In this vblog entry on www.SQLServerPedia.com shows SQL Server expert Kevin Kline discussing his views on how to be both efficient and effective in your day to day and career - aimed at the SQL Server professional, but good for anyone. Originally posted August 08, 2008. … [Read more...]
Efficiency and Effectiveness at Work [Video]
Filed Under: Challenges, Opinion, Professional Development, SQLServerPedia Syndication, Video Tagged With: Career, Management, Plays Well With Others, Professional Development, Video
DBTA: Growing Like Weeds – Explosive SQL Server Grassroots Growth
One thing I really enjoy about the SQL Server community is its vibrancy. I'll give you details on the SQL Server community's explosive growth in a moment, but let's start by comparing Microsoft SQL Server's user community with those of other significant database platforms. [READ MORE] Posted May 10, 2010 … [Read more...]
Filed Under: Conferences, DBTA, Opinion, PASS, Professional Development, SQL Server, Trends Tagged With: DBA, Developer, Training
DBTA: The NoSQL Movement- Hype or Hope?
If you spend any time at all reading IT trade journals and websites, you've no doubt heard about the NoSQL movement. In a nutshell, NoSQL databases (also called post-relational databases) are a variety of loosely grouped means of storing data without requiring the SQL language. Of course, we've had non-relational databases far longer than we've had actual relational databases. Anyone who's used products like IBM's Lotus Notes can point to a popular non-relational database. However, part and parcel of the NoSQL movement is the idea that the data repositories can horizontally scale with … [Read more...]
Filed Under: Challenges, Cloud, Databases, DBTA, NoSQL, Opinion, SQLServerPedia Syndication, TCD blog post, Trends Tagged With: Azure, cloud computing, DBA, DBTA, Developer, FutureWatch, news analysis, Web Development
Plays Well With Others – Can Integrity Be Learned?
In a past post , I talked about the work of Dr. William Cohen, a renowned expert on leadership. In Dr. Cohen’s work, he describes eight frequently recurring characteristics among excellent leaders, one of which is “absolute integrity”. However, this characteristic got pushback from several readers. The general thread seemed to be “You either have integrity or you don’t. It’s not something that can be learned”. So let’s take a step back and examine the idea of whether integrity can be learned. I think that some of the pushback that I got about learning integrity comes from people who … [Read more...]
Filed Under: Opinion, Professional Development, SQLServerPedia Syndication Tagged With: Professional Development
DBTA: Forecasting SQL Server in 2010
After the misery that was 2009, most of the SQL Server users I talk to are happy that 2010 started in languid fashion. Not that there isn't a lot of work to do; on the contrary, there's more work than ever. However, the long hours and multiple projects of 2009, compounded by freezes in all levels of spending, raised the general stress level to unhealthy heights. With the new year, stress levels dropped significantly, and many IT leaders see signs of improving prospects. What does that bode for 2010? I have a couple of predictions, though I doubt they'll surprise many people. [READ … [Read more...]
Filed Under: Challenges, Cloud, Databases, DBTA, Opinion, SQLServerPedia Syndication, TCD blog post, Trends Tagged With: Azure, DBA, DBTA, Developer, news analysis, SQL Server 2008 R2
Plays Well With Others – So You’re the Boss Now…
I’m frequently asked the following paraphrased question: I’d been happily plugging away in my job as a {DBA/Dev/Terminator/Warp Drive Engineer} for several years, when I applied for the manager position. I was surprised and thrilled when I got the job! But now that I’ve been in the job for a while, I find that no one on the team is thrilled with me. I know that I made a lot of changes. But they were all for the good of the team. What should I do to reconnect with my team and rebuild my friendships? A common theme in this series, “Plays Well With Others”, is that the skills … [Read more...]
Filed Under: Ethics, Opinion, Professional Development, SQLServerPedia Syndication Tagged With: Career, Management, Plays Well With Others, Professional Development
Video: Microsoft Master Certification Program
On this vblog entry on www.sqlserverpedia.com I describe and discuss the Microsfot MCP (Master Certification Program). I hope this helps anyone that is interested in this program. Enjoy and I look forward to your feedback! Posted September 09, 2008. … [Read more...]
Filed Under: Opinion, Professional Development, SQL Server, SQLServerPedia Syndication, Video Tagged With: Career, DBA, Professional Development, SQL Server 2008 R2, Training
DBTA: The Shape of Database Licensing Costs to Come
One fall semester many years ago, I was a university freshman. Actually, I was anything but "fresh." I was dumb enough to think that 8 a.m. was a wonderful time to attend Economics 101. After staying up until the wee hours most every night, the "dismal science" took on more than one meaning as I set my clock just early enough to get to class on time. Along with 30 other very naïve classmates, I staggered into class and did my bleary-eyed best to focus on the lessons at hand. There were lots of Greek compound words and lots of graphs. I learned, for example, that the word economics … [Read more...]
Filed Under: Databases, DBTA, Opinion, SQLServerPedia Syndication, Trends Tagged With: DBA, DBTA, Licensing, Management, news analysis, Society
Plays Well With Others – Eight Behaviors of Excellent Leaders
Last week, I talked about one of the worst type of management scenarios to work under – the micromanager. Now, let’s take that conversation from the “Dark Side” into the light to talk about great leaders. To say that Dr. William Cohen knows a few things about leadership is approximately the same as saying that Moby Dick was a fish. Not only was Cohen a former Air Force major general, university president, and business leader, but he has many degrees (including a PhD) and even holds several engineering patents. One of the many books authored by Dr. Cohen is the 1998 Best Business Book of … [Read more...]
Filed Under: Ethics, Governance, Opinion, Professional Development, SQLServerPedia Syndication Tagged With: Career, Management, Plays Well With Others, Professional Development, WorldView
DBTA: Microsoft’s Trajectory for SQL Server Becomes Clear with PowerPivot
I was once asked what I thought Microsoft's overall product trajectory for SQL Server was, in light of Oracle's rather obvious trajectory of acquiring multiple application vendors who will, in turn, deploy more and more of their applications to the Oracle database platform. To be honest, I had a little difficulty perceiving a clear and concise strategy statement for the sort of work going on in Redmond. I could see a lot of great features being developed. And I knew the SQL Server development team had developed a lot of new "plumbing" with each new release - features like Service Broker and … [Read more...]
Filed Under: Databases, DBTA, Opinion, SQLServerPedia Syndication, TCD blog post, Trends Tagged With: Business Intelligence, Data Visualization, Data Warehousing, DBA, DBTA, Developer, FutureWatch, Microsoft News, news analysis, SQL Server 2008 R2
