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Happy Launch Day!

posted Wednesday, February 27, 2008 12:56 PM by RickH

It's Official, today!

We have a party for SQL Server 2008 in LA!  The product may not be shipping, but that won't stop us from having our party.

Seriously, Today marks the beginning of a more useful Launch than the 2005 launch.  What am I saying?  The Launch Events will probably be more educational for you this time around because there hasn't been as much focus on having a lot of events on 2008 as of yet.  Signup today for a launch event near you!

 



Cross-posted from SQLBlog! - http://www.sqlblog.com

In case you did not hear, PASS Call for Speakers is now open!

posted Friday, February 22, 2008 8:39 AM by RickH

In the latest PASS Community Connector, there is a call for Speakers for this year's summit in Seattle in November.  If you have never been to Seattle in November, it really makes you want to learn more about SQL Server in the breakout sessions. ;-)   But seriously, it is a great venue to meet other SQL Server professionals and meet the MSFT who actually write the code for SQL Server itself.  You know that since MSFT is located in nearby Redmond that the place will be very accessible to MSFT developers and managers.

 Also, did you know that the abstracts that are submitted are reviewed/selected by a committee of PASS Volunteers just like you? 

 

Join other industry professionals and help build the SQL Server community as a 2008 PASS Community Summit speaker in Seattle, Washington, November 18-21.  Act now and submit an abstract by the March 28th Deadline.

All speakers receive:

  • Complimentary registration to the 2008 PASS Community Summit
  • Industry recognition
  • Networking opportunities with thousands of attendees

Microsoft employees are encouraged to submit presentations using the online submission website.  Please note that any Microsoft submissions will be reviewed and abstract status will be determined by Microsoft.

For more information, please visit our Call To Speakers website at  http://calltospeakers.sqlpass.org/ or e-mail any questions to calltospeakers@sqlpass.org.

 



Cross-posted from SQLBlog! - http://www.sqlblog.com

3 More Weeks 'til Launch!

posted Wednesday, February 06, 2008 10:57 AM by RickH

3 weeks from today, the launch party for SQl Serve 2008 will be on!  If you are in Southern California, you will be in the "happening" spot.  Enjoy!

Why have a launch without the release of the product?  SQL Server 2008 is more of an incremental release.  There are some great new features in the product, but the bulk of the change was going from 2000 to 2005.  From my point of view, there were many more events and opportunities for education on SQl Server 2005 than 2008.  I was at the Launch of SQL Server 2005 in San Francisco.  It was a great time, but the content at the launch was not new (at least to me).  The content at the launch events over the next few months will most likely be more useful than the content at the 2005 events.  If you are like many folks who still have 2000 in your environment and have some servers running 2005, these launch events will be useful.  If you haven't seen it already, there will be opportunities in your area to sign-up for a launch event.  Another great source of information on SQL Server 2008 will be the local user groups across the nation and worldwide that will be involved in launches.

 



Cross-posted from SQLBlog! - http://www.sqlblog.com

Get Ready for SQL Server 2008!

posted Saturday, January 19, 2008 10:13 AM by RickH

On Jan. 24, there is a FREE virtual conference focused on SQL Server 2008.  This is not just a webcast that you can view online.  The sessions are scheduled at specific times with Live Q&A following the session from the speakers.  Grab one of your SQL buddies and sign-up to attend virtually on Jan. 24!

Register Here: http://events.unisfair.com/index.jsp?eid=157&seid=291&code=sqlevents

Drop by the Virtual PASS Booth and say Hello!



Cross-posted from SQLBlog! - http://www.sqlblog.com

Try out SQL 2008 without downloading it!

posted Wednesday, January 09, 2008 10:25 PM by RickH

 

In case you have not heard yet.......

 

SQL Server 2008 CTP5 Beta Now Available for Free in a Secure Hosted Environment!

PASS, MaximumASP, Dell and Intel have partnered to offer this advance preview...

Try out real-world data online in a secure, hosted environment - you don't have to download or install a thing - and your feedback will influence the final version!

Get started today at www.sqlserverbeta.com and discover the powerful functionality of the latest version of SQL Server 2008 including:

  • Reporting Services
  • Language Integrated Query (LINQ)
  • Predictable Query Performance
  • Transparent Data Encryption
  • Integrated Full Text Search
  • Sparse Columns
  • Spatial Data Types
  • Grouping Sets
 Visit  www.sqlserverbeta.com today!

 



Cross-posted from SQLBlog! - http://www.sqlblog.com

Last Night at the Triad SQL User Group

posted Wednesday, December 12, 2007 8:43 AM by RickH

I started the Triad SQL Server User Group with several other folks back in 2002.  I led the chapter for 2 years before turning the reigns over to a Board of Directors.  I have only been to one or two meetings since the turnover mainly because I have been out of town when they have meetings.  But last night, I was in town and the Holiday Social was just 2 miles away from my house at a local drinking/dining establishment. 

It was good to see the Board of Directors and meet some of the regulars who now attend. I was so happy to see that the group has really grown over the past few years in its sophistication, marketing, and breadth of topics.  I wanted to acknowledge and praise the team that is now the Board of Directors - Miguel Cebollero, Michael Wharton, and Karen Lennon.



Cross-posted from SQLBlog! - http://www.sqlblog.com

Buy the first 32-bits, get the second for FREE

posted Wednesday, October 17, 2007 8:14 PM by RickH
I spoke at the Charlotte SQL Server User Group last night.  Will Sweeny confirmed that MSFT will continue to offer the free trade-out to 64-bit licensing from 32-bit.  In other words, if you upgraded your 32-bit SQL 2000 to 32-bit SQL 2005 and are considering a new 64-bit server, you can simply swap the 32-bit license for the 64-bit license.  Of course, you will need to de-commission the 32-bit server.  In SQL 2000, this is available, but the 64-bit licensing is only for Itanium based systems as there is no x64 flavor for SQL 2000.

Cross-posted from SQLBlog! - http://www.sqlblog.com

Charlotte SQL Server User Group - Oct 16

posted Thursday, October 04, 2007 6:09 PM by RickH

If you live near Charlotte, NC or are planning to be in the area, drop by the Microsoft Offices at 7pm on Oct 16, 2007 for the local user group meeting.  The topic will be "The 64-bit Question" which will discuss the options for moving to 64-bit for SQL Server Databases.  For  more information and also RSVP, check out http://charlotte-sql.org/meetings.html

 



Cross-posted from SQLBlog! - http://www.sqlblog.com

OT:Need one more team

posted Friday, August 31, 2007 2:09 PM by RickH
http://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com/f1.  The League ID and password are as follows: 

League ID#: 265861
Password: rssfeed

We'll keep everyone updated throughout the season.



Cross-posted from SQLBlog! - http://www.sqlblog.com

Mile High on BI at the PASS Community Summit

posted Sunday, August 26, 2007 4:25 PM by RickH

THe PASS Community Summit will be held in Denver, the Mile High City, this year with more content focused on BI than ever before.  To be a part of this event, visit www.sqlpass.org and register by Aug 31 to enjoy the last price break before the summit. Don't forget to check out the pre-conference events as well.  There is a lot of great content for DBAs and Developers as always PLUS a special focus on BI.  If you have not attended a PASS event before, I encourage you to do so.

 



Cross-posted from SQLBlog! - http://www.sqlblog.com

OT: Last call for Football

posted Sunday, August 26, 2007 4:23 PM by RickH

We will close registration on Tuesday, Aug 28.  We still hav several spots left.  I invite you to join and play.  You will need to first go to www.yahoo.com and register (if youalready do not have a yahoo account) and then go to http://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com/f1.  The League ID and password are as follows: 

League ID#: 265861
Password: rssfeed

 Rick...



Cross-posted from SQLBlog! - http://www.sqlblog.com

PASS is next month!

posted Wednesday, August 15, 2007 11:45 AM by RickH

I can't believe it. The PASS COmmunity Summit is only a month away!

Check out the strong SQL Server content at www.sqlpass.org and register today.  BI is a growing part of your business and is also a growing part of the content that you will find in Denver this year.  Plus Microsoft will have several sessions on SQL Server 2008.

Pre-cons - One of the most popular events at PASS is the pre-conference sessions that take place on Monday and Tuesday.  These sessions take a particular topic and dive deep on it for an entire day.  Register early so that you get your first choice.

Speakers - Once again, PASS will feature top speakers fro the SQL Community including names that you know from SQLBLOG.com (Kalen, Andrew, Kevin to name a few) and some soon to be well-known names too. 

I hope to see you there!



Cross-posted from SQLBlog! - http://www.sqlblog.com

OT:Pre-Season NFL now underway

posted Monday, August 13, 2007 12:51 PM by RickH

I saw some pre-season NFL this weekend on TV.  Can't wait for opening day!  I blogged recently about a league I started on Yahoo.  We still hav several spots left.  I invite you to join and play.  You will need to first go to www.yahoo.com and register (if youalready do not have a yahoo account) and then go to http://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com/f1.  The League ID and password are as follows: 

League ID#: 265861
Password: rssfeed

 Rick...



Cross-posted from SQLBlog! - http://www.sqlblog.com

OT: July is almost over... NFL Training Camps Start

posted Friday, July 27, 2007 9:15 AM by RickH

ESPN has been reporting lately on the start of training camps for the NFL.  It won't be long before we start seeing NFL pre-season games on TV.  With that in mind, I'd like to challenge some of you to compete against one another in Fantasy Football.  I have started a League on Yahoo that you can join (only the first 12 members though).  You will need to first go to www.yahoo.com and register (if youalready do not have a yahoo account) and then go to http://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com/f1.  The League ID and password are as follows: 

League ID#: 265861
Password: rssfeed

Several years ago, SQL Server Central did this and it was fun to participate.  I hope that you join quickly so we can set the draft date and start playing games!

 Rick...



Cross-posted from SQLBlog! - http://www.sqlblog.com

Caught by the roving eye at TechEd, Catching Up on Katmai

posted Wednesday, June 13, 2007 10:52 PM by RickH

I was in Orlando for Tech for 2.5 days.  It was great to see some old friends and make new ones too.  I saw fellow SQLBloggers like Kalen, Kevin, and of course Peter to drop a few names.  Today, a colleague of mine on the Board of Directors with PASS shot me an e-mail.  On the red-gate website, there is a video testimonial by a Sr. DBA from United Health Group.  I am caught lurking in the background.  Just go to www.red-gate.com and play the video to see me lurking.

Now, on to more SQL Stuff....   I was able to speak with PMs while hanging out in the SQL area about Katmai.  I attended 2 sessions on SQL Server 2008.  From my first impressions so far, SQL 2005 was the meat and 2008 is the sizzle.  There are some really cool things going on in 2008 like the Policy based management functionality to help enforce best practices as well as additional Performance and Scalability enhancements.  Usability has also been improved with "Intellisense" finally getting in a release (it was in Beta 1 of Yukon, but got cut). The most general session with an overview of Katmai - SQL 2008 is available for viewing at www.virtualteched.com - I encourage you to view this webcast to get the "big picture" and a few morsels.  I have not been able to find the other recorded TechEd sessions on SQL 2008 thus far.

And now for something completely unrealted.  This morning, we got a Wii. It was hard to find, but we finally got one at an electronics store by being lucky.  Anyway, the Wii has a very different interface that makes game playing very interesting.  It tracks the movements of the controllers to enable more "life like" gaming.  It isn't going to improve my golf game, but it was still a lot of fun to play by actually swinging your arms like a golf club.  Although I only got about an hour to spend with the game system tonight, i felt like I knew what i was doig when first playing the games.  i wonder if this will influence the interfaces that we will utilize in the future to conduct business.  Will we virtually take out a credit card from our wallet and swipe it to complete a transaction?  Will some type of controller movement be our new signature?  Where will we store all of the data need for this to happen?

 

 



Cross-posted from SQLBlog! - http://www.sqlblog.com

PASS - Registration now available online

posted Friday, April 13, 2007 8:45 AM by RickH

In September, the annual PASS Community Summit will be held in Denver, CO.  Even though fellow SQLBlogger, Paul Nielsen, lives there - please don't let that deter you!  :-)  I am pleased to report that online registration is now available.

How do you register?  Simply go to the PASS website, www.sqlpass.org, and click on the link to register. 

What is the price?  The earlier you register, the bigger the discount there is to be had. 

What is the PASS Community Summit?  It is  the largest SQL Server only gathering of SQL Server Professionals in the world.  Not only speakers from Microsoft, but MVPS, community leaders, and users just like the rest of us educate each other about various aspects of SQL Server technologies.  This is also the place where you can easily compare third-party vendors and their products iin the largest SQL Server only exhibit hall. 

Why should you go?  It is the best place to get user-to-user education and build a network of other professionals llike yourself to bounce ideas off of. 

Just about all of the bloggers here on www.sqlblog.com have been to PASS as an attendee or speaker.  Ask any of them what the PASS Community Summit Experience is like.

 

 

 

NCAA College Basketball Tourney - I came in dead last.  Next year will be better - it has to be!

 

 

 



Cross-posted from SQLBlog! - http://www.sqlblog.com

Upcoming Events

posted Thursday, March 08, 2007 10:01 AM by RickH

The last week of March is certainly a busy time for SQL Server Education (especially in Orlando).  I will be presenting at SQL connections (part of the Dev Connections show) on March 27/28 in Orlando, FL.  Check out www.devconnections.com for more info.  That very same week, there is another conference in Orlando called Tech Mentor; they have a lot less SQL content, but they do have a track for SQL/Exchange.  The target audience is somewhat different.  Also, during this same week in San Francisco, the VS Live conference is set.  A friend of mine, Trey Johnson, is speaking at that conference on some BI stuff in their SQL track.

In May, SQLTeach (part of DevTeach) will be in Montreal once again.  I will be presenting at SQLTeach this year as well - my third year in a row!

June - TechED returns to Orlando and the HP Tech Forum is in Vegas.  I will be at both of those events as well.

September - 2007 PASS Community Summit  - the Largest SQL Server only conference in the world will be in Denver once again.  The earlier you register, the bigger the discount.  Check out www.sqlpass.org for more details.

Although I enjoy conferences such as SQL Connections, DevTeach, TechEd, PASS really makes SQL Server Professionals feel special. I hope to see you at PASS and at other events as well.

Also, don't forget about your local PASS chapter meetings.  Odds are that there is a PASS chapter near you.  Most have a monthly meeting that is usually FREE and offer free pizza!

 



Cross-posted from SQLBlog! - http://www.sqlblog.com