Archives for June 2010

Now on SQLPASS, “Can Integrity Be Learned?”

June 30, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Ok, I admit it.  I've done about as good a job publicizing my monthly professional development column, Plays Well With Others, as NBC did when the transitioned Jay Leno back to the Tonight Show. So I'm going to try to better, henceforth and forever more!  Two entries ago, I talked about the The 8 Characteristics of Exceptional Leaders.  This month, I'm drilling into the characteristic on that list that generated the most controversy in emails and messages - "Absolute Integrity".  Many people took issue with the concept that integrity can be learned, instead believing that integrity … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Ethics, PASS, Professional Development, SQLServerPedia Syndication Tagged With: , ,

In-Memory Databases (IMDBs)

June 28, 2010 by 1 Comment

Moore's Law tells us that CPU's get a LOT faster over time.  Unfortunately for the database professional, all of the secondary elements of our databases DO NOT get a lot faster over time.  Overall, the main methods of storing data since the 1960's, magnetic tape and hard disks, have improved only in the single percentiles year over year.  Even those of us who were never good at math can tell that the CPU is outpacing the other system components. Two recent developments are helping to change that equation.  First, solid state drives (SSDs) are having a dramatic impact many IT scenarios. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Administration, Cool Technologies, SQLServerPedia Syndication, Trends Tagged With: , , ,

Live! TechNet Radio: Microsoft Cloud Services – SQL Azure

June 18, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Just wanted to let you know that a TechNet Radio episode and interview I did about cloud computing is now live on TechNet Edge. It was the featured spot on Thursday, June 3rd and is also featured on the TechNet homepage. I've been trying to wear more of an analyst's hat these days, so this webcast has a lot of my "deep thinking" on issues related to cloud computing - hopefully at a higher level of quality that Jack Handy. A salient point that I think many analysts are overlooking is the changing nature of data as it exists in the cloud.  For decades, data has primarily been about people … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Administration, On-Line Resources, Opinion, SQLServerPedia Syndication, Trends Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Toad Just Keeps Getting Better

June 14, 2010 by 1 Comment

Toad for SQL Server Wins Best of TechEd 2010 in the Database Development Category Toad and I go way back.  I first started with Toad as a user on the Oracle DBMS back in the early 1990's.  When I started at Quest Software back on January 2nd of 2002, one of the first products I tackled as a SQL Server product architect was Toad.  How do we make this very popular Oracle product one that users in the SQL Server world will love too?  And this challenge was made that much harder by the fact that Microsoft SQL Server ships with fantastic tools right there in the box.  I haven't worked directly on … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Conferences, Presentations, Tool Time Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Big Time Award

June 14, 2010 by Leave a Comment

It's always a joy to see your work validated. In this case, one of the products I work on at Quest Software called Toad for SQL Server won the award for "Best of Microsoft TechEd in the Database Development Category". This is sort'a like an Oscar or a Grammy, but in Microsoft software tools.Pictured (L to R): Jason Hall, head of Qsft's SQL Server Sales Consultants; David Gugick, Director of Architecture; and me … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Experiences