Event Details

If you are not sure what SQL Server Social is all about, you can either read about the first event here, or check out the following recap:

What is SQL Server Social

SQL Server Social is a monthly event that has been created to provide SQL Server Professionals with a chance to network with industry peers, discuss predefined topics, have a little fun, have a beer and make some new friends.

What is the aim of SQL Server Social

SQL Server Social aims to build local SQL Server communities through regular social meetings, where database professionals can share their experiences and learn from their peers through open discussion.

Movember Edition

This month’s edition is a special one. It’s Movember and that means Mos! Here’s what the campaign is all about:

During November each year, Movember is responsible for the sprouting of moustaches on thousands of men’s faces in Australia and around the world. The aim of which is to raise vital funds and awareness for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer and depression in men.

For all the guys planning on attending, let’s see who has the best Mo by the 24th of this month. There’ll still be 6 days remaining until the official end of the campaign, but it’ll be good to see how you are all faring by that stage. This will be my first year participating; you can follow my ‘progress’ on my Mo page – mobro.co/lukehayler. If you feel so inclined, I have also put together a team for SQL Server Social, so show your support for the cause and join in!

Facebook Page!

SQL Server Social now has it’s own Facebook page. This page will be used to keep all the fans in the loop with updates about future events, photos from past events, links to interesting SQL-related sites, and so-on and so-forth…So if you are on Facebook why not tag along and keep up-to-date. Check out the page here.

Twitter!

SQL Server Social is also all over twitter like a bad rash. Follow us for updates – @sqlserversocial

SQL Crosswords

One of the [optional] challenges for the event is to complete a SQL Server Crossword. The SQL Server Crosswords have been generously donated to our cause by John Sansom (blog | @JohnSansom). John is a DBA in the UK and is a frequent blogger at www.johnsansom.com. John has had several awards bestowed upon him including Microsoft’s Community Contributor 2011 and SQLServerPedia’s Professional Development 2010 Winner as well as being a Rock Star Blogger (in Tom La Rock’s rankings). John has a wealth of information on his blog, so do yourself a favour and go check it out.

See you there!

It’s fair to say that, although the presentation was a little disjointed, I have seen the PowerShell ‘light’ and what it is capable of. I intend to follow up this precon with a hefting helping of new blogs to read and scripts to write.

The following are some of the notes from the precon today.

What is PowerShell?

According to Wikipedia, PowerShell is a task automation framework, that consists of a command-line shell and an associated scripting language. With PowerShell, administrators can perform administrative tasks on both local and remote machines.

• Cmdlets
  • Are specialised commands in the PowerShell environment that implement specific functions.
  • Use a verb-noun naming pattern. i.e.
    • Get-Command
    • Get-Children
  • Sets of commandlets can be combined into scripts and executables.
• Pipeline
  • PowerShell implements a pipeline, which enables the output of one cmdlet to be ‘piped’ as an input to another; this is done using the ‘|’ character.

Variables in PowerShell

Variables in PowerShell are declared (using ‘$’) and set in-line. There is no need to declare them up front, or set their data/object type. The variables will take on the appropriate data/object type for the result(s) that are returned. I don’t know about you, but I think that is all kinds of awesome.

PowerShell Profiles

These help to load up certain modules/snapins when you load up PowerShell. This means you can port your profiles to any environment and be able to load into a familiar setup.

Comparison operators

Logical Operators

more operator notes over at http://ss64.com/ps/syntax-compare.html

PowerShell Resources – great for those just starting out in PowerShell

• PowerShell Day 0
• PowerShell Day 1
• PowerShell Day 2
• PowerShell Day 3
• PowerShell Day 4
• PowerShell Day 5
• PowerShell Day 6
• http://www.scriptingguys.com
• http://www.poshcode.org
• http://blogs.technet.com/b/heyscriptingguy/
• http://www.beefycode.com/
• 10 Fundamental Concepts for PowerShell Scripting
• Finding Free Space per data file with PowerShell
• Restore and relocate database files using PowerShell

When you download Guidebook  and search for ‘PASS’: Bingo! There was the guide for the PASS Summit 2011. W00t! I downloaded the guide, and after having created my schedule for the week all on my phone, I figured you lot need to know about it too. The app and the guide, not my schedule; although if you really want that too then I guess I could share it with you. Just ask.

Here’s why you need Guidebook with the PASS Summit 2011 Guide:

• Session Schedule builder
• After hours activities
• About Seattle
• Maps (floor plans) of the Convention Centre
• Twitter (for the #sqlpass hash tag)
• Sponsor listings
• Speak listings
• Exhibitor listings
• My Schedule

I have no idea who created the guide for the PASS Summit, but it’s great. Thank you!

If you are still not convinced, here are a couple of screen shots:

See? It’s awesome. Go get it.

Pre Cons!

Choosing a pre conference session for Monday/Tuesday was rather difficult. Do you choose something completely new to learn, or do you learn something new about a subject area in which you are already fairly familiar? Not to be outdone by my own questions, I chose to do one completely new subject area and one deeper dive into something I am fairly good at (but know I could be even better). Here are my picks:

• Keeping it local with Rob Farley (Blog | @rob_farley)– “Fixing Queries with Advanced T-SQL constructs”
• Something new with Aaron Nelson (Blog | @SQLVariant) – “After 7 hours you won’t be able to shut up about PowerShell either”

It’s my belief that you can always improve the skills you already have and that’s why I’m going to Rob’s Pre-con. My T-SQL is pretty good, but I know there are areas that could do with some improvement. I hoping to get quite a bit out of this session. No pressure Rob!

I also believe that you should stretch yourself and try to learn something new every now and again. Especially when it comes to software or processes. Learning something new gives you a broader perspective and you’ll be better equipped to make the right decisions. This is why I’m taking Aaron’s Pre-con. I have only ever heard the great things about PowerShell can do. I’ll be looking to apply this new knowledge immediately for all the BI projects I work on.

• How do we quickly deploy builds to the data warehouse without a big configuration overhead?
• How do we adapt to timing issue with data availability without pushing out the entire processing schedule?
• How do we prove the data is right with each refresh and anticipate issues before they are raised by a business user?

So if you are in Manhattan tomorrow, take the time and go and meet Nadav and hear what he has to say. You can find out more about the event here.

A QR Code (Quick Response code) is a 2D matrix barcode designed to be read by smart phones. The information in the QR code can be text, a URL, vCard information, or other data. So I figure that at a conference like the PASS Summit, where there’ll be thousands of geeks, most with a smartphone of sorts, this could be a conversation starter. Especially if you’re rockin’’ a QR t-shirt.

If you need a get a QR Code reader, just do a search for “QR Reader” in you favourite app store.

I’m planning on creating a couple of things to help with networking at the PASS Summit…

Business Cards

I’ll have a whole stash of business cards to hand out each day (you should too by the way, so get ordering) and I plan to have two QR codes on the back of the cards. one will be for all my contact details. Have you tried to capture all the data from a business card with one of those *business Card reader* apps, that a) cost a fare whack, and b) don’t work all that well. Well, now think of this. You have a smartphone, you meet me, I give you a business card. You say, “hey, you’ve got a QR code back here!” out come the phone, snap with the QR Code reader and BAMO! you’ve got all my contact details neatly, and correctly I might add, ready to be saved to your phone. Try this sanitised code below:

There is some basic contact information in there, but you’ll get the idea.

The other QR Code, will be this one, which holds but a single URL (which, if you really don’t want to scan with your fancy phone, goes here –> http://kimtag.com/lukehayler)

T-shirts

Yup. I’m going to spend good money to design a [hopefully] decent t-shirt that will have QR codes galore that anyone in some kind of proximity to me will be able to scan and therefore find out a little more about me. the alternative is of course to come over and say hello, but that would just be a bit too ‘old school’ now wouldn’t it…

Here’s a picture from the internet:

See, you could be cool too.

I’m also led to believe that Microsoft does something similar called a Tag. I’ll be looking into these next and seeing how they compare.

This is Part 2 in a series I am writing about my journey to the SQL PASS Summit 2011. If you missed the previous entry, you can read about it here. Follow the journey on twitter with the #j2pass2011, and feel free to use the tag for your own journey!

I’ve been wanting to go to the PASS Summit for years, but I’ve not had the opportunity to do so before now. Time, money & distance have all played they’re part in preventing me from going. However, last year when I joined a fantastic BI Consulting company in Melbourne, I expressed my desire to attend the highlight of the SQL Server event calendar; we came to an arrangement and I got rather excited. That was back in September 2010, which is when I started planning.

Registration – the early bird gets the cheap stuff

As I’ve been following the goings on at Summit (online, obviously), I know that there are early bird specials to be had. So I made sure that my registration was booked before Dec 16th 2010. At an early bird cost of just $1,295 for a full 3-day conference INCLUDING 2 pre-cons, that’s not too shabby. Heck, you can’t can’t get a regular 3-day training course for that much money. Leaving the registration until the last minute would have cost $2,785. That’s quite a saving. So if you have the opportunity to do so, early bird registration is definitely the way to go. So start planning for next year already.

Travel – it’s like going back in time

Continuing with the theme of getting things done sooner rather than later, I booked my flights back in January. Now flying half way across the globe is never going to be cheap, but by booking the flights when I did I ensured that I got the dates/times that I wanted as well as choice of airlines; and therefore I could shop around for the best ticket prices. If I had left it until today to book, the cheapest (comparable) flights are DOUBLE what I paid back in Jan. Not to mention the extra layovers I would have had to endure; 23hrs flying time on the flight I booked vs. 29hrs on what is available today.

One thing I still find cool is that I’ll leave Melbourne at 11am on October 8th  and land in LA at 6:30am, October 8th; it’s like I’m a regular Time Lord…. On the flip side, coming back I loose 2 days, which sucks even more as it’s the weekend!

A note on travelling to the Summit from outside the US: If you happen to be lucky like me (I’m British, don’t hate me) then you won’t need a visa to enter the US. However, if you don’t qualify for a visa waiver then you will need to obtain a visa. In order to obtain a  visa you will need a Letter of Invitation, which you can request from PASS by filling out this form.

Getting to and from the airport (Seattle Tacoma International, aka SeaTac):

• Taxi – About $40 (check twitter to try and find other PASS Summit attendees who you might be able to split the fare with)
• Light rail – about $3
• Bus – about $3

Accommodation

I still need to book a room. Which I plan to do imminently by the way. PASS is touting these two hotels as discounted options:

• Sheraton Seattle Hotel & Towers ($179 pppn)
• The Westin Seattle ($184 pppn)

It’s likely that I’ll go with one of those as I am from out of town and don’t know the area well enough to make any informed decisions. Plus I want to be as close to the action as possible. If you have any tips on where to stay I’d love to hear about them!

Eating, drinking and being Mary merry

From what I’ve been led to believe, breakfast and lunch are provided at the conference. Dinner is a different story however. If you are one of the cool kids, or you rub a vendor up the right way, then you may get to attend one of the many parties that [apparently] happen most evenings. There is also a Microsoft Night on the Wednesday evening where one can indulge in not just food, but gaming too. Otherwise it’s up to you to find a suitable eatery, of which there are many in Seattle. Average meal prices are around the $12 – $15 mark, or so I’m told. Here’s some info about facilitated networking events that usually revolve around food.

SQL Karaoke. Need I say more? Oh, ok then… Go check out sqlkaraoke.com, put together by @Dancem0m. Something to be had for everyone I reckon. And if you are not a singer, then just spectate, I’m sure you’ll have a laugh or two.

Following the action – Twitter, Foursquare, GoogleBuzz Google+, etc, etc

Twitter: There is always plenty of information to be had from following the action online. There are numerous hash tags that people use on twitter when at the conference, here are a few to look out for:

• #sqlpass
• #sqlkaraoke (see above)
• #denali
• #crescent
• #j2pass2011 (that’s mine!)

Not sure what Twitter is? Really? Really Really? Go read The Simple Twitter Book and get you some edumacation. Sheesh.

Foursquare: if you need to find a venue loaded up with SQL people (or if you want to avoid them) have a look on Foursquare. It’s also a great resource for finding new places to eat; I find that the reviews on foursquare tend to be a little more ‘real’ than those on other review sites.

PASS also had a “PASS it on!” social contest last year, enabling other people (i.e. me), who weren’t able to make it, to live vicariously through the tweets/check-ins of those who participated. I’ll be trying to do my fair share of getting the word out this year.

Google+: while this ‘little’ social network is starting to gain some traction, I’m not certain of the impact it will have (for the conference) over twitter & foursquare; which is where most people are already. I can see the potential though for some shorter-than-blog-posts-but-longer-than-tweets type of posts, so we will just have to see what becomes of it.

Some Really good reading

Here is a list of some great blogs on previous summit experiences & travel tips (yes, I know these seem a little dated, but they still have valid points):

• Getting budget approval for conferences – Brent Ozar
• Get you manager to say ‘yes’ – Brent Ozar
• Paying your own way to the PASS Summit – David Steyn
• Conference ROI – Steve Jones
• Top 10 reason to attend the PASS Summit – Steve Jones
• Getting to PASS on the cheap – Jeremiah Peschka
• PASS Summit on a budget – John Sterrett
• Travel Tips – Kevin Kline
• Travel Tips for non-frequent flyers – Brent Ozar
• Top 10 PASS Summit (2010) tips – Brian Garraty
• Journey to the PASS Summit 2011 Part 1 – yours truly

This post has been a it of a link fest, but hey, all the good stuff is already out there; just go and read it!

See you in Seattle.

Ever since I first heard about the PASS Summit I’ve wanted to be a part of it. The opportunity to geek-out network with not just database professionals, but with SQL Server Database professionals. The opportunity to learn about not just new technologies, but about new things with the current technologies. The opportunity to make some new friends and to put faces to names; to meet those that I have only talked to online (Twitter | Google+ | Blogs | etc). This year, I get to make the most of all of these opportunities. I’m very excited. Did I mention that I was excited?

Yes, I’m a first timer. While I have read a lot about the PASS Summit and have heard numerous stories about SQL Karaoke, this is still going to be an overwhelming experience. I want to ensure that I get the most out of the Summit; so I need to make sure that I have a plan of what I’m doing, where I’m going, & who I want to meet. I can’t do this if I’m bogged down in trying to figure out the basics. Thankfully the good folks at SQL PASS put together a First-Timers Orientation program to help people like me. Tom LaRock (Blog | Twitter) wrote a good blog post about the program.

Essentially, the orientation will include being paired up with a Big Brother/Sister (along with several other first-timers) well ahead of the summit itself. This will give us the chance to talk to the big brother/sister and find out the do’s/don’t, where information can be found, and generally learning from their previous experiences. It will also give us a chance to meet a few people ahead of the summit itself; ensuring that you don’t wander around the conference like a lost fart in the wind.

I think the orientation program is a wonderful idea and have already signed up. If you’re a first-timer too and you would like to participate then send an email through to newcomer@sqlpass.org and ask to be included in the program. Perhaps I’ll be part of your group. Apologies if that worries you…

With BIDS (that would be Business Intelligence Development Studio…) open and an SSIS project loaded, bring up the toolbox and right-click it. You will see the following menu:

Select the Choose Items… option. Now, click on the SSIS Control Flow Items tab and deselect all the components that you are not using.

Repeat the above step for the SSIS Data Flow Items and Maintenance Tasks tabs.

Click OK and you are all done. The components listed should now reflect just those that you will actually use and should mean less vertical scrolling.

But wait, there’s another option…

If you would prefer to have all your components immediately available, but still want to organise the toolbox, then follow these easy steps:

Right-click the toolbox and choose Add Tab. Give the Tab a nice descriptive name.

Now click on and drag into that group/tab all the components that you are not using regularly, or indeed the ones you are (if that’s what you would prefer).

All that’s left is to apply a Sort Items Alphabetically and collapse the groups you are not concerned with and you have a nice tidy toolbox.

Happy days!

After a couple of blog posts (here and here), Arnie got a lot of support from fellow MVPs as well as assistance from Sponsors. This meant that the list of software being given to the chosen developers was mighty impressive. As of this writing the software package that the developers will receive (on being selected) is as follows:

• Microsoft: Visual Studio Ultimate with MDSN subscription
• Pluralsight: 3 month Standard subscription to On-Demand!™ .NET Training Library
• APress: 3 books of the winner’s choice
• O’Reilly Press: 3 eBooks of the winner’s choice
• ComponentOne: license for Studio Enterprise components and tools
• Microsoft Learning: Vouchers for 2 Certification Exams with Second Shot
• Quest Software: license for Toad® for SQL Server
• BillP Studios: license for WinPatrol’s Host-based Intrusion Prevention System(HIPS)
• Infragistics: licenses for NetAdvantage for .NET, NetAdvantage for Silverlight Data Visualization, NetAdvantage for WPF Data, AND QuincePro

All that software and subscriptions have a combined value of over USD$15,000. Whoa.

Project Criteria:

• Client is a USA IRS 503(c)3 non-profit, school, or church, OR a Canadian CRA registered charity,
• Solves a problem or satisfies a need for the client,
• Client desires the project and is supportive,
• Uses any combination of .NET 4.0, Windows Server 2008, SQL Server 2008, or Windows Phone 7,
• May be a new software solution, or an upgrade to an existing software solution,
• Additional consideration given projects that will be posted on Codeplex with a GPL license.

Not in the USA or Canada?

Don’t fret, the project is expanding. Thanks to Rod Colledge (Blog | @Rod_Colledge), Greg Low (Blog | @greglow) and Darren Gosbell (Blog) if you are in Australia or New Zealand you can also qualify for Project Phoenix. Rod has put together a blog post on the software packages available to developers/non-profits as well as the criteria being used to identify selected recipients.

So, if you are out of work, looking to improve your skills, give back to the community and reside in the US/Canada or Australia/New Zealand look no further than Project Phoenix. There will be a give-away every week for the rest of the year (at the very least) and who knows, this may just become a regular occurrence…

More links to posts about Project Phoenix

• Arnie Rowland’s list of blog posts about the project including awards to-date
• Eligible Non-Profits can submit a project proposal here
• Developers can submit a proposal here