November 9, 2012 at 9:17 am
I was shocked that the only event in the South was in Austin - Atlanta would have been really nice and is far easier to get to for a lot of people.
November 9, 2012 at 9:54 am
NULLgarity (11/9/2012)
My Vote: SQL in the City Virginia Beach... Steve Jones comes home. 🙂
:), high on my list
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November 9, 2012 at 9:56 am
Chris93147 (11/9/2012)
Don't get me wrong, I love RedGate and the tools they bring to the table are awesome. However, the Chicago SQL in the City felt like a day long commercial for their products. I work for a smaller software company that has a front end to SQL Server and also plays the accidental DBA for numerous clients and I need real world advise not just "go and buy such and such a product."Because of our size we don't have the budget for large bundles of software and the licenses to go with them. I came away with some interesting ideas and am all the better for it, but would like to see some good topic discussions and not just product placement.
Chris
I'd love to hear more, as would many of us here are Red Gate. I'm not sure I think it was a day long commercial, and we worked hard to have products a part of the event, but not the focus. If you found any mention of a product "commercial", then we agree to disagree. I think commercial is not giving any information on how to accomplish x without product y. I think we did that to a large extent. Please let us know which sessions you think didn't provide information on how to do something better in your job.
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November 9, 2012 at 9:57 am
Bob Roby (11/9/2012)
FYI, Steve Jones and "Gilamonster" Gail Shaw have a new fan.
Thanks
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November 9, 2012 at 9:59 am
The "where" votes are nice, and we are looking at new locations, but we're also interested in knowing what you want to learn. What is helpful to you? What types of topics, sessions, information, problems do you struggle with.
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November 9, 2012 at 10:15 am
Steve -
Regarding topics... I'm becoming more of a fan of case-study style material. Something that walks through a story; the type of problem faced, how the problem was noticed, how the troubleshooting proceeded, and what ended up working and why versus what didn't and why not. It doesn't have to be a production issue - also works for a problem in the form of a new requirement.
Just a thought. I'm speaking generally as I did not attend any of the SQL in the City events.
November 9, 2012 at 10:31 am
Steve Jones - SSC Editor (11/9/2012)
The "where" votes are nice, and we are looking at new locations, but we're also interested in knowing what you want to learn. What is helpful to you? What types of topics, sessions, information, problems do you struggle with.
I know this may sound overly basic, but since this group really focuses on helping the accidental DBA, I have a suggestion:
In SQL Server 2000 I discovered that you had to back up the database and logs a certain way. That changed in 2005. I believe 2008 is the same as 2005. However since I use maintenance plans, and I bet a lot of people do, I find I have less control. What I do "works" but I still do not have the level of understanding I did in 2000.
There are other basic maintenance examples.
So, I suggest continual content on the basics. Maybe one session each day. Cover things like this:
Focus on explaining the very basic options, and why they are a good idea. Explain how this is not the best option when things get larger, or whatever. Maybe point to examples from Kimberly Tripp and Paul Randall on how to do reindexing on larger systems, but just enough to let us know we have to consider more advanced methods at some point.
Essentially, you would be providing entry level, maybe a little higher, content for those who don't have time to dig into the details and really understand things. I have been working with SQL for more than 15 years, but while I know what to do, and how to do it, I have gaps in my understanding of why. To me the why is important, but unfortunately budget constraints, lack of resources and other issues prevent me from spending time. The courses I have attended at some large education retailers have been ridiculous in the quality. I actually had one guy answer my backup question in class with "go back to the office and ask your DBA how she does it, and do that". Um, I was taking over for that person because what they did was NOT working! I attended the class to learn, and all you can tell me is to ask someone who doesn't know? You can imagine how pissed I was, and I don't mean the British version! By the way, that person was a DB2 trained DBA teaching a Microsoft course. I refuse to take any courses from that company ever again.
Dave
November 9, 2012 at 11:47 am
I enjoyed the session in Austin this year. I hope you're planning on coming again. I could see that there was a ton of time and effort put into it!
BTW - whoever did the graphic seems to think Austin (the southern most blip) is in Lousiana 😉
November 9, 2012 at 12:18 pm
NULLgarity (11/9/2012)
Steve -Regarding topics... I'm becoming more of a fan of case-study style material. Something that walks through a story; the type of problem faced, how the problem was noticed, how the troubleshooting proceeded, and what ended up working and why versus what didn't and why not. It doesn't have to be a production issue - also works for a problem in the form of a new requirement.
Just a thought. I'm speaking generally as I did not attend any of the SQL in the City events.
That's fine, and I like that. I would like to build more of these, and publish more.
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November 9, 2012 at 12:19 pm
djackson 22568 (11/9/2012)
Steve Jones - SSC Editor (11/9/2012)
The "where" votes are nice, and we are looking at new locations, but we're also interested in knowing what you want to learn. What is helpful to you? What types of topics, sessions, information, problems do you struggle with.I know this may sound overly basic, but since this group really focuses on helping the accidental DBA, I have a suggestion:
...
Great ideas, Dave. I've been thinking along these lines for a talk.
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November 9, 2012 at 12:53 pm
Steve Jones - SSC Editor (11/9/2012)
The "where" votes are nice, and we are looking at new locations, but we're also interested in knowing what you want to learn. What is helpful to you? What types of topics, sessions, information, problems do you struggle with.
As a BI consultant, I'd maybe like to see some info about SSAS compare. How you can use the Redgate products in data warehousing and BI environments.
(In Brussels :-P)
Need an answer? No, you need a question
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November 9, 2012 at 12:59 pm
I was at the Chicago event, and I don't feel it was a "commercial" in the sessions. I also like that the Red Gate reps in the hall weren't "pushy" about the products they were demoing.
As for what I would like, I feel I'm still a bit of an "accidental DBA," albeit one with a bit more knowledge that there are things I don't know that I don't know them. I think maybe a few sessions aimed more at the novice / accidental DBAs would be helpful. Of the sessions I attended, The ones I took away the most from were:
Database Maintenance Essentials (click the Script button, click the Script button, click the Script button)
Prepare for when Disaster Strikes
Six Scary SQL Surprises
I sat in on the Automated deployment and Proactive data growth, but for the size of company and DBs that I deal with, these weren't as helpful.
As for the venue, the Field Museum was decent, and the lack of tables for laptops wasn't really noticed (by me) as I was using a small tablet to take notes on.
As for suggestions on other venues, while I'd like an event in / near Detroit (it'd make it SO much easier for me to get to, and get the bosses to let other staff attend,) Chicago is fairly central (just a long drive / train ride / flight)
Jason A.
November 9, 2012 at 3:27 pm
chrisn-585491 (11/9/2012)
In Texas come to the Dallas area, not Austin.
+1 for this. Just couldn't justify heading down to Austin this time around, though thought about it. Bonus if you can manage a semi-central location - Irving, Grapevine or something in between Dallas and Fort Worth. 🙂
As for the rest - power is nice to have. If the venue has space to allow for laptops and such, that's a bonus, though I imagine I'd mostly be there to learn and take a handful of notes as applicable. I'm interested in learning things that help me with my job. It's great to see how Red Gate (or other vendor) products can do that, but I'm even more interested in how to handle those tasks without the tools if possible. I appreciate that the tools make the tasks easier, but if all I see is how my job can be easier by using the vendor's tools, that's not a great use of my time.
(For the record - I don't think that's what you're doing, just saying that I prefer learning something new and the thoughts/processes behind it over seeing how a toolset can help me.)
Topics - best practices, development, how new features can enhance or replace old behaviors, debugging, version control and release management
November 9, 2012 at 11:26 pm
Something that I'd like to see more of (PASS, SQL Saturdays, and SQL In The city) is more hands-on training, in a lab type environment, where people can do things to learn. I think some appropriate subjects to cover in this manner would be backup/restore, powershell, and Extended Events.
Wayne
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server 2008
Author - SQL Server T-SQL Recipes
November 10, 2012 at 10:39 am
I don't know what I want for one of these. I've never been to one. Never been to a SQL Saturday, either, as there has never been one near me. That's about to change, though, because in February 2013, we're going to have our first, ever SQL Saturday in the Albuquerque, NM area!! YEAH!!! So, here's my promotion for SQL Saturday in Albuquerque, in February 2013!! If you're in the area, I look forward to finally meeting you.
Rod
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