16Oct 2013 by Grant Fritchey No Comments

PASS Summit 2013 Day 1 Keynote

PASS
I am liveblogging the keynote from the bloggers table at the PASS Summit again this year. Just keep scrolling. Watching the introduction video as people trickle in. All the other bloggers are setting up. I get in early. I didn't rearrange the seats this year. I see others doing it now. 8:11: Watching the videos of all the attendees registering and meeting people at the start of the event and last night's welcome reception is awesome and fun. 8:21: The lights go down and the videos of what everyone is looking forward to at the Summit. In keeping with our location, right next to the NASCAR Hall of Fame, we've got a bit of a race theme going on. We're seeing current PASS President, Bill Graziano having a dream about…
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26Sep 2013 by Grant Fritchey 1 Comment

PASS Votes

PASS
I've already made my own intentions clear. I'm casting one of my votes for Allen Kinsel. But, I get three votes. Some of you may be asking yourselves, why didn't recommend two other candidates? Honesty time. First, no one else asked me to. I'm actually glad of this. If I received requests for help from more than three of the candidates, I would be very hard pressed to choose. Yes, I ultimately have to, but I don't have to publicly reject anyone. At this point, it looks like I'm ready to vote for every other candidate. That's a good thing from my standpoint, maybe not so much from theirs. However, if anyone wanted a little help, they should have asked. That's a good policy with life in general. Second, I…
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23Sep 2013 by Grant Fritchey 2 Comments

PASS Votes and So Should You

PASS
To put it bluntly, you need to go cast a vote for Allen Kinsel for the PASS Board. In his own words, here's why Allen is running. Why am I supporting Allen? First, he's a friend. But ignore that. This isn't, or at least shouldn't be, a popularity contest. It's about getting what you want, what you need, out of the PASS organization. I absolutely believe that Allen has the best interests of this organization at heart. He wants to make a difference for the better. More than that, I've seen him working as a volunteer within the organization where he does make a difference, does make things better. He brings passion to the job. If you've ever volunteered to help run any kind of organization, you'll know that one…
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26Aug 2013 by Grant Fritchey 3 Comments

Make the PASS Summit Work For Your Employer

PASS
It was pointed out to me that since PASS is such a huge networking event, any employer would be crazy to send a good employee to the event. They'll just come back and hand in their two weeks notice. You know, that's entirely possible. But, let's not confuse networking with job hunting. Funny enough, while I did get my latest job while at the PASS Summit, it wasn't through the personal network that I had built up over the years of going to, and speaking at, the Summit. I use that network as an extensive knowledge base. If I have a question about Availability Groups, I have at least three different people I can reach out to. If I get stuck on some internals question, I have other individuals I…
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21Aug 2013 by Grant Fritchey No Comments

Speaking this Fall

PASS, Redgate Software
I've been at home through the whole month of August, restingworking hard, but it's time to get on the road again. First up, it's off to San Diego for two events. On Friday, September 20th, Red Gate (my Lord and Master) is hosting a free afternoon session of training. Steve Jones (b|t) and I will be walking through several sessions oriented towards the DBA and the skill sets they need to get things done. It's a free event, training done the Red Gate way, so register here, get some free training, a little networking and finish up with a frothy beverage. Then it's off to SQL Saturday San Diego the next day, Saturday, September 21st. As I write this, they haven't posted the schedule, so I'm not sure what session I'll be doing,…
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12Aug 2013 by Grant Fritchey 19 Comments

You should NOT attend the PASS Summit

PASS
If you asked me, prior to today, if I would type or say those words, I would have laughed right at you. But then, I saw this question on Ask SQL Server Central. It's from a college student, not yet twenty-one, who was considering paying his (assuming it's a guy since their handle is 'Eagle Scout') own way to the Summit and wondered if it would be worth it. It pains me to say that I suggested that he not do it. Don't get me wrong. I think the PASS Summit is probably the single greatest resource you have to advance your career. Where else can you go to get that broad a choice in training? Where else can you go to get that many of the leaders of our industry, specializing…
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07Aug 2013 by Grant Fritchey No Comments

24 Hours of PASS Streaming Available

Azure, PASS
If you missed the 24 Hours of PASS Summit 2013 Preview, you missed some excellent sessions. I watched a few, but not all. But now, thanks to the wonders of modern technology, I can go back and catch the ones I missed. You can too. I'd like to call out my session, Be a Successful DBA in the World of Cloud and On-Premises Data. I know that my fellow DBAs and database developers are largely dismissive of Azure. I get it. But I really think you're missing out on this. It's another excellent tool in your toolbox that you need to start taking advantage of. Little things like getting a quick and easy installation of SQL Server 2014 or Windows Server 2012 R2 up and running. Helpful things like the…
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24Jul 2013 by Grant Fritchey No Comments

24 Hours of Education

Azure, PASS
You absolutely need to learn more. I need to learn more (lots more). We all should be constantly learning more about our jobs, our businesses and the technology that makes it all happen. When presented with the opportunity, especially a free one, you should jump on it, with both feet. Here you go. Beginning at 12:00 GMT on the 31st of July you can attend the 24 Hours of PASS, for free. 24 Hours of PASS has been put on several years now in various forms. This year it's being put on as a "Summit Preview." What you're getting is 24 individual presentations by 24 different people on 24 different topics, all meant to whet your appetite for the PASS Summit. I'm quite privileged to get to take part this year.…
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01Jul 2013 by Grant Fritchey 15 Comments

Getting Started With SQL Server 2014 the Easy Way

Azure, PASS
You know you want to at least take a look at the new Client Technology Preview (CTP) of SQL Server 2014. I don't blame you either. I want to spend hours swimming through it too. But, you're thinking to yourself, "Heck, I'd have to download the silly thing, provision a new VM, walk through the install... Nah. Too much work." I don't blame you. I found myself on the road the day the software was released, so I was going to attempt to do all that work on a hotel wireless system. In short, I was going to have to wait, no options. Or were there? Actually, there is a much easier option. Azure Virtual Machines. And no, it's not that I can simply get a Windows Azure VM ready to go…
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22May 2013 by Grant Fritchey 6 Comments

PASS Summit 2013 is Looking Cloudy

Azure, PASS
No, this isn't some complaint about PASS or the Summit. This is an announcement that not only will I be speaking at the PASS Summit, but I'm speaking about Azure... a lot. First up, I'm going to be doing an all-day pre-conference seminar specifically aimed at getting you into Azure. No, I don't want you to drop your on-premise databases and infrastructure. Are you nuts? No, wait, you think I am. OK, fair point. But what I actually want you to realize is that some pieces of your work are better done in the cloud. There are all kinds of terribly fun and cool things you can get done there, as an addition to your existing infrastructure. There are way, way too many things that are better done locally to ever think you'd move…
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