Stephen Few, renown educator and trainer in BI Visualisations and author, had been giving a BI Visualisation workshop earlier in the week. I was in attendance at the workshop and managed to persuade Stephen to attend our social event. He was only in Melbourne until Friday November 18th, hence the last minute change to the date.

It was a Movember themed event, but unfortunately not that many people took part. I was one of two Mo Bro’s of the evening. Angus Bell had quite the impressive Mo and walked away with a heap of Movember merchandise (which he later gave away at another Movember party), as well as bottle of wine. It was a great effort by Angus, check out his Mo below and donate to his cause here:

Next month’s event is in the works and will be held, once again, at The Sherlock Holmes Inn. Dates and times will be communicated soon. Stay tuned for more on SQL Server Social!

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

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.

• Table Name
• Row Count
• Reserved Space (KB)
• Data space used (KB)
• Index size (KB)
• Unused space (KB)

The above information is gathered using sp_spaceused. Now I’m sure that there are a number of other ways to get this information, but this was quick and easy to produce and use. If you have anything that you’d like to contribute, I’d love to hear it.

   1: /***

   2:     Script to identify the space used by each table in a database

   3:     Information returned includes:

   4:         - Table name

   5:         - Record Count

   6:         - Reserved Space (KB)

   7:         - Data Size (KB)

   8:         - Index Size (KB)

   9:         - Unused Space (KB)

  10: ***/

  11:  

  12: /* Create a table variable to hold the values returned by sp_spaceused  */

  13: DECLARE @Results TABLE 

  14: (

  15:       RowNum            INT IDENTITY(1,1)

  16:     , TableName         VARCHAR(200)

  17:     , Records           INT

  18:     , ReservedSpace     VARCHAR(100)

  19:     , DataSpace         VARCHAR(100)

  20:     , IndexSizeSpace    VARCHAR(100)

  21:     , UnUsedSpace       VARCHAR(100)

  22:     , CheckDateTime     DateTime DEFAULT GETDATE()

  23: )

  24:  

  25: /* Declare a variable to hold the Object Names */

  26: DECLARE @ObjectName VARCHAR(200)

  27:  

  28: /* 

  29:     Declare a cursor to loop through each of the tables in the database 

  30:     and return their space used information. 

  31: */

  32: DECLARE TableCursor CURSOR

  33: FOR

  34:     SELECT 

  35:         ObjectName = TABLE_SCHEMA + '.' + TABLE_NAME

  36:     FROM 

  37:         INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES

  38:     WHERE

  39:         TABLE_TYPE = 'BASE TABLE'

  40:     

  41: OPEN TableCursor

  42:  

  43: FETCH NEXT FROM TableCursor

  44: INTO @ObjectName

  45:  

  46: WHILE @@FETCH_STATUS = 0

  47: BEGIN

  48:  

  49:     /* Execute sp_Spaceused for each table and load the results into the table variable  */

  50:     INSERT INTO @Results 

  51:     (

  52:           TableName            

  53:         , Records            

  54:         , ReservedSpace        

  55:         , DataSpace            

  56:         , IndexSizeSpace    

  57:         , UnUsedSpace

  58:     )

  59:  

  60:     /* 

  61:         Uncomment the @updateusage option if you want to ensure your stats are up-to-date

  62:         However, this may take some time depending on the size of your database tables. 

  63:         It is set to 'false' in sp_spacedused by default.

  64:     */    

  65:     EXEC sp_spaceused @ObjectName

  66:     --, @updateusage  = 'true'        

  67:     ;    

  68:     

  69:     FETCH NEXT FROM TableCursor

  70:     INTO @ObjectName

  71: END

  72:  

  73: CLOSE TableCursor

  74: DEALLOCATE TableCursor

  75:  

  76: /*    

  77:     Get the list of tables and their associated space usage data.

  78:     Update to your preferred format

  79: */

  80: SELECT

  81:       TableName            

  82:     , Records            

  83:     , ReservedSpace        = CAST(SUBSTRING(ReservedSpace, 1, LEN(ReservedSpace)-3) AS INT)

  84:     , DataSpace            = CAST(SUBSTRING(DataSpace, 1, LEN(DataSpace)-3) AS INT)

  85:     , IndexSizeSpace    = CAST(SUBSTRING(IndexSizeSpace, 1, LEN(IndexSizeSpace)-3) AS INT)

  86:     , UnUsedSpace        = CAST(SUBSTRING(UnUsedSpace, 1, LEN(UnUsedSpace)-3) AS INT)

  87: FROM @Results

  88: ORDER BY 

  89:     TableName

Copy. Paste. Enjoy.

**UPDATE – 2011/09/14**

My friend Jim McLeod (Blog | Twitter) has informed me that there is a better way to get the space used and row count details for objects in your database. His script utilises the sysindexes table, which means that this is compatible across a wider set of SQL Server versions including 2000/2005/2008. His original script appears in the comments below. I have reproduced it here with a little formatting, commenting and an extra table to restrict the results to just *user* tables:

   1: /***

   2:     This script will generate a list of User tables

   3:     and their associated space used and row count details.

   4: ***/

   5:  

   6: SELECT 

   7:       SchemaName    = ss.name

   8:     , ObjectName    = OBJECT_NAME(si.id)

   9:     , ReservedMB    = reserved * 8/1024.0

  10:     , DataMB        = dpages * 8/1024.0

  11:     , RecCount      = rowcnt   

  12:  

  13: FROM 

  14:             sysindexes si

  15: INNER JOIN  sys.objects so  ON    si.id = so.object_id

  16: INNER JOIN    sys.schemas ss    ON    so.schema_id = ss.schema_id

  17: WHERE

  18: /*    Limit the resultset to bring back Heaps & Clustered indexes only 

  19:     (Heap = 0, Clustered Index = 1)

  20: */

  21:     indid < 2        

  22: /*    We only want to see the 'user' tables at this stage. 

  23:     You can include System tables by adding 'S' to the xtype clause 

  24: */

  25: AND type = 'U'        

  26: ORDER BY 

  27:     SchemaName,

  28:     ObjectName

I’ve left the first script in the post for comparison. Thanks Jim!

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.

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…

Registration is entirely free, so go take a look at what sessions would suit your needs and sign up. There are several tracks that are covered in this event: Business Intelligence (BI), Database Administration (DBA), Development (DEV), Professional Development (PD) – each of which have several sessions devoted to them. You can see the list of available sessions here, but some to note are:

• (BI) Solving common business problems with Microsoft PowerPivot – Donald Farmer (Blog | @Donalddotfarmer)
• (BI) Easier than ever Report Authoring in SSRS 2008 – Jessica M. Moss (Blog | @jessicammoss)
• (BI) Reporting Services Enhancements in SQL Server 2008 – Greg Low (Blog | @Greg_Low)
• (DBA) What’s really happening on Your Server? 15 Powerful SQL Server Data Management Objects – Adam Machanic (Blog | @AdamMachanic)
• (DBA) Top 10 Mistakes on SQL Server – Kevin Kline (Blog | @kekline)
• (DBA) BLITZ! 60 Minute Server Takeovers – Brent Ozar (Blog | @BrentO)
• (DEV) High Performance Functions – Simon Sabin (Blog | @simon_sabin)
• (PD) Manage your DBA Career, Don’t Let it Manage You – Brad McGehee (Blog | @bradmcgehee)

So what are you waiting for? Go tell your boss you’re taking a training day. In fact tell him/her that you are going to get 3 days of training all packed into a single day and all he/she has to pay for is your time away from your desk. Considering what you are going to take away from this event, that’s a pretty good deal. By any standard. So stock up on whatever [legal] stimulants you are partial to (coffee/bacon/etc) and register for one, several, or if your name is Thomas LaRock, every single session and then screen cast your efforts using UStream. Read the 24 HOP Team’s interview with Tom for more insight.

Oh, and if you are going to follow (or indeed tweet about) the event on Twitter, use the #24HOP hashtag.