Allen White

TechEd Wednesday - A New Certification

Well, this turned out to be a really great day at TechEd 2006.

It started with sesstion DAT421 - Peeking Inside SQL Server 2005 Engine - with Dan Winn. Dan always does such a great job with his presentations, not just because he's so knowledgable, but also because he's so enthusiastic. It's really great to see someone who obviously loves what he's doing as much as he does. His explanation of the Dynamic Management Views available to monitor key SQL Server activity is clear, concise, and enjoyable.

After Dan's presentation I attended Michael Raheem's session DAT323 - Be More Productive with SQL Server 2005 Tools, presented with Roni Karassik and Paul Mestemaker. I first saw Michael present last fall at PASS in Dallas, and he didn't disappoint again. The features available in Management Studio, SQL Profiler, Database Tuning Advisor and others are so vast it's easy to forget all the tools we've got available, and their presentation was entertaining as well as informative.

I attented a lunch presentation put on by the editors at TechNet Magazine, because I'd like to start writing for publication, and they had some great ideas. The expo hall was open most of the afternoon and I went to visit Tony Mann, who was manning (no pun intended) the Authors area of the Microsoft booth. He was giving some very cool swag (consisting of a USB connectivity kit) if you filled out a survey form. Well, word gets out quickly about cool swag and before long he was completely swamped. I started helping him hand out these kits as people filled out the forms, and Tony had to run and get more boxes of kits. Victor Isakov, one of the other SME's I worked with on the 70-444 exam Alpha Review, stopped by and he pitched in as well, and we worked to keep up with what became a feeding frenzy. Finally Tony said there were no more kits available, and a few people complained, but the area cleared out. What an incredible experience.

After that I went over to the TLC area and shared the story with Rick Heiges, and he got me to do an interview with Chuck Boyce for a podcast interview for PASS, on both the certification work I did and the swag story. That was fun.

I finally steeled myself to go and take the 70-431 exam, and being very careful to not rush through any question, I PASSED the exam!!! Phew!

Spent, I headed back to my hotel, had dinner with my wife, and then went to the Microsoft Influencer Party over at Quincy Marketplace. That party is always fun, and I got a chance to catch up with Tony Mann, Fernando Guerrero, Tobias Thernström and Victor Isakov (from the 444 Alpha Review team), and got to chat with Adam Machanic about his position with Solid Quality Learning.

More sessions tomorrow, followed by the party at Fenway Park!

Allen