Event Location:
Rochester Institute of Technology
1 Lomb Memorial Drive
Rochester, New York
Abstract:
SQL Server is a huge product, with many different places a DBA can go to look for information on how the server is performing. So many in fact that they can often overlap, which sometimes makes it hard to understand why tackling a new tool is worth the effort. In this installment of Rick's "Why should I care" series, he lays out a case for why working knowledge of the plan cache is critical for performance tuning efforts in real world environments. A review of relevant views and functions is included for the (newly?) motivated audience. Perfect for those who are relatively new to performance tuning concerns, or advanced DBAs trying to figure out how to have a similar conversation with their less experienced peers, or developers who are curious as to why their DBAs often seem so frazzled. This is not a deep dive into the cache, it really is primarily a session exploring _why_ these DMOs are worth slogging through.
Speaker(s): Rick Lowe,
Abstract:
The cloud is a reality that is hitting everyone. What does this mean to you as a database administrator? Will the skills you've built transfer or will you become unnecessary? These questions trouble many, and honestly, they should. If you are passionate about your profession you will want to prepare for change to ensure that your skills grow with the environments and technologies you support. This presentation will cover the transition that we have made at SP Global and the changes that our team has had to make as we've moved to cloud centric environments and technologies. This goal of this session is to encourage attendees to become life long learners and to develop a renewed passions to grow with the changes in technology so that they will stay impactful. Attendees will also leave with key areas that they can focus on that will propel them to be cloud ready as quickly as possible.
Speaker(s): David Benoit,
Abstract:
This talk will give managers and ETL developers a look at the differences between SSIS and Informatica Cloud. It is an honest assessment of some of the differences (some good, some bad and some ugly) to help them decide which ETL tool might be a good fit for their organization. It is not overly technical for non-technical management, but does touch some topics of interest for ETL developers on the real-world loading of data between divergent systems and multiple platforms (Oracle and SQL Server). The movie “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly” is used to characterize the successes and failures during conversion of our ETL. The following topics are discussed and awarded either a good, a bad or an ugly grade: User Interface and Off Hour Support Integration with Control-M Upserts, Mappings and Stored Procedure Complications Oracle and SQL Server Back End Data Extracts Change Data Capture Extracts Product360 and onward
Speaker(s): Jane Datz,
Abstract:
Regular expressions can help you perform incredible tasks with very little effort. Need to create 1700 logins from an email request? Developers give you a single script with 300 stored procedures filled with table variables instead of temp tables? Need to move 500 databases to a different drive? Any of these tasks can take a long time to code, but regular expressions cuts that work from hours to seconds. I use regular expressions all the time and I have taken many tasks down from several days to just a few minutes. Stop writing code manually and let regular expressions do it for you. Here you’ll learn: • The most useful regular expression commands. • The appropriate times to use regular expressions. • How to use regular expressions to write code for you. • How to incorporate regular expressions into large tasks and combine them with other methods.
Speaker(s): Sean McCown,
Abstract:
... "Even when it is off-base, unfair, poorly delivered, and frankly, you are not in the mood." Feedback is everywhere. Ever heard, "you need to become more well-rounded?" That's feedback. Ever seen your spouse yawn when you tell about your day? Ever been honked at at the green light because you zoned out for a second? You get the idea. All our lives we want to improve: we actively participate in conferences, we read blogs, we pursue hobbies, we use smart watches to get in shape. We want to be better but we also want to be accepted as who we currently are. And when we receive (often unsolicited) feedback, we feel inadequate. Not good enough. Unlovable. Not worthy. Impostors. This session won't teach you how to give feedback, because you've already been to several workshops teaching that (as a result of, well, feedback). It'll, instead, help you address your own "not good enough" triggers, initiate difficult conversations, and participate in them with less stress and more success.
Speaker(s): Anna Hadnagy,
Abstract:
Have you tried implementing source control? How has your continuous integration (CI) process gone? This session is for developers, database administrators, database engineers, and data architects that want to automate their database deployments. Particularly for those individuals that have hit roadblocks along that way. We will discuss the differences between migration and stated-based deployment methods. We will also discuss options with branching and merging. At the end of the session, attendees will know how to select the best deployment method for their environment. In addition, attendees will be familiar with branching and merging strategies that can be used as part of their continuous integration strategy. Attendees should be familiar with general concepts about source control and be comfortable with Visual Studio or VS Code.
Speaker(s): Elizabeth Noble,
Abstract:
SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) is now updated each month with the latest version of the SQL Client Tools. Which enabled rapid enhancement to Execution Plan. Do you know that you can now see how many pages are spilled to disk for a sort, as well as the memory statistics for the operator? Are you aware that you can see the top 10 waits for an execution and what trace flags were active during compilation and which ones influenced compilation? Have you ever analyzed a big plan and wish you could search for table name, index name or column name without opening XML plan? When you see a clustered index was used do you know for sure which statistics were used by the Query Optimizer to estimate the number of rows? In this demo intensive session, I will show you how to find and use new features introduced into SSMS and Showplan. You will walk out of this session equipped to make Query Performance Troubleshooting easier and ready to tackle those nasty, hard to solve query plans.
Speaker(s): Taiob Ali,
Abstract:
When it comes to getting your data into Excel or Power BI, M is your best choice. The M Language (A.K.A Power Query) is a powerful tool for self-service data preparation. However, it's not clear where it fits compared to tools like SSIS or TSQL. It's also not clear what it's limitations are. This session will cover the basics of M and when to use it. In this session, we'll demonstrate how M is a linear series of transformations, just like a set of steps from a recipe. We'll show how 80% of what you will ever need to do can be done from the GUI. We'll also talk about how to write custom code for that other 20%. By the end of this presentation, you'll be able to take any manual cleanup you do today and turn it into a repeatable process with M.
Speaker(s): Eugene Meidinger,
Abstract:
Mental illness is more common than you think. One in four Americans suffers from a mental illness each year. In the tech community, this is often not talked about. Many times, people feel alone and isolated in the tech community with us mostly being introverted people. It is time to start talking about mental illness out in the open and honestly about how it affects us and those around us. In this session, we will talk about what mental illness is and what it is not. How my mental illness has affected me. How it effects the tech industry. How mental illness can affect you and how you can tell if you are starting to have issues. What to say and what not to say to people you know that are affected by mental illness. Finally, how to get help and where reach out for help.
Speaker(s): Tracy Boggiano,
Abstract:
Do you ever find yourself executing the same unit of work over and over again? Have you ever found that your SQL Servers have inconsistent build configurations? Have you ever been paged in the middle of the night to resolve an issue? With automation you can reduce the amount of mundane work you do so you can focus on more interesting things, make your environment consistent and easier to support, and finally help you get more sleep! Please join us as we help kick-start your automation journey as we discuss the benefits, tools, tips and tricks, and best practices of automation.
Speaker(s): Kimberly StJacques,
Abstract:
Looking to get the most out of your SQL Saturday, PASS Summit, or local user group meeting? Plan ahead! Events aren't just about learning new things, they're about meeting new people, networking with peers, and learning different approaches to common issues. In this session, we'll go over steps you can take before, during and after the event to maximize the amount of great stuff you'll take away at the end (besides cool vendor swag). Not just keeping up on new technologies, but meeting new people, getting leads on solutions/opportunities, and an appreciation for the community you're in and what it has to offer.
Speaker(s): Matt Cushing,
Abstract:
Do you write T-SQL for a living and want to improve its performance? Do you wish your 3rd party vendor code would magically go faster? Then you need to learn about Intelligent Query Processing in SQL Server 2019. This collection of new features is a game changer that will improve performance across the board. Come to this overview session to learn more about how these capabilities will benefit you.
Speaker(s): Andy Yun,
Abstract:
Do you understand how SQL Server handles I/O? If not, you should. Understanding I/O is more important than ever with increasing cloud adoption, due to cloud costing models. But even on-premises, I/O has a direct impact on T-SQL performance. Join me for a deep dive into the storage engine to understand how SQL Server handles I/O. Concepts will be paired with T-SQL examples to illustrate the practical impacts. When you leave, you'll be able to optimize your T-SQL reduce I/O and improve performance across the board.
Speaker(s): Andy Yun,
Abstract:
Just like pilots who are prepared for disaster recovery through regular practice, we as database administrators need to actually spend time practicing recovering with those backups. Ransomware has made it critical to prepare to rebuild your datacenter at any moment. This session will focus on the kinds of situations that can dramatically affect a data center, and how to practice recovery processes to assure business continuity.
Speaker(s): Allen White,
Abstract:
If you work with SQL Server at all, you need to know Transact-SQL, the SQL Server programming language. During this session, we’ll design and create our own table to demonstrate key concepts, query syntax, and more. If you’ve been meaning to learn T-SQL, here’s your chance!
Speaker(s): Jennifer McCown,
Abstract:
PowerPivotPro's Foundations curriculum is a crash course that has been crafted and refined over 10+ years to help Power BI and Power Pivot beginners to level-up their DAX skills quickly. This talk will be an introduction to Evaluation Context and the role it plays in how a DAX formula works under the hood, which is a critical concept for progressing beyond the limitations of drag-and-drop measures in Power BI and Excel Pivot Tables.
Speaker(s): Adam Maxam,
Abstract:
Three fast-paced 15-minutes-or-less talks, followed by a chance to have some QA with our speakers. Deborah Melkin - Inside the UPDATE Matt Cushing - Using PowerBI to keep your sanity Michael Grayson - SQL Server and MongoDB: A side by side “How To"
Speaker(s): Deborah Melkin,
Abstract:
Many tech professionals are faced with the challenge of explaining technical concepts to people who don't understand technology. And only a few are able to do it well. This session provides some strategies and suggestions to go about bridging the technological knowledge gap. With time and practice, a technical person can serve as an effective interpreter of technical concepts. This is an interactive session; audience participation is expected and encouraged!
Speaker(s): Ray Kim,
Abstract:
Every expert has their own set of tools they use to find and fix the problem areas of queries, but SQL Server provides the necessary information to both diagnose and troubleshoot where those problems actually are, and help you fix those issues, right in the box. In this session we will examine a variety of tools to analyze and solve query performance problems.
Speaker(s): Allen White,
Abstract:
As DBAs we oversee the safety and security of our databases. Integrity, Backup and ability to restore in a timely fashion are most important responsibilities. In addition to Microsoft's own Maintenance Plans and Ola Hallengren's awesome scripts, there are many tweaks available that can be exploited for our success; we will learn about those too. I will share with you my own experiments that I conducted over a period of one month. I will share supporting data, to show how I helped save several hours of downtime for my company. We'll also some of the best practices to help you cut down the maintenance window and give max up-time for your discerning customer.
Speaker(s): Paresh Motiwala,
Abstract:
In this session, we will look at the new Query Store feature in SQL Server 2016, 2017, and 2019. 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 Plan Correction 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 the Query Store, so you can understand how to use them in SQL Server 2016, 2017, and 2019.
Speaker(s): Tracy Boggiano,
Abstract:
We will go through Clustered and Non Clustered index internals. How Indexes are allocated and how SQL Server uses indexes in Select operations. In that session we will use DBCC IND and DBCC PAGE and dig into pages' binary code to understand how SQL Server uses different kinds of Indexes.
Speaker(s): Slava Murygin,
Abstract:
Data > Opinion Sentiment Analysis helps you understand what customers are feeling. Being able to gauge public opinion is the key to understanding how your brand is being perceived in the marketplace. In this talk we will look at how to perform sentiment analysis on some Twitter data using Python in SQL Server and Machine Learning Services. No Data Science or Python experience is necessary to begin leveraging the tools Microsoft has made available to help extract meaning from your data.
Speaker(s): Tracey Kroll,
Abstract:
Mapping Data Flows feature of Azure Data Factory is now generally available since October 2019. There are many different use-case scenarios that can be covered by Data Flows, considering that Data Flows in SQL Integration Service (SSIS) projects are still playing a big role in fulfilling Extracting-Loading-Transforming (ETL) patterns for your data. In this session, I will share my experience of populating a Data Vault repository with the help of Mapping Data Flows in Azure Data Factory.
Speaker(s): Rayis Imayev,
Abstract:
Three fast-paced 15-minutes-or-less talks, followed by a chance to have some QA with our speakers. Kim StJacques - Introduction to SQL Server 2019 PolyBase Ray Kim - Business cards: the most important networking tool Taiob Ali - Extended Events - How to collect the first 10 or every 4th event
Speaker(s): Kimberly StJacques,
Abstract:
The SELECT statement is one of the most used tools in our SQL toolbelt. While it’s the basis for what we do with data, it’s anything but basic. In this presentation, we will first explore how SELECT statements are processed. Then we will discuss various ways we build on to our SELECTs. We'll also examine how and why we may or may not want to use them. At the end of the session, we will have a greater understanding of how SELECTS work and how we can approach them so we can be smarter as we write more complex statements.
Speaker(s): Deborah Melkin,
Abstract:
We've all been there. Alerts firing, alarms going off, pages being sent. It's 3AM, production is down and you're on call. How do you approach an outage? In this session, we'll cover methodologies for navigating outages, how to stay relaxed and keep a clear head, tips for identifying where things are bottlenecked and best practices for escalation and notification to customers and stakeholders. This session will arm you with techniques to help you and your team efficiently triage, diagnose and resolve outages with cool and calm confidence.
Speaker(s): Kris Gruttemeyer,
This is a list of speakers from the XML Guidebook records. The details and URLs were valid at the time of the event.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pianorayk
Contact: https://pianorayk.wordpress.com/
Ray Kim is an advocate for documentation and technical communication. He is a co-founder of the Albany, NY SQL group (CASSUG), a member of the AlbanyUX user group, and has spoken at numerous SQLSaturdays and at PASS Summit. He has worked various positions in technology, including as a developer, webmaster, analyst, technical writer, and instructor. He holds an MS in technical communication from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a BS in computer science from Syracuse University. A musician in his spare time, Ray plays four different instruments. He also enjoys going to ball games and doing CrossFit, and is a two-time SQLServerCentral.com fantasy football champion. He lives in Troy, NY with his wife, Lianne, and their two cats.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/deborah-melkin-5ba4244
Contact: http://debthedba.wordpress.com
Deborah Melkin has been working as a database professional with SQL Server for almost 20 years. She spends her days helping programmers with all aspects of database design, queries, performance, and deployment. In 2016, she began her blog, Deb the DBA. Soon after that, she began speaking at SQL Saturdays and user groups. Deborah is a board member of the New England SQL Server User group (NESQL) and was recently named as an IDERA ACE Class of 2020. She also won Speaker Idol at PASS Summit 2019. In her spare time, Deborah can usually be found doing something musical.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/rick-lowe/a/228/441/
Contact: http://dataflowe.wordpress.com/
Rick is a Microsoft Certified Master with more than 20 years of SQL Server experience in a variety of roles. He currently lives in Washington state and works as an independent consultant providing remote performance DBA and performance tuning services for clients in the USA and Canada. His first exposure to SQL Server was as a database developer, but over time he became more and more interested in how the database engine operated... eventually specializing more on performance issues than code. Rick will work with all things relational, but most enjoys helping smaller companies get better performance from MSSQL, as well as smoothing over relationships between DBA and development teams.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/pareshmotiwala
Paresh Motiwala a Azure/Big Data enthusiast, Manager of Database Platform teams has led several large SQL implementations, migrations and upgrades. He has managed multi terabyte OLTP databases. He has also been a Sr. SQL DBA and a Solutions Architect in Fortune 100 companies. He helps/organizes and speaks at many SQL Saturdays, Azure Bootcamp, Azure Datafests and User Groups(Boston BI UG, NESQL, PASS PD VG and PASS DBA VG). He is certified in Big Data Analytics, FinTech, PMP, Public Speaking, Business Communications. He is a avid singer, cook, open networker, and stand-up comedian. He teaches public speaking, debating, interviewing and group discussion skills and mentors children around the globe via www.circlesofgrowth.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sqlworldwide
Contact: http://www.sqlworldwide.com
Taiob Ali, MVP Data Platform, is an accomplished technical leader with a proven record of success. For 14 years, he has worked with the Microsoft Data Platform and MongoDB both on-premise and cloud. His experience includes all three major business sectors: finance, e-commerce, and healthcare. Taiob has hands-on experience in managing large database projects, massive data migration, intricate process design, testing and deployment, performance tuning, long term capacity planning. Taiob is currently working at “GMO LLC” as a Database Solution Manager, focusing on cloud migration, automation, improving, and streamlining operational workflow. He is a regular speaker at local and virtual PASS chapters, SQL Saturdays, and Azure conferences.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-stjacques
Contact: http://dbobserver.com
Kim StJacques is passionate about SQL Server and Community. She has worked in IT for 20+ years and 15 of those years working with SQL Server. Kim's experience as a DBA spans multiple database platforms, however, SQL Server is her passion. Kim is also an avid volunteer in the SQL Server community! She has served as a SQL Saturday organizer/volunteer/speaker, PASS Summit Program Committee, PASS Summit Ambassador, and PASS Summit buddy for first timers. As a recent empty nester, Kim has developed a thirst for learning new things such as Ansible and Docker, however, she still finds time for a few Overwatch matches and a splash of Netflix.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-stjacques
Contact: http://dbobserver.com
Kim StJacques is passionate about SQL Server and Community. She has worked in IT for 20+ years and 15 of those years working with SQL Server. Kim's experience as a DBA spans multiple database platforms, however, SQL Server is her passion. Kim is also an avid volunteer in the SQL Server community! She has served as a SQL Saturday organizer/volunteer/speaker, PASS Summit Program Committee, PASS Summit Ambassador, and PASS Summit buddy for first timers. As a recent empty nester, Kim has developed a thirst for learning new things such as Ansible and Docker, however, she still finds time for a few Overwatch matches and a splash of Netflix.
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: http://ca.linkedin.com/in/rimayev
Contact: http://datanrg.blogspot.ca/
Database professional with hands-on database design, data analysis, and reporting skills. I believe that I can help to make this intricate world of data to be more structured and well understood. Born in USSR; graduated and started my IT journey in Ukraine; now I work and live with my family in Toronto, Canada.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/kgruttemeyer
I'm a DBA and performance tuning geek. I've worked with the platform for 8 years now and love sharing performance tuning/emergency response techniques to get people out of trouble.
Jane Datz has been working as an IT professional for 30 years. She has worked in a variety of roles including Lotus Notes development, web development, application development and database development. Today, she is a Business Intelligence architect at ConMed Corporation, building ETL processes, data cubes, data marts and data warehouses. She has developed a love of data and getting it as clean and easy to use as possible. She is also an obsessed dog agility competitor, reef tank hobbyist and cellist. She has been known to ask herself “What would Jimmy Buffett do?” when trying to decide if it is cocktail hour or not.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-maxam-4468a418/
Contact: https://powerpivotpro.com/staff-member/adam-maxam/
After earning his MBA, Adam started his career at Xerox Corporation, where he immediately gravitated toward analytical work using traditional Excel features and developing apps to automate business processes. Along the way, he picked up Rob Collie’s book on DAX, and over the course of a weekend his mindset around data problem-solving was radically altered. From then on he turned his back on traditional methods and began developing one super-powered analysis after another, empowering the business units he supported with true data-driven decision making abilities. Now a consultant at PowerPivotPro, Adam enjoys helping individuals and organizations to realize that same power; Power BI, that is.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/deborah-melkin-5ba4244
Contact: http://debthedba.wordpress.com
Deborah Melkin has been working as a database professional with SQL Server for almost 20 years. She spends her days helping programmers with all aspects of database design, queries, performance, and deployment. In 2016, she began her blog, Deb the DBA. Soon after that, she began speaking at SQL Saturdays and user groups. Deborah is a board member of the New England SQL Server User group (NESQL) and was recently named as an IDERA ACE Class of 2020. She also won Speaker Idol at PASS Summit 2019. In her spare time, Deborah can usually be found doing something musical.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annahadnagy/
Contact: https://annahadnagy.com
Assembled in Budapest, Hungary, currently serving the Rochester, NY and Columbus, Ohio area. Anna works at CoverMyMeds, a healthcare software company in Ohio, where her team of 8 DBA's support ~100 Postgres databases, several dozen development teams (#microservices, ya feel?), and co-parent one very, very well behaved SQL Server. Her team is that Italian family of brothers and sisters who beat each other bloody during the day, but still sit down to family dinner in the evening. Outside of work, Anna practices martial arts (judo, BJJ, boxing), travels to remote corners of the world, rides horses, and sometimes does all of the above at the same time.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/deborah-melkin-5ba4244
Contact: http://debthedba.wordpress.com
Deborah Melkin has been working as a database professional with SQL Server for almost 20 years. She spends her days helping programmers with all aspects of database design, queries, performance, and deployment. In 2016, she began her blog, Deb the DBA. Soon after that, she began speaking at SQL Saturdays and user groups. Deborah is a board member of the New England SQL Server User group (NESQL) and was recently named as an IDERA ACE Class of 2020. She also won Speaker Idol at PASS Summit 2019. In her spare time, Deborah can usually be found doing something musical.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pianorayk
Contact: https://pianorayk.wordpress.com/
Ray Kim is an advocate for documentation and technical communication. He is a co-founder of the Albany, NY SQL group (CASSUG), a member of the AlbanyUX user group, and has spoken at numerous SQLSaturdays and at PASS Summit. He has worked various positions in technology, including as a developer, webmaster, analyst, technical writer, and instructor. He holds an MS in technical communication from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a BS in computer science from Syracuse University. A musician in his spare time, Ray plays four different instruments. He also enjoys going to ball games and doing CrossFit, and is a two-time SQLServerCentral.com fantasy football champion. He lives in Troy, NY with his wife, Lianne, and their two cats.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/slava-murygin/9/b95/858
Contact: http://slavasql.blogspot.com/
Started working with SQL Server 7.0 as DBA and Developer. Since then went through all SQL Server versions, migrations and multiple companies of different sizes and industries. Currently working as a contractor with all aspects of SQL Server, including, but not limited to: troubleshooting performance, designing/developing: databases, systems, processes, data warehouses, cubes, reports, ETLs; Refactoring old code; Migrating data from other systems to SQL Server; Securing the data on enterprise level.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/allen-white-sql-server-mvp/5/784/b08/
Contact: http://dataperfpro.com/blog/
Allen White is a Data Platform consultant. He has been both a developer and an administrator, so he understands both perspectives towards database technology. He loves sharing his experiences and helping people learn how to use SQL Server. Allen has spent over 40 years in IT, using SQL Server since 1992, and has been awarded Microsoft’s MVP Award for the last 13 years. Allen was a PASS Director from 2016 - 2018.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkbenoit
David Benoit (@SQLTentmaker) leads a team of data platform architects at a large financial tech company. He has developed teams that have transitioned from standard on-prem operations to engineering teams supporting scale out platforms in the cloud.
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/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/mikegrayson/
Contact: https://mongomikeblog.wordpress.com/blog/
Mike Grayson has been a MongoDB Master since 2016 with close to a decade's worth of Database Administration under his belt. He's currently working as a Sr. Database Engineer at Paychex in Rochester, New York. He blogs at mongomike.wordpress.com/blog and has spoken at several MongoDB, Oracle, and SQL Server events both locally and nationally. He's administered a myriad of database types during his time as a database engineer, as well as Hadoop, Apache Spark and Apache Kafka.
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/in/sqlbek
Contact: http://sqlbek.wordpress.com
Andy Yun is a SentryOne Principal Solutions Engineer and a former Microsoft MVP. He has been working with SQL Server for nearly 20 years as both a Database Developer and Administrator. Leveraging knowledge of SQL Server Internals and extensive experience in highly transactional environments, he strives to make T-SQL leaner and meaner. Andy is extremely passionate about passing knowledge onto others, regularly speaking at User Groups, SQL Saturdays, and PASS Summit. Andy is a co-founder of the Chicago SQL Association, co-Chapter Leader of the Chicago Suburban User Group, and part of the Chicago SQL Saturday Organizing Committee.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/sqlbek
Contact: http://sqlbek.wordpress.com
Andy Yun is a SentryOne Principal Solutions Engineer and a former Microsoft MVP. He has been working with SQL Server for nearly 20 years as both a Database Developer and Administrator. Leveraging knowledge of SQL Server Internals and extensive experience in highly transactional environments, he strives to make T-SQL leaner and meaner. Andy is extremely passionate about passing knowledge onto others, regularly speaking at User Groups, SQL Saturdays, and PASS Summit. Andy is a co-founder of the Chicago SQL Association, co-Chapter Leader of the Chicago Suburban User Group, and part of the Chicago SQL Saturday Organizing Committee.
Contact: http://www.sqlgene.com
Eugene Meidinger works as a BI consultant and full time Pluralsight author. He currently focuses on content on Power BI and related products. He also leads the Pittsburgh Power BI User Group. He is certified in querying and administering SQL Server.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-stjacques
Contact: http://dbobserver.com
Kim StJacques is passionate about SQL Server and Community. She has worked in IT for 20+ years and 15 of those years working with SQL Server. Kim's experience as a DBA spans multiple database platforms, however, SQL Server is her passion. Kim is also an avid volunteer in the SQL Server community! She has served as a SQL Saturday organizer/volunteer/speaker, PASS Summit Program Committee, PASS Summit Ambassador, and PASS Summit buddy for first timers. As a recent empty nester, Kim has developed a thirst for learning new things such as Ansible and Docker, however, she still finds time for a few Overwatch matches and a splash of Netflix.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sqlworldwide
Contact: http://www.sqlworldwide.com
Taiob Ali, MVP Data Platform, is an accomplished technical leader with a proven record of success. For 14 years, he has worked with the Microsoft Data Platform and MongoDB both on-premise and cloud. His experience includes all three major business sectors: finance, e-commerce, and healthcare. Taiob has hands-on experience in managing large database projects, massive data migration, intricate process design, testing and deployment, performance tuning, long term capacity planning. Taiob is currently working at “GMO LLC” as a Database Solution Manager, focusing on cloud migration, automation, improving, and streamlining operational workflow. He is a regular speaker at local and virtual PASS chapters, SQL Saturdays, and Azure conferences.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattcushing/
Contact: http://sqlkohai.com
Matt started out his career in Accounting and quickly realized he liked data a whole lot more! Starting as a help desk associate, he's moved through support, development, data, and management positions before settling back to his passion for data. Currently working for Applegate Farms in NJ, he loves the people he works with and for, and the company as a whole. Thanks to the input and help from the SQL community, he was able to be ready for the right opportunity in his current position as a BI developer. He also teaches a Database Management class at Rutgers University. Ask him about the Red Sox sometime if you want your ear talked off ;).
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattcushing/
Contact: http://sqlkohai.com
Matt started out his career in Accounting and quickly realized he liked data a whole lot more! Starting as a help desk associate, he's moved through support, development, data, and management positions before settling back to his passion for data. Currently working for Applegate Farms in NJ, he loves the people he works with and for, and the company as a whole. Thanks to the input and help from the SQL community, he was able to be ready for the right opportunity in his current position as a BI developer. He also teaches a Database Management class at Rutgers University. Ask him about the Red Sox sometime if you want your ear talked off ;).
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/allen-white-sql-server-mvp/5/784/b08/
Contact: http://dataperfpro.com/blog/
Allen White is a Data Platform consultant. He has been both a developer and an administrator, so he understands both perspectives towards database technology. He loves sharing his experiences and helping people learn how to use SQL Server. Allen has spent over 40 years in IT, using SQL Server since 1992, and has been awarded Microsoft’s MVP Award for the last 13 years. Allen was a PASS Director from 2016 - 2018.
Contact: http://www.midnightdba.com/dbarant
Sean McCown is a Certified Master with 23 years of experience in databases. He is also founder and co-owner of the MidnightDBA.com website, where he records free SQL Server training videos. He also writes the popular Minion Maintenance suite, the most configurable maintenance solution on the planet.
Tracey has worked with SQL Server since version 6.5, which means she is either experienced or just old – depending on how many gray hairs she found that morning. Tracey is a board member of the Philadelphia SQL Server Users Group (PSSUG). Whether profiling data for analytics, creating predictive models, or creating compelling visualizations, she is passionate about delivering data in a way that is understandable and actionable to the business. Her current position at an IoT company is an analytics role working directly with clients to help them use their current machine data to predict the future. She also enjoys writing, in both personal and professional capacities.
The following is a list of sponsors that helped fund the event.