Who will the Exceptional DBA in 2010?

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Who will the Exceptional DBA in 2010?

Steve Jones - SSC Editor

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May 8, 2010 at 11:33 am

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Comments posted to this topic are about the item Who will the Exceptional DBA in 2010?

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SQLRNNR SSC Guru Points: 281334 More actions · Answer 1

Are you recommending that one nominates one's self?

Jason...AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
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Steve Jones - SSC Editor SSC Guru Points: 736078 More actions · Answer 2

Aboslutely. If you think you qualify, nominate yourself.

Lynn Pettis SSC Guru Points: 442467 More actions · Answer 3

Personally, I think it means more if someone else makes the nomination. It is sort of like nominating yourself for MVP, self-serving. I set a pretty high bar for myself, and I wouldn't nominate myself for either. It doesn't matter if I consider myself an Exeptional DBA, but it does matter if my employer and/or my peers consider me to be an Exceptional DBA.

Steve Jones - SSC Editor SSC Guru Points: 736078 More actions · Answer 4

I understand that, but so many people outside the DBA world might not know about this, or you're in a boat like I was. I was the only DBA. no one would be able to judge.

Feel free to enter if you are proud of what you do

SQLRNNR SSC Guru Points: 281334 More actions · Answer 5

Steve Jones - Editor (5/10/2010)
I understand that, but so many people outside the DBA world might not know about this, or you're in a boat like I was. I was the only DBA. no one would be able to judge.
Feel free to enter if you are proud of what you do

I would feel so much better about it if somebody else made the nomination. However, I do see that very same issue where I am now. So few people know about this award and many of us do work as the only DBA in the shop.

Jason...AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
_______________________________________________
I have given a name to my pain...MCM SQL Server, MVP
SQL RNNR
Posting Performance Based Questions - Gail Shaw[/url]
Learn Extended Events

Lynn Pettis SSC Guru Points: 442467 More actions · Answer 6

Just can't do it. It's just too self-serving in my opinion to nominate myself. I'll admit, no one here at work knows about the Exceptional DBA competition, and I am one of three in our DBA group (I'm the lead with a Junior DBA and Database Programmer in my group).

It would be very humbling to just be nominated yet alone to win, but even I don't measure up to my own standards, as I set a very high bar for myself. There is so much to do and never enough time to do it all with the other duties and requests that keep coming my way.

TravisDBA SSCoach Points: 15780 More actions · Answer 7

Lynn Pettis (5/10/2010)
Just can't do it. It's just too self-serving in my opinion to nominate myself. I'll admit, no one here at work knows about the Exceptional DBA competition, and I am one of three in our DBA group (I'm the lead with a Junior DBA and Database Programmer in my group).
It would be very humbling to just be nominated yet alone to win, but even I don't measure up to my own standards, as I set a very high bar for myself. There is so much to do and never enough time to do it all with the other duties and requests that keep coming my way.

I agree, I too think it is a little self-serving to nominate yourself, but as stated before know one really knows about this outside of us DBA's, so I realistically don't see this going very far. 😀

"Technology is a weird thing. It brings you great gifts with one hand, and it stabs you in the back with the other. ...:-D"

Lynn Pettis SSC Guru Points: 442467 More actions · Answer 8

I actually think it comes down to marketing. Perhaps, as DBA's, we need to start talking about the Exceptional DBA of the Year award to everyone and anyone that is willing to listen. But also, perhaps Redgate, as a sponsor, should publisize the competition in some of the more popular IT publications, both print and electronic, so that others outside of our small sphere of influence become aware of the award.

Also, by becoming active in the SQL Server community; participating in forums like SSC; writing articles for SSC or SSWUG, or SQL Server Standard, or SQL Server magazine, or any other technical magazines; becoming involved in the users groups (if possible, timing of meetings can cause issues; yes, Colorado Sprins SQL Server Users Group, I'm talking about you and Wednesday meetings), can make us more visible to our peers and what we are doing and capable of achieving. Who else is going to listen to the problems we have encountered and how we solved them, or what accomplishments we may have achieved at work? My wife? Heck, I start talking about work and her eyes glaze over and she simply nods in agreement.

SQLRNNR SSC Guru Points: 281334 More actions · Answer 9

Lynn Pettis (5/10/2010)
I actually think it comes down to marketing. Perhaps, as DBA's, we need to start talking about the Exceptional DBA of the Year award to everyone and anyone that is willing to listen. But also, perhaps Redgate, as a sponsor, should publisize the competition in some of the more popular IT publications, both print and electronic, so that others outside of our small sphere of influence become aware of the award.
Also, by becoming active in the SQL Server community; participating in forums like SSC; writing articles for SSC or SSWUG, or SQL Server Standard, or SQL Server magazine, or any other technical magazines; becoming involved in the users groups (if possible, timing of meetings can cause issues; yes, Colorado Sprins SQL Server Users Group, I'm talking about you and Wednesday meetings), can make us more visible to our peers and what we are doing and capable of achieving. Who else is going to listen to the problems we have encountered and how we solved them, or what accomplishments we may have achieved at work? My wife? Heck, I start talking about work and her eyes glaze over and she simply nods in agreement.

I will make sure to mention it in our UG. I think that is how it is going to have to start.

Jason...AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
_______________________________________________
I have given a name to my pain...MCM SQL Server, MVP
SQL RNNR
Posting Performance Based Questions - Gail Shaw[/url]
Learn Extended Events

Jeff Moden SSC Guru Points: 1004290 More actions · Answer 10

Lynn Pettis (5/10/2010)
Heck, I start talking about work and her eyes glaze over and she simply nods in agreement.

BBWWWWAAAAHHHH-HHHHAAAA-HAAAAA-HAAAAA! SSSNNNOOORRRTTTT!!! HOOOOOIIIIEEE! ROFAD!!! You may have finally found "THE" magic bullet! I've gotta try that... 😛

--Jeff Moden

RBAR is pronounced "ree-bar" and is a "Modenism" for Row-By-Agonizing-Row.
First step towards the paradigm shift of writing Set Based code:
________Stop thinking about what you want to do to a ROW... think, instead, of what you want to do to a COLUMN.

Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.

Helpful Links:
How to post code problems
How to Post Performance Problems
Create a Tally Function (fnTally)

Jeff Moden SSC Guru Points: 1004290 More actions · Answer 11

Steve Jones - Editor (5/10/2010)
I understand that, but so many people outside the DBA world might not know about this, or you're in a boat like I was. I was the only DBA. no one would be able to judge.
Feel free to enter if you are proud of what you do

I agree with the others... there are so many good folks not only on this forum, but "outside" and I believe that it would be good (marketing) to do a little more advertising for nominations along with the products. I also agree that the good ones on this forum aren't likely to nominate themselves because a part of what makes them so very good also makes them humble here and at work.

--Jeff Moden

RBAR is pronounced "ree-bar" and is a "Modenism" for Row-By-Agonizing-Row.
First step towards the paradigm shift of writing Set Based code:
________Stop thinking about what you want to do to a ROW... think, instead, of what you want to do to a COLUMN.

Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.

Helpful Links:
How to post code problems
How to Post Performance Problems
Create a Tally Function (fnTally)

Michael Valentine Jones SSC Guru Points: 64818 More actions · Answer 12

Lynn Pettis (5/10/2010)
...Who else is going to listen to the problems we have encountered and how we solved them, or what accomplishments we may have achieved at work? My wife? Heck, I start talking about work and her eyes glaze over and she simply nods in agreement.

Even my eyes start glazing over when I start talking about work to friends or family. 🙂

I'm not sure I like the idea of that award. Do we really need that to help us feel better about our jobs? What's next? A bumper sticker that says "My son in an honor roll DBA at company X"

SQLRNNR SSC Guru Points: 281334 More actions · Answer 13

Michael Valentine Jones (5/10/2010)
Lynn Pettis (5/10/2010)
...Who else is going to listen to the problems we have encountered and how we solved them, or what accomplishments we may have achieved at work? My wife? Heck, I start talking about work and her eyes glaze over and she simply nods in agreement.
Even my eyes start glazing over when I start talking about work to friends or family. 🙂

Just don't let your boss see it 😉

Jason...AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
_______________________________________________
I have given a name to my pain...MCM SQL Server, MVP
SQL RNNR
Posting Performance Based Questions - Gail Shaw[/url]
Learn Extended Events

WayneS SSC Guru Points: 95460 More actions · Answer 14

Lynn Pettis (5/10/2010)
Who else is going to listen to the problems we have encountered and how we solved them, or what accomplishments we may have achieved at work? My wife? Heck, I start talking about work and her eyes glaze over and she simply nods in agreement.

You're not alone in this Lynn.

Wayne
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server 2008
Author - SQL Server T-SQL Recipes

If you can't explain to another person how the code that you're copying from the internet works, then DON'T USE IT on a production system! After all, you will be the one supporting it!

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