Event Location:
Microsoft (Burlington, MA)
5 Wayside Road
Burlington, Massachusetts
Abstract:
It's (past) time to upgrade your SQL Server(s)! Where do you start? What version should you pick? How do you migrate? What about the downtime? ARGH! Come to this session and take the stress out of your SQL Server upgrade project. In this session, we'll walk through all you need to think about and do before, during, and after your upgrade for success. We'll answer your upgrade questions, but you'll also leave with the right questions to ask everyone else as you prepare for a successful SQL Server upgrade project. We'll talk about successful upgrade checklists, best practices, why roulette is better than in-place upgrades, and how to minimize the strain on your users and teams during the upgrade. You'll leave with a working start on your upgrade checklist and plans, too! Come on! Ditch those SQL Server 2008, 2012, and 2014 instances! Also, yes, we'll chat about the cloud some, too.
Speaker(s): Mike Walsh,
Abstract:
You haven't installed SQL Server 2019 yet, and you don't want to sit through a bunch of slides. You want to see a series of real-world demos focusing on the features of SQL Server 2019 that will make your users happier with as little work as possible on your part. You don't have time to rewrite all your queries or learn new languages - you just want the database to go faster. I'm Brent Ozar, and I'll give you the whirlwind tour. I'll focus on just the features that make the biggest bang for the buck, things you can implement right away and see a noticeable difference. I'll show you what kinds of code will benefit the most so you can go back to the office and have an honest discussion with management about what to expect. No slides here - not even an about-me slide. Let's dive into some queries!
Speaker(s): Brent Ozar,
Abstract:
Negotiating a downtime for a release can be difficult in this modern, 24x7 world. When downtime means lost revenue, the price of taking a downtime to deploy code can run up quickly. This talk will show you a way to reduce the cost of deployment by reducing or even eliminating required downtime for database code deployment. We will show how to release new database code, update existing stored procedures, refactor and restructure tables, and even perform systemic re-architecture with no downtime and minimal blocking. We will use as a case study one release in which we modified the primary key column on 180 tables and updated over 550 stored procedures without end users noticing a thing. If you want to hit that three nines (or better) service-level agreement, this talk will help get you on the road to reduced downtime.
Speaker(s): Kevin Feasel,
Abstract:
Developers and DBAs have had a long, sometimes strained relationship. Some developers see DBAs as roadblocks standing in the way of getting their work shipped; some DBAs see developers as agents of chaos bent on ruining their perfect database environments. In this talk designed for application and database developers, we’ll talk about why SQL Server behaves the way it does, common database and query design pain points, and how we look for them. With real-world examples and tales of troublesome T-SQL, past and present, you’ll start to get a picture of what to do and not to do in your applications. Along the way, you’ll learn how to build a better relationship with both SQL Server and the DBAs responsible for it.
Speaker(s): Andy Levy,
Abstract:
How many of you cross your fingers and hold your breath when a new upgrade or new code goes live in production? Well you can breathe now and relax your fingers because in SQL Server 2016 Microsoft released Query Store. Query Store is like a flight data recorder for SQL Server, the black box in an airplane captures everything that occurs on a flight. In this session we will deep dive to learn how to configure (yes – you need to configure this black box – or it could crash your “plane”), use Query Store to troubleshoot database performance issues. I will show you multiple demos to capture baseline, understand query regression and how to force good execution plan. You will walk away with the knowledge of how to configure and use Query Store to help fix performance issues.
Speaker(s): Surbhi Pokharna,
Abstract:
Want to get more out of your SSIS development efforts? The SSIS Productivity Pack is a collection of premium SSIS components which enable an improved SSIS ETL development experience with greater potentials. These SSIS components for connectivity and productivity offer more features and bring new enhancements to SSIS to enable integration scenarios not once possible without custom scripting. In this session, we will introduce you to our collection of 200 advanced SSIS components. We will demonstrate some of our most popular offerings including our JSON XML components for integrating with REST APIs, Premium Derived Column with over 225 functions, and unique components such as Duplicate Detector and Diff Detector. In additional to performing advanced transformations you will also find codeless and feature-rich solutions for integrating with virtually any application or database system including leading enterprise applications such as Microsoft SharePoint, Dynamics 365 and more.
Speaker(s): Daniel Cai,
Abstract:
Abstract: Many corporations are composed of small divisions located in countries throughout the world. While you might be the lead DBA for your corporation, there are several other employees who have the keys to the kingdom. This presentation will review techniques on how to prevent and/or audit data and schema changes. Coverage: 1 – Granting correct user access is vital. 2 – DML triggers to keep a DATA audit trail. 3 – DDL triggers to keep a SCHEMA audit trail. 4 – Preventing unwanted DATA modifications. 5 – Preventing unwanted SCHEMA changes. 6 – Preventing table TRUNCATIONS. 7 – LOGIN triggers to control who, what, and when. 8 – Change data capture (CDC) an alternative to triggers. 9 - Which of these techniques apply to an Azure SQL database?
Speaker(s): John Miner,
Abstract:
Let us connect DBAs and Infrastructure Admins providing to DBAs vital information how to get best SQL Server deployment on top of VMware virtual platform. The session will cover both the design and the configuration of a SQL Server virtual machine with the special focus on: • vCPU allocation and deep dive in vNUMA • Memory allocation and configurations options • Storage configuration best practices including PMem/NFS/Snapshots • Network configuration myths and best practices It all that you want to know about virtual platform configuration but hesitated to ask! Directly from the source with the ton of hands-on from VMware Professional Services.
Speaker(s): Oleg Ulyanov,
Abstract:
Whether you are deploying on premises (physical or virtual) or up in a public cloud (Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud Platform), your SQL Server databases and instances need to be highly available. Some options, such as Always On Failover Cluster Instances (FCIs), are not easy to deploy when you need some form of shared storage and traditional storage methods are not accessible. Other times you have storage performance requirements in addition to availability that cannot be met by traditional solutions such as a SAN. Come to this session to learn how SIOS DataKeeper Cluster Edition can enhance your SQL Server deployments to help you achieve high availability, disaster recovery, and storage performance goals.
Speaker(s): Allan Hirt,
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 installment of Rick's "Why should I care" series, he lays out a case for why working knowledge of the plan cache is critical for performance tuning efforts in real world environments. A review of relevant views and functions is included 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 DBAs often seem so frazzled. This is not a deep dive into the cache, it really is primarily a session exploring _why_ these DMOs are worth slogging through.
Speaker(s): Rick Lowe,
Abstract:
If you know your way around SQL Server, then you will find Azure SQL Database to be familiar territory. But some aspects are more familiar than others, which is especially true for security-related differences. In this session we review the key differences around identity management and authentication (including multi-factor authentication), managing server credentials (or, even better, not needing to in some cases), how to audit logins (probably not what you expect), an overview of encryption and data masking options, and the supporting role of Azure Key Vault. We will also touch on compliance and disaster recovery to give the complete picture of powerful features you'll definitely want to know about to protect your data. This talk will cover relevant capabilities for both traditional Azure SQL Databases and the newer Azure SQL Managed Instances. This talk assumes you are already familiar with SQL Server or another enterprise database.
Speaker(s): Bill Wilder,
Abstract:
NoSQL is not just about having eventual consistency. Switching from a relational database to a NoSQL data store like Cosmos DB is a mind shift for SQL DBAs and developers used to thinking in terms of tables. Schema-free doesn’t mean you don’t have to think about the schema, but it does allow for faster changes and some interesting design patterns. This session will include a quick outline of Cosmos DB. Then it will move on to describe how indexing works, what the consistency levels all mean, and how your JSON should be designed based on your query patterns. And, I will toss in a high-level overview of the JavaScript triggers, stored procedures, and user defined functions for free. All of this will be presented using examples that are informed by my experience trying to convert a global application from SQL Server to Cosmos DB using the document model.
Speaker(s): MIKE DONNELLY,
Abstract:
In this session we will compare the offerings of Azure SQL Databases, then dig in and show what separates SQL Managed Instances from the rest. We’ll take a look at challenges that previously prevented migrations to Azure, the current features available, some common architectures, and backup and restore options.
Speaker(s): Chris Seferlis,
Abstract:
Ever since database normalization was introduced as a concept by Edgar Codd, there has been continuous debate on how far we should go to eliminate data redundancy. A new developer may be asking why there is a need to create multiple tables, and a DBA may be concerned that performance is being sacrificed. In this discussion, we’ll cover 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and Boyce-Codd Normal Forms, evaluate the pros and cons of normalization and denormalization for integrity and performance, and run through some examples with various data models. All to answer the question, "should...this...be...normalized?"
Speaker(s): Chris Voss,
Abstract:
The cloud continues to become ever more prevalent in corporations around the world, disrupting traditional IT and forcing either adoption or early retirement. All too often, companies attempt a simple "lift and shift" approach that doesn't really net anything more than the Same Old App, now just running on someone else's server (and probably more slowly than it did in its old on-prem home). But the cloud does in fact have a large number of advantages for those of us doing complex data processing. To truly take advantage of its silver lining, you must go beyond lift-and-shift and fully embrace nativity. This session focuses on core concepts, combined with a heavy dose of real-world lessons gleaned while working to build cloud-based data platforms from the ground up. You'll learn why cloud storage and local storage can't be thought of as equivalent, why queues are the basis for pretty much everything in all of computing, and why you must start thinking about applications from the perspective of elasticity and eventual consistency rather than simple transactional functionality. You’ll leave this session with a fuller understanding of what it really takes to build a successful cloud application.
Speaker(s): Adam Machanic,
Abstract:
SQL Server 2019 will introduce us to a new feature called Hybrid Buffer Pool. The ability of placing database files into "Memory" that does not lose its content in case of a power outage. This session will explore when it makes sense to use this feature and when not to use it.
Speaker(s): Thomas Grohser,
Abstract:
SQL Server 2019 allows you to deploy a scalable cluster of SQL Server, HDFS and Spark in Kubernetes. It brings you new capabilities to integrate structured and non-structured data, create data virtualization on top of it and integrate AI with it. Sounds amazing, right? Join me in this session and I show you how it is easy to deploy this cluster and start using it, capabilities it provides and how to manage it. We also review some use cases that are relevant to this solution.
Speaker(s): Sergiy Lunyakin,
Abstract:
Database development and administration require temporary objects for ETL, staging, data processing, and many other common tasks. In this session, we will delve into temporary tables, table variables, and memory-optimized table variables, discussing their differences, how they work, and the optimal scenarios for using each of them.
Speaker(s): Edward Pollack,
Abstract:
Join our panelists as we discuss "Models and Mentors".
Speaker(s): Deborah Melkin,
Abstract:
In this demo driven session you will learn how to: prepare your computer for installation of the dbatools module, install dbatools and pre-requisites, use dbatools commands to automate routine tasks such as migrating logins and jobs, setup log shipping, and add databases to availability groups. At the end of the session, you will be able to return to your office with dbatools as a new tool in your toolkit to help you manage your SQL Server estate in a more efficient manner. Prerequisites: Basic PowerShell knowledge. Some SQL Server Administration experience
Speaker(s): Jack Corbett,
Abstract:
Getting started with GitHub can at times be overwhelming. Especially when you've been working with other source control and project management systems your whole career. In this session, we will overview the below tasks to ensure your success with GitHub. * Initial setup of a Repository in GitHub. * Build Issue templates for new features, bugs, or custom tasks. * Securing the check-in/merge process to your root branch. * Integrating GitHub with other productivity tools to keep on top of changes.
Speaker(s): Joshua Higginbotham,
Abstract:
Would you like to create Pivot Tables in SQL with ease? Become a query writing ninja who uses the Pivot operator to move unique column values into multiple column names for better data insight. In this demo-heavy presentation, you will learn how to create pivot tables enhanced with multiple aggregate columns and column totals using Rollup and Cube operators, and the grouping function. Attendees will also learn to use the Unpivot Operator. Come join me, and by the end of this session, you will have the knowledge to level up your pivoting skills to that of a ninja or maybe even *Chuck Norris. *Not Possible
Speaker(s): Peter Doyle,
Abstract:
You need to deal with more security requirements in your role. How can SQL Server features help you comply? We will delve into Audit, Compliance, and Encryption. SQL 2016/2017 features like Always Encrypted will be detailed at the end.
Speaker(s): George Walters,
Abstract:
Unless you've been stranded on a deserted island for years you've heard about all the data breaches that seem to happen every day. This means data security has never been more important which means SQL Server security has never been more important. We'll take a high level look at security starting with physical security, see the two authentication modes, differences between logins and users, troubleshooting some common login issues, see how to gain access to a SQL Server and wrap up with security similarities and differences between on premise SQL Server and Azure SQL Database.
Speaker(s): Joe Gavin,
Abstract:
Whether you are just starting a career, advancing into senior leadership, or trying to woo a potential client, soft skills can be your ticket to success. Often times we focus on showing how smart we are instead of showing what a good team member we can be. We will discuss the role and types of soft skills needed to showcase your X-factor. Need to hone your skills? We will explore innovative and fun ways in which to do just that!
Speaker(s): Angela Tidwell,
Abstract:
Google Cloud Platform enables you to exit non-differentiating, capital intensive activities like hardware procurement and maintenance. Retire hardware, improve server utilization and deploy your Windows and SQL Workloads in an open cloud environment. Google enables extending your SQL database with advanced Server-less Analytics and AI/ML offerings. Deliver a complete platform without the burden of provisioning, scaling and upgrading infrastructure. This session will provide a walk-through of Google's approach to running Windows/SQL workloads in the Cloud and architectural patterns to address your needs.
Speaker(s): Jay Rajendran,
Abstract:
Always On Availability Groups (AGs) have evolved since their introduction in SQL Server 2012. Not only is there the “classic” form of AGs, but now there are Basic Availability Groups, Distributed Availability Groups, Domain Independent Availability Groups, and Read Scale Groups. Also complicating the picture is virtualization, hyperconverged, the public cloud, Linux, as well as containers which is new to SQL Server 2019. Come to this session to learn what AGs are – and are not – today, the differences between the various AG and deployment options, and how you can harness the power of them in your environments.
Speaker(s): Allan Hirt,
Abstract:
When is Time Period based calculations useful in Power BI? Quick answer - ALWAYS! Business users need to know measures such as: What was Sales, what was the change compared to last-year, year-to-date? Did our Expenses go down, compared to similar period last year? etc. In this session you will learn how to use and apply DAX functions in Power BI, to develop Time and Date based dimensions and measures that will help answer such questions.
Speaker(s): Sunil Kadimdiwan,
Abstract:
In the last releases, SQL Server development was enriched with new T-SQL features, such as CTE (common table extension), array of Ranking and Windowing functions (ROW_NUMBER, RANK, DENSE_RANK, TILE), MERGE statement, OUTPUT clause, EXCEPT and INTERSECT just to name a few. For various reasons some DBA/Developers do not utilize these new features. In this session, the audience will see demonstrations of the different practical use cases where these features can make T-SQL coding more efficient. This 100% code-based demo session highlights efficiency to utilize the latest T-SQL functions over conventional methods with the same functionality. The session will cover in depth live scenarios where these features have proven performance efficiency, code re
Speaker(s): Alex Grinberg,
Abstract:
It's possible to execute SSIS packages from an SSIS Catalog running in a Windows container. It's not easy, but it *is* possible. Join Microsoft Data Platform MVP and author Andy Leonard as he walks you through the steps.
Speaker(s): Andy Leonard,
Abstract:
SQL Server Take Over: Establishing a Baseline Performance assessment and tuning for the beginner DBA Have you ever inherited a group of servers with not a lot of documentation to accompany them? Do you have a lot of undocumented or new servers in your environment and you want to establish some baseline configuration setting prior to making changes? You need up to date information on the system very quickly. The server is running slowly... or is it? Slow compared to what? Before you being digging into performance issues, there are some baseline metrics you should have established. Only after the information has been gathered, can a plan of attack be developed to help resolve issues with performance. Attendees in this session will learn how to quickly gather information, review the results and get an action plan on the next step in performance tuning.
Speaker(s): Lowry Kozlowski,
Abstract:
Hopefully you are monitoring your SQL Servers using DIY scripts or a 3rd party tool. Active monitoring is invaluable to enable the operational DBA to identify and address issues quickly. But did you know that SentryOne offers capabilities beyond just monitoring? Join me and I'll show you how SentryOne provides environment wide visibility and aids in managing cross-server activities. I'll showcase how alerting can be tuned to be effective and not noise. And you'll discover how SentryOne can give you both operational and business value to address your application challenges.
Speaker(s): Andy Yun,
Abstract:
Ever wonder about becoming an ETL master using SSIS platform? Come to this session to learn some advanced techniques and design patterns that can be used in solving some day-to-day integration development challenges.
Speaker(s): Daniel Cai,
Abstract:
A concise and systematic approaches rather than guessing to analyze SQL Server performance will be presented. Through measuring the response time and wait time at the query level, the performance bottleneck is pinpointed and tuned. The presentation will look at the basic of gathering the stats from SQL Server DMVs.
Speaker(s): Eddy Djaja,
Abstract:
Do you consider yourself a beginner to T-SQL? This session will go over the basic T-SQL syntax for querying data. We'll break down the fundamental statements to look at the different parts to see how they work together. This session is designed for the junior DBA or developer who is looking for a better foundation of the basics. The goal is to feel more confident with how to write queries and understand how to build on that knowledge.
Speaker(s): Deborah Melkin,
Abstract:
Finally, it's become easy for SQL Server developers and DBAs to use containers to speed up software development and testing. Containers have been around for more than 30 years, and at last they have become a great tool for Microsoft data professionals. Join Grant Fritchey to learn how containers differ from virtual machines, and why containers make it incredibly fast to deploy new instances of SQL Server. Grant will use Docker containers to demo the process of spinning up a new SQL Server using the very latest version of the product -- without actually installing SQL Server! Finally, you'll learn how containers can be used in the software development lifecycle to speed up the process of developing, testing, and deploying changes.
Speaker(s): Grant Fritchey,
Abstract:
SQL Server 2019 - new features
Speaker(s): George Walters,
Abstract:
Historically running Microsoft SQL Server on VMware vSphere has been a major benefit to all users of SQL Server. The tremendous capabilities both in resource management and mobility innate in the vSphere platform creates an application stack of unparalleled value. Now VMware has expanded its technology offerings into the full Software Defined Datacenter and the Hybrid Cloud. Starting with the VMware offering of the VMware Cloud on AWS, which we presented last year at this event, VMware Technologies through the umbrella idea of “VMware Cloud Foundation” runs on many pubic cloud offerings including Microsoft Azure. In this keynote the VMware Sr. Director of Cloud Platform Product Marketing Andrew Nielsen will discuss the present and future of MS SQL Server and VMware Technologies.
Speaker(s): Andrew Nielsen,
Abstract:
Software developers are evolving as AI developers to full fill vacant positions in AI field. In this session we will talk about the journey of an AI developer from software development background. We will talk about the tools that they need to be familiar with, algorithms they need to know, AI application development life cycle, AI application development best practices, languages they should learn and things they need to keep in mind while developing an AI application.
Speaker(s): Rahat Yasir,
Abstract:
Data is everywhere and Data Science is a very popular topic among data analysts and BI professionals. In this session, I will cover the basic data science principles and methodologies using the Python programming language. I will also present some real-world data analysis case studies using the Python libraries, such as NumPy, pandas, Matplotlib, and SciPy. This session will benefit to anyone who is looking to get started in the data science/ Data Analytics field.
Speaker(s): Ganesh Lohani,
Abstract:
Every new version of SQL Server adds new features, some of these features are rarely talked about. Join me in this practical session to learn about some of the uncommon but useful features and data types of SQL Server. We will start with exploring the hierarchyid, geometry and geography data types of SQL Server. We will look at the Temp tables and find a way to cache Temp tables for a better performance. We will cover sparse, rowversion columns and finish the session by showing a way to remove ORM from web applications by using JSON functions of SQL Server.
Speaker(s): Hasan Savran,
Abstract:
Do you practice restores on a regular basis, but others in your organization do not? Are you worried that a restore may not be complete? As a DBA you are responsible for much more than simply backup and recovery of databases. This session will go over how to backup some SQL Server objects like Alerts, DBMail, LinkedServers, SQL Agent properties, and others with PowerShell. I have not always trusted others to be able to restore a machine. This talk walks through how to CYA in the event of an emergency by backing up SQL objects other than just the databases.
Speaker(s): Matthew Anderson,
Abstract:
Do you understand how SQL Server handles I/O? If not, you should. Understanding I/O is more important than ever with increasing cloud adoption, due to cloud costing models. But even on-premises, I/O has a direct impact on T-SQL performance. Join me for a deep dive into the storage engine to understand how SQL Server handles I/O. Concepts will be paired with T-SQL examples to illustrate the practical impacts. When you leave, you'll be able to optimize your T-SQL reduce I/O and improve performance across the board.
Speaker(s): Andy Yun,
This is a list of speakers from the XML Guidebook records. The details and URLs were valid at the time of the event.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/deborah-melkin-5ba4244
Contact: http://debthedba.wordpress.com
Deborah Melkin has been working as a database professional with SQL Server for almost 20 years. She spends her days helping programmers with all aspects of database design, queries, performance, and deployment. In 2016, she began her blog, Deb the DBA. Soon after that, she began speaking at SQL Saturdays and user groups. Deborah is a board member of the New England SQL Server User group (NESQL) and was recently named as an IDERA ACE Class of 2020. She also won Speaker Idol at PASS Summit 2019. In her spare time, Deborah can usually be found doing something musical.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/allan-hirt/1/b72/673
Contact: http://www.sqlha.com/blog
SQLHA, LLC founder, consultant, trainer, author, and business continuity, infrastructure, and virtualization expert Allan Hirt has been working with SQL Server since 1992 when it was still a Sybase product. He has also been clustering in Windows Server since the late 1990s when it was known as Wolfpack. Currently a dual Microsoft MVP (Data Platform; Cloud and Datacenter Management) as well as a VMware vExpert, Allan works with all sizes of customers, no matter if they are on premises or in the public cloud. He also delivers training and speaks at events over the world.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joegavin/
Joe Gavin is from Greater Boston and has worked in technology as a Field Service Engineer for an auto dealer computer system vendor, a Technical Consultant and Operations Analyst with Sybase and SQL Server based database applications in financial services and now works as a SQL Server Database Administrator for a dairy coop. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology (BSET) degree in Computer Technology from Northeastern University.
An accomplished technology and business strategist, Drew Nielsen has spent nearly twenty years advocating for enterprise IT organizations in their quest to reduce costs and improve operational efficiency. His deep experience in cloud and security solutions underpin his expertise in designing and deploying secure storage and network infrastructure. At VMware, Drew leads the company’s efforts to demonstrate the efficacy of running a software defined data center (SDDC) to meet the dynamic and demanding requirements of traditional, business-critical and modern enterprise workloads. Drew is routinely recognized by customers, partners and peers for his ability to distill complex information into straightforward concepts that enable new routes to
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=81593638
Contact: https://www.sqlshack.com/author/edward-pollack/
Ed Pollack has over 20 years of experience in database and systems administration, which has developed his passion for performance optimization, database design, and making things go faster. He has spoken at many SQLSaturdays, 24 Hours of PASS, and PASS Summit. This led him to organize SQLSaturday Albany, which has become an annual event for New York’s Capital Region. Sharing these experiences with the community is a top priority, and encouraging everyone to take the leap into public speaking and engaging others, a passion. In his free time, Ed enjoys video games, traveling, cooking exceptionally spicy foods, and hanging out with his amazing wife and sons.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielcai/
Daniel Cai is a software developer specialized in SQL Server-based ETL integration development with various APIs and methodologies such as Microsoft Dynamics 365, data warehouse, etc. Daniel was a Dynamics 365 MVP for consecutive 8 years.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thepeterdoyle/
On Jan 12, 2019, Peter attended his first SQL Saturday and experienced an engaging and uplifting community that encouraged everyone regularly to give back. That experience resulted in teaching eleven sessions and delivering a SQL Fundamentals pre-conference the last six months of the year. He is passionate about sharing knowledge on building a solid T-SQL foundation without wasting time. Peter's journey from minimal Excel knowledge to writing Dynamic SQL all started from watching Youtube videos for three hours every morning before work. Managers took notice of the results and transferred him to the reporting department. A few months later, a co-worker suggested he should learn SQL Server and his world of data has never been the same.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-grinberg-36773a6/
I have more than 20 years of IT experience. My primary focus is with the latest Microsoft technologies including .NET (VB and C#), SSRS and SSIS. I provide services in tuning, optimization, analysis and development for the creation of new applications, converting legacy technologies (SQL Server, VB.NET and C# ) and site training. I have worked for CSC, VerticalNet, IDP, LSAC , and TMNAS (to name a few) and I am currently employed with Cox Automotive. I am Apress author book "XML and JSON Recipes for SQL Server", also wrote number of articles for Simple-Talk and SQLServerCentral.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hasansavran/
Contact: http://h-savran.blogspot.com/
Hasan Savran is a BI Architect at Progressive Insurance Company. He spends his days architecting cutting edge business solutions by using the latest Web and Database technologies. He is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP, Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer. Hasan has spoken at many SQL Saturdays, Code Camps and User groups. He is an active member of the HTML5 and WebAssembly W3C groups. He likes to write about SQL, CosmosDB, C#, and Front End development on his blog.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-tidwell-28a11528
Contact: https://www.TidwellTidbits.com
Angela Tidwell is an experienced Data Professional with a love for Data Analytics, Data Science, Power BI, Python, SQL, etc. She is a dynamic and exciting speaker armed with a zest for life and quick wit; her background and unique views on the world provide the backdrop for a plethora of great stories. Utilizing her strong interpersonal skills and verbal/written communications, Angela supports SQL Saturdays across the country and blogs about her experiences in order to help other data professionals grow at TidwellTidbits.com.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adammachanic
Contact: http://sqlblog.com/blogs/adam_machanic
Adam Machanic is a Boston-based SQL Server developer, writer, and speaker. He focuses on large-scale data warehouse performance and development, and is the author of the award-winning SQL Server monitoring stored procedure, quot;sp_WhoIsActive.quot; He has contributed to several books on SQL Server, including quot;T-SQL Queryingquot; (Microsoft Press, 2015). He is a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) for SQL Server.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/melsar93
Contact: http://sqlmd.wordpress.com
Michael Donnelly has been working with SQL Server for 15+ years and holds the MCSE: Data Platform certification. He is an avid runner, blogger, and a wannabe gourmet chef. Currently living the SQL Life on the Jersey Shore.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/allan-hirt/1/b72/673
Contact: http://www.sqlha.com/blog
SQLHA, LLC founder, consultant, trainer, author, and business continuity, infrastructure, and virtualization expert Allan Hirt has been working with SQL Server since 1992 when it was still a Sybase product. He has also been clustering in Windows Server since the late 1990s when it was known as Wolfpack. Currently a dual Microsoft MVP (Data Platform; Cloud and Datacenter Management) as well as a VMware vExpert, Allan works with all sizes of customers, no matter if they are on premises or in the public cloud. He also delivers training and speaks at events over the world.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ganesh-lohani-6275a716
Ganesh Lohani has 10 years of experience working with Business Intelligence platform and Data Analytics, with over 8 years of experience with MS BI tools and Business Intelligence processes. He is currently working for Stericycle as a senior Business Intelligence Developer. He also enjoy his evening and weekend time in providing online training, coaching and mentoring individuals who want to learn MSBI (T – SQL, SSIS, SSRS, SSAS, and Power BI ) products. He holds MSIS degree from University of Texas at Arlington.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/minerjohn/
Contact: https://www.mssqltips.com/sqlserverauthor/154/john-miner/
John Miner is currently a Data Architect at BlueMetal advising corporations on how to solve their business needs with data platform solutions. He has over twenty five years of data processing experience, and his architecture expertise encompasses all phases of the software project life cycle, including design, development, implementation, and maintenance of systems. He has an undergraduate and graduate degrees in Computer Science from the University of Rhode Island. Other credentials include an up to date MCSE certificate and currently taking the Data Science program from EDX. Before joining BlueMetal, John won the Data Platform MVP award in 2014 and 2015 for his outstanding contributions to the SQL Server community.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/deborah-melkin-5ba4244
Contact: http://debthedba.wordpress.com
Deborah Melkin has been working as a database professional with SQL Server for almost 20 years. She spends her days helping programmers with all aspects of database design, queries, performance, and deployment. In 2016, she began her blog, Deb the DBA. Soon after that, she began speaking at SQL Saturdays and user groups. Deborah is a board member of the New England SQL Server User group (NESQL) and was recently named as an IDERA ACE Class of 2020. She also won Speaker Idol at PASS Summit 2019. In her spare time, Deborah can usually be found doing something musical.
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/alevyinroc
Contact: https://flxsql.com
Andy is a database administrator, PowerShell fan, former developer, Open Source contributor, SQL Saturday organizer and user group leader. He’s worn a number of IT hats since 1999 before landing in database administration, including web server administration and development, systems integration, and database development. When he isn’t picking queries apart and wrangling an unruly herd of databases, he can be found helping out with his son’s Boy Scout troop, making BBQ ribs for his daughter, or planning the next family vacation with his wife.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brentozar
Contact: https://www.BrentOzar.com
Brent Ozar loves to make SQL Server faster. He created sp_Blitz and the SQL Server First Responder Kit. He shares what he's learned at BrentOzar.com.
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/matthewandersonj
Matt is a new speaker and Microsoft SQL Server DBA with almost 10 years experience. He has managed databases for healthcare, manufacturing, and entertainment companies on traditional DBA teams and on BI teams.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahat-yasir/
Contact: https://learnwithbddevs.wordpress.com/
Rahat Yasir is selected as Canada's top 30 software developer under 30 in 2018. He is five times Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Award holder in Artificial Intelligence category. He is the author of the first eBook on Windows Phone 8.1 app development "Windows Phone 8.1 Complete Solution" and "Universal Windows Platform - Complete Solution". He was the lead AI developer at Immersive Design Studios and developed world's first AI video upscalling tool. He worked as AI Engineer at Intact Financial Corp and designed production graded AI applications that are serving millions of requests everyday. He is currently working as the Lead AI Developer at OSEDEA and designing the next generation AI solutions for manufacturing industry.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgewalters
Contact: https://georgewalters.wordpress.com/
Currently a partner technical strategist, George has been solving customer needs and issues. He can translate customer pain into potential solutions. A seasoned Microsoft SQL and Azure expert, with over 20 years of experience with Microsoft SQL Server, Sybase, Oracle, and other relational databases. Specialties: Partner strategy, PreSales Engineering, Cloud Architecture, Enterprise Scalability, SQL Server performance, Business Intelligence, High Availability, Scale. I volunteer and present relevant topics at SQL Saturday and internal Microsoft events
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/kevin-feasel/7/716/504
Contact: http://www.catallaxyservices.com
Kevin Feasel is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP and CTO at Envizage, where he specializes in data analytics with T-SQL and R, forcing Spark clusters to do his bidding, fighting with Kafka, and pulling rabbits out of hats on demand. He is the lead contributor to Curated SQL (https://curatedsql.com), president of the Triangle Area SQL Server Users Group (https://www.meetup.com/tripass), and author of PolyBase Revealed (https://www.apress.com/us/book/9781484254608). A resident of Durham, North Carolina, he can be found cycling the trails along the triangle whenever the weather's nice enough.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/slunyakin
Contact: https://slunyakin.wordpress.com
Sergiy Lunyakin (MCSA, MCSE, MCTS) is a Big Data Architect at SoftServe, Inc. He has extensive experience in designing and developing Big Data Analytics, Data Warehouse, and BI solutions, using both on-premises and cloud products. In 2016, Sergiy became Microsoft Data Platform MVP and has since maintained his MVP status. Sharing knowledge is another one of his passions. He regularly speaks at international conferences such as SQLSaturday, SQLDay, SQLNexus, and SQLBits. He also runs the Lviv SQL Server User Group in Ukraine and organizes SQLSaturday Lviv.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/mikepwalsh
Contact: https://www.straightpathsql.com
Mike Walsh is an experienced SQL Server professional and has worked with SQL Server since version 6.5. He has been in the role of DBA, developer, and performance tuner, but always leans on his DBA and tuning experience. He has been awarded the SQL Server (now Data Platform) designation 6 times since 2011 and is a current MVP. He runs a SQL Server consultancy focused on DBA services and cloud enablement. He has spoken several times at PASS and regional events. In his spare time, he runs a small farm with his family in rural New Hampshire and is a call Firefighter in his small town.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/sqlbek
Contact: http://sqlbek.wordpress.com
Andy Yun is a SentryOne Principal Solutions Engineer and a former Microsoft MVP. He has been working with SQL Server for nearly 20 years as both a Database Developer and Administrator. Leveraging knowledge of SQL Server Internals and extensive experience in highly transactional environments, he strives to make T-SQL leaner and meaner. Andy is extremely passionate about passing knowledge onto others, regularly speaking at User Groups, SQL Saturdays, and PASS Summit. Andy is a co-founder of the Chicago SQL Association, co-Chapter Leader of the Chicago Suburban User Group, and part of the Chicago SQL Saturday Organizing Committee.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunilkadimdiwan
Contact: http://www.infotrove.com/events.html
Sunil Kadimdiwan Sunil Kadimdiwan has 25+ years’ experience in architecting and implementing database solutions. He has deep knowledge of the Microsoft SQL Server and Business Intelligence technology stack. He is a frequent speaker at SQL Saturdays, Code Camps, User Group meetings
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cwvoss
Contact: http://ceedubvoss.com
Chris is a data professional located in the Raleigh-Durham region of North Carolina. He has been working on data analysis and database development in SQL Server since 2008 R2. His experience includes hacking T-SQL code, using Reporting, Integration, and Analysis Services for solutions, and delivering data models and optimized queries. He has been a member of the TriPASS user group since 2013 and is part of the organizing committee for SQL Saturday Raleigh. In his spare time, you can spot him working within the autism spectrum community or running somewhere (most likely at a local run club).
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/sqlbek
Contact: http://sqlbek.wordpress.com
Andy Yun is a SentryOne Principal Solutions Engineer and a former Microsoft MVP. He has been working with SQL Server for nearly 20 years as both a Database Developer and Administrator. Leveraging knowledge of SQL Server Internals and extensive experience in highly transactional environments, he strives to make T-SQL leaner and meaner. Andy is extremely passionate about passing knowledge onto others, regularly speaking at User Groups, SQL Saturdays, and PASS Summit. Andy is a co-founder of the Chicago SQL Association, co-Chapter Leader of the Chicago Suburban User Group, and part of the Chicago SQL Saturday Organizing Committee.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/cseferlis
Contact: http://blog.bizdataviz.com
Chris Seferlis is a Sr Cloud Solution Architect at Microsoft. He has 20+ years’ experience working in IT and solving technical challenges from a business perspective. Chris is a former CIO with an MBA from UMass, bringing a mix of business acumen and practical technology solutions, primarily focusing on Data and AI within the Microsoft Data Platform, including MCSA and MCT designations.
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: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-higginbotham-55625798/
Contact: https://codenamesql.blog/
Joshua Higginbotham is a Data Services Manager at Republic Bank based out of Louisville, KY. He's worked in various roles including Software Development, Database Administration, and Business Intelligence. He’s an active speaker within the SQL community and the Co-Chapter leader of the Louisville SQL Server and Power BI User Group.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielcai/
Daniel Cai is a software developer specialized in SQL Server-based ETL integration development with various APIs and methodologies such as Microsoft Dynamics 365, data warehouse, etc. Daniel was a Dynamics 365 MVP for consecutive 8 years.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lowrykoz/
Lowry Kozlowski is a SR SQL DBA and SR Consultant for SWC Technology Partners. Been involved with SQL for 17 years. Co-Leader of the Chicago Suburban SQL User group. Part of the SQL Saturday team for Chicago. Love SQL, photography, solving problems and trying new food. Goal in life is to minimize off hours calls by proactive work on systems.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcorbett
Contact: http://www.wisemanorwiseguy.com
JJack Corbett began working with SQL Server, Access, and VB in 1999, when he served an apprenticeship with a good friend who was the software development manager at the local paper mill. He found his niche and has concentrated on SQL Server development and administration since late 2000. He has worked with SQL Server through version 2017 and was a Microsoft Data Plaform MVP from October 2011 to October 2016. Jack is passionate about helping companies architect, design, and develop high performance applications based on the Microsoft Data Platform. He also has a passion for seeing database developers get the core application code (the database) protected under source control. Jack has presented at many user groups and SQLSaturday even
Contact: http://dbaworld.blogspot.com/
I have worked as a SQL DBA since 1997. I have managed SQL Server starting from version 6.5 to the latest version. Throughout my career I also worked as Oracle DBA, database architect, lead DBA and managing DBA team.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/scarydba
Contact: http://scarydba.com
Grant Fritchey is a Data Platform MVP with over 20 years’ experience in IT, including time spent in support and development. He has worked with SQL Server since 6.0 back in 1995. He has also developed in VB, VB.NET, C#, and Java. Grant has written books for Apress and Simple-Talk. Grant presents at conferences and user groups, large and small, all over the world. He joined Redgate Software as a product evangelist in January 2011.
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/billwilder
Contact: http://blog.codingoutloud.com
Bill Wilder is a cloud computing veteran and CTO at Finomial, providing SaaS solutions to the global hedge fund industry from the public cloud. Bill is recognized by Microsoft as a 10-time Azure MVP awardee for his cloud expertise and community leadership. Excited about the possibilities of Microsoft's Azure cloud platform since watching the public announcement at the 2008 Microsoft Professional Developers Conference, in 2009 Bill started the Boston Azure User Group, the first of its kind in the world, and published through O'Reilly Media the book "Cloud Architecture Patterns" in 2012. Starting in 2019 Bill is an adjunct faculty member teaching in the Quinnipiac MS CYBERSECURITY program. Please reach out @codingoutloud and @bostonazure.
Focused on solving customer challenges through innovative technology solutions on Google Cloud Platform.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgewalters
Contact: https://georgewalters.wordpress.com/
Currently a partner technical strategist, George has been solving customer needs and issues. He can translate customer pain into potential solutions. A seasoned Microsoft SQL and Azure expert, with over 20 years of experience with Microsoft SQL Server, Sybase, Oracle, and other relational databases. Specialties: Partner strategy, PreSales Engineering, Cloud Architecture, Enterprise Scalability, SQL Server performance, Business Intelligence, High Availability, Scale. I volunteer and present relevant topics at SQL Saturday and internal Microsoft events
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasgrohser/
Thomas Grohser has spent most of the past 26+ years exploring the deeper inner workings of SQL Server and its features while working for entertainment, pharmaceutical, and financial services industries. His primary focus is to architect, plan, build, and operate reliable, highly available, secure, and scalable infrastructures for SQL Server. Over the years he has managed thousands of SQL Server instances, processing trillions of rows, taking up petabytes of storage. Thomas has been a Microsoft Data Platform MVP for 9 years and has spoken regularly at conferences, SQLSaturdays, and user groups for 12 years.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/oulyanov-vmware
Contact: https://blogs.vmware.com/apps/
Oleg Ulyanov is a Sr. Solution Architect in VMware Technical Marketing focused on database virtualization and monitoring. He previously spend more than 6 years within VMware Professional Services (PSO) and have more than 15 years of experience in IT. He is a Subject Matter Expert in both monitoring and virtualization of business critical applications with tons of hands-on experience directly from customer sites. He holds a broad range of industry certificates including VMware VCP 4/5, VCAP5-DCD/DCA/CID/CIA, VCAP6-DCV, SNIA, Microsoft, and speaks regularly at the official events like VMworld, VMware User Group, SQL Saturdays.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/AndyLeonard
Contact: https://andyleonard.blog
Andy Leonard is founder and Chief Data Engineer at Enterprise Data Analytics, Microsoft Data Platform MVP, creator of the DILM (Data Integration Lifecycle Management) Suite, an SSIS trainer, consultant, developer, Business Intelligence Markup Language (Biml) developer and BimlHero, SQL Server database and data warehouse developer, community mentor, engineer, and farmer. He is a co-author of "The Biml Book and SQL Server Integration Services Design Patterns" and author of "Managing Geeks - A Journey of Leading by Doing", "Data Integration Lifecycle Management with SSIS", "Building Custom Tasks for SSIS", and the "Stairway to Integration Services". Andy blogs at andyleonard.blog where you can learn more on the About Andy page.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/surbhipokharna
Surbhi Pokharna has been working with SQL Server since 6.5. She is currently working as a Principal Database Administrator for Charles River Development. Surbhi loves deep diving into SQL Server internals and solving database performance issues. Over the years Surbhi h.as managed thousands of SQL Server instances on petabytes of storage. In her current role, she focuses on planning and building SaaS infrastructure solutions for SQL Server and Azure. She has spoken a SQL Saturday and User Groups in the Boston Area.
The following is a list of sponsors that helped fund the event.