Search results matching tags 'Conferences', 'Events', and 'SQL Community'

Blog Posts from Prepping for Last Year's Summit

RickHeiges — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 10:58:00 GMT

Last year, I had a series of blog posts that matched up with a webcast I did targeting First Timers to the PASS Summit 2011. Here is a link to the final blog post which is a summary of those posts and links to the main points in the series. A good deal of the information in those posts are still relevant. I am in the process of updating the webcast and will be presenting the information again this year on Oct 25, 2012 at 11am ET. There is a lot of great information out there for first timers that can be found here.

Hope to see you there!

Rick Review: PASS Summit 2011 - DBA-104-S

RickHeiges — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 18:34:00 GMT

I recently got my DVD set from the PASS 2011 Summit and started to look through all of the sessions that I missed. Wow! I can't wait to go through all of these! It will take me a while.

Since this is a new year and many people are often greeted with new challenges (like a new server to manage), I decided that this session would be a good one to review. It is by Brent Ozar and titled "BLITZ! The SQL - More One Hour SQL Server Takeovers".

Essentially, Brent shares with the audience his experience of being handed a SQL Server that someone else managed and being told that it is now his to manage. He went through the thought process of what to do first - what was important to know about this server. In short, he developed scripts that reveal information about the server such as when it was last backed up, had a consistency check, which sp_config settings had been changed from default, etc. In other words, he wants to do a Blitzkrieg on the server to take it over. He encourages the audience to go through the script and learn what is really happening and to not just run it blindly as this script is continually evolving. In fact, he has come up with a way to get the latest script "automatically" from the cloud when you want to run the script.

I watched this session on my fresh DVD set, but you can watch it here if you attended the summit:http://softconference.com/pass/sessionDetail.asp?SID=274893

For more information on the Blitz script and to see a training video, click here: http://www.brentozar.com/blitz/

Be Prepared to ask the CSS and SQLCAT folks your toughest questions....

RickHeiges — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 03:02:00 GMT

As I alluded to in my blog series on "What to expect at the 2001 PASS Community Summit", the SQL Clinic will once again be in full swing. See the following blog post on how to best be prepared to get your question answered. http://blogs.msdn.com/b/psssql/archive/2011/09/19/inside-the-sql-server-clinic.aspx

PASS Summit 2011 - What you can expect at the Conference - Summary

RickHeiges — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 13:30:00 GMT

As I finish up preparing for the Sep 20 (@1pm ET) webcast, I thought a final blog post may be appropriate in order to quickly reference many of the areas that I have touched upon. Naturally, much of this information is geared towards First Timers, but Alumni are welcome to join in the webcast as well and are encouraged to help spread even more tips/tricks around to all who attend.

PASS Summit 2011 - What you can expect at the Conference - Part 7

RickHeiges — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 16:30:00 GMT

I really don't think that you can get the full flavor of the Summit unless you delve into Social Networking. There are multiple vehicles for social networking. Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare, LinkedIn, and Yelp are all tools in the Social Networking Toolbox. At the Summit, the best one of these is Twitter. With twitter, yo can eavesdrop on conversations, get tips in real time, and find out where people are hanging out at.

Here is a YouTube video that is pretty good about Twitter. There are other ones out there as well.

I recommend that you use a twitter client like TweetDeck on your PC and also on your smart phone. The interface makes it easier to use than the plain vanilla web page. In your twitter client, you can create custom "feeds" to target a particular word or idea. You can have multiple comuns on your client with many of these "feeds" that you follow. These words that you target are often referred to as hashtags. Here are some common hashtags to follow:

#sqlpass
#sqlhelp
#firsttimers
#sqlkilt
#sqlkaraoke
#24hop
#sqlrally
#sqlsat

Once you start using twitter, you''ll understand more of what all this means. Brent Ozar has put together a great primer on twitter that may be found here. Closing thoughts on Twitter:

You don't have to create an account to get value out of it. You can just follow some of the hashtags listed above - especially #sqlpass
Get on twitter and try it out before you get to the summit
Follow #sqlhelp and learn a LOT about where you can find great resources for SQL Server.
make up your own hashtags like #JustSayin or #KilroyWashere or #whatever
When choosing a "handle", consider incorporating "SQL" as part of it. Members of the SQL Community are more apt to follow you and value your tweets if they know you are a SQL Server Professional.

Another application (targeted for mobile devices) that can be valuable is FourSquare. FourSquare also integrates with Twiiter and FaceBook. It works best with smart phones with GPS enabled. Essentially, you check-in to a location such as a restaurant , bar, Conference Center, etc. As part of the "check-in" process, you can add a "shout" to your check-in that may be tweeted and/or set to update your FaceBook status. This is optional, but it can help with networking. Check out FourSquare.

The third social networking property that holds value is LinkedIn. There are many discussion groups affiliated with PASS. It is a great way to connect with other SQL Professionals once you get home.

There is also a PASS YouTube Channel. Check out the videos from last year's summit! Of course, PASS is also on FaceBook. Another social networking tool that you may find useful is YELP. It is particualrly good at helping to find a good restaurant near by.

Flickr - Many folks who are shutterbugs or just want to share photos do so via Flickr and the #sqlpass or #PASS2011 hashtags. I look forward to seeing a lot of pictures from everyone this year.

Bottom Line: Get on Twitter Now! Follow #sqlpass and #sqlhelp. Get involved in the conversation.

PASS Summit 2011 - What you can expect at the Conference - Part 6

RickHeiges — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 13:30:00 GMT

Now that I have covered just about all of the "official" Summit activities, it is time for a blog post about "After Hours" activities.

There is a webpage that lists some of the activities that we are currently aware of. You can find that page here.

Monday Night Networking Dinner - Last year, Andy Warren and Steve Jones started a Netowrking Dinner (Food / Drink is your own responsibility). It will be Monday Evening at Lowell's. More information is available on the link provided above.Follow general #sqlpass on twitter to see what's going on.

Photo Walk - Pat Wright and Tim Ford started this tradition several years ago. Essentially, Pat / Tim coordinate a place / time to start on a tour of Seattle. Bring your camera andprepare to have a great time discovering Seattle.Follow #photowalk on twitter to obtain more information.

SQL Kilt Day - It will be Thursday this year. Several years ago, three SQL Community leaders decided to wear kilts one day. Many more joined in last year (even some vendors). I don't havve an exact count, but I suspect that thee were at least 50 people wearing kilts last year. I suspect that number will be over 100 this year. Wearing a kilt on #sqlkilt day will definitely bring you some attention. :-)

SQL Run - Running is a favorite fitness activity of quite a few members of the SQL Community. Would you like to run with some others who are attending the conference? Follow #SQLRun on twitter to find out when/where to meet up for a run.

SQL Karaoke - What happens when you mix an open mic, SQL Professionals, and some libation together? SQL Karaoke at a Dive Bar. See the Link above for more information on locatoin. This year it will be on Wednesday Evening and now enjoys a limited sponsorship by NEC and Genesis Hosting Solutions. Follow #SQLKaraoke for more information - especially on Wednesday.

SSC / Redgate Party - SQL Server Central and RedGate will be hosting another party right after the Welcome Reception on Tuesday night. More info may be found here.

Other Vendor Parties - Many other Vendors will also host parties or other get togethers. Be sure to visit all of the vendors in the Exhibit Hall. I encourage you to visit all of the vendors and perhaps score an invite to an "after hours" event.

There is more, but I don't know about it yet. Denny Cherry has put together a website that lists "after hours" events that he is aware of.

PASS Summit 2011 - What you can expect at the Conference - Part 5

RickHeiges — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 11:30:00 GMT

One of the most valuable parts of the entire Summit experience is the networking that goes on. In this post, I will go over some of the opportunities for you to network with others. Once again, this post will not focus on "after hours" activities which will come later.

Badge and Ribbons - Once you get to the Summit and pick up your materials, you will have a badge. The badge will have the following information on it:

Nick Name
Full Name
Company Name
Where you are from
Twitter Handle

You will also receive at least one ribbon (Alumni or First Timer). You may notice that some people have more than one ribbon. These ribbons identify how a person contributes to the SQL Community. Be curious. When you see a person with more than one ribbon, ask them about it. It is a great way to start a conversation. These people are very interested in meeting YOU.

Don Gabor - We have asked Don Gabor to once again run a 2 hour Networking Workshop on Tuesday. It is inexpensive ($70) and a great way to invest in yourself to make the most of the Summit. You can go online and modify your registration add this mini-pre-con or sign up onsite. Don will also be leading a special Speed Networking Session during the First Timer Orientation. I want to particularly encourage First Timers to take advantage of this session based on feedback from former First Timers.

Big Brothers / Big Sisters - There is also a Big Brothers / Big Sisters orientation program. It is not too late to sign-up. We match a willing and eager Alumni with a small grooup of First Timers via email. The Big Brother/Sister will then contact the First Timers prior to coming to the summit to answer any questions or to simply "break the ice" before actually getting to Seattle. If you are a First Timer, I encourage you to take advantage of this program. If you are an Alumni and would like to help out some First Timers, your help will be appreciated by the First Timers and the entire PASS organization. Visit here to sign-up.

Other places to Network at the Summit:

Welcome Reception (Tue Evening)
Expo Hall Reception (Wed Evening)
Attendee Party (Thu Evening)
Breakfasts
Lunches - especially Chapter, WIT and Birds of a Feather
Expert Pods
Before the Keynotes
At the PASS Booth
Anywhere!

Remember that only you can make the most of your Summit Experience. I have outlined a number of opportunities where you can network with others who are doing the same thing. Go Forth and Network!

PASS Summit 2011 - What you can expect at the Conference - Part 4

RickHeiges — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 11:30:00 GMT

The Summit is much more than just geat content from excellent speakers. There is a great deal of other stuff going on at the Summit to really enhance your experience. In this post, I will not focus on the "after hours" events.

Do you want to get your hands dirty with Denali? Perhaps you downloaded the latest Denali bits, but you just never got a chance to install them. Or perhaps you just really don't know what's new with Denali and don't know exactly where to start. This is where the Hands-On Labs come in. We will have a room set aside staffed with knowledgable assistants to help you get your hands dirty with Denali. This is a great place to go right after you see a session on Denali and want to play around with a feature a little more.

Do you have a nagging SQL Server problem that you just can't seem to get a resolution to? Are you unsure of Best Practices for a server with 80 cores or want to know the latest on Virtualizing SQL Server? The SQL Server CLinic is for you! CSS (those MSFT support folks who know KB articles by heart) folks along with the SQLCAT team will be in full force here to tackle your toughest problems or to just simply answer a question.

In addition to these great resources, there will be Expert Pods located in the hallways close to the session rooms. These are tables that will be staffed by MSFT Developers, MVPs, and MCMs. Each Expert Pod will have a sing indicating the general topic that they are there to provide assistance upon. Did you ever wonder "why" a particular feature works the way it does? You can probably meet the guy who wrote that piece of code and get a great explanation of just hoy something was done one way and not another.

We also want you take advantage of special events that occur during the Lunch period. Each day, there will be an optional event to include with your lunch:

Wed - Chapter Lunch - Come meet Local Chapter Leaders and Regional Mentors who cover your geographic area. Also learn about Virtual Chapter that are "Topic-based" chapters that normally meet once per month online!
Thu - Women In Technology (WIT) Luncheon - This event keeps growing in popularity every year. Lunch is served while a panel discusses trendy topics in the Industry. Thursday is SQLKillt day. You do not have to be a woman to attend; and yoou do not need to wear a kilt either.
Fri - Birds of a Feather Lunch - MVPs and MCMs will host lunch tables during the lunch period to share their expertise on a particular topic. This is a great way to get into a much deeper conversation with an expert and to expand your personal network.

Did you want to Meet the Board of Directors and share feedback about the Summit and PASS organization? The PASS Board Meet and Greet will be held on Friday at the beginning of Lunch. More details to follow.

One area that you will go by on a daily basis is at the base of the long escalators that take you from the 4th floor to the 6th. In this area, there will be a Book Store featuring books on SQL Server and BI. As you would expect, many of the authors of these books are in attendance and would be delighted to sign your book. Be sure to leave some room in your suitcase for a new book.

Don't want to lug you laptop around but still need to check email? The Internet Pavillion is the place to go. This area will be easily accessible during Summit Hours. PCs are available for you to browse the internet, check your email, or print out a boarding pass. Wired Network connections for those wishing to use their own laptop are also available. The PCs and wired connections are set upon high top tables for quick / brief access to the net.

As you can see, there is more to do at the PASS Summit than merely attend sessions.

PASS Summit 2011 - What you can expect at the Conference - Part 3

RickHeiges — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 11:30:00 GMT

Another question that you may have is "What about food? What meals are included? Should I budget for meals?"

Breakfast: A Continental Breakfast will be served from 7-8am in the Meal Hall on the 4th floor across from Registration Wed - Fri

Lunch: This meal is usually more substantial. It is often quite good. Your typical Conference Food with multiple buffet lines. I can't recall, but occassionally, the lunch on Friday is a box lunch.

Dinner: Dinner is not officially a meal provided; however, there will be food served at the Welcome Reception (Tue 6:30-8pm), the Expo Hall Reception (Wed 6:15-8:15pm), and the Attendee Party (Thu 7-10pm).

Snacks: There is normally a morning and afternoon snack break usually consisting of Beverages / Snacks (like cookies, pretzels).

Overall, most of your meals are taken care of during the conference. Another item to tout when calculating the ROI for your funding. :-)

PASS Summit 2011 - What you can expect at the Conference - Part 2

RickHeiges — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 13:11:00 GMT

One of the things that you should do is map out your "Learning Itinerary" before coming to the summit. It probably will change once you get onsite, but having a plan will save you time and perhaps some frustration. You can go to the Summit website and start to build your schedule.

When you arrive at registration to get your badge and other materials, you will also receive a Program Guide. This booklet has a lot of information about the entire event. It has a detailed description of each session, maps of the venue, and much more. We also have a Smart Phone App (iPhone, Android, Windows 7 Phone) that has much of this same information. The advantage of relying on the Smat Phone App is that it will have the latest information available (Session Changes, etc). More information on this later.

Each Session has a Session Code associated with it. Example: AD-104, BIA-303-S, DBA-302-M. There are 4 timeslots/day with up to 15 different choices; that's over 170 choices!

The first part identifies the Track the session is part of:

AD = Application Development
AZ = SQL Azure
BIA = BI Architecture / Development
BID = BI Deployment / Delivery
DBA = Enterprise Database Administration and Deployment
PD = Professional Development

The Second part indicates the Level that the session is aimed at. 100, 200, and so on.

The suffix is optional and may indicate several things to be aware of:

S = Spotlight Session (These sessions are 90 minutes instead of 75)
M= Microsoft (Presented by Microsoft)
C = CSS (Presented by a Member of the CSS team from Microsoft)
HD = Half-Day (3 hour session - NEW This Year!)

There are also a few sessions identified as "Lightning Talks" These sessions have a variety of speakers who give a brief 5 minute presentation. Lots of Fun and covers a multitude of subjects quickly. You won't be bored in here! I encourage you to attend at least one Lightning Talk during the summit. You never know what gems you can find in a 5 minute talk.

What happens if there is more than one session that you wish to attend? Can you be two places at once? No, but all sessions are being recorded and will be available usually a few weeks later via streaming. A DVD set may also be purchased by modifying your registration information or by ordering onsite.

Outside the session rooms, a sign will indicate what sessions are scheduled to be there and who is presenting. Some sessinos / speakers will have a special designation. Here are some terms that you may see and what it means:

MVP - Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Awardee (This is a non-Microsoft person who eagerly shares knowledge about SQL Server with the community)
MCM - Microsoft Certified Professional (Passed both a written and Lab Exam)
SQLCAT - SQL Server Customer Advisory Team member (often weearing a SQLCAT shirt typically of a hideous color)

In the hallways and lunch rooms, you will also see people with a Red Vest on. These people are playing the role of a PASS Ambassador. These people are Alumni Attendees who simply want to help you have a better experience at the summit. They can help you with Finding a Session room, Reading the Program Guide, Getting you in touch with the right resource, or just about anything else.

The Session Rooms are setup "Theater Style" - Rows of chairs beside one another (no tables). You will notice that each session room will have several reserved seats for Amabassadors. Ambassadors often come in late or leave a little early and need easy access to alleviate any disruption to the speaker.

Each Room also has a Room Monitor. These people work for the convention center. They are charged with:

Enforcing Capacity Restrictions / Fire Code
Enforcing Security for Entry to the Session Rooms by checking badges
Counting Attendees / Providing a 5 minute warning to the speaker
Collection Paper Evaluations

Room Monitors are helpful too - especially with questions about the facility. Amabassadors are a better resource for questions relating to PASS or the summit in general.