May 15, 2012 at 9:49 am
So, I'm an accidental DBA, and I'm looking to improve myself. I "play" with SQL a little, and am on the lookout for seminars and conventions to attend to pick up more knowledge.
I was looking at trying to get the company to pick up the tab for me to go to TechEd in Orlando this year, but my schedule wouldn't cooperate to open up the time.
I'm looking at DevConnections in Las Vegas this fall, and I see a few sessions that sound promising in the schedule. So, my question is, has anyone here gone (likely a silly question) and if so, how was it?
Thanks,
Jason A.
May 15, 2012 at 9:59 am
If you can swing it, try getting to PASS instead. Not saying its better, just saying you may learn more there and the opportunity to meet many of your peers.
Unfortunately, I still won't make it to PASS.
May 15, 2012 at 10:32 am
Thanks Lynn! I took a look at the PASS 2012 site, and it looks interesting, especially after I browsed some of the sessions from 2011.
Now, if I could figure out how to convince the bosses to send me to both...
😀
Jason
May 15, 2012 at 10:56 am
Connections was in Vegas in the spring this year. I think that might be permanent. We'll see.
I've presented at both Connections & the PASS Summit. The sessions available at Connections are good. You're going to get excellent information from great people like Paul Randal, Kim Trip, Aaron Bertrand, etc. But, there are less sessions than at the Summit. Also, there is almost no networking at all in Connections. People show up & leave. There are no chances for sitting around talking and learning from pears. It's not encouraged or supported by the event. Summit is totally different. The networking is the best opportunity for learning and expanding your skill set. Plus you get the CAT team & developers from Microsoft at Summit, not Connections. I really do find Summit to be bigger & better in every way.
"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
- Theodore Roosevelt
Author of:
SQL Server Execution Plans
SQL Server Query Performance Tuning
May 15, 2012 at 11:33 am
jasona.work
Not as intensive as the annual PASS meeting, but I have found (local pass chapters) which typically meet once per month, to be a good source of information, as well as meeting with other SQL DBAs / Developers,
Since I do not know where you live/work, I suggest you use the following link to determine if there are active local pass chapter or chapters in your vicinity.
May 30, 2012 at 8:10 am
OK, I'm reviving this topic with a new (somewhat related) question:
How do you feel about the SQL in the City[/url] events?
I took a look at the agenda for the London event, and the entire DBA track looks interesting. I know the sessions would be pushing the use of Redgate products (after all, they're putting on the event, so why not? It's no worse than MS pushing Hyper-V at an MS event I went to on virtualization) and I can live with that.
For me, Chicago would be fairly easy to get to, it's either about a 6 hour drive, 6 hour train ride, or 1 hour flight (with about 2hr on each end of the flight)
Thanks again!
Jason A.
May 30, 2012 at 8:29 am
jasona.work (5/30/2012)
OK, I'm reviving this topic with a new (somewhat related) question:How do you feel about the SQL in the City[/url] events?
I took a look at the agenda for the London event, and the entire DBA track looks interesting. I know the sessions would be pushing the use of Redgate products (after all, they're putting on the event, so why not? It's no worse than MS pushing Hyper-V at an MS event I went to on virtualization) and I can live with that.
For me, Chicago would be fairly easy to get to, it's either about a 6 hour drive, 6 hour train ride, or 1 hour flight (with about 2hr on each end of the flight)
Thanks again!
Jason A.
I am biased.
The two we've done already were great events. They were extremely well attended with over 300 people at each event. We had top flight speakers like Buck Woody, Kalen Delaney, Denny Cherry. And, yes, we're going to show you our software and show ways to make it work, but that's secondary to the focus of the sessions. The presenters are tasked with talking about important technical needs and how best to solve them. It just so happens our tools will help you, but we cover a lot more than just our tools.
All the feedback that I've seen said that we did a good job of balancing the sales pitch with the technical info. I know that most of my presentations are not focused on Red Gate, but on technical stuff, writing better T-SQL, using some of the more obscure monitoring methods & deploying and managing a sandbox development environment. All good, red meat, technical topics. And, by the way, you'll see some Red Gate tools helping with those issues.
But, seriously, I'm biased.
"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
- Theodore Roosevelt
Author of:
SQL Server Execution Plans
SQL Server Query Performance Tuning
May 30, 2012 at 8:44 am
Oh, I don't mind biased, and I figure I'll pick up some pointers even if I never touch a Redgate application.
Hmm, now to suggest this to one of my bosses, to at least get them to pick up the travel and hotel tab...
June 4, 2012 at 8:09 am
Biased as well, but here's my take.
Summit - Excellent networking, SQL Server focused. Sessions are a little hit and miss since they are volunteers, and less experienced speakers. The choices of sessions are chosen by volunteers, and they are based on a variety of factors, but essentially volunteers and their biases.
DevConnections - Very professional speakers. Most of the people chosen are pros who work in the business, and have lots of experience, both in life and speaking. These are mostly the people that have their names on books and are well known. A wide variety of topics, so if you wear multiple hats, this is interesting. I've sat in VMM, Windows, ASP.NET. Visual Studio, and Sharepoint sessions in addition to SQL in the last few years. However, as Grant noted, very little networking. You are mostly on your own, and while you can meet some people between sessions, or at meals, the event doesn't encourage networking in any way. Which is a shame.
SQL in the City - We are trying, at Red Gate, to build a better event that does let us show some things about Red Gate tools, but also provides information. It's somewhat between a SQL Saturday and the other events. We are looking to provide technical information, or important information and Grant, Brad, and I are pushing all the speakers to remember that. We do mention, and show the Red Gate tools at times, but they are not the focus of the presentation. Kind of like the MS sessions showing one of their tools, but we are trying not to make this marketing. Let us know if we succeed. Last year went well, and we are moving out to a third track, which is more tool focused, while we have two tracks on info.
As far as going to any of these events. Make a presentation for your boss. Think about how to sell this to him with some ROI. Show that you are investing in yourself, or that you are willing to work to become a better DBA. Once you show some investment in yourself, whether that's home study, or working extra hours or a local SQL Saturday or even user groups. Show something, then ask for the chance to attend something. Provide a couple options. SitC might be easy, but price out a low cost way of getting to Chi, or one of the other events. Then price out and budget out the Summit or Connections or another event. Maybe share the cost with your boss somehow. It's often not the $$, but the impact that a manager will see. I've been more willing to send people that will learn and bring something back than just the first person to ask. Some people will go and goof off, some won't.
The other things you can use
- Bring back some training for others. Offer brown bags for a few lunches across weeks when you return.
- Talk about the DVDs you can get. Connections and the Summit offer DVDs of all sessions, which are good lunch time training/talking sessions to use with your company.
- Bring up a specific problem you face, and make a plan to attend a session and go talk to someone that knows about that topic. For example, high volume SSIS, seek out Andy Leonard or one of the MS people. Show this on your plan.
June 7, 2012 at 9:54 am
Thanks for the information Steve!
If / when I go to the SQL in the City, it'll only be the second such event I've been too. I do (when I look) try to find events that sound like they'll provide me with information to both grow my skills, and be useful at my employer. While right now I don't have any particular problems I'd be looking to solve, I'm always looking for information so I can be better at what I do.
I also prefer to share my knowledge with co-workers, in part because if I'm not the only person who can do something, then I can take uninterrupted vacations! 😀
Once more, thank you,
Jason A.
PS. I notice there's a limit of 300 people for the Chicago event. If I sign up now, and something comes up to where I can't attend, can I cancel so that a slot opens up for someone else?
June 7, 2012 at 11:32 am
jasona.work (6/7/2012)
Thanks for the information Steve!If / when I go to the SQL in the City, it'll only be the second such event I've been too. I do (when I look) try to find events that sound like they'll provide me with information to both grow my skills, and be useful at my employer. While right now I don't have any particular problems I'd be looking to solve, I'm always looking for information so I can be better at what I do.
I also prefer to share my knowledge with co-workers, in part because if I'm not the only person who can do something, then I can take uninterrupted vacations! 😀
Once more, thank you,
Jason A.
PS. I notice there's a limit of 300 people for the Chicago event. If I sign up now, and something comes up to where I can't attend, can I cancel so that a slot opens up for someone else?
Yes. You can do that.
"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
- Theodore Roosevelt
Author of:
SQL Server Execution Plans
SQL Server Query Performance Tuning
Viewing 11 posts - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)
You must be logged in to reply to this topic. Login to reply