How Do You Learn?

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A lot of brilliant people have spent a lot of time, some have made careers out of, learning about how we as people learn.  Whether you subscribe to the Kolb’s, Gregorc’s, Honey & Mumford’s Models, or Flemings VAK/VARK model, at this point in your career you’ve found a way to learn and it works for you. 

I once had a professor, Dr. William Perry, that said repeatedly throughout his courses “Learn to Love to Learn!”.  He would talk to us about how as IT professionals you had better enjoy learning because you would be doing it for the rest of your life.  He would also add that if you did not like to learn you were in the wrong field.  He couldn’t have been more right.

“So Balls,” you say, “How do you learn?”

Glad you asked Dear Reader, let’s dive right in.

MY FLASH CARDS            

 Here is a picture of one small part of my Desk.  If you’re someone who has worked with me you’ve probably seen my flash cards.  I started this pile of flash cards when I was working on beautiful Ft. Monroe in Virginia.  I was studying for my TS and then my ITP Certifications for SQL 2005.  I added to my flash cards next when I was working for the Office of the President up in D.C.  I was studying for my TS in SQL 2008 at the time.  As I would take the train in I would read my book and highlight sections that I wanted to make flash cards out of.  Then I would re-read the book making the flash cards.

After studying for and getting my Certifications, I didn’t want to just forget what I had worked on.  So I continued to review them.   Sometimes people would walk up and say “What are you studying for?”, and I would reply with the name of the Certification I was working towards.  Sometimes I would simply reply by saying, I just want to keep the information fresh in my mind.

As working situations arise, having this information fresh in my mind proved beneficial time after time.  Learning provided better situational awareness, which only served to reinforce how important it was to continue to learn. 

Pretty quickly on I started finding myself in situations where, I would have an issue resolve it, and I’d want to continue to learn from it.  So I would make a flash card on the script, or the situation.  My focus had been on learning from books alone, and that was pretty narrow.  I realized it was just as important to expand not only what I was learning, but where I learned it from.

Back in 2009 our VP of Microsoft Technologies had told me about this upcoming event called, 24 Hours of PASS.  It was an online event, so I could watch these 1 hour training sessions from my Computer.  I persuaded work to let me work remotely, so I could watch these training sessions.  This was my first exposure to PASS, and my first window into the SQL Community, (other than the forums for SQLServerCentral.com ).

There was amazing session after amazing session, I learned about NUMA from Thomas Grohser (@tgrohser), I first heard Louis Davidson (@drsql | Blog) discuss relational design, and got my first ever view of Brent Ozar(@BrentO | Blog).  I was hooked, and I had gotten a lot of good information.

“So Balls,” you say, “Where do you get your learning material from books and webinars?”

Great question Dear Reader, but the answer is I get it from just about everywhere.

LEARN FROM EVERYTHING

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When you look at my flash card pile up above, know that I’ve thrown a lot out.  I gave some to friends, and the flash cards have been a constant evolution.  Sometimes material in books are wrong, sometimes material on Books Online are wrong, and sometimes you never know what will be useful.

Here are the places that I take notes from that turn into flash Cards, and would be my recommendations.

A.      Books

Books are a great source of knowledge and there are a lot of really good SQL Server books out there.  Right now I’m reading Microsoft 2008 Internals, Click Here to View.   I’m also reading Professional SQL Server 2008 Internals and Troubleshooting, Click Here to View.  The great thing about books is that when you buy them, you can always have them with you.  Nothing beats having knowledge at your finger tips.  IPAD, Knook, whatever buy them and study them.

B.      SQL Server Central

Whether it be the Question of the Day, an Article in the newsletter, or a really great discussion on the forums.  There is more information than you could ask for in a lifetime.  You can get help with your problems, and do plenty of learning as well.

C.      PASS SQL Server User Groups

Last month at MagicPASS we had a Microsoft Certified Master speak to us about the Relational Engine and how Cache works Internally.  It was free, we had tacos, and there are a lot of great DBA’s just like you at the meetings.  This is a fabulous place for networking and for learning.  Go to the PASS website and find the User Group nearest to you.  Don’t forget the Virtual Chapters which provide FREE webinars monthly, sometimes twice a month!

D.      24 Hours of PASS

This is another FREE event, I hope your sensing a trend here you don’t have to spend a lot of money to learn, and it will have the TOP names in the field of SQL Database Administration and Business Intelligence.  All it requires is your time.

E.       Channel 9

This is Microsoft’s online learning resource for the Public.  You can find Tech Ed Presentations, Informational videos by the Project Teams, and even new technology previews.  Another great FREE source.

F.       Webinars

Companies like Pragmatic Works, Idera, and Confio are constantly putting on Webinars monthly and for FREE!  You just need to go to their websites and sign up for their free training News Letters.

G.     SQL Saturday

Hey We have one of these coming up in Orlando on September 24^th!  Click Here to Register!  This is an event where some of the top names in our filed present to you for FREE!  You will have MVP’s like Andy Warren(@sqlandy | blog), Rodney Landrum (@sqlbeat | Blog), or Jorge Serraga (@sqlchicken | Blog) just to name a few, presenting for you Dear Reader.

H.      MCM Videos

I wrote a Blog on this once already, MCM video’s You Should Be Watching These, and you should be.  They are a wealth of information, that scratches the surface on what you need to be a Master!

JUST GO LEARN!

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There is also a lot of great training that is not for free, SQL Rally, PASS Summit, and training courses offered by companies like SQL Skills or SQL Cruise.  They are worth their weight in gold, and you don’t have to look far to find a lot of people with the same opinions.

However you learn Dear Reader, just make sure you are learning.  I make flash cards from all these thing, and I review them.  I walk around and share them with the DBA’s I work with, and sometimes we have a quiz of the day on a topic.  I’m sure there are a lot of places that I’ve left off the list if you want to add any please do in the comments below!

Thanks,

Brad

Announcing the Full Day BI Workshop for SQL Saturday 85

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Hello Dear Reader, a couple of weeks ago we had a call for Pre-Conference Speakers for SQL Saturday 85.  That call closed on the same day as our call for speakers back on July 24^th.  The Program Team has been hard at work reviewing submissions as they arrived, and we got some Great Ones!  We were finally able to narrow down the selection process, and select a great event.

I Just wanted to say a quick Thank You to everyone who submitted.  Every Single Presentation we reviewed was top notch, and I would be excited and thrilled to attend any one of them.  To everyone who submitted we really appreciate the time and effort that it took to submit.  Thank You!

This was a very tough decision but in the end there was one Session that we felt would be OUTSTANDING and at the same time offer the variety in subject matter that we felt would best serve our conference attendees.

“So Balls”, you say, “Who DID you pick?”

Ahh Dear Reader we didn’t pick one, no we didn’t pick two or three, but FOUR speakers.  So without further ado I give the Full Day BI Workshop!

Business Intelligence Workshop
Jorge Segarra, Bradley Schacht, Kyle Walkter, &  Mike Davis

Abstract:

In this full-day workshop, you'll learn from the author team of Jorge Segarra, Mike Davis, Brad Schacht, and Kyle Walker how to build a data warehouse for your company and support it with the Microsoft business intelligence platform. We'll start with how to design and data model a data warehouse including the system preparation. Then, we'll jump into loading a data warehouse with SSIS. After SSIS, you're ready to roll the data up and provide the slice and dice reporting with SSAS. The team will walk through cube development and data enrichment with things like key performance indicators, which are essential for your future dashboards. Lastly, we will cover how to report against the data warehouse with SSRS including a primer in how to write MDX queries against the SSAS cube.

Take Home Skills:

Practical knowledge of building a Dimensional Model Designing a simple ETL process using SSIS Designing a Cube Designing simple SSRS Reports Building an integrated process that fully leverages the entire MS BI stack to load a Data Warehouse

OUR SPEAKERS

Speaker Bio(s)

Jorge Segarra  (@SQLChicken|Blog)

Jorge is a BI Consultant for Pragmatic Works and a SQL Server MVP. In addition to being a member of the Jacksonville SQL Server User Group (JSSUG) he is also a PASS Regional Mentor for the U.S. Greater Southeast region. He has also co-authored the book from Apress “SQL 2008 Pro Policy-Based Management“. Redgate Exceptional DBA of the Year 2010 Finalist.

Bradley Schacht  (@bradleyschacht|Blog)

Bradley is a consultant at Pragmatic Works in Jacksonville, FL. He was an author on the book SharePoint 2010 Business Intelligence 24-Hour Trainer. Bradley has experience on many part of the Microsoft BI platform. He has spoken at events like SQL Saturday, Code Camp, SQL Lunch and SQL Server User Groups. He is a contributor on sites such as BIDN.com and SQL Server Central as well as an active member of the Jacksonville SQL Server User Group (JSSUG).

Kyle Walker  (Blog)

Kyle is a Business Intelligence consultant for Pragmatic Works. His current and past work experience includes Integration Services, data warehousing concepts, Reporting Services, and Crystal Reports. He is active in the local and online community as a speaker for SQL Lunch, Jacksonville SQL Server Users Group, and past SQLSaturday events, as well as a blogger on BIDN.com.

Mike Davis (@MikeDavisSQL|Blog)  

Mike Davis, MCTS, MCITP, is a Senior BI consultant at Pragmatic Works. He is an author of a few Business intelligence books. Mike is an experienced speaker and has presented at many events such as several SQL Server User Groups, Code Camps, SQL Server Launches, SQL Rally, and SQL Saturday events. Mike is an active member at his local user group (JSSUG) in Jacksonville, FL.

KICK’N IT SASS STYLE

To Sign up for this event, Click HERE.  This full day of training is for only $99 dollars, which includes all day coffee & tea and lunch.   You may notice that every one of our speakers works for Pragmatic Works.  I’ve had a chance to see the great people at Pragmatic Works performing Half Day Training and Hourly Session, Webinars, Full Day Training, at SQL Saturday’s, at SQL Rally, and at even the Microsoft Offices in Tampa helping to explain and discuss new and upcoming technology.

They are one of the GO TO companies when it comes to BI.   They are the people writing the books, and they are the resource experts that people flock to.  If you are interested in BI, this is a day that you cannot miss!

If you are an old hat at BI, or a newbie this is the session for you.  I attended this same Pre-Con at SQL Rally.  We covered SSIS, Change Data Capture, SSAS, and SSRS.  You will truly get a look at how the full Microsoft BI suite can be utilized for your business.  A sample business was used and we walked through all the different ways to manage the data.  For the full write up look at SQL Rally: Pre Con Business Intelligence Workshop BI END to END.   This was a great day of training, and I’m really excited that we can offer it to you!

A Big Congratulations for newly minted MVP Jorge Segarra (Who will also have a Community Spotlight Session at this year’s PASS Summit), Bradley Schacht, Kyle Walker, and to Mike Davis on getting selected.  Gentlemen I look forward to seeing you in Orlando in September, and Dear Reader I hope you can make it too!

Thanks,

Brad

SQL Saturday 85 Schedule Released!

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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