Tuesday, July 26, 2011

SQL Saturday 85 Schedule Released!


Hello Dear Reader, the moment you’ve been waiting for has arrived the Schedule for SQL Saturday 85 is now available online!  Click Here to see our AMAZING lineup!   I have a graphic of the schedule below but trust me the one on the website is much easier to read.

Tim Ford (@sqlagentman | blog) recently did a really awesome advertisement for SQL Saturday #84 in Kalamazoo Michigan, the week before ours and with a very talented lineup as well!  As a matter of fact if you are in the Michigan area you should plan on attending!  I think of what Tim did as SQL By The Numbers.  And they were some pretty impressive numbers.  And it made me curious, as to what our numbers are as well.


There was a lot of work that went into the schedule, on the part of the Speakers.   Your career is a culmination of what you have accomplished so far.  And so far our Speakers have done some pretty darn impressive things.


“So Balls,” you say, “Stop talking and show us these numbers”


Without further ado I give you SQL Saturday 85 by the numbers.



SQL SATURDAY 85 BY THE NUMBERS
42 Sessions
21 Current & former PASS Speakers
21 Sessions presented by PASS Summit Speakers
13 Tracks at this year’s Summit
13 Tracks Presented by MVP's
9 2011 PASS Summit Speakers
9 Microsoft SQL Server MVP's
7 Tracks
2 Sessions by a Microsoft Certified Master
1 SSAS Maestros Instructor
1 Microsoft Certified Master

Wow can you believe that lineup!  I'm so excited for this event I can hardly contain it.  All we need is one more very important number.

The most important number not listed Dear Reader is you!  We’ve got a wonderful line up, a FREE day of training, that would normally go for HUNDREDS if not THOUSANDS of dollars.  What are you waiting for Sign Up Today by Registering HERE. 

Over the next couple weeks we’ll be breaking this out even more.  Each of those numbers represents a significant amount of time, learning, and expertise on the part of our Speakers, and help to make SQL Saturday 85 in Orlando a Top Notch Event.  Over the next couple weeks we will be breaking down these numbers a little more.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope to see you in Orlando in September!

Thanks,

Brad





Saturday, July 23, 2011

SQL Saturday 85 Shedding Some Light on the Schedule


http://www.flickr.com/photos/ajpresto714/230681875/

Hello Dear Reader, we are getting close to ending the Call for Speakers for SQL Saturday 85, the call ends July 24th.  SQL Saturday 85 is in Orlando on Saturday September 24th 2011.  I’m about 90% done with the schedule,  I know you’ve got to be as excited about this as I am!


I wanted to share with you some of the Sessions that we were looking at including.  I’m picking three Today, and then Shawn McGehee (@SQLShawn | Blog) will be posting more details on his blog tomorrow. 

Monday we’ll have the 90% of the Schedule posted with the remainder to follow Tuesday or Wednesday.  Tuesday we will also be releasing the details of the Pre-Con selected from our Call for Pre-Con Speakers.  There is still time to Click Here and submit a Session for SQL Saturday 85, the Call will close tomorrow.

“So Balls,” you say, “You promised to some details make like a kid on a long car trip and leak already!”

You got it Dear Reader, opening away!

SPILLING THE FLOOD GATES
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thebigeazy/5745591968/sizes/l/in/photostream/


You know that Buck Woody (@BuckWoody | Blog), the well know speaker, Microsoft Guru, The CLOUD, and all around good guy is coming to do a Pre-Con for us, SQL Server Performance Tuning Using Application Path Analysis, but did you know that he will be PRESENTING at SQL Saturday as well!


Leaked Session Number 1: From Ground To Cloud for Databases

Speaker:  Buck Woody

“The cloud! Move everything to the cloud! No, wait, the cloud is awful! Don’t move anything to the cloud! Wait – what’s “the cloud”? Buck Woody, Microsoft’s “Real World DBA” will show you how to. figure out where your data should live, based on actual decision points. You’ll learn about Windows and SQL Azure, and when it makes sense to put data locally or remotely.

And that’s not all Dear Reader how about we have a Microsoft Certified Master in the house as well!  And not just a MCM, but a Premier Field Support Engineer with a specialization on Performance Data Warehouse!  None other than Brian Mitchell (@BrianMitchell | Blog)


Leaked Session Number 2: Applying FastTrack & PDW Best Practices to your DW
Speaker: Brian Mitchell

“SQL Server 2008 R2 Fast Track Data Warehouse and SQL Server 2008 R2 Parallel Data Warehouse share many of the same design components and best practice recommendations. We will discuss what those designs are and how you can apply those to your data warehouse. Additionally, we will walk through things you can do today to improve the performance of your data warehouse. “

So how do you follow that up?  How about with a Microsoft MVP a TEACHER of the Microsoft SSAS MASTERO Course, The Man, The Myth, The Legend Adam Jorgensen (@Adam_Jorgensen | Blog)!


Leaked Session Number 3:Analysis -0 to PowerPivot

Speaker: Adam Jorgensen
“In this session, the attehdees will learn how to drive and build a PowerPivot solution and reports as they rotate through the podium as volunteers. 


All right Dear Reader, if you haven’t registered now is the time to start rolling, Click Here to register for SQL Saturday 85!  And go visit Shawn’s Blog tomorrow to get more leaked details!  

And as always Thanks for stopping by!

Thanks,

Brad


Tuesday, July 19, 2011

SQL Saturday 85 Call for Speakers Closing Soon!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/vegaseddie/3911082710/


Hello Dear Reader just a quick reminder that the call for speakers for SQL Saturday 85 in Orlando closes this Sunday July 24th.  We have extended the call until then, and we got quite a few great submissions!  So what are you waiting for time is getting down to the wire, make sure to get your Abstract in before it is too late.

In my Previous Post, I WANT YOU To Present at SQL Saturday 85, I walked through how to make an abstract, and I even tossed out two that are on presentations I’ve I made up just to brain storm with you.  If you want some ideas go give it a read.  So the question is what are you waiting for?


“But Balls,” you say “I don’t want to get rejected, I don’t have a blog, nobody knows me.  To be honest the idea of presenting makes me nervous.”

Well Dear Reader let’s take these one at a time.

I DON’T WANT TO GET REJECTED

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ajs-photography/5403640388/

I hear you loud and clear.   But let me put your mind at ease, SQL Saturday is a community event.  This isn’t the Summit, this isn’t SQL Rally, this isn’t Tech-ED.  This is where new speakers come to start out, and where experienced speakers go to polish their material.

I know a guy on the inside, and he told me that we want to make sure everybody gets a shot.  Heck, I would rather sit this one out, (And I know several very experienced speakers that feel the same way), in order to give someone else a shot.  Don’t let this discourage you!

You should actually let this encourage you to submit!  We want you to get a shot Dear Reader!



I DON’T HAVE A BLOG

I’ve heard people say this before.  They don’t want to present because they are not blogging.  It isn’t a prerequisite.  You don’t have to blog. 

I do it, but that is because deep down inside I like being on stage.  I like the lime light.  I think it’s fun.  But it is also a little like shaving, once you start you have to keep going, otherwise it will just look funny.

Do not let this hold you back, if you ever want to start a blog start one.  If you don’t ever want to that is fine.  This shouldn’t even be a concern, there are a couple people I’ve met that are top people in the business, they present at SQL Saturday’s and I’ve never seen them post a blog before.

THE IDEA OF PRESENTING MAKES ME NERVOUS

I was listening to a presentation that Buck Woody (@BuckWoody | Blog) and Brent Ozar (@BrentO | Blog) did for the PASS Summit last year and they advised “That if you don’t feel nervous when you stand up to present you probably need to sit down”. 

Which made me feel great because I always feel nervous before a presentation.  The point is if something is important to you then you will probably get nervous over it.  Presenting is an art form, it takes time to perfect your style.  Heck it takes time just to realize that you have a style and what it is!

The great thing about SQL Saturday is a lot of folks are in the same boat, and will be happy to give you feedback.  If you’d like ask me to come to your presentation and I’d be happy to sit in and give you a friendly face.  All you need to do is sign up and your half way there!  CLICK HERE to submit an Abstract for SQL Saturday 85.  I hope to see you there!

Thanks,

Brad