Event Location:
Indiana Wesleyan University
1500 Alliant Avenue
Louisville, Kentucky
Abstract:
Whether you’ve dabbled in PowerShell or wondered what all the fuss is about, make no mistake: PowerShell isn’t going away. It is definitely something worth learning to make your life as a SQL Server professional easier, and allow you to advance in your career as a DBA. In this session, you’ll see practical, real-world examples of how you can blend SQL Server and PowerShell together. You’ll also get a look at the SQL Server PowerShell provider and how you can incorporate it into your automation scripts. Instead of focusing on syntax, the session will plunge straight into examples and highlight various snippets of code and how they work. You can expect to see code examples on how PowerShell can do anything from comparing tables across servers, automating and centralizing your backups, and even doing in-depth security audits.
Speaker(s): Drew Furgiuele,
Abstract:
Developers are interested in consuming and processing very large amounts of data as quickly as possible. Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB is a NoSQL document database service designed for modern mobile and web applications which require fast reads and writes of unstructured data feeds. Azure Cosmos DB natively supports JSON documents which is a key performance feature. In this session I will demonstrate how to create a Cosmos DB instance in Azure, how to work with JSON documents, create Ad hoc queries with familiar SQL syntax, create application logic as stored procedures, triggers and user defined functions (UDFs) using standard JavaScript. Finally, I will compare performance and feature difference between SQL Server 2016 and Azure Cosmos DB.
Speaker(s): Jeff Renz,
Abstract:
Do you have large amounts of data which you want to leverage to predict the answers to difficult questions? The seemingly new field of Machine Learning (ML) has been around for almost 60 years, with this exact goal in mind. In this session, you will be introduced to the fundamentals of ML, to get you started without requiring a mathematics background. We will look at how to “frame” your data questions, as well as understanding the type of outputs ML can provide in responding with predictions. Focus will be placed on the high-level overview of the ML process, and spend time on the simple steps of determining the “right” algorithm to use. Tools used include Weka and Azure ML Studio, but the focus of the session is on fundamentals and the ML process, not specific toolsets.
Speaker(s): Andrew Loree,
Abstract:
So you've done traditional BI for some time, but now you and your company know it's time to dig into advanced analytics. The big question is, with so many data science platform options available, which one is the right one for us? In this session we dive into the available platforms listed below and provide a brief summary, strengths and weaknesses, scale capabilities, and last but not least, pricing/licensing. • Microsoft R Open • Microsoft R Server • R and Python Services for SQL Server 2017 • Azure Machine Learning Workbench • HDInsight (with Spark) • Microsoft Data Science VM If you're looking to maximize and optimize your data science platform of choice, be sure to attend.
Speaker(s): Sean Werick,
Abstract:
Since the early days of SQL Server, it has been possible to use basic security measures to allow (and disallow) user access to any object in a database, and even limit access to a given column. A more difficult task has been to limit access to the individual rows in a table. This has made application development more complex because whereas most every user may have access to a table like HR.Employee, not every employee will have access to every employee's data. In this session I will cover several techniques to limit access to rows, from methods that have existed since early versions of SQL Server, to the new Row Level Security feature in SQL Server 2016. If time permits, an overview of Dynamic Data Masking will be included, since it is a related technology.
Speaker(s): Louis Davidson,
Abstract:
Have you ever needed to learn a new database design and don't know where to begin? Or are trying to find out why a query doesn't perform well? Or need to provide security information to auditors or your security team? SQL Server has a number of metadata facilities available to help you with these tasks, and more. Functions, dynamic management views, and system stored procedures can illuminate details from the smallest column up through an entire SQL Server instance and everything in-between. We will demonstrate metadata techniques to help you: - Document your database schema objects such as procedures, functions, tables, columns and indexes - Investigate performance and look for bottlenecks - Discover metadata to administer your databases backups, index maintenance, and security - Apply your own metadata using extended properties We'll also demonstrate the new SQL Data Discovery/Classification and Vulnerability Assessment features in SQL Server Management Studio.
Speaker(s): Rob Volk,
Abstract:
There is at least one in your home right now, a box, a basket, a bucket, perhaps even actually drawer; hastily organized at best but full of tools, gadgets, widgets and whatchamacallits designed for one or two specific purposes. Realistically, we all want to use the more generic, multipurposed item found in our “well organized place for storing things”, yet deep down we know that tool/gadget/widget etc. is really what we need. As data-professionals, we are all familiar with the largest “junk drawer” ever created, the Internet. In this session, we will discuss some tools which are not data specific, the jobs they do well, and where to find them. Join as us as explore Robocopy, parts of the SysInterals Suite, a connection manager or two, portables apps aplenty and more so that you can move that file more efficiently, troubleshoot that problem through a different lens, or simply know what the heck someone else is talking about.
Speaker(s): Peter Shore,
Abstract:
Come and learn how the SQL Server feature, ColumnStore Indexes, can parallelize your Data Warehouse aggregations. I will be doing a deep dive into the inner workings of ColumnStore indexes; how they work, key characteristics, dos and don'ts, restrictions, and more. I will also have some insight into how CSI's have been updated in SQL Server 2014 beyond. If you are a production DBA who needs to find out more about some of the additional hot features that have been included with CSI's, like batch mode processing and data segments, then this session is for you. If you are a BI DBA or developer who needs to find out how CSI's can increase the performance of your aggregations and star-joins by up to 40 times, then this session is also for you.
Speaker(s): Gareth Swanepoel,
Abstract:
Security audits such as PCI, STIG, or HIPAA, are important and can be complicated. Depending on the requirements it may take considerable time to gather the information you will need. In this session, you will get scripts that I use for compliance audits that help to collect the information required for many different audits quickly. Even when you have multiple SQL Servers, you can quickly and easily identify where to focus your efforts to ensure you pass security audits. Through demonstration and discussion of what and why certain items get reviewed you will leave with a better understanding of how to be compliant within you SQL Server environment.
Speaker(s): Chris Bell,
Abstract:
R is the most popular statistics language used today. It is one of the most useful tools in the data scientist's tool belt. It is also integrated into the MS stack in tools like Azure ML, SQL Server and Power BI and can be used to take your data analytics to the next level. Come to this session to get an introduction to the R language including: - installing and Configuring R and RStudio - RStudio Overview and Debugging - how to Access and Manipulate Data - install and Manage Packages - create and Use Variables - control Flows - functions - basic Graphing and Statistical Analysis. We will finish with a brief introductions of how R integrates in Azure ML, Power BI, and SQL Server 2016 using real demos. The focus of the session will be primarily on the introduction to the R language and getting attendees comfortable with using R to start the journey into Data Science!
Speaker(s): Jamey Johnston,
Abstract:
This session is an introduction to the unique functionality offered by COZYROC to create integration packages that dynamically map columns at runtime. The standard SSIS Data Flow Task can only use static metadata which is defined when the package is initially designed. The mapping of columns is configured and remains unchanged until the package is re-opened and design changes are made, thus costing maintenance time and effort. Data Flow Task Plus extends the capabilities of the standard Microsoft Data Flow task in that it allows you to set up dynamic data flows, thus eliminating maintenance time and effort. Changes to tables and columns are automatically incorporated at run time without the need to change and redeploy the package. Columns and fields are mapped automatically at run time. Furthermore, the initial design time and effort may be greatly reduced when dealing with huge amounts of data in a large number of files and/or databases.
Speaker(s): Diane Schuster,
Abstract:
TSQL is one of the most valuable tools any SQL Server professional can add to their tool-set. More aptly, TSQL is a whole chest of tools for the SQL Server professional. One of the most important tools in that TSQL chest is a good understanding of the SELECT statement. When was the last time you sat down to evaluate a SELECT statement? What actually goes into the processing of that teeny little word? There might be a fair bit more to this simple term than just fetching data from the database. This session covers the simplicity of the select. Then we take it a step further to dive into some of the complexities tied directly to this particular statement. This session will help the attendee better understand the Select statement. With a more solid understanding of this statement, the attendee can return and implement some of this new knowledge to help improve processing and query response times in their own environments.
Speaker(s): Jason Brimhall,
Abstract:
Azure SQL Database offers a way quickly spin up new databases with minimal management requirements. However, the number of differences between on-premises SQL Server and Azure SQL Database can be overwhelming. Even worse, with DBaaS it’s not clear who is responsible for what anymore. In this session, we will cover all the basic steps of getting your first Azure SQL Database instance spun up. We’ll cover common gotchas, like firewall settings and resource locks. We’ll also dive into some more advanced options with templates, allowing you to make your processes reproducible. By the end of this presentation, you’ll understand if Azure SQL Database is the right choice for you and your needs. You’ll understand how it can simplify management and allow you to scale easily. Finally, you’ll have the confidence to go and create your own instance with ease.
Speaker(s): Jim Donahoe,
Abstract:
For many of us data is scattered in many different systems. We almost all have data that someone wants to compare or track but can't without a lot of manual manipulation. So, how do you tie disparate systems together? With a Data Warehouse! In this presentation you will get the skills you need to start building your own. We will discuss the basics of what a Data Warehouse is, the tools needed to create, deploy and manage the Data Warehouse process, and the benefits of using the data you collect to manage operational processes and create data visualizations. After attending this session you will be able to return to your job and amaze people with your ability to show them the power of the data!
Speaker(s): Leslie Andrews,
Abstract:
You log into your email first thing in the morning and the rumors are confirmed; your company is expanding with branch offices in three new cities. As you read, the Big Boss drops by your cubicle and says that she needs an analysis of the real estate situation in all three cities. The analysis needs to include summaries of prices based on factors such as number bedrooms, number of bathrooms, and number of square feet. It should include lots of visualizations, be clear and easy to understand, and point out any interesting relationships that you've uncovered. And you need to have it done by 11:30 a.m. We'll show you how to do this with real, publically available data from Redfin, using JMP statistical analysis and visualization software. We'll start with concatenation and subsetting, move on to data integrity, then to visualization, exploratory data analysis, and simple linear regression. We'll make plenty of charts and graphs with some summary statistics thrown in for good measure.
Speaker(s): Stan Siranovich,
Abstract:
If you aren't using database projects you should be and if you aren't using any source control well..... NOW IS THE TIME. We'll review basic functionality and purpose of both and walk through how they work together. Let's talk about the type of foundation pieces you need to pay attention to and how to organize this into team and agile work. Lots of tips and tricks to remove the often experienced headaches that developers have experienced with implementing both of these items.
Speaker(s): Leslie Weed,
Abstract:
Life is all about choices, and when it comes to SQL Server it is no different. If you don't have a methodology for researching questions and resolving issues then you need to get one, and soon. Join Microsoft's Tim Chapman as he helps guide you while YOU make the choices in this interactive performance tuning adventure.
Speaker(s): Tim Chapman,
Abstract:
Getting out of fire-fighting mode is critical to ensuring your data systems perform well, improving your team’s effectiveness, your company’s ability to meet goals, and your ability to advance your career and have a good work/life balance. This lunch session is focused on giving you, as a data professional, the tools you need to break through your data performance barriers quickly, so you can improve your overall data environment health, cut down on database crises, and focus on initiatives that move the business forward. Join Chris Yates, Assistant Vice President of Database Administration at Republic Bank, and Justin Randall, Senior Consultant at SentryOne for this lunch session that will show you how to break through your Microsoft data platform performance barriers using SentryOne's award-winning SQL Sentry software.
Speaker(s): Justin Randall,
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:
High transactional workload is the norm across most of the database industry. And this trend is set to grow, as the market continues to shift toward database vendor agnostics and hybrid and heterogeneous database platforms. But with high transactional workload often comes unacceptable SQL Server performance. What if you could optimize transactional operations and reporting, as well as use near real-time data integration and replication for scalability and high availability?
Speaker(s): Susan Wong,
Abstract:
DevOps has revolutionised our ability to deliver customer value. Updates aren’t held up in 6-month release cycles. We’ve automated tests and deployments collaboratively so we know updates work. A virtuous cycle of innovation and testing allows us to build better, more reliable products faster and cheaper. However, while that’s great in theory, I’ve seen people screw up spectacularly when applying DevOps to relational databases. In this cheerful session I’ll review the 16 most popular ways to screw up your ability to deliver database updates, resulting in painful, fragile deployments and expensive legacy databases that no-one likes to maintain. A session for developers *and* DBAs.
Speaker(s): Alex Yates,
Abstract:
Relational databases have their strengths. Ironically data relationships are not one of them. Graph databases excel in this department using nodes and edges. They are optimized to find and view relationships using graph theory. One of the best new features of SQL Server 2017 is the Graph Database! It brings us the best of both worlds in one easy platform! Come learn about the history of graph databases, how they work and why you should be using it!
Speaker(s): Jonathan Stewart,
Abstract:
Consistent and predictable performance is critical for any successful deployment of Microsoft SQL Server. All-Flash arrays have been available for years and sub-millisecond response times should be the expectation. Maximize the performance and agility of your environment and learn how to automate and leverage self-service for snapshots of your databases for protection and re-purposing. Test/dev infrastructures can be refreshed from production DBs in minutes rather than hours or days. Stop working harder and slower than you need to be, learn how you can leverage Dell EMC. Whether storage, servers, networking, data protection, converged or hyper-converged… we have you covered.
Speaker(s): Bryan Walsh,
Abstract:
There is a ton of buzz in the market about BI, but do we really know what is BI Architecture? We will go over an ideal architecture design and explain the various elements and tools that make up this architecture. We will use the Microsoft BI Stack as a perspective, but architecture can be replicated with various vendor tools.
Speaker(s): Warren Sifre,
Abstract:
This session will demonstrate how to leverage Biml Patterns, along with SQL Server Metadata, to rapidly build SSIS packages. The focus of this session will be on populating a data warehouse, however the concepts presented could be applied to most any ETL/ETL scenarios. The components used during this session: - Biml - BimlExpress - BimlSnap On-line are all available at no charge. In addition, attendees will receive: - A complete 'SQL Server Metadata Manager' solution (front and back end) - A fully functional SSIS Framework Attend to see how Biml can revolutionize your SSIS development!
Speaker(s): Jim Miller,
Abstract:
Extended Events were introduced in SQL Server 2008. With SQL 2014, we have seen a significant upgrade to this feature. Join me for a little adventure into the realm of extended events. We will discuss how to use extended events to aid in performance tuning and in day to day administration. We will also explore some background and the architecture of extended events. This is a fast paced session and will be a lot of fun. Attendees will be able to take back several sample XE sessions to help troubleshoot different issues and get to more intimately know their data/environment.
Speaker(s): Jason Brimhall,
Abstract:
SQL Server 2016 came out with a bucket full of cool new features. One of them is Temporal Tables. SQL Server 2017 made some enhancements in this area. Temporal tables are basically history tables of the normal tables; that allows us to retrieve data from any point in time for every change such as updates and deletes. It does this all without any change to application code. In this session, we will see what the requirements of creating temporal tables are. We will see the demo on insert and update functionality and how to query historical information using new TSQL clause. We will touch upon retention of history as well. It has lots of demos and less theory.
Speaker(s): Ameena Lalani,
Abstract:
Are you having a hard time enforcing or updating processes? Are you having trouble getting the business to see your vision of the future? Do you want to improvement process or tasks as your office? Your answer to these challenges may be to improve relationships with key departments like Development and Quality Assurance. In this session, I will go over steps I took to improve relationships with other members of the IT department. I will also discuss how improving my relationships helped me accomplish my long-term goals.
Speaker(s): Elizabeth Noble,
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:
When managing a single server it is easy to keep track of the configuration of that server, but what about when you have more than ten servers to manage or a hundred? How do you know they are setup correctly? How do you maintain the databases on each server? How do you take care of patching? How do you know when your server is on fire? In this talk we will answer these questions and more as we discuss technologies and approaches you can use to make sure your environment is configured and performing at its best.
Speaker(s): Tracy Boggiano,
Abstract:
Long gone are the days where the only architecture decision you had to make when scaling an environment was deciding which part of the datacenter would store your new server. There is a dizzying array of options available in the SQL Server and Azure ecosystems and those are evolving by the day. Is “the cloud” a fad? Are private datacenters a thing of the past? Could both questions have a kernel of truth in them? In this session I will go over real world scenarios and walk you through real world solutions that utilize your datacenter, cloud providers, and everything in between to keep your data highly available and your customers happy.
Speaker(s): Matt Gordon,
Abstract:
What impact does the cloud have on business and our jobs? In this panel, we'll debate and discuss the pros and cons of moving your application and database to the cloud. Come with questions and thoughts, and we'll take input from the audience.
Speaker(s): Steve Jones,
Abstract:
Moving your databases to any data platform in Azure can be a daunting task. This session is designed to show you different methods to accomplish the task while having some fun in the process. Join Mario from Nintendo, Sonic from Sega as they make their journey from on-premise to the Cloud utilizing the methods supported by Microsoft. You will see Transactional Replication, the use of the Database Migration Assistant, and a simple deploy from SSMS!
Speaker(s): Jim Donahoe,
Abstract:
In this session, we will look at the new Query Store feature in SQL Server 2016 and 2017. Query Store tracks changes in execution plans, allowing you to easily view performance differences and revert to older plans with a few clicks of the mouse in 2016. Then in 2017, Microsoft added wait stats per query plan and Automatic Tuning capabilities. Allowing DBAs more tools to troubleshoot fires with and a way to automatically resolve issues. In this session, we will walk through the features of Query Store, so you can understand how to use them in SQL Server 2016 and 2017.
Speaker(s): Tracy Boggiano,
Abstract:
Remember that first time you saw Service Broker and thought of all the great things you could do with it? Remember when you actually tried Service Broker and found all the limitations and pain points? Enter Apache Kafka. Apache Kafka is a distributed publish-subscribe messaging system which can scale out to handle millions of messages per second and support a distributed, microservices-oriented architecture. In this talk, we will cover the basics of this powerful system, including general architectural and design principles. We will also build a .NET project which uses Kafka to produce and consume messages quickly and efficiently.
Speaker(s): Kevin Feasel,
Abstract:
TempDB is a critical shared resource on every SQL Server instance. In this session, DBAs and Developers will learn the role of TempDB in query processing and SQL Server maintenance tasks, and leave with a checklist of essential items covering configuration, monitoring and performance troubleshooting.
Speaker(s): Justin Randall,
Abstract:
There are a lot of options for cloud databases out there from Microsoft and other vendors. In this session, you will learn about the various options that run SQL Server Amazon RDS, Azure SQL DB, and Azure Managed Instances, as well as a bit about other platforms like SQL Data Warehouse, Azure Data Lake, and Cosmos DB. You will learn how to decide which platform (or combination) is the best for your application.
Speaker(s): Joseph D'Antoni,
Abstract:
Power BI is a powerful self-service analysis tool and is being adopted by organizations across the globe to quickly gain meaningful business insights. This session will cover the basics on creating compelling dashboards and guide you through the process of managing your company’s Power BI service, Power BI desktop, and mobile apps.
Speaker(s): Daniel Glenn,
Abstract:
Protecting our data from unauthorized access becomes more and more important all the time, however it has been difficult to ensure sensitive data is encrypted in SQL Server. The new Always Encrypted feature in SQL Server 2016 makes this much simpler for developers and DBAs with a framework for protecting data from the client, across networks, and inside of the database. This new feature allows for limiting access to the data, even from the DBAs and sysadmins that may control the database instance itself. Learn how to implement and use Always Encrypted in your applications.
Speaker(s): Steve Jones,
Abstract:
This session is about performance tuning your day. We spend a lot of time thinking about how to write efficient code, but we don't spend a lot of time thinking about how to be efficient with how we use our tools. In this session I will show you some lesser known keyboard shortcuts, tips, tricks, and hacks that will make your day easier. These are the tricks I've picked up over the years that help me get my work done quicker and easier. Even the most seasoned Database Professionals will learn a new trick that makes SSMS even easier to use. Slides and handouts available on GitHub: http://am2.co/shortcuts-ppt
Speaker(s): Andy Mallon,
Abstract:
This session is for the absolute beginner to learn the terminology of performance tuning and how queries are processed. This includes how queries are Parsed, Resolved, Optimized, Compiled and Executed. We will see how this effects Batches, Transactions, and Errors. We will also briefly discuss table structures and the differences between Heaps and Clustered Indexes. The session is led by an expert Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT) and Microsoft MVP who regularly teaches the SQL Server certification courses.
Speaker(s): John Deardurff,
This is a list of speakers from the XML Guidebook records. The details and URLs were valid at the time of the event.
Contact: http://mygareth.com
Gareth Swanepoel is a sysadmin-turned-SQL Server DBA. He has been working in the IT industry doing support and administration for over 25 years. He enjoys solving the complex problems that customers encounter when performance tuning SQL Server or when deploying SQL Server in large data warehouse environments. He is originally from South Africa and is currently a Dedicated Support Engineer (PFE) with Microsoft. He is a passionate member of the SQL Server community and is an accomplished author and speaker having presented at various user groups, SQL Saturdays, the PASS Summit and other technical conferences.
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: http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=3997984amp;trk=hb_tab_pro_top
Contact: http://joeydantoni.com
Joseph D'Antoni is a Senior Consultant and Microsoft Data Platform MVP with over 20 years of experience working in both Fortune 500 and smaller firms. He is a Principal Consultant for Denny Cherry Associates and lives in Malvern, PA. He is a frequent speaker at major tech events like Microsoft Ignite, PASS Summit, and Enterprise Data World. He blogs about all topics technology at joeydantoni.com. He believes that no single platform is the answer to all technology problems. Joseph holds a BS in Computer Information Systems from Louisiana Tech University and an MBA from North Carolina State University, and is the co-author of the Microsoft book "Introducing SQL Server 2016”.
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.
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/seanwerick
Contact: http://www.seanwerick.com
I have been in the data industry for 15 years, specializing in Microsoft business intelligence for the last decade. I have architected, developed and integrated end to end solutions for customers in various sectors including finance, government, health care and retail. I am extremely passionate about data and the endless possibilities for companies utilizing it in the best ways. I enjoy data science and business intelligence because the possibilities and magnitudes of impact are immeasurable.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ameena
Ameena Lalani is a SQL Server veteran and started her journey with SQL Server 2000. She is a Microsoft Certified Solution Associate on SQL Server 2016 and also hold Azure Administrator Associate certification. Ameena works at Microsoft as a Premier Field engineer. She has implemented numerous High Availability and Disaster Recovery solutions at various companies. Ameena loves to share her technical knowledge and speaks at local user groups and SQL Saturday events throughout the United States.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewloree
Contact: http://www.andyloree.com
Andrew Loree has over nineteen years of database experience with roles in architecture, design, development, and implementation of enterprise-scale SQL Server data solutions, supporting industries from legal e-discovery to manufacturing. Areas of expertise since SQL Server 2000 include data migration and ETL/ELT solutions, disaster recovery planning, high availability service design, licensing and virtualization. Andrew holds fourteen Microsoft certifications, has both a Bachelor and Masters of Science in Computer Science from Wright State University and is a Columbus (Ohio) PASS board member.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/way0utwest
Contact: http://www.voiceofthedba.com/
Steve Jones is a Microsoft SQL Server MVP and has been working with SQL Server since version 4.2 on OS/2. After working as a DBA and developer for a variety of companies, Steve co-founded the community website SQLServerCentral.com in 2001. Since 2004, Steve has been the full-time editor of the site, ensuring it continues to be a great resource for SQL Server professionals. Over the last decade, Steve has written hundreds of articles about SQL Server for SQLServerCentral.com, SQL Server Standard magazine, SQL Server Magazine, and Database Journal.
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.
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://www.linkedin.com/pub/jeff-renz/29/82a/aa4
Contact: http://www.revgen.com
Jeff Renz is a Senior Architect at RevGen Partners, currently working as the design architect and implementation lead on several projects for a Fortune Top 50 company. Jeff has worked with SQL Server and BI for 15+ years and has 10 years’ experience with data warehouse design and implementation. In addition to consulting, he is joining the University of Denver adjunct faculty and is expected to begin teaching in the ICT program starting in June. He received his bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, his master’s degree in Operations Research from Colorado School of Mines, and will be graduating from the Harvard Business Analytics Program in December.
Contact: http://www.sqlflipflopsdba.com
Jim is a Premier Field Engineer for Microsoft in the Data/AI space. He lives in Pittsburgh in a small suburb. He loves working with all things Azure(ARM templates, DBaaS, SQL on IaaS). He is an avid collector of retro video games! He is a member of the Idera ACE program for 2018.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/amtwo
Contact: http://www.AM2.co
Andy is a Data Platform MVP and SQL Server DBA that has managed databases in the healthcare, finance, e-commerce, and non-profit sectors. He has been supporting high-volume, highly-available OLTP environments with demanding performance needs since 2003. Andy is the founder of the BostonSQL User Group, and previous co-organizer of SQL Saturday events in Boston. He blogs at am2.co. Andy lives just outside Boston, Massachusetts, USA with his husband and their two dogs.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-volk-134ba81
Contact: http://weblogs.sqlteam.com/robv/
Rob Volk is a SQL Server DBA in the Metro Atlanta area since 2001. He also moderates and answers the forums on SQLTeam.com. While an old-time cranky DBA, he no longer considers quot;business intelligencequot; an oxymoron or quot;the cloudquot; as merely atmospheric moisture, and is delightedly dipping his toes into both of these new oceans, and loves to do things in new and and unusual ways.
Susan Wong has been a Systems Architect supporting Business Continuity and Oracle performance management and tuning for 16 years. Susan has performed numerous consulting engagements of configurations including high availability, reporting, and migrations, and has been ensuring companies meet their Oracle database availability since Oracle 7x. Prior to Quest Software, Susan worked as a Mechanical Engineer at Fluor Daniel and subsequently managed the CAD solutions and database teams. Susan has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from UCLA.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/wsifre
Contact: http://www.broadstrokeconsulting.com/blog/, http://www.allegient.com
Warren Sifre has been in the IT community since 1998 and has worked in a variety of industries deploying solutions utilizing MS SQL Server in one capacity or another. In 2003, he decided to make SQL Server his mastery and has since developed skills in most defined disciplines of MS SQL. Currently he is a Principal Consultant and Technology Leader with Moser Consulting. He is responsible for BI Solution Architecture and the mentorship of team members. He has been a SQL Saturday Speaker since 2012, Azure Global Bootcamp, and many user groups in 2015 alone. He has a passion for knowledge transfer and solutions architecture, with a keen interested in Info Security.
20 years into a career focused on Microsoft technologies and the impact of they make for companies across all industries and verticals. Started at EMC in 2006 and have held numerous leadership roles that champion Microsoft to our field, partners and customers. In my current role at XtremIO, my primary focus is SQL Server and how to unlock agility and end storage inefficiency.
LinkedIn: http://www.LinkedIn.com/in/StanSiranovich
Contact: http://www.crucialconnection.com/blog/
Stan has been doing Data Analysis and Data Science, using JMP, SAS, R and Tableau since before Al Gore invented the Internet. He has 15+ years of multinational experience doing laboratory Research, Product Development and Technical Marketing for Bayer, Cargill and Mobil Oil. He holds a BS in Chemistry from Allegheny College, an MBA with concentrations in both Finance and MIS from Duquesne University, and a Microsoft Network Engineer certificate from Sullivan University. He's done graduate coursework in Chemistry at Rutgers University and holds multiple certs from ComTIA and Microsoft. Currently he's interested in working at the intersection of Business and the natural Sciences.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/public-profile-settings?trk=prof-edit-edit-public_profile
Contact: http://blogs.sqlsentry.com/justinrandall
Justin Randall is a Senior Consultant at SQL Sentry, LLC. He has over 30 years of data management experience in a variety of roles from Enterprise Data Modeler to DBA, supporting development in DB2, Sybase, and SQL Server. Justin frequently speaks at SQL Server User Group meetings and SQL Saturdays, and has presented at several SQLintersection conferences. His current professional interests are SQL Server performance monitoring and tuning, and career development.
LinkedIn: Public Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/petershore
Peter Shore is a seasoned IT professional with over 25 years of experience. He took the accidentally intentional DBA plunge in 2013 and has discovered that he loves to find the stories the data has to tell. Peter is comfortable working with both physical and virtual servers, where he tries to apply best practices to attain performance improvements. He is also adept at bridging the gap between technical and business language in order to bring technology solutions to business needs.
Contact: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/sql_pfe_blog/
Tim Chapman is a Microsoft Certified Master (MCM) and works as a dedicated field engineer (PFE) at Microsoft specializing in performance tuning and high availability. Originally from Louisville, KY Tim now resides in Columbus, OH Tim has over 12 years of database architecture, programming, and administration experience.
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/pub/leslie-andrews-csm/9/491/b89
Contact: https://www.lace.technology/blog
Leslie Andrews is an IT professional with almost 20 years of experience working with databases, designing databases, as well as designing and developing applications against those databases. 2018-2019 Idera ACE.
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: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/public-profile-settings?trk=prof-edit-edit-public_profile
Contact: http://blogs.sqlsentry.com/justinrandall
Justin Randall is a Senior Consultant at SQL Sentry, LLC. He has over 30 years of data management experience in a variety of roles from Enterprise Data Modeler to DBA, supporting development in DB2, Sybase, and SQL Server. Justin frequently speaks at SQL Server User Group meetings and SQL Saturdays, and has presented at several SQLintersection conferences. His current professional interests are SQL Server performance monitoring and tuning, and career development.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jameyj
Contact: http://STATCowboy.com
Jamey Johnston is a Senior Data Scientist/Engineer for a large independent OG company. For over 25 years, he has worked for Fortune 500 companies architecting successful platforms in the cloud, on the edge, and on-premises for BI reporting, statistical analysis, ML, and AI. Lately, he spends his time in Azure, Python, R, Power BI, MS SQL, and SAS JMP. He holds a BS in Spatial Analysis from LSU and a Masters of Science in Analytics from Texas AM. He is a professor at the Mays Business School at Texas AM in the MS Analytics program. He is active in his PASS Local Group in Houston, co-leader of the local Power BI users group and data analytics group. He regularly speaks and volunteers at PASS events. He is also a Microsoft Data Platform MVP.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dbajbrimhall/
Contact: http://jasonbrimhall.info
Jason Brimhall has more than 20 years of experience and has worked with SQL Server 6.5 through SQL Server 2019. He has experience in performance tuning, high transaction environments, and large environments. He is currently a consultant specializing in performance tuning, server analysis, and problem resolution. Jason is a Microsoft Certified Master (MCM) and a Data Platform MVP.
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/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: http://www.linkedin.com/in/pittfurg
Contact: http://www.port1433.com
Drew Furgiuele is a senior DBA that lives in Dublin, Ohio who is passionate about SQL Server and PowerShell. He's been working with SQL Server since 2002. When he’s not accidentally dropping tables in production, he likes writing automation scripts, blogging about SQL Server Replication, wiring electronics, playing board games, and spending time with his dog. He's also not embarrassed by his Spotify playlists.
Contact: http://www.sqlflipflopsdba.com
Jim is a Premier Field Engineer for Microsoft in the Data/AI space. He lives in Pittsburgh in a small suburb. He loves working with all things Azure(ARM templates, DBaaS, SQL on IaaS). He is an avid collector of retro video games! He is a member of the Idera ACE program for 2018.
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/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: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/christopher-bell/19/a08/93/
Contact: https://www.wateroxconsulting.com/
Chris Bell offers a unique view of how we live and work with data, both now and as we head into the future. Having braved many roles, lifecycles, and battles in the IT world, he has honed his DBA (Database Administration or Do 'Bout Anything) skills in Information Systems and development, focusing on SQL Server. Currently, he serves as the lead DBA at The Motley Fool. You can keep up with Chris' thoughts and technical community activities at WaterOxConsulting.com.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/way0utwest
Contact: http://www.voiceofthedba.com/
Steve Jones is a Microsoft SQL Server MVP and has been working with SQL Server since version 4.2 on OS/2. After working as a DBA and developer for a variety of companies, Steve co-founded the community website SQLServerCentral.com in 2001. Since 2004, Steve has been the full-time editor of the site, ensuring it continues to be a great resource for SQL Server professionals. Over the last decade, Steve has written hundreds of articles about SQL Server for SQLServerCentral.com, SQL Server Standard magazine, SQL Server Magazine, and Database Journal.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmiller8
Contact: https://https://www.bitracks.com/blog
Jim has worked in various facets of the IT business for over 30 years, with a primary focus on data warehousing, reporting and analytics, business intelligence, data modeling (relational, multi-dimensional), ETL frameworks, database architecture, as well as database performance tuning. In previous engagements, Jim has fulfilled roles as Data Architect, DBA, IT Director, and Senior Consultant. He also has experience in account management, marketing/technical support, and software application training. Jim has also had some extraordinary opportunities to lead IT organizations, with multinational participants, on reconstruction projects based in Bosnia and Iraq.
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://uk.linkedin.com/in/alexanderyates
Contact: http://www.workingwithdevs.com
Alex Yates has been helping organisations to apply DevOps principles to relational database development and deployment since 2010. He’s most proud of helping Skyscanner develop the ability to deploy 95 times a day. Originally for Redgate, later for DLM Consultants, Alex has worked with clients on every continent except Antarctica – so he’s keen to meet anyone who researches penguins. A keen community member, he co-organises SQL Relay, is the founder of www.SpeakingMentors.com and has been recognised as a Microsoft Data Platform MVP since 2017.
Leslie Weed is currently a Data and BI Architect with RevGen Partners in Denver, CO. She has been a SQL Professional specializing in Business Intelligence, data analytics, systems implementation, integration, and solutions delivery for the last 20ish years, including a variety of Enterprise Data Warehouses in various industries.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dbajbrimhall/
Contact: http://jasonbrimhall.info
Jason Brimhall has more than 20 years of experience and has worked with SQL Server 6.5 through SQL Server 2019. He has experience in performance tuning, high transaction environments, and large environments. He is currently a consultant specializing in performance tuning, server analysis, and problem resolution. Jason is a Microsoft Certified Master (MCM) and a Data Platform MVP.
The following is a list of sponsors that helped fund the event.