I’m very honored to be speaking at the PASS Global Summit again this year in Seattle during the week of October 24th.I have a special discount code for you if you have not already registered for this outstanding conference. Please use the discount code PRE250DK for $250 off of the full three-day conference registration with a pre-conference training session. This discount code expires at midnight on Thursday, October 13th, so act fast!

I’m presenting two sessions on my favorite topic – the convergence of infrastructure and data.

The first is an all-day preconference training session on Tuesday, October 25th, entitled “The Complete Primer to SQL Server Virtualization“.

Abstract: Your SQL Servers are probably virtualized at this point, but do you feel you have lost that control over the infrastructure that you used to have when they were physical servers? Do the virtual SQL Servers “feel” slower after they were virtualized? When architected and managed with SQL Server in mind, this added layer will help improve the SQL Server’s availability and ability to change with the business, but only when executed properly.

The second general session is a rapid-fire deep-dive on the virtualization topic for those that cannot make the precon session, entitled “Virtual SQL Servers. Actual Performance.”

Abstract: Virtualizing your business-critical SQL Servers should not imply that they will run slower than if they were physical. When properly architected and managed, virtual SQL Servers should be equally as fast as their physical counterparts, if not faster. However, if not properly constructed, silent and seemingly random performance killers can strike and significantly hurt your database performance.

This session is packed with many tips and tricks gained from years of experience for getting the most performance from your virtual SQL Servers. The major roadblocks to performance will be discussed and the knowledge gained will help you work with your infrastructure engineers so you can optimize the system stack for performance. Tools, techniques, and processes will be demonstrated to help you measure and validate the system performance of the key components underneath your data.

I really hope each and every one of you can make it to this conference. I’ve said it before, and I will undoubtedly say it again, that this conference is the best SQL Server conference of the year, and speaker or not, I will always make time to attend this event. The speaker lineup is amazing, and the education is world class. I cannot wait until then!