This might be most most overcommitted four-week period of time ever in my life. I'm tired just thinking about it! Not only am I traveling internationally and speaking over the next few weeks, I'm also helping on two book projects, learning some new applications from Quest Software, and helping on a small Transact-SQL refactoring project. Swag on hand? I've got a special printing of 500 video training DVDs for this trip: SQL Server Training on DMVs Performance Monitor and Wait Events Plus, I'll have a few posters, stickers, and other goodies. Come see me! SQL Saturday … [Read more...]
Starting this week: Dublin, Maidenhead, and London
Filed Under: Conferences, Databases, Presentations, Professional Development, SQL Server, SQLMag, SQLServerPedia Syndication Tagged With: Best Practices, Career, DBA, Developer, Leadership, Professional Development, Quest Software, SQL Server 2012, Training
The Expert’s Conference (TEC) – For AD, SharePoint, Exchange, PowerShell and Other Admins
What is TEC? The Expert's Conference (TEC) is a multi-day event featuring five co-located Microsoft educational conferences at the San Diego Marriott Marquis & Marina April 29-May 2. It's pretty - see! The event includes advanced 400-level training on Microsoft Directory & Identity (including Active Directory), Exchange Server, SharePoint, Virtualization (Microsoft Hyper-V) & Workspace Management, and PowerShell Deep Dives. There are lots of great activities for Quest and Microsoft customers and partners. In addition, there's a Quest Software Day, with User Groups … [Read more...]
Filed Under: Administration, Cloud, Conferences, Professional Development, SQL Server, SQLMag, SQLServerPedia Syndication, TCD blog post, Virtualization Tagged With: Active Directory, PowerShell, Virtualization
For Devs – Component Code Challenge and INETA Community Champs
Two quick notes from our friends over at INETA: Component Code Challenge Ever had these two distinct thoughts - "I have a good idea for an application, however what can I get for it?" and "I would love to go to a big conference DevConnections or Tech·Ed, but how would I pay for it?". Haven't we all had thoughts like that at some time or another? Well, you are in luck. The INETA Component Code Challenge for 2012 will send one lucky winner to their choice of those aforementioned conferences for slinging some serious code. All you need to do is create an application using 2 approved … [Read more...]
Filed Under: Coding, Conferences, Contests, INETA, SQLServerPedia Syndication, TCD blog post Tagged With: Community, Contests, INETA, Programming
The Year that was – 2011
Looking back on 2011, I'm surprised by two occurances. First, I got a lot of work done, despite myself. My biggest obstacles to high-performance are all self-derived; procrastination, disorganization, and plain ol' laziness. Second, I'm surprised I survived my personal travails. I've had my fill of frowns this year, from wayward children to caring for sick loved ones to self-inflicted injuries in 2011. I'm glad to be closing the door on a few of those chapters and look forward to better times in 2012. Here's a run-down on my professional activities over the course of 2011: Articles: … [Read more...]
Filed Under: Conferences, Interviews, Presentations, SQLMag, SQLServerPedia Syndication, TCD blog post Tagged With: Career, Professional Development
PASS Summit 2011, Day 3 – A Tribute to Wayne Snyder
First things first, Wayne Snyder is rolling off the board of directors for PASS this year. We'd worked together, shoulder to shoulder along with Joe Webb (blog | @joewebb) and other outstanding members of the SQL Server community, for many years of on the PASS board of directors and I'm certain that my tenure on the board and as president of the organization would've been nothing but trouble had Wayne not been there, covering my blind side(s), at every turn. Here's my tribute to Wayne Snyder: If you were to mention “Wayne Snyder” to me, I’d instantly start to grin and, probably, nod a … [Read more...]
Filed Under: BigData, Conferences, Databases, NoSQL, PASS, Presentations, SQLMag, SQLServerPedia Syndication, TCD blog post Tagged With: FutureWatch, Hadoop, MapReduce, SQLPASS
PASS Summit 2011, Day 1
I've already had a few good days in Seattle/Redmond this week, meeting with the Microsoft SQL Server program teams and with other Microsoft SQL Server MVPs. I was as excited as a squeeling Justin Beiber fangirl waiting for his new video, wishing I could tell you all of the cool things I learned at Redmond about the future of SQL Server. But as you'd expect, all of that cool stuff is presently NDA. I'm sure there'll be some cool announcements from Microsoft this week. So be on the lookout for the good word from Microsoft. Keynote Rushabh Mehta, the PASS president, spent a few moments … [Read more...]
Filed Under: Cloud, Conferences, Databases, SQL Server, SQLMag, SQLServerPedia Syndication, TCD blog post Tagged With: BigData, cloud computing, DBA, Hadoop, Quest Software, SQLPASS
Here, There, and Everywhere; Speaking in Fall 2011, Part 1
The last quarter of the year is usually my busiest due to the fantastic PASS Summit and SQLBits events. The fall looks a little different ... BECAUSE IT WILL BE EVEN BUSIER! Here's a rundown of where I'll be this fall through mid-October: BASTA! SQLCON.NET September 26 to 29; Mainz, Germany This big developer and admin conference runs from September 26 to 29 in Mainz, Germany. I'll be delivering at least one session and hobnobbing with Quest customers, friends, and in a very weird twist, my oldest daughter Emily, who will be in the Rhineland at the exact same time on a … [Read more...]
Filed Under: Conferences, Databases, PASS, Presentations, SQLMag, SQLServerPedia Syndication, TCD blog post Tagged With: Career, Professional Development, SQLPASS, SQLSaturday, Training
Women in Technology: A Quick Observation and a Quick Straw Poll
A bit of background: Those aren't grand daughters of the Clampetts in the picture at right. Those are my three daughters and three stepdaughters, all of whom I want to inherit the world - as little or as much as they want to take hold of. (I already talked a bit about this in a post on my personal, family blog. Be warned, it's all boring family photos and such). Enabling them to have all of the choices and opportunities that are open to my son is a big motivating factor in my life. So many years ago, when several PASS volunteers wanted to start doing more to build a community of support … [Read more...]
Filed Under: Challenges, Conferences, Ethics, Opinion, PASS, Professional Development, SQL Server, SQLMag, SQLServerPedia Syndication, TCD blog post, Trends Tagged With: WIT
Upcoming SQLSaturday Events in Omaha and Atlanta!
I've had enough time off from traveling after my surgery to finally travel again. First on the circuit , set for August 27th, is Omaha, Nebraska and SQL Saturday #91. As a former Crimson Tide alum, I was stoked about going to the University of Nebraska, our once and future rivals on the Grid Iron. But after a moment's confusion, I remembered that the Huskers are over in Lincoln, not Omaha. (May Bear have mercy on my soul.) Almost all of the speakers are friends. Many are Microsoft MVPs. So it'll be great to catch up with these fine folks and, I hope, get a chance to meet many … [Read more...]
Filed Under: Conferences, Databases, PASS, Presentations, SQL Server, SQLMag, SQLServerPedia Syndication, TCD blog post Tagged With: Quest Software, SQLPASS
Leadership, Management, and SQLRally
Transparency - A Great Leadership Quality I've always appreciated how Andy Warren (blog| twitter) operates in the most transparent manner, especially as it relates to his role as a director for the Professional Association for SQL Server. For example, Andy's latest blog post about prepping for the SQLRally, to kick off in less than 30 days, is insightful and gives you a good idea of the sort of work a strong director for PASS needs to put in. I also enjoy how Andy more or less thinks out loud and offers you the chance to provide your input. In that latest blog post, he was mulling different … [Read more...]
Filed Under: Conferences, Governance, Interviews, PASS, Professional Development, SQL Server, SQLMag, SQLServerPedia Syndication, Strategies, Video Tagged With: Career, Goals, Plays Well With Others, Professional Development, SQLPASS, Training
