24Mar 2009 by Grant Fritchey No Comments

Community

Misc, PASS
I'm always impressed and amazed with what happens in the SQL Server community. If you need help, there almost always seems to be a willing and able hand that reaches down to pull you up. It happens again and again, all around. I take part in SQL Server Central, one of the best, and biggest, communities out there for SQL Server. The people that pitch in every day are some of the nicest you're ever going to meet, but they're also extremely well informed. I regularly benefit from people swinging by this blog to offer suggestions or solutions or improvements to my ramblings. I've been making friends and developing contacts at the PASS Summit for the last four years and at my local user's group for the last two.  I've also been…
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19Feb 2009 by Grant Fritchey No Comments

Networking

Misc, PASS
Andy Warren has just posted the last entry in a very interesting set of posts about building and working your own network. I think they're all worth a read, especially if you've been thinking about blogging, Twitter, LinkedIn or just volunteering at your local users group.
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11Feb 2009 by Grant Fritchey No Comments

PASS Chapter Spotlight

Misc
The Southern New England SQL Server Users Group was picked for the February spotlight on the PASS web site. This was largely based on the work we did helping Adam Machanic run the New England Data Camp. I've said it before and I'll say it again, we helped. Adam did 90% of the work. It's still good to be singled out. Thanks PASS and thanks to the volunteers at SNESSUG.
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10Feb 2009 by Grant Fritchey No Comments

Things you know now 2

Misc
I can't believe I forgot this: Test, Test, Test And when you're done testing, test some more. You can't assume that you know how something works. You need to know how it works. Test it. Verify your database design by testing. Check your queries by testing them. Be sure the new index works by testing it. Test the new deployment process before you announce it to the development (way before). When you get done with all this testing... Start testing again.
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10Feb 2009 by Grant Fritchey 3 Comments

Things you know now…

Misc
Brent Ozar has passed on another doozie. His list is pretty good. Since I'm much more a tactical guy than a big picture strategic guy, my advice to me in the past is going to be more tactical in nature. Learn the Rules of Normalization Yeah, eventually I picked up  on them, but not before I built about six or seven systems I would be profoundly embarassed to show anyone today. I realize that pointing at the fundamentals is just shy of a non-answer to the question, but the fact of the matter is, I was a bit of a cowboy. Still am. The beauty, and curse, of being a cowboy is, you tend to bypass things. Sometimes, you're riding by trouble you just don't need. Other times, you're hell bent for…
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26Jan 2009 by Grant Fritchey 14 Comments

New England Data Camp v1.0 Results

Misc, PASS, SQL Server
I believe that the very first New England Data Camp was a success. We had about 185 attendees. There 18 sessions from 16 speakers. Both the sessions I gave and the one I sat in on were full. Credit goes to to Adam Machanic who did 90% of the work pulling this together. Amazing job Adam. My personal thanks to our sponsors.  First, Microsoft, who provided us with a magnificent facility, nice swag, a full AV suite, coffee and donuts and in the morning, and a lot of help. It wouldn't have come out as well as it did without you guys. Next, the Professional Association of SQL Server Users (PASS), who supplied us with money, without which we could not have eaten lunch, a few posters to decorate the…
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14Jan 2009 by Grant Fritchey 8 Comments

Microsoft Concept Center

Misc
During my recent visit to the Microsoft Technology Center in Waltham, Rich Crane gave me a tour of the facility. It included a room, I think he called the Concept Center. It was a little theatre type of arrangement around a series of work areas or work styles. Microsoft uses the room for demo's that go WAY beyond some silly PowerPoint slide show. Here are a few pictures I took while I was there. [gallery order="DESC" orderby="post_name"]
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11Dec 2008 by Grant Fritchey 2 Comments

New England Data Camp v1.0

Misc, PASS
Adam Machanic of the New England SQL Server Users Group (among other things), has contacted the Southern New England SQL Server Users Group to ask us to take part in a one day SQL Server code camp. Of course we said yes. It's taking place at the Microsoft facility in Waltham on Saturday, January 24th. You can register here. If you're interested in speaking, speaker registration is here. I'll be listing the sponsors as they become available, but it will be a PASS event. As information gels around this, I'll continue posting updates.
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