Event Location:
The Summit Event Center
411 N. Sable Blvd.
Denver, Colorado
Abstract:
As a DBA yourself, I’m sure you’ve encountered instances where the SQL Server has been running fine, there’ve been no changes for ages, everything is stable, there’s no exposure to the outside world, and the last time anyone updated or applied a patch to the server was in February 2004… …and then the world intruded, and all of a sudden you’ve been given a directive to “bring that system up to date!” Now what? You’re faced with upgrading not only the SQL Server, but the Windows server as well (and a bunch of other applications), because Microsoft has announced that ALL support for Windows Server 2003 will be going away (far away!) this summer! And some clever person upstairs decided that it would be A GOOD THING to have this SQL Server exposed to the outside…and has commissioned the web dev team to build a whole suite of apps that WILL MAKE THE COMPANY MILLIONS! Where to start…
Speaker(s): Michelle Poolet,
Abstract:
Dimensional modeling is arguably one of the most important fundamentals of business intelligence. It is still relevant even as new technologies like PowerPivot and SSAS Tabular Models are becoming more popular. Correctly modeling your organization's data not only protects the most important asset your company has but ensures that your data mart or data warehouse will be responsive and capable of accommodating emerging requirements. This session provides a deeper dive into the art of dimensional modeling. We will look at the different types of fact tables and dimension tables, how and when to use them. We will also some approaches to creating rich hierarchies that make reporting a snap. Finally we will cover physical design choices.This case study and demo based session promises to be very interactive and engaging, bring your toughest Dimensional Modeling quandaries.
Speaker(s): Jason Horner,
Abstract:
As enterprise Reporting Services solutions mature, maintenance and change requests of existing reports often result in environment inconsistencies and bottleneck new development. Establishing proper abstraction between data and presentation layers can greatly reduce maintenance tasks and ensure development consistency. In this session we’ll review the following abstraction techniques and how they can ease maintenance burden and promote consistency across your reporting infrastructure. • Keep SQL within the Database not SSRS • One size fits all for parameter aliases • Combine available and default data sets into one procedure
Speaker(s): Justin Hudnall,
Abstract:
Technology has revolutionized the way organizations run today. Rather than a few file cabinets, organizations use many different software packages and applications that are mission critical to running their business. These systems gather a large amount of valuable data that must be used in decision making to maintain a competitive advantage. However, we've all heard and likely been around when mission critical systems have been rendered useless due to long running reports. To solve this and a host of other source system reporting issues we have proven Data Warehousing techniques to store the data in a report friendly way. Dimensional modeling is one of the most widely used set of techniques that will provide source system relief for reporting. In this session, we will take a look at what Dimensional Modeling is along with some key terms and techniques.
Speaker(s): Marc Beacom,
Abstract:
Did you know that Profiler and SQL Trace are deprecated? I know it still works (even in SQL Server 2016 CTP2), but it will never be updated with the latest features. In fact it will never be updated at all! That means if you want to capture information about any new feature, from version SQL Server 2012 and beyond, you need to use another tool. That new tool is Extended Events (XE). Not only has it replaced Profiler, and can be used to capture information on all new features, but it is a substantially better tool! In this session we will discuss the architecture of Extended Events, how to setup a new trace from scratch or convert an existing Profiler trace, and the new abilities that never existed in Profiler. We will also cover the difference in overhead cost of Profiler and Extended Events. Profiler was a friend of mine, but it is time to embrace the new king!
Speaker(s): Keith Tate,
Abstract:
After working 20 years in the industry on hundreds of SQL Servers clear patterns emerge. These observations of patterns and best practices directly relate to the health of the server.#160; During this session we will review the patterns of healthy SQL Servers and identify unhealthy behavior that clearly shows servers that are at risk.#160; We will review shared patterns, configuration and practices.#160;#160; Which of these repeating patterns represent healthy Servers and which of these patterns are#160; shared with servers that are having issues daily.#160; These patterns are so clear in fact that I many SQL Servers will benefit from the application of at least one if not more of the tips we will cover.#160; At the end of this session attendees will have the tools to identify and correct common issues that impact SQL Servers Performance and Resiliency.
Speaker(s): Chris Shaw,
Abstract:
The past few years seem to have had more than their fair share of high-profile data breaches, not all of which were caused by sophisticated hacking attempts. This session explains basic methods for securing your SQL Server by making sure you're not leaving the proverbial front door unlocked (or in some cases, wide open). We will discuss the different levels and methods that can be used for granting and restricting rights, and the pros and cons of each. You'll learn steps you can take to design databases with securability in mind from the beginning so you can better protect your data later on down the road. We'll also demonstrate scripts that can help audit user rights and make sure logins don't have any more permissions than they need. Security doesn't have to be scary! Attend this session and gain a solid foundation to build your DBA career on.
Speaker(s): Bob Pusateri,
Abstract:
Every database professional knows the database design ideal and we have all seen that ideal on numerous occasions - databases in perfect third normal form; constraints and relational integrity rigorously enforced; elegant error handling in every SQL statement; data so clean you can eat off it. Unfortunately we’ve only seen this ideal in textbooks and sample databases designed by vendors. The databases we see in the real world are… less than ideal shall we say. Of course, we use other phrases for what we see but human resources frowns on such terms and this is, after all, a family friendly presentation. Database professionals in Greece circa 600 BCE may have access to the Alpheus and Peneus rivers to cleanse their particular stables but we modern folks need to rely on the tools on our own computers such as SQL and SSIS. Mike will review various techniques and tools for data cleansing that will help you wash away the muck to get to the data gold standard.
Speaker(s): Michael Sexton,
Abstract:
Your SQL Servers are probably virtualized by now, but are they running at their absolute peak performance? How can you tell? When properly configured and maintained, a virtualized SQL Server will be at least as fast as the system that it came from, if not better. If not properly configured, silent performance killers can wreck your virtualization experience. This session will give you tips and tricks to maximize performance while giving you talking points so you can convince your infrastructure engineers to design the virtualization stack your way. This session goes deep into the architecture and methodology for squeezing the best possible performance from your virtualized SQL Server, and includes valuable tips on topics such as host-level over-commitment, storage performance, In-memory OLTP, and more!
Speaker(s): David Klee,
Abstract:
SQL Server is often I/O bound - but why? Do you feel lost when talking to your storage administrator? Are your storage subsystems like a mysterious black box where your databases live but you can’t go visit? This session will get you up to speed with the fundamentals of storage subsystems for SQL Server. You will learn about the different types of storage that are available, and how to decide what type of storage to use for different workload types. You will also learn useful tips and techniques for configuring your storage for the best performance and reliability. We’ll cover methods to effectively measure and monitor your storage performance so that you will have valuable information and evidence available the next time you have to discuss IO performance with your storage administrator. Come to this session to learn how to analyze I/Os as well as options to reduce the bottlenecks.
Speaker(s): Glenn Berry,
Abstract:
Stress is a natural reaction to demanding events for which our natural resources to cope or react are low. Initial effects might be increased energy and focus but can quickly give way to inaction and costly mistakes. This course presents a variety of simple yet highly actionable techniques borrowed from some of the most stressful fields on earth. In this course, you learn to apply the same methods that doctors, military, law enforcement, and paramedics learn to cope and perform under high-stress situations. Discover how easily these techniques translate to almost any career or endeavor. Whether you regularly support a multi-million dollar data center on a 24-hour on-call rotation or are asked to restore production while three levels of management look over your shoulder, counting the dollars lost per minute, everyone is susceptible to stress. Some people just have a higher immunity. Attend this inoculation session and get caught up on your boosters.
Speaker(s): Russ Thomas,
Abstract:
The 2014 SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) Project Deployment Model introduces new opportunities for the delivery of SSIS solutions. Gone are decisions about logging providers, configuration approaches, and deployment targets. Now, you need to focus on the creation of an .ispac, the approaches to deploying the project, and applying configurations to ensure expected behavior. This session begins by exploring mapping between elements in an SSIS project and their counterparts in the compiled file, the .ispac. The session then covers three approaches for automating the deployment of this unit into SSISDB We then cover the administration side of the SSIS Catalog. You create SSIS environment variables and apply them to configure run-time behaviour. Finally, you work through the native tooling to troubleshoot failed SSIS packages. We'll cover SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) reports, Catalog views, and data taps for run-time collection of values.
Speaker(s): Bill Fellows,
Abstract:
DevOps is the melding of application development, testing, and IT operations. All tasks from infrastructure to coding to testing to transition into production must be automated so that new features and fixes can be continuously delivered. Constraining DevOps is data. Databases and applications have grown enormous and complex. "Storage is cheap" is a lie. Provisioning a full environment for each developer or tester on each task of each project appears unrealistic, when each might require several terabytes of storage. And so everyone is limited to working in a small handful of shared environments that are refreshed only every few months, and code quality suffers. Data virtualization is the solution. Virtual databases and file-systems only consume space from deltas, so it is possible to provision multiple terabytes for megabytes. Coders and testers have full environments fast in which to develop and test, improving code quality. Learn about the technical details behind this solution.
Speaker(s): Tim Gorman,
Abstract:
SQL Server is a huge product, with many different places a DBA can go to look for information on how the server is performing. So many in fact that they can often overlap, which sometimes makes it hard to understand why tackling a new tool is worth the effort. In this first (and hopefully not last) installment of Rick's "Why should I care" series a case for why working knowledge of how to query the plan cache is critical for performance tuning efforts in real world environments, followed by a review of relevant DMV's for the newly motivated audience. Perfect for those who are relatively new to performance tuning concerns, or advanced DBAs trying to figure out how to have a similar conversation with their less experienced peers, or developers who are curious as to why their DBA is sometimes so moody.
Speaker(s): Rick Lowe,
Abstract:
Source Control is a critical part of any development effort. For small shop developers tools like TFS can be overwhelming especially for developers that come from organizations with little to no source control experience. Let's talk about practices and ways to implement source control for SSIS, SSRS and Database Projects in both multi-developer and multi-tiered environments. We will cover when and how to branch, merge and shelve and discuss ideas around process for deployment and continuous integration.
Speaker(s): Leslie Weed,
Abstract:
There are times when you are able to be proactive and tune existing queries. Sometimes, you will receive a phone call from your manager telling you that a certain web page or report is timing out and your users are furious. You need to quickly diagnose what the problem is. Where do you turn to first? When a query is underperforming, hogging resources or timing out, one of the first things you want to examine is the query execution plan. An execution plan provides a wealth of information that can help you quickly diagnose what is wrong. In this beginner level session you will learn what an execution plan is, how to find it, and how to interpret it to see what the query optimizer is doing and find the major pain points.
Speaker(s): Jason Kassay,
Abstract:
How fast do you think you were going? The only way to be sure is to have a reliable way to measure your performance. The challenge with SQL Server is that there are many aspects of your stack that you need to measure and understand. Powershell, with its ability to access and report on all these different levels, can give you a robust tool to benchmark your SQL Server. This session will cover benchmarking methodologies, the tools Powershell offers for capturing performance information, and will demonstrate how you can use them to measure performance statistics. After attending this session, you will understand how to effectively use Powershell to measure your database speed.
Speaker(s): Michael Fal,
Abstract:
Have you ever wondered what really happens behind the scenes when you execute a query? In this unique demonstration, Todd will use a video game engine (Unreal Engine 4) and will dramatically show The Life Cycle of a Query in VR. We will follow a query from beginning to end and "runthrough" the various SQL Server components all queries must use including the Protocol Layer, Relational Engine, Storage Engine, Buffer Pool and then back out to the client. A volunteer at the end will then don an Oculus Rift DK2 Virtual Reality headset and then race through the sections in under a minute to win a prize. Participants will leave with a better understanding of the major components and with a conceptual framework to explore the components more in-depth.
Speaker(s): Todd Kleinhans,
Abstract:
It is relatively straight-forward to grant a user access to a particular SSRS report, multi-dimensional cube, or tabular model table, but what happens when the user needs access to the object but should be denied access to view certain rows of data? In this session we'll investigate a real-world solution to this common BI problem.
Speaker(s): Chris Hyde,
Abstract:
Master Data Services (MDS) enables the management of non-transactional data that defines business entities within the enterprise. Get a good business and technical understanding of how MDS can help obtain better business clarity across the organization through a Data Governance strategy. Data Governance is a methodology that represents quality, policies, and process management, in relation to handling your enterprise data. The session will demonstrate the architecture of a Master Data Management solution and the data integration required to implement it within the enterprise. In this session, you will learn: * A brief introduction to Master Data Management and Data Governance * Master Data Management staging architecture * Data integration with the entity-based staging tables * Batch processing to move data in the MDS specific tables * Publishing data to external systems with subscription views and web services
Speaker(s): Reeves Smith,
Abstract:
Many times you'll hear that one of the major advantages of using the tabular model is ease of use and implementation. So that must mean that it will run like a super fast dream all the time out of the box, forever and ever right? Not exactly. There are many things to consider at the time of modeling and implementation for performance. And later if you run into trouble with reports and queries, what do you do then? In this session we'll go through the process to troubleshoot performance of your tabular models and queries to keep things running as fast as possible. Just because tabular is easy to use doesn't mean you have a magical black box that you can't tune when it doesn't run as fast as you want. In this session, we will focus on building a methodology for troubleshooting tabular performance so you can get that super fast dream machine.
Speaker(s): Hope Foley,
Abstract:
Big Data has moved beyond the hype and entered the mainstream as a tool for managing large and unstructured data sets, giving data architects more options for managing data. The Hadoop ecosystem has become the tool of choice and Microsoft has entered this arena with HDInsight in the cloud. For DBAs this means having a place to store data that can be accessed using a highly parallel framework. In this session you’ll see how to use the numerous tools available to store data in Hadoop, process it, manage it, and retrieve it. We’ll explore Sqoop and how its many options can be configured to import data by taking advantage of Hadoop’s massive parallelism. We will develop and run Map\Reduce code, with an emphasis on understanding what belongs in a mapper function versus what belongs in a reducer function, while demonstrating Hadoop Streaming with languages such as R and C#. Finally, Hive will be shown to exhibit the use of a high-level query language in Hadoop for those who prefer SQL.
Speaker(s): Carlos Bossy,
Abstract:
In this session I will demonstrate how to create a DocumentDB instance in Azure, how to work with JSON documents, create Ad hoc queries with familiar SQL syntax, create application logic as stored procedures, triggers and user defined functions (UDFs) using standard JavaScript. Goals: #1 Show how to create validate JSON strings using Notepad++, validate the JSON against a schema using C# Newtonsoft dll. Demonstrate how to work with JSON in SQL Server as a reference on how hard it is to work with JSON when it is not natively stored. #2 Demo the basics of DocumentDB - Create the database, collections and documents using the web interface. Demo how to perform basic selects, joins and filtering. Review java script basics as java script is fundamental in creating stored procedures #3 Demo of how to work with DocumentDB in a C# by creating collections, documents and querying the database using lync and SQL syntax.
Speaker(s): Jeff Renz,
Abstract:
Grab your lunch and join John McAllister in the Profisee room for an informative presentation while you eat! Accelerate SQL Server Master Data Services with Profisee Maestro SQL Server Master Data Services (MDS) is a robust platform for master data and hierarchy management that provides master data capabilities such as business rules, a managed schema, hierarchies, versioning, workflow, and Excel Integration. Profisee Maestro slashes your time to deployment on MDS by providing an alternate UI for data Stewards and Application owners. Maestro adds data modeling, a first-rate user experience, ER-Win Integration, Simplified Import/Export to simplify getting MDM in the hands of your users. Maestro also adds data quality, matching, harmonization, address corrections, an API, web parts and CRM integration. Come see how Profisee Maestro can take your MDS implementation from the department to the enterprise.
Speaker(s): John McAllister,
Abstract:
Do you want to test hardware upgrades, index tuning or multi-client applications? Would you like to do this with data specific to your organization? Distributed Replay, introduced in SQL Server 2012, is a tool that will allow you to accomplish exactly that. In this session, we will cover why you should use it, how to set it up, and what types of data to collect for testing and replay. This session will demonstrate tangible methods and undocumented tidbits, that you can take back to your environment to create immediate, and measurable tests.
Speaker(s): Melody Zacharias,
Abstract:
Survivability of data should be the #1 priority for any database administrator. Corruption can happen to any database at any time. How soon corruption is detected and a quick response is key to minimize lost data and recovery in a timely manner. Have a plan ready when it happens, as this is one time you don’t want to “learn on the job”. In addition to daily and monthly maintenance that should be performed, other topics discussed will include e-mail notification when data becomes corrupt and Service Level Agreements.
Speaker(s): Andre DuBois,
Abstract:
Business Intelligence has received a great deal of attention over the last few years and there are numerous, often confusing products, strategies and offerings. With so many technologies to choose from it can be very difficult to decide where to start and what technology is the right fit(or more importantly, the wrong fit). Join Phillip as he guides you through the rapidly expanding BI universe. This session is intended for those curious about BI technology who have limited or no experience with it.
Speaker(s): Phillip Labry,
Abstract:
Your databases may not be terabyte-sized yet, but they're probably growing every day. We'll look at lessons learned from working with multi-terabyte, very large databases (VLDBs) in the real world. Topics include storage layout decisions, unique tuning challenges, HA/DR implications, and database restores, along with shoehorning backups, re- indexing and DBCC checks into itty-bitty maintenance windows. As a bonus, many of the techniques also apply to smaller databases and consolidated servers that run hundreds of databases.
Speaker(s): Eric Peterson,
Abstract:
Parameter sniffing is something that more than often helps performance on your servers; however, there are times when it can hinder performance as well. In this session we will define exactly what parameter sniffing is, and examine when it is good and when it is bad. Lastly, we will explore the different options available to fix bad parameter sniffing. After this session, you will be able to locate and fix bad parameter sniffing when it occurs on your servers.
Speaker(s): Lance Tidwell,
Abstract:
Source control isn't just for application development anymore; your database code needs it just as much! This session will cover the fundamentals of source control systems and how getting your database under version control is an excellent way to collaborate with team members, communicate changes, and keep an audit trail. You'll see how Redgate SQL Source Control makes it incredibly easy and intuitive to maintain your database in nearly any source control system, and how the universe of development pipelines and continuous integration is easily accessible from there.
Speaker(s): Bob Pusateri,
Abstract:
Machine Learning is Microsoft’s big entry in to the predictive analytics arena. . In this introductory session we will discuss the growing new field of predictive analytics and how Machine Learning is used to predict future results. Instead of staring into crystal balls, Machine Learning provides the ability to experiment to determine which algorithm or R code best analyzes the data to determine if past performance is indicative of the future or use scoring to find a more appropriate model.
Speaker(s): Ginger Grant,
Abstract:
SQL Server Data Tools changes traditional database development by introducing a declarative, model-based experience that supports both online and offline (project-based) database development. In this presentation you will learn how to use this tool for either a new or existing database project. We will also highlight and demonstrate key built-in features like refactoring, pre and post deployment scripts, publish, and schema compare.
Speaker(s): Andy Vold,
Abstract:
As our data size grows larger the need for optimal indexing within our databases becomes even more important than before. This session will help you understand how choose appropriate indexes to streamline our DML operations in our enterprise. You will learn the optimal strategy for selecting both clustered and non-clustered indexes in your database. Along the way, we will discuss how column and index statistics can affect the performance in your queries. Finally, we will take a look at the benefits and pitfalls of using filtered, full-text search and composite indexes, their best practices, and exceptions to the rules.
Speaker(s): Konstantin Melamud,
Abstract:
Techniques and Tools for doing BI projects have improved over the past several years. Learn about what is available. Take some of these thoughts back to your work and apply them to your current projects.
Speaker(s): Kevin Cox,
Abstract:
While blocking and deadlocks are part of the territory for a DBA, dealing with them can be another story. In this session we will break down locking types, capturing and identifying deadlocks and the code behind them, and things you can do to resolve and prevent blocking and deadlocks. If you are frequently dealing with deadlocks in your databases this session is for you.
Speaker(s): Amy Herold,
Abstract:
SQL Server query tuning is often more art than science and it can quickly eat up a lot of DBA and/or Developer time. This presentation will outline a method for determining the best approach for tuning queries by utilizing response time analysis. Regardless of the complexity of the statement, this quick, systematic approach will lead you down the correct tuning path.
Speaker(s): Trent Sherman,
Abstract:
Tips and Tricks and Painful lessons learned as I have ventured into the world of Hadoop, JSon and Hive. Our data has made the move from a relational database to a JSon structure, and reporting across the entire enterprise of data has changed. We have introduced Hadoop batch processing to our ETL processes to collect and process data from various locations, depositing them in various other locations. Along the way, various brick walls were surmounted. We will discuss some of these brick walls. Some of the oddities encountered in this journey. and hopefully prepare you for a similar trip, without all the pain we suffered.
Speaker(s): TJay Belt,
Abstract:
Replication simplified! Learn the basic parts that make up replication, what tools are included to help you along plus a look into monitoring. We will cover the players in the game: Pubishers, Subscribers and Distributors, then delve into the data delivery process with Publications, Subscriptions and Articles, finishing up with the Log Reader and how to make sure everything is working and running smoothly.
Speaker(s): Wendy Pastrick,
Abstract:
Power BI is the latest tool for delivering data visually to your end users. Come learn some basics and get started creating your own dashboard today!
Speaker(s): Shannon Holck,
Abstract:
Come see how Pyramid Analytics delivers a powerful, business user friendly platform that empowers organizations to make the most of their Business Intelligence. A demonstration will show you how to leverage your SQL environment to make Business Intelligence available to all within your organization. See how all levels of users can access, understand and present the right information to the right people at the right time.
Speaker(s): Matt White,
Abstract:
BIML makes SSIS development faster and creates reusable modules that help you apply a consistent ETL framework across solutions. In this session, we will write BIML and use it to build an SSIS package. You'll see how BIML allows you to avoid corrupted metadata and the tedious repetition of implementing simple SSIS patterns, freeing you up to take on new and interesting ETL challenges. Then we will review how to use it to create an extensible ETL framework.
Speaker(s): Meagan Longoria,
This is a list of speakers from the XML Guidebook records. The details and URLs were valid at the time of the event.
Konstantin has over 15 years of SQL Server experience and demonstrates his expertise and commitment to helping SQL Server DBAs succeed through his position as Director of Service Delivery at RDX. In his role, Konstantin is responsible for designing and implementing RDX’s service delivery strategies, including those for SQL Server. Since joining RDX in 2009, Konstantin has proven to be a strong leader and expert in SQL Server database administration, architecture, performance tuning, and business intelligence. He is also a very active member of the SQL Server community and frequently presents at SQLSaturdays and user groups throughout the year. In addition, Konstantin presented during 24 Hours of PASS and at the PASS Summits.
LinkedIn: http://ca.linkedin.com/in/melodyzacharias
Contact: http://sqlmelody.com
Melody is the Sr. Microsoft Solutions Manager at Pure and has been in love with data since 1991. She has been sharing her passion with the community in technical sessions and blogs since 2014. She has been a Microsoft MVP since 2016, including winning Rookie of the year for Canada that year. This last year, she was elected to the board of directors for PASS.org, the professional association for SQL Server and was awarded Regional Director by Microsoft. She has co-authored 3 books, including, SQL Server 2019 Administration inside out by Microsoft Press.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/matt-white/0/a41/944
Matt has been working with the Microsoft BI stack for over a decade. As an Account Manager for Pyramid Analytics he works with organizations to leverage their investment in SQL Server to create Business Intelligence solutions for IT and Business end users.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/bobpusateri
Contact: http://www.BobPusateri.com
Bob Pusateri is a Microsoft Certified Master, DBA, and systems architect with over 10 years of experience on SQL Server. His interests involve internals, performance optimization, and cloud technologies. He is an active member of two Chicago-area PASS Local Groups, a community speaker, and maintains a web presence through both Twitter (@SQLBob) and his blog (bobpusateri.com).
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/rick-lowe/a/228/441/
Contact: http://dataflowe.wordpress.com/
Rick is a Microsoft Certified Master with more than 20 years of SQL Server experience in a variety of roles. He currently lives in Washington state and works as an independent consultant providing remote performance DBA and performance tuning services for clients in the USA and Canada. His first exposure to SQL Server was as a database developer, but over time he became more and more interested in how the database engine operated... eventually specializing more on performance issues than code. Rick will work with all things relational, but most enjoys helping smaller companies get better performance from MSSQL, as well as smoothing over relationships between DBA and development teams.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/bobpusateri
Contact: http://www.BobPusateri.com
Bob Pusateri is a Microsoft Certified Master, DBA, and systems architect with over 10 years of experience on SQL Server. His interests involve internals, performance optimization, and cloud technologies. He is an active member of two Chicago-area PASS Local Groups, a community speaker, and maintains a web presence through both Twitter (@SQLBob) and his blog (bobpusateri.com).
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelfal/
Contact: http://mikefal.net
Mike is a specialist in data management technologies. As a community advocate, public speaker, and blogger, Mike is a practicing thought leader for data and automation. He is passionate about DevOps and data, building platforms to optimize, protect, and use data efficiently. Since 1999, Mike has been working in the database field, focusing primarily on SQL Server and specializes in automating data solutions to improve the reliability and efficiency of his environments. He has been caught playing trombone in public on more than one occasion.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginger-grant-3a177b157/
Contact: http://www.DesertIsleSQL.com
Ginger Grant manages the consultancy Desert Isle Group and shares what she has learned while working with data technology to people around the world. As a Microsoft MVP in Data Platform, Microsoft Certified Trainer and an instructor on DataCamp, she focuses on guiding clients to create solutions using the entire Microsoft Data Stack, which includes SQL Server, Power BI, and Azure Data Cloud components. When not working, she protypes the latest pre-release data technologies, maintains her blog http://www.desertislesql.com, and spends time on twitter @desertislesql.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonhorner
Contact: http://blog.jasonhorner.com
Hi, my name is Jason I'm a practice lead at Redapt. I spend most of my day helping clients solve business problems mostly in the Data and Advanced Analytics spaces. Sometimes this involves various and sundry cloud technologies including Azure Data Factory, Azure SQL Data Warehouse, Azure Data Lake Store, Azure Databricks, HDInsight and Azure SQL Database. I'm fluent in several languages including: SQL, C#, Python, and PowerShell. I'm a Microsoft Certified Master of SQL Server (MCM) and have been recognized for my technical excellence and evangelism efforts by Microsoft by being awarded the Most Valuable Professional (MVP) for the last 5+ years. In my off hours I like to snowboard, karaoke, ride roller coasters, and play arcade games
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/billinkc
Contact: http://blog.billfellows.net
Bill Fellows is a SQL Server MVP and has been a database developer for most of his career, with the past 15 years focused on ETL. He is the organizer of Kansas City's eight SQLSaturdays and a speaker at many other SQLSaturdays, User Groups and the PASS Summit. Bill is the owner of Sterling Data Consulting where he gets to solve interesting data problems.
Leslie Weed is currently a Data and BI Architect with RevGen Partners in Denver, CO. She has been a SQL Professional specializing in Business Intelligence, data analytics, systems implementation, integration, and solutions delivery for the last 20ish years, including a variety of Enterprise Data Warehouses in various industries.
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/jasonkassay
Contact: http://www.JasonKassay.com
Jason Kassay is a database administrator, software engineer amp; speaker from Colorado with over 12 years of experience. He is passionate about SQL Server, programming, release process, automation amp; performance tuning. Jason is an active member of the SQL Server community amp; volunteers/presents at events such as Colorado User Groups, SQLSaturday amp; Colorado GiveCamp. When not tuning databases or coding, Jason will most likely be found spending time with his family, playing hockey or running.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/meaganlongoria/
Contact: http://datasavvy.me
Meagan Longoria is a business intelligence consultant with Denny Cherry Associates, and lives in Denver, Colorado. She is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP. Meagan spends a lot of time thinking about how to use data integration, DAX, and data visualization techniques to make data useful for people. She enjoys sharing her knowledge and experiences at conferences and user group meetings, as well as through her blog (DataSavvy.me).
Kevin Cox has been working with databases for over 35 years and with SQL Server for more than 25 years. He is an author, lecturer, and mentor in database subjects. Kevin is currently with the Microsoft Azure Engineering product group in the Customer Advisory Team and feels fortunate to be able to work on the largest projects around the world.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/keith-tate/34/a40/a46
Contact: http://thesqlchef.com
Keith Tate is a Senior Database Administrator with over 17 years of experience as a data professional. During Keith#39;s professional career he has been a developer, DBA and data architect. Keith is also active in the SQL Server community and is currently the chapter leader of the Albuquerque SQL Server User Group.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/reevessmithiii/
Contact: http://reevessmith.wordpress.com
Reeves Smith, owner and principal architect of Macer Consulting, is passionate about applying data technologies that empower organizations. Reeves wields his knowledge and experience to lead, design, architect, and teach, working with both data center and business project teams. He approaches every project by first understanding the organization’s business challenges, and then developing a unique approach that targets those business needs accurately and effectively. Reeves Smith has more than 20 years of experience working on the SQL Server stack. He is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP and Microsoft Certified Master, and regularly delivers technical presentations at international, regional, and local conferences and user groups.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellepoolet
Contact: http://mountvernondatasystems.com/blog.html
Michelle Poolet, MCIS and Zachman Certified Enterprise Architect(tm), has been working with Microsoft SQL Server(tm) since version 6.0. She has authored many articles for SQLMag(tm). She created and delivered classes in Database Design, Theory amp; Programming at University of Denver. A founder of Mount Vernon Data Systems, Michelle is currently focusing on SQL Server database administration, OLTP engine performance/tuning, database architecture, and data modeling.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/jeff-renz/29/82a/aa4
Contact: http://www.revgen.com
Jeff Renz is a Senior Architect at RevGen Partners, currently working as the design architect and implementation lead on several projects for a Fortune Top 50 company. Jeff has worked with SQL Server and BI for 15+ years and has 10 years’ experience with data warehouse design and implementation. In addition to consulting, he is joining the University of Denver adjunct faculty and is expected to begin teaching in the ICT program starting in June. He received his bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, his master’s degree in Operations Research from Colorado School of Mines, and will be graduating from the Harvard Business Analytics Program in December.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/tjaybelt/
Contact: http://tjaybelt.blogspot.com
TJay Belt is an outdoorsman at heart who enjoys riding dirtbikes, waterskiing, boating, playing racquetball and spending time with his family. When he can't be out playing, TJay loves to tinker with databases. TJay has been an IT professional for over a decade and a half. Currently serving as a Senior Database Administrator with Imagine Learning. TJay has progressed through several roles in his database career including developer, data guy, database developer, database analyst and DBA.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin/in/carlosbossy
Contact: http://www.carlosbossy.com
Carlos Bossy (MCTS, MCP BI, CBIP) is a data and cloud analytics architect with 25 years of experience in software and database development. As a principal of Datalere, Carlos focuses on developing BI, Data Science, and Advanced Analytics solutions, including modeling data warehouses and delivering predictive models, integration, and visualization. He has developed warehouses and BI solutions for a variety of industries and state agencies, including health insurance, solar energy, foster care, telecom, and manufacturing.
Contact: http://phillip.labry.com
Phillip Labry is a Senior BI Consultant and Trainer with over 20 years experience in SQL Server and over 30 in IT. He has been lucky enough to work on data projects spanning telecom, banking, retail, law enforcement, health care, insurance, financial services and energy sectors. As a national consultant he provides training and builds solutions utilizing the full MS BI stack. He is an active member of the Madison, WI PASS chapter and speaks at events in the USA and Canada.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hyde-3803706
Chris Hyde is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP and Microsoft Certified Trainer based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He works as an independent SQL Server BI and DBA consultant, and is the leader of the Albuquerque PASS local user group. He is also part of the Friends of Redgate program and was a member of the Idera ACE class of 2018. He loves loud music and cricket, but usually not at the same time.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewvold
Andy Vold, a SQL Server MCSA, MCTS and MCITP, is an Architect with RevGen Partners working primarily in business intelligence, SSIS/ETL, and database development. He enjoys helping clients by building database and business intelligence solutions to solve their complex business needs. Andy is a past board member of the Denver SQL Server Users Group.
Contact: http://wendyverse.blogspot.com
Wendy Pastrick is from Chicago, IL, and for the past 15 years has served as a Database Administrator supporting both development and production environments. Her many years of involvement with PASS include WIT Virtual Chapter and the Chicago Suburban User Group, serving as Regional Mentor, and as a PASS Board member since 2013. Wendy has organized several highly successful SQLSaturday events in Chicago.
Trent Sherman has over 25 years of overall IT experience and over 20 years of DBA experience primarily in the telecommunications amp; software industries using Oracle amp; SQL Server. He is currently an Engineer/DBA with Confio Corporation, recently acquired by Solarwinds. Prior to Solarwinds, Trent worked as a Senior Infrastructure Architect, Technical Manager, DBA, Developer and Design architect in several OLTP amp; VLDB/Data Warehouse database environments.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/christophershaw/
Contact: http://chrisshaw.wordpress.com/
Chris Shaw started his database career in 1993. Following the Marines, Chris continued working with databases for companies such as Wells Fargo, Pulte Mortgage, and Yellow Pages Inc. Chris has been writing and speaking about SQL Server for over 15 years at events such as SQL Connections, PASS Summit, and SSWUG Ultimate conferences. Chris received his 5th Microsoft MVP award.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/hopefoley/
Contact: http://www.hopefoley.com
Hope Foley, a former Data Platform MVP, has worked across many industries as a DBA and Business Intelligence consultant. She joined team at Microsoft and is a Data AI Technology Solutions Professional. She has worked with enterprise customers but now focuses on education. Hope is an active member in the SQL Server and PASS communities speaking at events and organizing the SQLSaturday event in Indianapolis.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/public-profile-settings?trk=prof-edit-edit-public_profile
Contact: https://glennsqlperformance.com/
Glenn works as a Principal Consultant for Dr. DMV, LLC in Elizabeth, CO. He was a Data Platform MVP from 2007-2017, and he has a whole collection of Microsoft certifications, including MCITP, MCDBA, MCSE, MCSD, MCAD, and MCTS, which proves that he likes to take tests. His expertise includes DMVs, high availability, hardware selection, performance tuning, and Azure SQL Database. He is also an Adjunct Faculty member at University College - University of Denver, where has been teaching since 2000. He has completed the Master Teacher Program at Denver University - University College. He is heavily involved in the SQL Server community, and is a frequent speaker at user groups, SQLSaturdays, and the PASS Community Summit.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/davidaklee
Contact: http://davidklee.net
David Klee is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP and VMware vExpert with a lifelong passion for technology. David spends his days focusing on the convergence of data and infrastructure as the Founder of Heraflux Technologies. His areas of expertise include cloud, virtualization, performance, and business continuity. David speaks at a number of national and regional technology related events, including PASS Summit, VMware VMworld, SQLBits, SQLSaturday events, and many SQL Server User Groups.
Contact: http://MtnDBA.wordpress.com
Andre has been in the IT industry for over 25 years in various positions with the majority working as database administrator, designer and programmer. His experience has been in the financial, travel and education industries.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timgorman
Contact: http://evdbt.com
Tim Gorman is a senior technical consultant for Delphix who securely enables masked data virtualization to increase the agility of IT development and testing while ending decades of security risk in SDLC. Tim has co-authored six books on data warehousing and database administration, has performed technical review on eight more books, and has an author#39;s page on Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Tim-Gorman/e/B00BKCTO5E).
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sqlshannon
Contact: http://biwarewolf.blogspot.com/
Master Certified Data Management Professional, former Microsoft Certified Trainer and Microsoft Certified Solution Developer, Shannon traveled the world teaching C#, VB.NET, VB6, Java, amp; Web dev. Now managing the BI/DW team for National Cinemedia in Denver, CO leveraging the Microsoft BI and Azure stacks. Experienced in advertising, insurance, health care, emergency medical software, GIS, and B2B. Occasional attendee at Denver SQL User Group because too busy killing it on competitive sand volleyball courts. Little time to blog but a few morsels @ http://biwarewolf.blogspot.com. Follow on Twitter @SQLShannon
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbeacom
Contact: https://datalere.com/author/marc-beacom/
Marc Beacom, Managing Partner at Datalere, leverages over two decades of experience to better the data landscape for clients, along with nearly a decade of building and managing productive teams. Marc has led architecture and developed data integration strategies for dozens of Colorado based companies and organizations. Marc maintains an active presence in the Colorado community by volunteering and serving on nonprofit boards, speaking and running user groups.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/todd-kleinhans/0/920/981
Contact: https://toddkleinhans.wordpress.com/
Todd Kleinhans has been using SQL Server since the last millennium. He has served in different roles across many industries but he's mainly been a DBA. When not in virtual reality, he likes to speak at PASS sponsored events and volunteers in various groups like PASS, DSSUG, Colorado Virtual Reality and is the President of Denver/Boulder Unreal Engine group. He is on Twitter: @toddkleinhans and blogs at https://toddkleinhans.wordpress.com/
Contact: http://datamountain.sqlmountain.com/
Stunningly handsome, yet surprisingly humble, Mike Sexton spent the first ten years of his career as a public defender in New York. Upon learning the discrepancies between his salary and the salary of newly minted college graduates working in IT, he had an epiphany and immediately learned how to program database applications. He has designed and built database applications for 12 years in both SQL Server and Oracle based systems, he has been published in SQL Server Magazine and is one of the aut
Eric Peterson is a consultant specializing in database architecture with experience in demanding Fortune 100 company environments. He has a Computer Science degree complemented with an MBA, which meshes well with his jobs integrating business information with the systems that process it. He has worked with SQL Server since its inception and was an instructor of SQL courses at a national technical training company. He also speaks are regional SQLSaturday events.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbmcallister
Contact: http://www.profisee.com
John McAllister co-founded Stratature, an Independent MDM software vendor, in 2001. Following Microsoft’s acquisition of Stratature in 2007 John served as Group Program Manager for MDS and oversaw the incorporation of MDM into SQL Server. John now serves as the Regional Sales Director for Profisee, Inc. which provides enterprise-class MDM Solutions built on top of Microsoft’s MDS offering. John has worked with 100’s of organizations around the world in all phases of MDM projects.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/russ-thomas/59/601/4b2/
Contact: http://www.sqljudo.com
Prior to focusing full time on IT Management and Database Administration in the Denver Colorado financial sector, Russ spent several years in law enforcement including four as a training Sergeant and Washington CJTC Instructor specializing in Emergency Vehicle Driving at Portland Intl Raceway. An experienced public speaker and trainer, Russ also has two decades of hands on IT work and leadership experience. Russ is a SQL Server Data Platform MCSE and is active in the SQLSaturday community.
Contact: http://lancetidwell.com
Lance Tidwell, from the Austin, TX, area, has worked as a SQL Server DBA for the last 11 years. During his time as a DBA he has found his passion for all things SQL, but specifically for performance tuning. He has a life-long quest to always be learning new things; currently this quest has lead him to explore more about the Data Analytics/ Data Science areas.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/aherold
Contact: http://www.sqlkitten.com/
Amy Herold is currently a Premier Field Engineer with Microsoft, specializing in APS. Prior to this, she was a Sr. Database Administrator, focusing on PowerShell and automation. She is also currently the Director of Programs for the North Texas SQL Server User Group (NTSSUG). She frequently speaks at SQLSaturday and user group events across the United States and has also participated in numerous Women in Technology sessions as a panelist. Amy currently blogs at sqlkitten.com.
Justin Hudnall is a Senior Consultant with RevGen Partners specializing in design and implementation of Microsoft’s Business Intelligence products. Justin has worked with SQL Server and BI for 10 years and has successfully delivered BI solutions for multiple clients across varying industries. He received a Bachelor’s in Management Information Systems from Colorado Christian University.
The following is a list of sponsors that helped fund the event.