Category Archives: PASS

Blogging From the 2009 PASS Community Summit

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Seattle-Street Like a lot of other SQL Server bloggers, this week I will attempt to write regular blog entries each day, and hopefully include some photographs of the activities I attend. I am not an “official” PASS blogger, but I will try and offer my perspective of the event, with my own particular slant.

And next week, at SQL Server Connections in Las Vegas, I’ll try to do the same.

To prepare for this, I recently purchased a new netbook computer and digital camera, and hopefully I won’t be too loaded down with technology and wear myself out carrying it around. It will be an interesting experiment that I hope to learn from, and I hope you will find some of it interesting as well.

I flew from Hawaii Friday night, and arrived in Seattle Saturday at noon. The photo is the view of my hotel room at the Sheraton Hotel.

If you are attending PASS, be sure to track me down and say hello.

30 Days of Adventure in Australia and New Zealand

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Starting Saturday, September 26, 2009, I will begin a 30 day, 9 city, and 11 session speaking tour of Australia and New Zealand. While I have been on several 2 and 3 week speaking tours, this will be my longest and most complex.

I have spent nearly a year making the arrangements, coordinating the tour with various user groups so I could make as many presentations as I could in the shortest time possible. This past two months have really been intensive, as I have had to book flights, train rides, and hotels for all these locations. The entire journey will include nearly 20,000 miles of traveling.

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PASS Community Summit to be Held in Seattle

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Organized by SQL Server users for SQL Server users, PASS Summit Unite 2009 is the largest and most intensive Microsoft SQL Server and BI conference in the world. In its 10th year, PASS Summit returns to the Washington State Convention & Trade Center in Seattle Nov. 2-5, 2009.

Guided by the results of a recent Professional Association for SQL Server (PASS) membership survey, PASS Summit Unite 2009 will focus on helping SQL Server professionals cut IT costs in a difficult economy, stretch their technology investments, and squeeze the most value from their educational opportunities. Continue reading →

24 Hours of PASS was an Adventure

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On July 21, just a few short weeks ago, I got an e-mail from Rick Heiges, who is on the Board of Directors for PASS, asking me if I was willing to participate in the 24 Hours of PASS virtual conference, to be held on September 1, 2009. This was the first I had heard of this new project, which by the way, was Rick’s idea.

I wrote him right back, saying yes, and offering several different sessions I could do, and he picked one on “How to Use SQLDiag to Troubleshoot SQL Server Problems”. Fortunately, I had done the same presentation earlier this year in Vancouver, at SQLTeach, so I didn’t have to start from scratch, creating a new presentation. The only problem was that my original presentation was designed for 75 minutes, and I would only have 40 minutes to give my presentation at the 24 Hours of PASS session.
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Don’t Forget to Sign Up for the 24 Hours of PASS

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The first 24 Hours of PASS event will be starting September 2, 2009, and will feature 24 different SQL Server-related sessions by 24 different speakers, and all for free. So if you haven’t signed up for this event yet, you still can at 24hours.sqlpass.org.

I will be presenting on Using SQLdiag to Troubleshoot SQL Server Problems, during session 5, which starts at 4:00 GMT. Hope to see you at my session.

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Summary of What PASS Members Want from the 2009 PASS Community Summit

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PASS recently conducted a survey of its members, asking them what topics they would like to see covered at the 2009 PASS Community Summit. A total of 304 people responded to the survey, and the entire survey can be seen at the PASS Speaker’s Resource Page (you have to log on to the website to see the results). Given that the report exceeds 20 pages, I thought I would summarize the key results.

They include:

  • Database Administrator topics were the most sought after, with Database Developer topics coming in second.
  • Most of the attendees were seeking Advanced level topics, those that assumes a solid knowledge of technology, strong coding skills, and for DBAs with 4-6 years of DBA experience.
  • Sessions on SQL Server 2008 were the most desired, with SQL Server 2005 a distant second.
  • Best Practices- and Tips & Tricks-type sessions were highly rated.
  • The three most popular “database administration” topics that cover new features in SQL Server 2008″ included: Performance Data Collection, SQL Audit, and Policy-Based Management.
  • The three most popular “general database administration” topics included: Performance Monitoring and Tuning, DMVs, and Scalability.
  • The three most popular “high availability” topics included: Minimizing System Downtime, Supporting Mission Critical Applications, and Database Mirroring.
  • The three most popular “Database Architecture/Deployment” topics include: Virtualization, Database Storage Solutions, and Clustering.
  • The three most popular “Database and Application Development Features in SQL Server 2008” included: T-SQL Improvements, Table-Valued Parameters, and Filtered Indexes.
  • The three most popular “General Database Design & Development” topic included: Optimizing Queries and Execution Plans, Database Modeling/Database Design, and Application Development Best Practices.
  • The three most popular “Data Warehousing and Business Intelligence Features in SQL Server 2008” included: Reporting Services Enhancements, Report Design Enhancements in Business Intelligence Development Studio, and Integration Services.
  • The three most popular “General Data Warehousing and Business Intelligence” topics included: BI/DW Best Practices using the Microsoft BI Framework, Data Modeling and Schema Design for BI, and Planning, Developing, and Administrating Your BI Environment.
  • The three most popular “Analysis Services” topics included: Advanced Techniques (Tips & Tricks) Using Analysis Services 2005/2008, Building and Deploying Solutions Using Analysis Services in SQL Server 2005/2008, and MDX.
  • The three most popular “SSIS” topics included: Advanced Techniques for SSIS Package Development, Maximizing Your SSIS Performance, and Building and Deploying Solutions Using Integration Services in SQL Server 2005/2008.
  • The three most popular “Reporting Services” topics included: Report Deployment and Administration, Report Access and Delivery Features, and Designing and Creating Reports.
  • The three most popular “Professional Development” topics included: Leadership and Team Management Skills, Strategic IT Planning, and Project Management.
  • The three most popular “Communication” topics included”: Technical Presentations, Project Documentation, and Technical Writing.
  • The three most popular “Career Development” topics included: “Developing and Improving Your Career, Marking Yourself More Marketable, and Certification.

Like all summaries of reports, a lot of detail has been left out. If you are serious about submitting a speaker’s abstract, I highly recommend you review the entire report, as you will want to take this information into account when creating your abstracts.

If you are interested in becoming a speaker at the 2009 PASS Community Summit, be sure you get your abstracts in no later than April 10, 2009. After then, the call for speakers will be closed.