Event Location:
Gwinnett Technical College
5150 Sugarloaf Parkway Bldg 900 Bldg
Atlanta, Georgia
Abstract:
Everything in our day to day lives as a DBA is about limits- • Limits in space • Limits in platform • Limits in resources • Limits in expertise This session is about how to remove those limits. How to provide all the databases you need without having to constantly ask for more disk space. How to provide a databases as fast as they are needed for new projects, new test cases and new challenges. How to do more with less time, less people and less hardware and last but not least, how to do all of this without having to become an expert in 20 different languages, products and specialties. Join Kellyn Pot’Vin-Gorman as she demonstrates why virtualization is key to empowering the database administrator. This session will cover how to: • Ease patching and upgrading. • Offer virtualized environments for every project- development through production with only a 1/3 or the resources once required. • How to change OS and database platforms without losing your mind.
Speaker(s): Kellyn Pot'Vin-Gorman,
Abstract:
The TSQL Developer/DBA un-official entry into "R" Coding/Analytics (via TSQL) using RTVS (R Tools for Visual Studio) and SSMS with primary focus and demos around implementing using SQL Server R Services ... (In Database) - (i.e., SQL Server Launchpad (MSSQLSERVER) service) The goal of this session is for attendees to learn / walk away with: 1 A practical understanding of how to install a full working implementation of all Microsoft R components necessary to perform T-SQL "R" coding 2 Heightened interest in adding some R language syntax and R packages to their knowledge base repository 3 An explanation to help sort through some of the confusing things in "R" life .. so many "R" packages - "R" versions - "R" compilers - WTF ... "R" you confused ? 4 Better understanding of syntax and results ... real-world demo time 5 How TSQL Developers SQL DBAs can go from Newbie >> to >> Talented in a short time (with effort) ... Useful links to available resources
Speaker(s): Ulysses B Brown Jr,
Abstract:
The SSIS catalog is one of the best-evolved features in the SQL Server Integration Services ecosystem. With integrated package storage, Windows ACL-like security settings, built-in logging, and many other features, the SSIS catalog has become an anchor for many ETL architectures. With all this complexity, it is important to understand the inner workings of the SSIS catalog to keep it running smoothly. In this demo-heavy presentation, we will dive into the details of the SSIS catalog. We will start with a quick survey of catalog features, followed by an exploration of the moving parts (tables, views, and stored procedures) in the catalog database. We will also review the security capabilities in the catalog, and will discuss maintenance operations. Finally, we'll walk through the mechanics of deployment and execution, reviewing what happens under the covers during these operations.
Speaker(s): Tim Mitchell,
Abstract:
In its origin, Hadoop was created as a distributed computing system designed to process data in batches, but the many advantages of the platform lead to an immediate desire to run interactive analytical queries against Data Lakes built on Hadoop. So a few years back the Stinger initiative was created as an ongoing effort to bring interactive SQL querying capabilities to Hive, and its latest release has finally delivered! In this session, Luis Figueroa (Solutions Engineer @ Hortonworks) will walk you through the latest advancements that make Hadoop a powerful SQL engine that expands you EDW capabilities with unlimited scale and amazing flexibility. Luis will provide a technical overview of the Hive engine, an update on SQL compatibility with the ANSI standard, real world use cases and a live demo. If you are a data pro this session is for you!
Speaker(s): Luis Figueroa,
Abstract:
You are a Developer (.NET, SQL or otherwise) but you have been doing some DBA work and have now decided that is all you want to do - how do you make the transition? What do you need to know? This session will cover this topic from first-hand experience.
Speaker(s): Amy Herold,
Abstract:
The deployment process is frustrating; an object is missing, an object is deployed in the wrong order or an incorrect version. Deploying to multiple environments like Dev, QA, UAT and Prod is a challenge whither on premise or in the cloud. Source controlling database objects is paramount. Team development is required. Database code will only be deployed when changed. Proper security deployment will be repeatable per environment. Together, let us discover how using Database Project will help us with consistent releases. Deployments can cause you trouble but we will share a reliable deployment and version control process. Let’s see how Database Project can help us accomplish this goal.
Speaker(s): Thomas Norman,
Abstract:
Microsoft has added new performance improvements and new features to SQL Server 2016 and 2017’s implementation of Always On Availability Groups. This session will cover improvements that range from Standard Edition support for AGs to load balanced replicas to new ways to create those replicas. We’ll kick the tires on the improved Azure support and discuss the massive performance improvements in Always On as well.
Speaker(s): Matt Gordon,
Abstract:
Microsoft has recently streamlined the certification process and this session focuses on what you need to know to get Microsoft Certified on SQL Server. The session is led by an expert Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT) and Microsoft MVP who regularly teaches the SQL Server certification courses. The presenter walks you through the certifications, exams, and resources available to get you ready for success.
Speaker(s): John Deardurff,
Abstract:
We've all heard about massive data breaches from big name companies. As a DBA, you should consider your company's data to be the most valuable assets. So when a data breach happens at your company, will you be able to provide management with the information? If not, then discover how SQL Server Audit can help provide you with an accurate forensic analysis of who did what to your data. In this session, we'll cover what SQL Audit can capture, how to set it up for both on-premise SQL Servers and Azure SQL Database, and finally produce reports from it.
Speaker(s): Patrick Keisler,
Abstract:
The use of design patterns has been quite popular in object-oriented development to help identify best practices for various situations. Unfortunately, this practice has not really reached the world of relational database architecture where they are just as applicable. In this session, we'll discuss some techniques and best practices that help make database design more effective and efficient not only in operation but also in design and administration. With the use of some example scenarios, you'll walk away with a better understanding of design patterns that you can apply right away!
Speaker(s): Aaron Cutshall,
Abstract:
Enterprise data integration changed with the introduction of the SSIS Catalog. Implementing enterprise data integration often requires functionality beyond the rich features provided by the SSIS Catalog. Building on his previous work in the field of Data Integration Life Cycle Management (DILM) and SSIS Frameworks development, a Data Integration Architect with 10 years of SSIS experience explains the what, why, and how of an SSIS Catalog-integrated Framework that delivers metadata-driven package execution, connections management, and parameter configuration. In this session, you will learn: - A method for migrating packages from Development, through the data integration life cycle, to Production without editing SSIS Connection Manager Properties. - A metadata-driven approach to SSIS package execution. - A method for customizing enterprise data integration reporting.
Speaker(s): Andy Leonard,
Abstract:
In this session, we will learn about the rich set of capabilities of SQL Server 2016 and the new improved features relating to Performance, Productivity and Security. We will understand how the life of a SQL Developer and Database Administrator will be transformed with features like Query Store, Live Query Statistics, Comparing Execution Plans, Built-in JSON Support, Temporal Database, Stretch Database and other nice T-SQL enhancements. We will take a look at the new security features – Always Encrypted, Row Level Security and Dynamic Data Masking. At the end, we will look at the new and improved features of SSMS 2016. We will learn a number of tips and tricks to increase productivity and efficiency in SSMS IDE. This will be a content rich session with plenty of demonstrations.
Speaker(s): Samir Behara,
Abstract:
Just when you are done upgrading to version 2016, SQL Server 2017 is here! SQL Server 2017 delivers important data analytics features and enhancements. Join this session to discover what's new for BI in SSRS, SSAS, and SSIS, and to see these features in action.
Speaker(s): Teo Lachev,
Abstract:
In this class, we will take some real world examples of very complex queries that have over a dozen joins (inner, left, and cross) and break them down to their foundational parts, restructure and rebuild, and improve performance dramatically. We will touch on techniques such as leveraging temp tables, creating indexes, and looking at execution plans to know when you’ve gone far enough on the optimization. Time is money right?...time to save a ton!
Speaker(s): Matt Martin,
Abstract:
In this talk, we will explore two powerful technologies from the Microsoft Azure Stack: DocumentDB and Azure Search. DocumentDB is Microsoft's NoSQL service for building globally scalable schema-free applications. Azure Search allows you to integrate the power of Microsoft's search and natural language processing abilities to explore your complex data stores. During this talk we will cover the benefits of implementing a schema-free database, we will learn how to replicate your data at a global scale with the ease of a simple configuration and we will cover various techniques of querying that data using SQL and the DocumentDB API. Once we have a large datastore in place (we will use 200k+ Jeopardy questions), we will apply the powerful natural language querying capabilities and faceted search features of Azure Search to quickly create an searchable data repository. All of this will be built and exposed using a cross-platform application built in Angular on the Electron framework.
Speaker(s): Christopher Sims,
Abstract:
Next time you attend a meeting, watch what happens when women at the table offer ideas. If your office is like most in America, you’ll notice women are interrupted almost three times as often as men. Some interruptions are to assert dominance but sometimes people do it to be helpful offer affirmation. Regardless of the intent, the results are the same. Women are being left out of the conversation. The consequences are real. Male executives that speak more frequently in meetings are rewarded with 10% higher competence ratings from peers better performance reviews from bosses. Women are penalized. This translates into $ when raises and bonuses are handed out. This discussion will cover positive solutions that help women’s voices be heard. Women need to be more assertive. We need to learn to say “Stop interrupting me.” and “I just said that.” However, men can be, no HAVE to be, part of the solution. They can help women become part of the conversation.
Speaker(s): Rie Irish,
Abstract:
I bet never in your career you thought SQL Server would run on anything other than Windows. Times are changing, and are you ready? SQL Server on Linux is right around the corner! What is Linux - really? Why run your mission-critical databases on an unfamiliar operating system? This introductory session will help seasoned SQL Server DBA understand the basics of Linux and how it is different from Windows, all the way from basic management to performance monitoring. By the end of this session, you will be able to launch your own Linux-based SQL Server instance and get hands-on with this paradigm shift to see if this new platform is right for your organization.
Speaker(s): David Klee,
Abstract:
You’ve heard all the buzz about Power BI, but you have no idea what it is and how it works. This session explains what Power BI is, who can use it and why you would want to. It’s an introductory session that gives you the information you need to determine if Power BI is right for you and your organization.
Speaker(s): Angela Henry,
Abstract:
Azure is seeing phenominal growth. More and more companies, from large enterprises to small start ups, are taking advantage of Azure to host their IT operations. As an IT Pro, you will be asked to manage all these services. While the Azure Portal is a nice user interface, we all know it simply won't scale in the face of the high demands placed on IT Pros. The solution is obvious: PowerShell! In this session you'll be introduced to the PowerShell cmdlets for managing your Azure infrastructure. You'll see how to manage your Azure storage, create virtual machines, and even work with SQL Azure. By the end of this session you'll understand how to use PowerShell to manage the most common Azure tasks.
Speaker(s): Robert Cain,
Abstract:
So you need to move data from 75 tables on the mainframe to new tables in SQL Azure. Do you: a) hand code one package to load all 75 tables, b) hand code 75 packages that move a table each, or c) wish there was a better way? There is! Business Intelligence Markup Language (Biml) can automate the creation of packages so that they all follow the same script. In this beginner level session, we will create some simple metadata to be able to generate multiple packages and their associated connection managers. You will see Biml in action. You will see the XML that Biml uses to define packages and connections. You will see the C# code that Biml uses to fetch metadata and dynamically generate packages in SSIS. And you will see packages and connection managers generated from Biml before your very eyes.
Speaker(s): Simon Kingaby,
Abstract:
One of the most exciting new features of SQL Server 2016 is the integration of the R statistical programming language into the platform with the brand-new SQL Server R Services. In this introductory session we'll briefly introduce the R language and then look at how to install and administer SQL Server R Services. We'll start to demonstrate the power of R by showing you how to create and run simple R scripts from within T-SQL. We'll then discuss some of the powerful open source packages that are available to aid your data analyses. Finally, we'll go through some examples of how to use R to integrate data analytical methods in real-world situations, and wow your customers with the power of statistics!
Speaker(s): Chris Hyde,
Abstract:
Data should be easy to work with in SQL Server if the database has been organized as close as possible to the standards of normalization that have been proven for many years, but are often thought of as old-fashioned. Many common T-SQL programming "difficulties" are the result of struggling against these standards and can be avoided by understanding the requirements, applying normalization, as well as a healthy dose of simple common sense. In this session I will give an overview of how to design a relational database, allowing you to work with the data structures instead of against them. This will let you use SQL naturally, enabling the query engine internals to optimize your output needs without you needing to spend a lot of time thinking about it. This will mean less time trying to figure out why SUBSTRING(column,3,1) = 'A' is killing your performance, and more time for solving the next customer problem.
Speaker(s): Louis Davidson,
Abstract:
SQL Server 2016 is packed with many great features. One of those features is the integration of R in SQL Server via SQL Server R Services. This integration gives us the ability to perform very sophisticated analytics against data inside the database and data warehoused in big data environments such as Spark Hadoop. In this session I will demonstrate how to productionize models developed by your data scientist via SQL Server R Services. I will demonstrate how to manage the whole process using an IDE that many of us have grown to love, Visual Studio.
Speaker(s): Ryan Wade,
Abstract:
On a given project, data scientists can spend upwards of 80% of their time preparing, cleaning, and correcting data. In this session, we will look at different data cleansing and preparation techniques using both SQL Server and R. We will investigate the concept of tidy data and see how we can use tools in both languages to simplify research and analysis of a small but realistic data set.
Speaker(s): Kevin Feasel,
Abstract:
We’re on the cusp of exciting times for database development and administration; data storage is set to explode in volume over the next 5 years by as much as 500%. Companies are struggling to manage traditional relational databases and several forms of Big Data, including dark, binary, and streaming data. New theories of development, administration, and data management have matured, but what impact do they have on DBA’s? What are the concepts and skills needed for future career growth? Come explore how DevOps and the Cloud Paradigm have developed to address modern software delivery challenges. We’ll also examine how the Microsoft Data Platform provides a framework for career paths for SQL Server professionals.
Speaker(s): Stuart Ainsworth,
Abstract:
You want Enterprise Edition of SQL Server? Not gonna happen! When we are limited by having just the Standard version we have to dig into our “Blue Collar” roots, we need to become more creative and squeeze every penny it has to offer out of it. In this session, we will review some of the limitations that Standard has. Then review items such as basic normalization and High Availability options available to Standard. You will also learn Blue Collar techniques to implement partitioning using techniques like as indexed views and partitioned views. Let’s dig in and learn to make use of all we have until we beg our bosses enough to get Enterprise Edition!
Speaker(s): William Wolf,
Abstract:
Are your databases growing? Most likely they are but what do you have to do differently when they reach VLDB (>1TB) in size? I currently manage and have recently migrated terabyte sized databases (~30TB) to SQL Server 2016. In this session, people will learn how they need to change their thinking when it comes to bread and butter DBA tasks like daily and weekly maintenance, patching, restores and monitoring. I will also share many lessons learned and strategies from migrating from an older version of SQL Server to a newer version like SQL Server 2016. Afterwards people will have a greater sense of confidence that they too can manage and migrate VLDB(s).
Speaker(s): Todd Kleinhans,
Abstract:
Do you have SSIS projects that have grown unwieldy, become difficult to troubleshoot or suffer from performance issues? Or maybe you’re getting ready to start a new ETL project and want to learn more about how you can gain efficiency while adding value to your solution? In this session we’ll discuss the concept of an ETL framework and the potential elements that can be incorporated within one. We will look at the advantages of implementing a framework based on metadata and look at some database design options for storing that metadata. To start you off on your framework building journey, we’ll introduce Biml and BimlScript and provide some simple code demos to showcase how Biml can be used to help automate your SSIS package generation. This session will be geared for those with a beginner to intermediate knowledge of SSIS and SQL. While we won’t be teaching Biml in great detail, you’ll get an overview of the technology and pointers on where to learn more.
Speaker(s): Kate Grass,
Abstract:
Unit testing allows database code to be consistently tested during the development process, but it can be challenging to get unit testing setup for database development. This session will give an overview on the purpose of unit testing, the installation of the tSQLt framework, and the design of unit tests. I will use general concepts of test driven design to create and run unit tests to confirm that objects exist and to test single and multiple test cases. Learn how to implement unit testing in a development environment and create and run your own units tests.
Speaker(s): Elizabeth Noble,
Abstract:
"Visual Studio Code combines the simplicity of a source code editor with powerful developer tooling, like IntelliSense code completion and debugging. First and foremost, it is an editor that gets out of your way. The delightfully frictionless edit-build-debug cycle means less time fiddling with your environment, and more time executing on your ideas." Need a quick peek at your SQL Server database but don't want to wait for SSMS to start up? Need to run T-SQL queries from a 32-bit Windows 7 box? Working on a MacBook and don't want to switch to Windows just to run a quick SQL script? Time to try Visual Studio Code. VS Code is a free, open source code editor and IDE from Microsoft built on the Electron project which runs on most popular desktop and mobile systems and starts and executes FAST! Even better, it's extensible - using the MSSQL extension gives users access to stored connection strings, T-SQL for DDL and CRUD queries, and more. This session will demo install and use cases.
Speaker(s): Eric Flamm,
Abstract:
Interested in PowerShell but not sure how to get started? Already have some experience but still having trouble with the basic concepts? This session is for you! Learn to easily figure out what the commands are and how to use those commands without searching the Internet. Extend PowerShell’s functionality to manage products like SQL Server. During this presentation, Microsoft MVP Mike F Robbins will demonstrate several of the core PowerShell cmdlets along with writing one-liners and basics scripts. We’ll discuss how to prevent resume generating events when making changes with PowerShell. Learn what objects, properties, and methods are along with how they’re used in PowerShell. Not a developer? PowerShell is one of those technologies that you can be extremely effective with whether you’re a developer or an IT Pro.
Speaker(s): Mike Robbins,
Abstract:
SQL Server 2017 is right around the corner, bringing with it a host of exciting new features. Of particular interest to BI practitioners and data scientists is the integration of the Python programming language into the SQL ecosystem. This integration opens up a number of possibilities for in-database analytics and intelligent database applications, so let's get started! In this introductory session we'll briefly introduce the Python language and then look at how to install and administer Machine Learning Services. We'll start to demonstrate the power of Python by showing you how to create and run simple scripts from within T-SQL. We'll then discuss some of the powerful open source packages that are available to aid your data analyses. Finally, we'll go through some examples of how to use Python to integrate data analytical methods in real-world situations, and wow your customers with the power of analytics!
Speaker(s): Chris Hyde,
Abstract:
Windows Azure Machine Learning and Data Analytics platform offers a streamlined experience, from setting up with only a web browser to using drag-and-drop gestures and simple data-flow graphs to set up experiments. Azure Machine Learning Studio is a GUI-based integrated development environment for constructing and operationalizing Machine Learning workflow on Azure and features a library of time-saving sample experiments, R and Python packages, and best-in-class algorithms from Microsoft businesses like Xbox and Bing. Learn how the Azure Machine Learning service in the cloud lets you easily build, deploy, and share advanced analytics.
Speaker(s): Bhakthi Liyanage,
Abstract:
For beginning database professionals, execution plans can be intimidating. This 1-hour session takes you through the basics of reading graphical execution plans and drills into key operators, warnings, and properties. Learn how, why, and when an execution plan is created and saved to plan cache. Reading execution plans becomes much less intimidating as we walk through the flow and process of a graphical execution plan. After looking at the key operators, you will be able to analyze the operators of your execution plans, view the operator properties, and identify common performance-tuning opportunities. Finally, you will be able to capture the execution plan and save it for analysis and comparison after modifications.
Speaker(s): Mike Lawell,
Abstract:
A lot of my job involves leveraging knowledge that only I possess. Anecdotal stuff and volatile-state-of-the-data stuff that gets updated several times a day and is almost entirely in my own head. Taking vacations kind of sucks because that institutional knowledge travels with me, and no one is able to pick up my slack. All of my peers in the organization are in the same predicament. Recently though, we've been capturing this institutional knowledge in small artificial intelligences. These systems act in an advisory capacity, routinely automating many of the research and state checks that we need to do our jobs. These systems make us more productive, more collaborative, and enable some luxurious time away from the desk. In this session, you'll learn how we identified the candidates for "micro-AIs," how easy these systems were to implement using freely available tools, and gain some of our hard-won insight into balancing automated AI and human decision-making.
Speaker(s): Jim Christopher,
Abstract:
SSAS Servers need maintenance and monitoring post deployment to production; however, when projects forgo this part the overall system performance can suffer. Just like every SQL Server requires a DBA to maintain it, every SSAS server needs a SSAS administrator. This session introduces you to SSAS administration beyond the initial development of a database. You will learn what to measure and how to determine acceptable ranges of those measurements for your environment. Demos will be used to show you how to use Task Manager, Perfmon and SQL Server Extended Events to get insights into a SSAS server’s health, identify the most common issues with a server in production, and make recommendations for changes to SSAS developers on your team. If you have experience with SSAS development and are interested in learning about SSAS from the sever side, this session is for you. The focus of this session will be on SSAS multidimensional; however, many of the concepts apply to SSAS Tabular as well.
Speaker(s): Shabnam Watson,
Abstract:
SQL 2016 brings us many new features but one of the most anticipated is surely the Query Store. The Query Store now allows us to track query plans as they change over time giving us a whole slew of new possibilities when it comes to tuning our queries. Even just the ability to compare a previous plan to a new plan is a huge step towards understanding what may be happening in our instance. We can even tell the optimizer which plan we want it to use. These were all either extremely difficult to do before and in some cases impossible to do. This session will give you the insight to get started using this new and wonderful feature set.
Speaker(s): Andrew Kelly,
Abstract:
A general discussion about storage and how it affects DBA's. We will discuss how to monitor for performance as well. We will also discuss what DBA's need to consider when talking to their storage administrators.
Speaker(s): Marsha Pierce,
Abstract:
Talk to any DBA about ORMs and you'll quickly find out all the things you like about ORMs are what DBAs don't like. Interestingly enough, most developers I've talked to have issues with their ORMs, too. In this session, we'll explore why ORMs cause such trouble, some strategies for mitigating those troubles, and I'll introduce some tools (and even yet another ORM) that help solve some of the worst of the problems we see in the database when using ORMs.
Speaker(s): Dan Mallott,
Abstract:
The most effective T-SQL support feature comes installed with every edition of SQL Server, is enabled by default, and costs no overhead. Yet, the vast majority of database administrator underutilize or completely neglect it. That feature's name is "comments". In this session, Microsoft Certified Master Jennifer McCown will demonstrate the various commenting methods that make code supportable. Attendees will learn what’s important in a header comment, use code blocking to edit code, build a comprehensive help system, and explore alternative comment methods in stored procedures, SSIS packages, SSRS reports, and beyond. These methods help prevent errors and reduce troubleshooting.
Speaker(s): Jennifer McCown,
Abstract:
Power BI is constantly evolving; this session is an overview of the current abilities and ways to implement Power BI, based on our experience in the field using it. Topics include the Power BI Service, Power BI Desktop, Pricing models, and intro to SSRS 2016 Preview with Power BI. Sample data set used in this presentation is from @DogRates
Speaker(s): Julie Smith,
Abstract:
Providing high availability for SQL Server in the cloud doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. Join the lunch session with high availability experts Cassius Rhue and Heath Carroll, to learn what you need to know about deploying SQL Server on AWS and building high availability solutions for SQL Server in the cloud. Learn how to deploy a high availability SQL Server cluster in AWS EC2 without costly upgrades or complex configuration and learn key secrets that can help you save time and money in your migration of SQL Server to the cloud.
Speaker(s): Cassius Rhue,
Abstract:
Being a BI Professional, you need all the performance tuning the DB folks get and more. In this hour, we will go over important performance tuning tips that you can use to help make your deliverables faster and more effective. We will touch on the MSBI tools of SSIS, SSAS, SSRS and PowerBI as well as some core engine stuff.
Speaker(s): Jonathan Stewart,
Abstract:
You have been wanting to using SQL Server Analysis Services, but just don't have the physical resources on-premises to set one up. Analysis Services has typically shipped with SQL Server on premises, but now it has been implemented as a fully managed service in Azure. Join this session to learn how to create a and deploy a model, load and refresh data using Azure functions, secure the model, view the model and a little about pricing.
Speaker(s): Patrick LeBlanc,
Abstract:
Take an introductory journey into the world of SSIS through the eyes of a SQL Server DBA as he navigates the Business Intelligence waters. This is an introductory course for beginners or users without any SSIS experience. Come learn how to SSIS with me!
Speaker(s): Ed Watson,
Abstract:
If you’ve ever used the standard Excel Source or Destination components in SSIS, you know there are some limitations. Cozyroc’s Excel Source Plus and Excel Destination Plus components remove those limitations. In addition, Cozyroc’s Excel Task enables editing of Excel files from SSIS packages. In this session, I’ll talk about the capabilities of the Cozyroc components and demonstrate how easy it is use use these components with SSIS.
Speaker(s): Diane Schuster,
Abstract:
As a working professional, one spends an enormous amount of time creating, maintaining and updating your work skills. The rat race of everyday life, work, work and more work have many people "caught up". The focus becomes, all too often how fast can I move up the corporate ladder? I need to make more money. How can I create a better brand? On top of all of that, one has to make sure to spend time with their family. So, when is there time for YOU? Join me in an interactive session where I will provide various tools and techniques to assist you with improving your quality of life. Ultimately helping you to create a better you.
Speaker(s): Karlyn LeBlanc,
Abstract:
With a few still supported versions of SQL server to choose from how do you know SQL Server 2016 is the right fit? Let's take it for a quick spin and see how we like it. This will be an introductory view of new features from 10,000 feet. Walk away with some features to look into so you can decide if a next date is right for you and SQL Server 2016.
Speaker(s): Lindsay Clark,
Abstract:
A lot of changes have come to Power BI. Do you understand how Premium fits in? What is an app workspace and why would you use it? And, what the heck is a capacity? We will take a look at Premium, Apps and App Workspaces along with the changes to embedding. We will also see how Power BI Report Server fits into the picture.
Speaker(s): Adam Saxton,
Abstract:
As the popularity of Power BI continues to grow, so does the number of emails and customer calls about issues that they face. Some are easy to solve, and some require a level of research and testing to solve. Join us in this session to learn from some of the top customer issues and trends that we have faced. Explore the problem, and then dive into how we fixed it!
Speaker(s): Patrick LeBlanc,
Abstract:
We will explore the relationship between SharePoint and Excel, how Power BI swooped SharePoint off her feet, and the current Business Intelligence soap opera that stars all three. Using live demos, we will look at data interaction between SharePoint, Excel, Power BI (including the iOS app), and the intriguing new next door neighbor - Microsoft Flow.
Speaker(s): Daniel Glenn,
Abstract:
Backlogs! Standups! Burndowns! If you ever find yourself - as a data professional - immersed in an organization that follows an agile methodology, you're going to want to have a basic understanding of typical roles, artifacts, events, and nomenclature associated with that methodology. In this session, you'll get a quick overview of agile methodologies (focusing on Scrum) and how they apply to the way data professionals work as part of a software development team. You'll leave with an understanding of the goals that agile methodologies try to achieve, resources to learn more, and confidence in knowing a PBI from a PBR.
Speaker(s): Glen Gordon,
Abstract:
In this session, I will introduce you to Microsoft's new self-service ETL tool "Power Query" for Excel PowerBI. I will show you, how to source data from various data sources, how you can massage the data and consume the data for your use in the data pipeline. I will introduce you to "M" language that is used in Power Query. I will show you how you can discover and mash data from public data sources within Power Query. If you would like to do ETL quickly without writing SSIS packages, Power Query is the way go. Come and attend this session to learn "Power Query".
Speaker(s): Damu Venkatesan,
Abstract:
In this session we will take a look at the basics of execution plans. We will discuss what they are, how they are made, and how they are used. We will explore some of the common operators seen in execution plans and their functions. Next we will look at the differences between estimated and actual execution plans. Throughout, you will be getting insight on how to read execution plans to help tune your queries.
Speaker(s): Lance Tidwell,
Abstract:
Microsoft has moved to 18 month releases for new versions of SQL Server. With that, we're getting new features sooner! In this session, Robert Verell and Dan Evans will cover the new features of 2017, including Graph Database, Adaptive Query Processing, and the Azure Migration Assistant.
Speaker(s): Robert Verell,
Abstract:
How do you know when your server is on fire? Without a set known-good measurements to compare against to look at you don’t. This session will show you how to capture a performance baseline for a SQL Server instance. The session will help you decide what and when to capture data and where to store it. Then we will walk through different tools and scripts to use. Then walk you through a scenario of using that data to identify a problem.
Speaker(s): Tracy Boggiano,
Abstract:
Up and running with Azure SQL Database already? This session will provide a grab bag of 12 how-to items you'll need to know to successfully keep your database running. Among those, we'll cover PowerShell for Azure SQL DB, geo-replica and other disaster recovery features and monitoring. As Azure SQL DB rapidly gains capabilities, rest assured that this session covers the latest!
Speaker(s): Sven Aelterman,
Abstract:
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the world's largest public cloud hosting provider with many companies successfully running SQL server on AWS infrastructure. In this session, we explore the options available to you for running SQL server in AWS, either as an RDS managed service or using dedicated EC2 instances. We document the different storage options, HA strategies, security and maintenance caveats to be aware of. We will also detail various approaches to licensing you can take when running SQL server in AWS.
Speaker(s): Brian Carrig,
Abstract:
Successful reporting and transactional systems start with proper architectural principles and considerations. Learn how to design new database systems for optimal performance and how to discover, document and prove when performance issues are caused by the system configuration.
Speaker(s): Nathan Wood,
Abstract:
Are you a data analyst or developer who wants to learn R to compliment your reporting skills? In this session we will use RStudio, a free tool for writing R code, to create several data visualizations. We'll talk about what types of analysis each type of chart is best suited for. Then we'll use the custom R visuals in Power BI to display and share these charts. The session will include information on how to setup Power BI Desktop to work with R, some of the common R packages used for creating visualizations and how to use slicers in your PBI dashboard to filter data in R charts.
Speaker(s): Katherine Fraser,
Abstract:
In this session we will Learn R through an Example. We will Extracting Data from Multiple Excel sheets, transforming the data, Visualizing the data and Loading it into SQL Server Table.
Speaker(s): Kiran Math,
Abstract:
Tensions between the business and IT can be high. The business sees IT as alien and IT sees the business as cavemen. The difference between a great IT professional and a mediocre one is that a great one can work well with the business. This session will give you 6 practical ways you can implement immediately to make a bigger, better impact on the business.
Speaker(s): Kevin Wilkie,
Abstract:
How does SQL do what it does? Take a look under the hood at how the SQL database engine works with the storage engine. What causes those waits and where do we look to resolve them!
Speaker(s): Naomi Williams,
Abstract:
With the cross-platform version of .Net, Microsoft has had to rewrite many of the core components that we have come to depend on. If you include data in your applications, chances are you have used Entity Framework in the past. In this session, you'll learn how to get started using EF Core and how to handle the changes in this version.
Speaker(s): Jim Wooley,
Abstract:
This session will cover techniques and lessons learned in moving a 24X7 system to the cloud, and the changes needed to provide a Highly Available multi-regional cloud based environment. This session covers all the things that were needed to spin up and get into production including: - Definitions - Environmental setup - Installation - SAN setup - Backups - Clustering - Cold\warm\Hot Standby - Regional Fail-over - Multi regional fail-over - Multi Cloud Fail-over
Speaker(s): Eric Peterson,
Abstract:
Amazon Web Services offers the ability to run SQL Server as part of its relational database service for managed databases, as well as hosting Windows/SQL Server installations via EC2. This session will compare/contrast these two options, and specifically address how to implement High Availability and Disaster Recovery options with both types of implementations.
Speaker(s): Steve Abraham,
Abstract:
DevOps lives at the fast paced intersection of developers and IT professionals. Our business partners are learning, expanding their toolkit, and putting more pressure on BI teams to deliver analytics at an accelerated operational cadence. I'm here to show you how to automate your production database code delivery even in large data warehouse environments.
Speaker(s): Doug McClurg,
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/eric-peterson-SQLEAP1725
Contact: http://www.SQLeap.com
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/pub/rie-irish/2/34a/78/
Rie lives with her family just north of Atlanta, Georgia. She worked as a SQL Server DBA, manager director for over 20 years. She's worked in many industries including the non-profit sector, education, big pharma, and e-commerce. She was awarded the MVP in the Data Platform 3 times beginning in 2017 and gave that up to accept her role as a Senior Program Manager with Microsoft in 2019. She is very involved with the Atlanta MDF User Group, SQL Saturday Atlanta and is co-leader of the PASS Women in Tech virtual group.
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 SQL Saturday 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.
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: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielglenn
Contact: https://DanielGlenn.com
Daniel is a Microsoft MVP with 15 years' experience building technology solutions, intranets and extranets. As Practice Leader for the Nashville-based InfoWorks Inc., Daniel helps organizations of all sizes solve complex data challenges by implementing Office 365 and SharePoint without the need of customization and costly investments. Daniel is passionate about giving back and building the Microsoft technical community. Daniel holds leadership roles in various local user groups, serves as an organizer for Microsoft 365 Nashville, and is a co-host for the popular podcast 365 Message Center Show on https://MessageCenter.Show. You can follow Daniel online at https://DanielGlenn.com and @DanielGlenn on Twitter.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ulysses-brown-mcp-561a6418
Contact: http://ulysses.azurewebsites.net/
Certified Microsoft Professional with over 16 years of tough hands-on work experience as a production/operations SQL DBA and SQL developer using the Microsoft Server-Visual Studio platform specializing in the SQL Server Technologies (SSRS / SSIS / SSAS / TSQL). Through those many years I have worked in several Senior Lead roles as SQL Server DBA and Developer training and mentoring others. Using SQL 7 thru SQL 2016 vNext in all types of SQL environments (operations, production, support, and development) for multiple types of businesses and industries and at several size buckets from small non-profits to x-large global corporations. Lately I have been working as a "Freelance" SQL BI Developer ... never a dull or easy day in this
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/armordba
Contact: https://armordba.com/
Tom Norman is a Database Architect at KPA with a strong fervor to protect data. He works daily to review and improve data protection methodologies while reviewing governing laws affecting finance, healthcare, and personal data. His areas of expertise include encryption, auditing, data identification, and database object deployment. He is the current leader of the PASS Virtualization Group and Vice President of the TRIPASS user group. You can read his blog at https://armordba.com/ and reach him on twitter at @armordba. Tom speaks at a number of SQLSaturday events and SQL Server user groups.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samir-behara-78953870
Contact: https://dotnetvibes.com/
Samir Behara is a Solution Architect with EBSCO Industries and builds software solutions using cutting edge technologies. He is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP with over 13 years of IT experience working on large-scale enterprise applications involving complex business functions, web integration, and data management in various domains like Insurance, Manufacturing and Publishing. Samir is a frequent speaker at conferences such as PASS Summit, IT/Dec Connections, CodeStock, SQL Saturdays and CodeCamps. He is the Co-Chapter Lead of the Steel City SQL Server UserGroup, Birmingham, AL. He is the author of www.dotnetvibes.com
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/angelahenrydba
Contact: http://SQLSwimmer.com
Angela is a Solution Architect, living in High Point, NC and loves what she does. She's worked with all versions of SQL Server worn all the hats that come with dealing with SQL Server throughout the years: developer, administrator, data architect and BI developer. She has her MSCE in Data and Analytics (f.k.a., Business Intelligence), is a Data Platform MVP, and a Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT). She is the former chapter leader for the PASS Triad SQL User Group in Greensboro, NC. In her spare time you can probably find her in or at the pool, she's an avid US Masters Swimmer, Coach and Instructor.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/arcanecode
Contact: http://arcanecode.com
Robert C. Cain (http://arcanecode.com) is a Microsoft MVP, MCTS Certified in BI, and is the owner of Arcane Training and Consulting, LLC. He is also a course author for Plurasight, author for Red Gate's SImple Talk website, and co-author of 4 books. A popular speaker, Robert has presented at events such as the SQL PASS Summit, TechEd, CodeStock, and numerous SQL Saturdays. Robert has over 25 years experience in the IT industry, working in a variety of fields ranging from manufacturing to telecommunications to nuclear power.
Karlyn LeBlanc is a native of Chicago, Illinois. She currently resides in the Atlanta, Georgia area. Karlyn obtained her Bachelors degree from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge and her Masters from Tulane University in New Orleans. Her career began as licensed master social worker where she spent twelve years counseling patients, supervising master level social workers, and facilitating support groups. In addition, she’s a bestselling author of two books and motivational speaker.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timmitchell/
Contact: http://www.TimMitchell.net
Tim Mitchell is a business intelligence architect, author, and trainer. He has worked with SQL Server for over a decade, specializing in data warehousing, ETL/SSIS, and reporting. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science from Texas AM at Commerce, and is recognized as a Microsoft Data Platform MVP. Tim is a business intelligence consultant and principal at Tyleris Data Solutions. Tim is an active community speaker and volunteer, having spoken at over 100 events including the PASS Summit, SQLBits, Dev Connections, SQL Intersection, and scores of SQL Saturdays. He blogs at TimMitchell.net, and tweets at @Tim_Mitchell.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickkeisler
Contact: http://www.patrickkeisler.com
I#39;m a husband, a father, an Atlanta Braves fan, and oh yeah...I know a thing or two about Microsoft SQL Server, because I work for Microsoft supporting it as a Premier Field Engineer. I have over 15 years of DBA experience and have gained considerable knowledge in SQL Server by supporting lots of different type of applications ranging from high-volume trading applications to large data warehouses. I hold several certifications: MCSE: Data Platform, MCITP SQL 2008 Admin and Dev, and Security+.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/louisdavidson
Contact: https://www.red-gate.com/simple-talk/author/louis-davidson/
Louis Davidson has worked in the IT industry for over 25 years as a corporate database developer and architect. He has been a Microsoft SQL Server MVP for 15 years and has written five books on database design, and contributed to many other SQL Server books as an author and tech editor. He has a bachelor's degree in Computer Science from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. You can read more about Louis at http://drsql.org.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/watsoned
Contact: http://sqlgator.com
Ed Watson is a Principal Data Platform Consultant for Improving Enterprises, a full-stack Microsoft consulting firm in Atlanta. Ed is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP since 2014 and like most children, Ed was born at an early age. Today, Ed specializes in the Business Intelligence stack and enjoys specializing in Power BI immensely. He currently lives in Atlanta and is active with the Atlanta MDF and Atlanta BI user groups and is an organizer for SQL Saturday Atlanta, Atlanta BI, and Pensacola.
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/kellynpotvin
Contact: http://dbakevlar.com
Kellyn Pot’Vin-Gorman is a member of the Oak Table Network and an Idera ACE and Oracle ACE Director alumnus. She is a Data Platform Architect in Power BI with AI in the EdTech group at Microsoft. Kellyn is known for her extensive work with multi-database platforms, DevOps, cloud migrations, virtualization, visualizations, scripting, environment optimization tuning, automation, and architecture design. Kellyn has spoken at numerous technical conferences for Oracle, Big Data, DevOps, testing, and SQL Server. Her blog (http://dbakevlar.com) and social media activity under her handle, DBAKevlar, is well respected for her insight and content.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/tlachev
Contact: http://prologika.com/cs/blogs
Teo Lachev is an internationally-recognized authority on Data Analytics. Through his Atlanta-based company Prologika, a Microsoft Gold Partner in Data Analytics, he helps organizations make sense of their most valuable asset: their data. His strategy formulation, trusted advisory and mentoring, design and implementation services empower clients to apply effectively data analytics in order to understand, improve, and transform their business processes. Teo has authored and co-authored several bestselling books on organizational and self-service data analytics, and he has been leading the Atlanta Microsoft BI and Power BI group since he founded it in 2010. Teo has been a Microsoft Most Valued Professional (MVP) Data Platform since 2010.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sqlrv
Contact: http://sqlrv.com
Aaron N. Cutshall is an Enterprise Data Architect with 20 years of experience in analysis, design and development for applications and databases in manufacturing and warehousing plus over 15 years in the Healthcare Informatics field. His primary focus is in designing and developing solutions for extremely large data sets that perform quite well in SQL Server. He is active in the SQL Server community and speaks at SQL Saturday sessions across the country.
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: http://www.linkedin.com/in/kategrass
Contact: http://www.kategrass.com
Kate Grass is a digital nomad who has worked with SQL Server in the manufacturing, nonprofit and service sectors. Her experience runs the gamut from Database Design to Application and Report Development to ETL and Business Intelligence with a generous mix of other skills in between. After over 15 years in Arizona, she took her passion for all things data and said goodbye to the office life. She now lives and works in an RV, traveling around the United States with her husband and two dogs. As President and SQL Consultant for Grass Williams Enterprises, she is thrilled that every day is "Take your Dog to Work Day" and that the view out the office window is ever-changing.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanwade44
Ryan is an experienced data analytics professional. His education and work experience enables him to understand things from a technical, analytical, and business viewpoint. He has the ability to present complex data in an intuitive way using sound analytical and visualization methods. He has an advanced analytical and technical skill-set which includes Power BI, T-SQL, R, Python, Azure Machine Learning Services, Azure Databricks, SQL Server Machine Learning Services, Advanced Modern Excel, SSIS, SSAS Tabular. He is a data analytics enthusiast that has spoken at a variety of database and data science conferences about various topics dealing with data analytics.
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.
Contact: https://sqletl.com/blog/
Matt Martin is an ETL professional with over 9 years experience working with Big data systems. He has built financial forecasting models for fortune 50 companies, loves to optimize queries, and likes to build tools that are easy to learn and quick to use. In 2015, Matt co-founded SQLETL.com, a company that markets and sells an ETL tool that uses native SQL to perform ETL operations instead of using SSIS packages or learning a 3rd party language.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rgverell
Contact: http://sqlcowbell.com/wordpress/
Robert Verell is a SQL Server professional working in the Nashville area and has worked in healthcare, insurance, and banking. He found his passion for databases by learning SQL Server Integration Services and writing stored procedures, and eventually became a database administrator. Robert is a chapter lead for the Nashville SQL Server User's Group, a volunteer for SQL Saturday, and was a finalist in the 2016 PASS Summit Speaker Idol competition.
Contact: http://sqlblog.com/blogs/andrew_kelly/default.aspx
Andrew J. Kelly is a Senior Technical Subject Matter Expert with B3 Group Inc. and lives in Clarkdale, AZ. He has over 20 years experience with relational databases and application development, but his main focus now is SQL Server. In addition to general SQL Server training and mentoring, he specializes in performance, scalability, and maintainability of large-scale SQL Servers. He is a regular speaker at conferences and user groups and was a SQL Server / Data Platform MVP for 18 years.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/dianeschuster
Diane has worked with COZYROC since 2012. She has attended numerous SQL Saturdays to shine the light on the time-saving and capability-extending components and tasks that COZYROC offers in it’s SSIS+ library. Without even having a background in databases or SQL Server, Diane successfully configures packages in live demonstrations that use COZYROC components and tasks. She believes that, if the toolkit is this easy to use for a novice, then just imagine what a SQL Server expert can do with it! In Diane’s data networking days, Diane performed a variety of development-related and customer-facing roles for IBM, Lucent Technologies, North Carolina State University and Connectware.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielmallott/
Contact: https://www.danielmallott.com
Dan Mallott is a Chicago-based consultant for West Monroe Partners in their Technology Practice. His passion is for service-layer development, particularly database technologies, including Microsoft SQL Server and Apache Cassandra. Recent projects have included designing a new integration architecture for a mid-sized health insurer, designing a full technical architecture for a large health insurer, building a new member portal for a healthcare-related association, and developing threat hunting software for use by West Monroe. In his spare time, Dan can be found writing his own libraries instead of using package solutions, or on the ice as a hockey player and referee.
LinkedIn: https://linkd.in/svena
Contact: https://svenaelterman.wordpress.com
Sven Aelterman is the Director of IT for the Sorrell College of Business at Troy University; a role with a global scope. He is also a lecturer in Information Systems and teaches courses in data warehousing and information security. He continues consulting work through Adduxis, where he assists customers with various Microsoft technology implementations. Co-author of The Art of SQL Server FILESTREAM, published by Red Gate; and SQL Server 2017 Administration Inside Out, published by Microsoft Press. Cloud Software Architect at Sorrell Solutions, L.L.C. developing a Microsoft Azure-hosted Electronic Health Record system.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamjwolf
Contact: http://www.sqlwarewolf.com
Bill is the Manager of SQL Server Performance Tuning for RDX. He works with over 400 customers on solutions within the SQL Server environment and specialized in code tuning and mentoring the team within RDX. He has become a SQL Saturday veteran speaking at nearly 40 SQL Saturdays in the last 3 years. He has also spoken at Summit and is an Idera Ace class of 2018. Bill is active in the Pittsburgh SQL Server User Group. He is also the chapter lead for the DevOps Virtual User Group. He is passionate about educating users on SQL Server and mentoring others.
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: https://www.linkedin.com/in/guyinacube
Contact: https://guyinacube.com
Adam Saxton is just a guy in a cube doing the work! He is on the Power BI CAT team at Microsoft, working with customers to help adopt Power BI. He is based in Texas and started with Microsoft supporting SQL Server connectivity and Reporting Services in 2005. Adam has worked with Power BI since the beginning, on the support side, and with documentation. In addition, he produces weekly videos for his Guy in a Cube YouTube channel.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/damuvenkatesan/
Damu Venkatesan is a Business Intelligence Consultant with over 25 years of IT experience including architecting and implementing BI/DW solutions using Microsoft SQL Server, PDW, SSIS, SSAS, SSRS, and Power BI. He has been speaking at many SQL Saturdays and user groups on data analytics and is actively involved in the Atlanta SQL community for several years. He has successfully delivered several BI/DW solutions and data migrations to various clients. He is also currently serving as President of DAMA Georgia chapter in Atlanta. He is the co-organizer of BI SQL Saturday in Atlanta.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/juliesmith0503/
Contact: http://datachix.com
Julie Smith is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP and a BI consultant for Innovative Architects in Atlanta, GA. She#39;s implemented increasingly complex Business Intelligence solutions for over a decade at various organizations. She#39;s also worn many other database “hats” in her career – production DBA and database developer--but data integration and BI are her true passions. Julie holds a BA from the University of South Carolina. She and Audrey Hammonds co-created The Datachix.com blog.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinwilkie
Contact: http://sherpaofdata.com
Kevin has 15+ years experience with SQL Server and has worked with the product since version 6.5, although he remembers with distaste the early versions of the product. He started working with SQL Server as an "Accidental" DBA, and has moved up through the ranks as a SQL Developer, a BI Associate, and Production DBA at various parts of his career. Currently, he works as a Lead Data Analyst spreading the gospel of how great data can be to anyone and everyone who will listen.
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, SQL Saturday events, and many SQL Server User Groups.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sqllocks/
Contact: https://sqllocks.net/
Jonathan Stewart is a Business Intelligence consultant specializing in data visualization, data warehousing, and data management technologies. An advocate for educating others, he is a public speaker, teacher and blogger, continually teaching people about the Microsoft BI Stack. Since 2000, he has been working in the database field with industry leaders in healthcare, manufacturing, financial, insurance and federal, state and local governments. Jonathan is very active in the community. He has presented on SQL Server, SSIS, Reporting Services, Power BI and Business Intelligence at numerous SQLSaturday events, local user groups, and conferences throughout the United States and around the world. He participates in webcasts, podcasts, and on
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luisefigueroa
Contact: http://blog.luisfigueroa.net
Luis Figueroa is a data professional with more than 15 years of experience in Information Technologies across many industry verticals. Luis has held a variety of positions in IT such as Network Administrator, Systems Engineer, Database Administrator and EDW / BI Architect. In the most recent years Luis found his passion in architecting and developing open source data centric solutions that help businesses manage their data and gain a competitive advantage through analytics. Luis currently holds a position as Solutions Engineer for Hortonworks, Inc. where he works with many clients including Fortune 500 companies. Luis’ main focus areas are in Data Warehousing, Business Intelligence, Advanced Analytics, Big Data, IoT and Cloud Computing.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sqlatspeed
Contact: http://www.sqlatspeed.com
Matt is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP and has worked with SQL Server since 2000. He is the leader of the Lexington, KY PASS local group and a frequent domestic and international community speaker. He's an IDERA ACE alumnus and 2020 Friend of Redgate. His original data professional role was as a database developer, which quickly evolved into query tuning work that further evolved into being a full-fledged DBA in the healthcare realm. He has supported several critical systems utilizing SQL Server and managed dozens of 24/7/365 SQL Server implementations. He currently utilizes that real world experience as a data platform consultant helping clients design solutions that meet their ever-changing business needs.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marsha-pierce-1a020a2
Marsha Pierce lives in Nashville, TN. She studied Computer Science, Mathematics, and French at Belmont University. She has 23 years of experience as a DBA, which means she has broken and fixed a lot of stuff. Before joining Pure Storage, she was an architect at HCA and Asurion. She is passionate about DevOps, Storage, Performance Tuning, and Standardization.
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/skingaby
Contact: http://omwtm.blog
Simon Kingaby has been moving data for 20 plus years. In the last few years, he’s been moving data from DB2, Oracle, Netezza and SQL Server to Azure SQL and Azure Data Warehouse, using Azure Data Factory, SSIS and SQL. At BMI, he developed a Rules Engine Sync application that uses DB2 QRep messaging and Azure ESB to move DB2 transactions to the cloud in near-real-time. Now at Deloitte on the Big Data team, he is developing ETL processes to move API, SaaS and SQL data into reporting databases on-premise and in the cloud. He is also creating SSRS and Power BI dashboards for the CIO and related Services.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sqlsteve/
Steve Abraham is a Principal Solutions Architect and a database specialist for AWS. Steve was previously the lead SQL Server DBA for T-Mobile and prior to joining AWS, Steve co-founded and ran an award-winning software development company based in Tampa, Florida.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/mikefrobbins
Contact: http://mikefrobbins.com/
Mike F Robbins is a Microsoft MVP on Windows PowerShell and a SAPIEN Technologies MVP. He is a co-author of Windows PowerShell TFM 4th Edition and is a contributing author of a chapter in the PowerShell Deep Dives book. Mike has written guest blog articles for the Hey, Scripting Guy! Blog, PowerShell Magazine, and PowerShell.org. He is the winner of the advanced category in the 2013 PowerShell Scripting Games. Mike is also the leader and co-founder of the Mississippi PowerShell User Group. He blogs at mikefrobbins.com and can be found on twitter @mikefrobbins.
Katherine Fraser has been working in the IT field since 1995, focusing on data modeling and visualization in multiple domains such as financial services, manufacturing, and logistics. In her current position as a BI data architect, she works with a global team to design and build data marts and reports to analyze information. Katherine has a Masters degree in Information Systems and a weird passion for data storage and retrieval.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifermccown
Contact: http://www.MidnightDBA.com/Jen
Jen McCown is CEO of MinionWare, LLC; a Microsoft Certified Master for SQL Server; and an independent consultant. She is Senior Editor at MidnightDBA.com, where she creates training videos, the DBAs at Midnight webshow, blogs, reviews, and podcasts. Jen is a member, volunteer, and speaker in PASS, and the PASS Women in Technology Virtual Group.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherpsims/
Contact: http://www.sigaostudios.com/blog
Chris is a software engineer and program manager with over 18 years of programming and 14 years of project management experience. Chris continually pushes his personal and professional boundaries by actively seeking out complex projects and applying innovative, sophisticated and elegant solutions to real-world problems. Chris is the technical principal of agile consulting firm, Sigao Studios. Sigao Studios specializes in offering modern responsive web solutions based on technologies that include Azure, CosmosDB and Azure Search. In addition to his technical pursuits, Chris enjoys stage acting and wood working in his free time.
Brian Carrig is a Microsoft Certified Master of SQL Server and is currently a Senior Program Manager on the SQL Server Tiger Team at Microsoft focusing primarily on persistent memory technology and replication. In a previous life, Brian spent some time as an academic and holds a PhD in Computer Science. He is a native of Dublin, Ireland but now lives with his wife and two daughters in Redmond, Washington. If he is not talking about, thinking about or working with technology you will usually find him watching Chelsea FC.
Contact: http://glengordon.name
Glen is an enterprise consultant with Innovative Architects, and enjoys working with clients to solve salient business problems with cool technology. Before reentering the consulting space a few years ago, he was an evangelist with Microsoft for 8 years. His focus is on .NET applications, services, architectures, and cloud. Lately he's been learning a lot about Sitefinity CMS. He's a big fan of agile methodologies and talking to anyone who will listen.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dmcclurg
Doug McClurg is the principal and founder of SOSRA Inc., an analytics leadership company. He brings both military and corporate experience to organizations who want to build or accelerate their analytics program. Doug has been building tailored Microsoft SQL Server solutions for many years. He brings deep knowledge of modern information architecture to projects ranging from innovating the traditional data warehouse to capturing WiFi presence and machine data to democratizing corporate analytics. He has served as a leader, mentor, and architect to teams in Government, Oil Gas, Hospitality, and Retail.
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/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickdleblanc
Contact: http://patrickdleblanc.com
Patrick LeBlanc is a currently a Principal Program Manager at Microsoft and a contributing partner to Guy in a Cube. Along with his 15+ years’ experience in IT he holds a Masters of Science degree from Louisiana State University. He is the author and co-author of five SQL Server books. Prior to joining Microsoft he was awarded Microsoft MVP award for his contributions to the community. Patrick is a regular speaker at many SQL Server Conferences and Community events.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-a-noble
Elizabeth Noble is a Director of Database Development in the metro Atlanta area. When she was introduced to her first database over 10 years ago, it was love at first sight. Her passion is to help others improve the quality and speed of deploying database changes through automation. When she is not trying to automate all of the things, she can be found spending time with her dogs, playing disc golf, or taking a walk at the gym.
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/ericmflamm
Contact: http://blog.flammconsulting.com
Eric Flamm is the principal consultant with Flamm Consulting, which provides Business Intelligence and Data Engineering consulting services to a range of small and medium-sized businesses. His clients have included Pactiv Corp (formerly Tenneco Packaging), Colography Group, Principia Partners, and Tillster, Inc (formerly Snapfinger.com), along with a range of smaller clients and projects. Eric graduated from Stanford and the Booth School at U of Chicago. Eric has volunteered with SQL Saturday Atlanta since the first event (SQL Saturday #13 in 2009). He has presented to SQL Saturdays in Atlanta, Chicago, and Columbus (GA), Azure Data Fest (Atlanta), the Atlanta Power BI chapter, and the Kennesaw (GA) Amazon Web Services Meetup group.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/JohnDeardurff
Contact: https://www.sqlmct.com
John has been a Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT) for over 20 years teaching Azure, SQL Server, Exchange Server, and Windows Server networking courses. He is currently a SQL Premier Field Engineer for Microsoft. He is an MCT Regional Lead for the Eastern United States and a former Data Platform MVP.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikelawell
Contact: http://sqlserverassociates.com/Blog
Mike Lawell is an 19 year veteran of SQL Server, working with all versions since 6.5. He specializes in performance tuning and high availability as an independent consultant. He is a Linchpin People Teammate, he also consults with SolidQ, Intellinet and Microsoft Consulting Services. He is also a certified Scuba instructor with a long bucket list of dive sites. He resides in Atlanta, GA and you can catch him at many of the SQLSaturdays in the SE region of the United States.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/jim-christopher/2/446/334/
Contact: http://www.beefycode.com
Jim gained 18 years of professional experience developing complex software projects in highly regulated industries, including education, gaming, and defense. His professional drive is designing software, systems, and user experiences for automation, a theme that has earned him a Microsoft MVP for PowerShell (2011-2016). Jim is a frequent speaker at technical user groups and conferences. He is currently Curriculum Director at Pluralsight.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickdleblanc
Contact: http://patrickdleblanc.com
Patrick LeBlanc is a currently a Principal Program Manager at Microsoft and a contributing partner to Guy in a Cube. Along with his 15+ years’ experience in IT he holds a Masters of Science degree from Louisiana State University. He is the author and co-author of five SQL Server books. Prior to joining Microsoft he was awarded Microsoft MVP award for his contributions to the community. Patrick is a regular speaker at many SQL Server Conferences and Community events.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shabnamwatson
Contact: https://shabnamwatson.wordpress.com/
Shabnam Watson is a Business Intelligence architect with 20 years of experience developing data warehouse and business intelligence solutions. Her work focus within the Microsoft BI Stack has been on Analysis Services and Power BI. She is an active member of PASS community and has spoken at PASS Summit, SQL Saturdays, PASS Business Analytics and Women in Technology virtual chapters, and many other local user groups and conferences. She is one of the organizers of SQL Saturday Atlanta BI Edition. She holds a master's degree in computer science, a bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering, and a Certified Business Intelligence Professional (CBIP) certification by The Data Warehouse Institute (TDWI).
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/nathanewood
With 23 years in the tech space, Nathan has spent the majority of his career aligning Datacenter technologies to organizational direction. Gaining perspective from his time as a Customer, VAR, Manufactuer, and Integrator; Nathan brings a 360 degree view and knowledge set to his clients. Nathan has been a featured presenter at VMworld, Oracle Open World, Cisco Live, SQL PASS, Percona Live, and the Flash Memory Summit. He's supported SQL Saturday's, Oracle User Groups, and VMware User Groups in over 30 US States and multiple Canadian providences. He continues to advise customers on Datacenter operational best practices, best of breed solutions, and new technologies shaping the future of data storage.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nfwilliams
Naomi Williams is a SQL Server professional working in the San Antonio area. Currently a seasoned Database Administrator for both Oracle and SQL Server doing database development, SSIS, SSRS and SSAS. Naomi has been working with SQL Server for almost 15 years. Naomi is passionate about performance, high availability, and creative non standard solutions to complex problems
Contact: http://www.thinqlinq.com
Jim Wooley is a Solution Architect for Slalom Consulting by day. In his free time, Jim is a frequent speaker, MVP, and author of "LINQ in Action". He has been active evangelizing LINQ since its announcement in 2005. In addition, he attempts to pass on the insights he has gained by being active in the community, including organizing and speaking at code camps and regional events, including VS Live, SQL Pass, KCDC, That Conference, TechBash, and CodeStock.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/lindsay-clark/58/5b/29
Lindsay started out in network administration with a BA in Computer Science from South University prior to finding her true love in database administration. Whether it#39;s mentoring in the office or presenting sessions at SQL Saturday, Lindsay loves to find new ways to collaborate and share information. In addition to her role as DBA at American Credit Acceptance, she actively recruits speakers for her user group and chairs her local SQL Saturday event.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stuartainsworth
Contact: http://codegumbo.com
Stuart Ainsworth (MA, MEd) manages a team of Service Reliability Engineers for the Gladiator Enterprise Information Security Services section of Profitstars, a division of Jack Henry and Associates. He's a former DBA, developer, consultant, and public speaking professor. He's one of the chapter leaders for AtlantaMDF, and a long-time organizer of SQL Saturday's. He tweets infrequently (@codegumbo) and blogs even less often at http://codegumbo.com.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bhakthi-liyanage/
Bhakthi Liyanage is a seasoned IT professional with many years of industry experience, a Microsoft MVP on AI, and is currently working as an AI Architect at one of the largest banks in the US where he leads projects to provide predictive analytics and AI solutions for complex business problems.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracyboggiano
Contact: http://databasesuperhero.com
Tracy Boggiano is a Senior Database Administrator for DocuSIgn. She has spent over 20 years in IT, using SQL Server since 1999, and is currently certified as an MCSE Data Platform. Tracy has worked on SQL Server since 6.5. She has spoken at local user groups and numerous SQLSaturdays. She is currently a co-leader of a TriPASS Local Group in Raleigh, NC. Tracy also tinkered with databases in middle school to keep her sports card collection organized. She blogs at databasesuperhero.com. Her passion outside of SQL Server is volunteering with foster children as their advocate in court through volunteerforgal.org and being a mental health advocate as part of the PAIMI NC Advisory Council.
Kiran Math is a Software Engineer on the Construction Predictive Analytical team at Fluor, where he specializes in T-SQL, R, Python, C# etc. A resident of Greenville, South Carolina, he can be found cycling and hiking the trails around Greenville. He is active in his local SQL PASS chapter in Greenville, speaking and volunteering at SQL Saturdays.
Cassius Rhue is the Director of Engineering for SIOS Technology Corp. He leads the software product development and engineering team in Lexington, SC. Cassius has more than 17 years of software engineering, development and testing experience. Cassius has a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Computer Engineering from the University of South Carolina - Columbia, SC.
The following is a list of sponsors that helped fund the event.