Rick Heiges

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 28^th 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.

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!

While I was reviewing one of the sessions from the PASS Community Summit using the streaming media on some new things in SQL Server 2008, I stumbled across a new reason to mirror.  The primary reason to mirror of course is availability and to give DBAs that warm fuzzy feeling that another up-to-date (or almost up-to-date if using Async mode) copy of your DB is ready to step into action at a moment's notice.  That has not changed in 2008, but another feature was been revealed.  It is the "Auto Page Repair" feature.  If the Principal encounters a page that is corrupted, it will ask the mirror to send of copy of that page for repair.  The mirror is of course replaying the transactions that are sent to it.  If the Mirror encounters a problem, it will request a copy of the page from the Principal.  This is not a new RAID level, but we could make up a new term like DB-RAID - -  ;-)  Again, it gives the DBA that warm fuzzy feeling that things will be OK. 

Last week at the PASS Community Summit, I was so busy that I did not get a chance to blog about anything.  Looking back, I had a great time and learned a few things.  In one of the keynotes, I heard MSFT say that the upgrade experience from 2005 to 2008 would be seemless.  When I repeated this information to a few other MSFT folks, I got a chuckle. This combined with my experiences and dialogues with friends, colleagues, and other MVPs has led me to this point.  SQL 2005 to 2008 upgrade will "seem" less like an upgrade after going through the 2000 to 2005 upgrade. 

With so many installations of SQL Server 2000 still out there, the customers are asking for an easier upgrade.  I was very happy when I saw the Upgrade Advisor tool for 2005.  I think it helped many customers in preparing for this revolution to the current generation of DB engines.  I know that MSFT will have tools available for the 2008 upgrade as well.  Just as there was more work to go from 6.5 to 70 and less from 7.0 to 2000 typically, there was more work going from 2000 to 2005 than there will be going from 2005 to 2008.  Your mileage may vary.