Today’s topics include issues with the Microsoft SQL Server Service Pack 1, a report on the potential hacking risks involved with air traffic control and avionics systems, new legal actions against the FCC’s net neutrality rules and an updated cloud platform from Google.
Microsoft released SQL Server Service Pack 1 on the April 15 anniversary of the database software’s launch. Today, Microsoft is hitting the pause button after a discovering a bug.
Currently, clicking on the Microsoft SQL Server 2014 SP1 download links generates a Website error page. When the links are restored, customers will be able to squeeze more performance out of their SQL Server implementations.
SP1 includes several updates including improved column store performance and the scalability benefits of two trace flags are applied automatically.
A report published on April 14 by the U.S. Government Accountability Office details alleged risks in air traffic control and aircraft avionics systems that could enable a hacker attack.
The report noted that while the Federal Aviation Administration has taken steps to protect its air traffic control systems, “significant security-control weaknesses remain.”
The GAO warned that one of the challenges the FAA faces is that it has not developed a complete cyber-security threat model for protecting Aircraft Traffic Control systems.
The legal fight against the Federal Communications Commission over recent net neutrality changes continues as four more lawsuits were filed additional plaintiffs who oppose the agency’s decision to begin to regulate the Internet as a public utility.
The latest legal actions were filed separately on April 14 by AT&T, the CTIA mobile trade association, the National Cable & Telecommunications Association and by the American Cable Association, which represents smaller independent cable companies.
The new suits contend that the FCC’s reclassification of the Internet will harm consumers, stifle innovation and ultimately be bad for the Internet.
Google announced it has updated its cloud platform to make handling big data in the cloud much easier for the everyday programmer or data analyst.
The announcement includes a series of new services and improvements to existing ones, including a beta release of Google Cloud Dataflow and key enhancements to Google BigQuery.