their introduction in 2016. In this article we take an in-depth look at Microsoft's and Windocks Windows SQL Server containers.
Read more
By: Paul Stanton January 29, 2019
In this article we examine the use of SSRS containers combined with database cloning as a new approach to SSRS scale out, and one that supports use of SQL Server standard edition.
Read more
By: Paul Stanton November 28, 2018
In this blog we take a look at how Windocks approaches relational data management differently from other container engines, by including data as a container artifact.
Read more
By: Paul Stanton November 26, 2018
In this article we look at how database cloning can scale to provide on-demand delivery of SQL Server data warehouses of 20 TB or more in size, for an effective on-demand capacity of 1 PB of SQL data.
Read more
By: Paul Stanton October 8, 2018
We are excited to release SSRS support for SQL Server containers, running as a native Windows Service. In this article we take a detailed look at the setup and use of these new SQL Server images.
Read more
By: Paul Stanton September 9, 2018
Now that Windocks supports any data source, with secure data delivery to any SQL Server environment, and runs on any public cloud or on-premise infrastructure, it's time to look at how Windocks enables a unique Relational Database Service for forward looking enterprises.
Read more
By: Paul Stanton July 16, 2018
Docker continues to grow in popularity across the industry, but raises numerous questions regarding security involved in public image repositories. In this article we take a look at the comprehensive security provided by Windocks, which has enabled broad adoption among financial service providers and other demanding verticals.
Read more
By: Paul Stanton June 27, 2018
In this blog post we share a discussion we had recently with an organization that was evaluating Windocks vs Delphix for SQL Server data delivery. The conversation ended up focusing on relative costs of operation in the public cloud, and the value of data compression. Read on to learn what the analysis reveals.
Read more
By: Paul Stanton May 25, 2018
We have just returned from presenting at the Pure Accelerate conference, where we demonstrated the industry's first Docker based data delivery platform, with support for delivery to SQL Server container, instances, and Kubernetes clusters.
Read more
By: Paul Stanton May 16, 2018
It's become popular to refer to system security in terms of isolation. Whether you think of data and container security in classical terms, or isolation, this article reviews Windocks provisions for secure sourcing, delivery, and use of data.
Read more
By: Paul Stanton May 13, 2018
In this article we look at the new support in Windocks 3.0 for delivery of SQL Server database clones to the official Microsoft Docker SQL Server 2017 Linux containers, along with new support for encrypted credentials.
Read more
By: Paul Stanton April 28, 2018
In this article we look at new capabilities in Windocks 3.0, featuring database cloning for containers and conventional instances, images with run time applied Dockerfiles, user driven database selection from complex images, and encrypted credential support.
Read more
By: Paul Stanton April 9, 2018
In this article we take a look at the understandable human tendancy to do "what worked last time" for enterprise data access. Unfortunately, in a data centric world, doubling down on storage carries obvious problems. We take a look at a new approach.
Read more
By: Paul Stanton March 29, 2018
In this article we step back to look at the challenges of enterprise data management and delivery, and the problems associated with the lack of standards for storage infrastructure. We then talk about how Windocks intends to provide a new option for application-driven data delivery.
Read more
By: Paul Stanton March 29, 2018
In this article we take an indepth look at Windows based SQL Server Cloning, and criteria that will help people understand the trade-offs between competitive solutions.
Read more
By: Paul Stanton February 28, 2018
In this post we take a look at how database cloning is applied in environments composed of a mix of SQL Server instances and containers. We'll outline three approaches that address all combinations of SQL Server environments.
Read more
By: Paul Stanton February 3, 2018
In this article we look at how SQL Server database clones with TDE encryption are delivered to Windocks SQL containers and the official Docker SQL containers from Microsoft.
Read more
By: Paul Stanton January 6, 2017
In this article we take a look at Windocks new support for creating SQL Server database clones that are delivered to Microsoft's official Docker SQL Server containers, offering organizations a powerful way to incorporate SQL Server into existing Jenkins and other CI workflows.
Read more
By: Paul Stanton October 31, 2017
In this blog we review survey results of Windocks users, answering the question of how to quantify benefits of SQL Server containers and clones for data delivery.
Read more
By: Paul Stanton October 27, 2017
In this post we review Windocks experiences and observations gathered in the 18 months post-release, and look ahead to 2018.
Read more
By: Paul Stanton October 19, 2017
In this post we look at how Windocks combination of containers with database clones yields enterprise data images that enhance governance and reguatory compliance.
Read more
By: Paul Stanton September 18, 2017
In this article we preview the Windocks roadmap for the Fall of 2017, which features expanded support for use of SAN hosted data, and delivery of data environments to Microsoft's containers as well as other SQL Server instances.
Read more
By: Paul Stanton 7-21-2017
In this post we take a look at Windocks 2.0 with integrated database cloning and web UI. Database clones enable delivery of terabyte class environments in seconds.
Read more
By: Paul Stanton November 29, 2016
In this article we take a look at varied needs and challenges different organizations have faced, where the application of WinDocks containers have brought significant improvement to software development results. Read more
By: Paul Stanton November 29, 2016
Now that Microsoft has released container support with Windows Server 2016, we take an in-depth look at how the two designs and the trade-offs between them.
Read more
By: Paul Stanton November 15, 2016
In this artcle we take a further look at the automation being used with SQL Server containers to deliver daily access to production data for developers.
Read more
By: Paul Stanton 11-5-2016
The first update to WinDocks since the initial release in March of 2016 is out. Version 1.04 include a new base Windows image for support of Java, Nginx, Node.js, and other Window executables. Learn more here.
Read more
By: Paul Stanton 11-5-2016
WinDocks has released a new update, version 1.04, with support for Nginx, Node.js, Java with Tomcat or Jetty, and other executables. In this article we take a look at the new support for Java and Tomcat.
Read more
Continuous Integraton with .NET and SQL Server Containers on AWS
By: Paul Stanton 10-24-2016
In this article we review a Continuous Integration process implemented by WireStorm Innovations using WinDocks containers on AWS. The solution delivers complete environments in seconds. Read more
By: Paul Stanton September, 14, 2016
We've been working on proving the use of containers for High Availability and Disaster Recovery, and in this blog we explore workload migration and suport for cloud based development.
Read more
By: Paul Stanton 8-1-2016
In this blog we take a look at how WinDocks SQL Server containers can integrate with storage systems, such as NetApp SnapClone, to automate the mounting and use of SQL Server database clones. >
Read more
By: Paul Stanton 7-30-2016
In this blog we address the need of incorporating Windows Containers into existing network infrastructure, using DNS and dynamic IP to Port mapping with containers.
Read more
By: Paul Stanton July 18, 2016
This blog focuses on one of the top use-cases for Windows containers, the combination of containers with Git and other source control systems for fast delivery of integrated .NET + SQL Server environments.
Read more
By: Paul Stanton July 11, 2016
In this blog we take a look at how easy it is to turn any edition of Windows 8.1 into a Windows Container Server supporting .NET and SQL Server containers and the Docker API.
Read more
By: Paul Stanton July 6, 2016
In this blog we take a look at Gartner's Bi-Modal strategy for IT Management, industry trends, and suggest the use of Windows containers for revitalizing Windows enterprise IT, and big License cost savings.
Read more
By: Paul Stanton
June 30, 216
The WinDocks Community Edition is the most widely use released Docker daemon for Windows, and in this blog we share the results of a suvey of how Windows Containers are being used.
Read more
By: Paul Stanton June 20, 2016
This blog takes an indepth look at the Windows containers offered by Microsoft and WinDocks, and evaluates differences from a Software Developers perspective.
Read more
By: Paul Stanton January 4, 2016
In this blog we take a new look at the soon to be released WinDocks image support for SQL Server containers.
Read more
By: Paul Stanton 6-17-16
A step by step introduction to working with SQL Server containers using Docker commands and PowerShell scripts.
By: Paul Stanton 6-17-16
This blog revisits the elements involved and the use of SQL containers, and compares the SQL Server container support offered by WinDocks and Microsoft.
By: Ramesh Parameswaran 5-10-16
This is a technical blog that covers some of the challenges we faced in porting the docker engine to Windows Server 2012.
By: Paul Stanton 7-21-2017
By: Paul Stanton December 4, 2015
We’ve been fans of Docker for some time and after Microsoft committed to support Docker, we formed a team to deliver Docker Engine support on Windows Server 2012. The results are exciting, and particularly when we look at how easy it is to incorporate support for SQL Server 2008 and 2012.
By: Paul Stanton October 10, 2015
In this article we look into the background of the Windows Containers included in the WinDocks software, as well as some of their limitations, and we provide recommendations for their safe use.