If any of you follow me on SQLServerCentral.com, then you know I recently started a new job.  Well, after two weeks of in-processing training, I have finally started getting involved in actual work.  One of the things I am getting to learn is Agile techniques, in this case SCRUM.  Interesting process, and perhaps I’ll talk more about it in the future as I become more acquainted with the process.

More importantly, I am getting exposed to the “O” word, yes, Oracle, and will be working with both Oracle 8 and Oracle 10.  Wait, you are saying, but you are a SQL Server JOATMON (Jack of all Trades, Master of None)!  What are you doing working with Oracle?  I’m asking myself the same question at the moment.  Today I actually had the opportunity to see some of the code!  ANSI-89 style joins, cursors, and who knows what else.

I had thought I would be able to easily take my SQL Server development skills over to Oracle, and with some work learning Oracle syntax, be working fairly quickly.  I guess I’ll scale that back a bit, and take things a little bit slower.  I’ll need to see if I can get access to a sand box area and start writing exploratory code to learn how things work and try to get up to speed on the language.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel, however, as there is a process that needs work to improve it.  Currently, part of that process uses Access to bridge an Oracle 8 database and an Oracle 10 database.  There are quite a few manual processes involved, and maybe, just maybe, I can put something together using SQL Server (and maybe SSIS) to help bridge this gap and simplify a very manual process.  I may even find a way to use it in another project that is also in progress now as well, but I’ll have to watch things carefully before I go off without knowing as much as possible.

In the mean time, I am going to try and stay active on SSC, as well as attending SQLSat52 in Denver next month.  If you don’t see me as much as you used to, part of it is I’m not checking things as much during the day.  As I get used to my schedule (and remember, soccer season is here), I’ll try to hit the forums more in the evenings.  I WANT to keep my SQL Server skills sharp and usable should other opportunities arise!

In the mean time, pray for me as I journey on the Dark Side.