SLC Code Camp 2013

Tomorrow morning I will be presenting on 'Release Management' at the Salt Lake City Code Camp. I was one of the lucky ones that was selected by the community to present a session at this event.

This is a presentation that I have tailored after the chapter I was honored to write in a SQL Server 2012 book recently. This is a topic that has been close to my heart and part of my day to day job for quite some time. It was fun to prepare this session for a not exclusively SQL Server audience. I am a bit nervous about it, as I usually am before any presentation.

I have uploaded my preso and supporting files to my public Dropbox. You can find the links here.

LINK to Presentation Files

What do you do when you hit the finish line?

Do you ever find yourself at the endgame of a task, only to not know what to do next? Having never thought that you would actually end up here? Sometimes it takes so long to get there and the journey is so arduous, that you forget the goal is not the work to accomplish the task. But to complete the task.

Let's say you have a problem that seems persistent and invasive. Its always on your mind. You try this and that to surmount it, only to be stymied each time. Each attempt results in a failure, at least with the the end goal not being reached. Maybe each iteration discovers a bit more information about the problem that helps you attack it in a different direction. Maybe each iteration shows you that what you thought would solve it did not, and you simply need to revisit the drawing board. But along the way you, either consciously or unconsciously, have relegated yourself to some form of failure. Such that you now get stuck in the mire of simply attacking the formidable wall over and over with all your might, with little to no result.

I believe that we all find ourselves here on occasion. Either by our own hand or by that of others or even the simple fact that the universe seems completely against our progress. What happens to me on these occasions varies. I often will reattack with a renewed vigor, trying to think outside the box. I have been known to assemble folks and discuss and throw down the gauntlet of challenge to these others to assist me, see it from another set of eyes, find flaws in my logic, approach or tactics. I have even given up. But I believe that the one thing I almost always do, once mired in the clutches of this inability to progress forward, I forget the end game. I forget the goal. I forget the tasks I need to accomplish after this task is complete. I see no end in sight, and become shortsighted to the point that nothing else exists but the eventual success of this problem.

So, when it miraculously occurs, the often sought after success, the end goal of accomplishment, I stand there, as if I were the last one left on the battle field, unsure of what to do next. Not even realizing that I had reached my destination, not able to enjoy the moment of success.

To this end I direct these comments. Envision the moment of success. Plan for it, work towards it, and recognize it when it actually reaches your shores. Take a moment to enjoy it. Regale yourself with whatever treats you deem appropriate. Celebrate the moment. But more importantly, envision what it will look like so that when you reach it, or it reaches you unexpectedly, you will recognize it.

This is what you worked for, and it's sad to me when I reach it, but am so in the trenches that I do not properly realize that its here. That I made it. That I accomplished it. That its finished. Over. Done.

Instead of letting the moment slip past you, plan for it and recognize it when it overcomes you. Enjoy it!

Then move onto the next success moment. How many can you rack up? Now that I've written this, I'm onto the next one. Thanks for listening and letting me express my latest success moment.

Habits

Its a new year. Well, it was a new year not too long ago. Often with the new year people start talking about resolutions. Goals. Changes. All fine and dandy if you ask me.

Most of these involve doing this or that more than last year. Like exercise, eating healthy, visiting family and friends, etc. All worthy goals to have, I say.

But as I was driving in to work this morning, I reflected on those things that we do that may not be great for us. They may not be bad, but not great. Or a better way of looking at them is the contrast between Good, Better and Best. We may be doing some thing good, but instead of doing better or best, we settle with good.

So, I challenge you to find something in your life that you do now, something that is not huge, but pervasive, and stop doing it. Or change the good for a better or best version of the activity.

For example, do you find yourself surfing Facebook at night, or in the morning or during the day? I am not saying that this is a bad activity, but if you consistently find that this has worked itself into your routine, why not alter it? Do it differently, or maybe not at all. Spend some time connecting, instead of just reading what others have done. Try it out. See if making a change like this is better or best for your routine. Maybe you do not use it at all, Facebook that is, and the challenge could be to stretch out and use it more. I'm suggesting find something that you do and do it better or best, or even yank it out of your life entirely.

Another example is water. How much water do you drink? Is it enough? What could you do to drink more?

What about food? Do you find yourself eating out often? More often than you should? Step back, analyze, and change the habit drastically. For a small period of time. Enough time that the activity no longer has a hold on you.

How about flossing your teeth? Do you floss often enough? What can you do to do it more often? It will require a drastic change to your routine. A break of an existing habit, and an additional activity added to the habit.

Want to tie it to your works with databases? Why not? Find something that you do not do often enough, and step it up. Force yourself to incorporate it into your habits and activities. Again, often enough that it is a grand difference to your schedule and routine. Or maybe you need to remove something from your routine. Either way.

I challenge you to find the thing you will remove, or add more frequent and better or best actions to be performed. Incorporate this into your routine, or remove it from your routine. Continue with this for a small period of time, and measure the results on the other side. Challenge released.

If you accept the challenge, regardless of outcome (positive/negative) please let us all know what you did by adding to the comments so we can see examples.

Now, go to, alter your life, in a small way, and better yourself for it!

Updated speaking/articles/book

Speaking Engagements

 

User Groups

Utah User Groups June 2005 Reporting Services

Utah User Groups August 2005 Profiler / Trace

Utah User Groups February 2006 Sarbanes-Oxley

Utah User Groups January 2008 Query Processing

Salt Lake City User Group 2004-2008 various topics

Utah County User Group 2006-2008 various topics

 

 

Code Camps

Salt Lake City Code Camp October 2006 Profiler / Trace

Salt Lake City Code Camp April 2008 Query Processing

Salt Lake City Code Camp November 2008 Query Processing

Miscellaneous

Microsoft 2006 Analysis Services

ACS 2006 Sarbanes-Oxley

PASS SIG 2007 Some topic

SQL Server World Wide User Group Virtual Conference

SSWUG vConference April 2009 Auditing your users

SSWUG vConference April 2009 Best Practices

SSWUG vConference April 2009 Job Execution System

SSWUG vConference April 2009 Monitor Index Fragmentation

SSWUG vConference April 2010 Configuring and Managing GoldenGate

SSWUG vConference April 2010 Database Switch

SSWUG vConference April 2010 SQL Server Profiler and Tracing

SSWUG vConference October 2010 Database Change Process

SSWUG vConference October 2010 On Call Duties

SSWUG vConference October 2010 Professional Development

SSWUG vConference October 2010 SQL Server Logical Query Processing

SSWUG vConference April 2011 Data File Sizes

SSWUG vConference April 2011 Documentation – you know you love it

SSWUG vConference April 2011 Server Profiler and Tracing, a “How To”

SSWUG vConference April 2011 Stand-alone DBA dailyweeklymonthly

SQL Saturday

SQL Saturday 54, SLC October 2010 Database Switch

SQL Saturday 54, SLC October 2010 SQL Server Profiler and Tracing

SQL Saturday 66, Colorado February 2011 Documentation – you know you love it

SQL Saturday 94, SLC October 2011 Data File Sizes

SQL Saturday 94, SLC October 2011 Documentation – you know you love it

SQL Saturday 97, Austin October 2011 Data File Sizes

SQL Saturday 104, Colorado Springs January 2012 Utility Belt Pre-Con

SQL Saturday 154, Salt Lake City October 2012 Release Management

SQL Saturday 183, Albuquerque February 2013 Release Management

SQL RALLY 

Dallas Texas, May 2012 All Day Pre-Con with co-presentor Chris Shaw,

        How to be a DBA - A Utility Belt of Tools

Articles

SQLServerCentral.com

From the Real World : On Call Again – 04 Apr 2009

On-Call Duties – 27 Oct 2008

Audit Database Changes in the Real World – 11 June 2008

A Simple DR Solution – 31 July 2008

Job Execution System – 27 Mar 2008

A Failed Jobs Monitoring System – 4 Sept 2009

Simple-Talk.com

Can Twitter Help your Professional Development? - 16 Dec 2008

SQLServerPerformance.com

Monitoring Index Fragmentation - 14 Nov 2008

So, you find yourself On-Call - 22 Aug 2008

Automate Audit Requests - 26 May 2008

Audit Data Modifications - 15 Apr 2008

 

 

Books

Apress

Pro SQL Server 2012 Practices  link

 

Pro SQL Server 2012 Practices 'Be Your Developer's Best Friend' Chapter Review

In the new Pro SQL Server 2012 Practices, chapter 1 is all about the impossible. It is entitled 'Be Your Developer's Best Friend'. I tease. This is one of those soft skills that we all struggle with from time to time, regardless of which side you stand on this tale. I started my career as a developer, and moved into the database space over time. I now sit on one side of this task, as I have sat on the other side not too many years ago. It is not an easy thing to do, but a necessary one.

Jesper Johansen, the author of this chapter, takes on a journey through the why, how and when of accomplishing this task. He details the different focus of thought that occurs when you are a developer as opposed to a DBA and why these focuses are an important makeup of the title and job each hold. As his history within the IT world unfolds, you can see how he implemented the skills he will later share with you as the reader, helped him within his career.

One of the tasks described within this chapter is something that I have often known, thought about doing, but simply never seem to take the time to do. I was inpsired when I read this task to share this with my team of IT folks, and hope that we can start implementing this in our project planning. Its not rocket science. Its creating a map of your existing environment and map of what you want it to be. We all too often will talk about these changes, discuss them in meetings, actually create individual tasks to perform various aspects of this transformation. But rarely do we actually just map it all out. All of it. The entire system. I believe that doing this would greatly help. As I read this I am pompted to really try to map out one of our projects, as it has floundered over time, never really getting traction towords completion.

He details stories of his own experience where dialog had bridged the gap of understanding between teams. Including multi faceted teams comprised of different focuses, with a single goal. Putting people together, explaining your point of view and focus, allowing them to do the same, working together towords a single goal, will drastically help out any organization and project. Instead of allowing the old stereotypes to perpetuate, take a stand, make the change yourself, start with you and create the tools necessary to start the dialogs and discussions. These points are well received by myself as I read his suggestions. I have seen it work myself. But I need to remember to continue with these seemingly simple tasks. Its not a one time task, but continual. Just like all relationships, they take constant nurishment and work.

I love that he goes into detail of how to create the documentation necessary to assist in this task. Documentation is a bane, is difficult, it awful to produce and keep up to date. But that same documentation will save you. It is so important and necessary to produce, keep up to date, and use. It took me several years to realize this, but once I got the vision of the importance of documentation, I became a true believer. I would say though that it can become a chore and degrade your work if not done properly. Just like the old saying goes about seeing everything as a nail, if your only tool is a hammer. Remember that documentation is a tool and needs to be used properly. Don't over-do it, or under-do it. It is nice that Jesper not only tells you as a reader to create this documentation, but provides some assistance with how to create it as well.

He also points out some interesting techniques where you as a DBA can provide tools to developers to perform the tasks that the DEVELOPERS need to perform. I once had a DEV that needed to be able to insert records into a table. The table was production. I told him he could not. He got frustrated. I devised a tool that allowed him controlled access to perform that task, trained him on how to utilize this tool, and set him loose. He and I became good friends at work through this interaction. I was not the evil DBA that simply wanted to curtail his access. I simply was protecting our systems. His system, my system. Protecting it from harm. Once he understood this, and accepted his limited access, which would protect him and the system, we moved forward. Jesper details several tools and techniques that have helped him perform similar protections, while allowing protected access to systems.

As he concludes his chapter, it is mentioned that these are large tasks with small sub tasks. Its like eating the elephant; doing so one bite at a time, it can be accomplished. The same holds true with this goal. It will take time. Pick the right individuals to team up with. Take it slow. Make progress, measure the progress, share the progress, and get better with each iteration. It can be done. With the tools provided within this chapter, you should at least be able to be inspired to set out on this journey yourself, while at most, be given the tools to implement as is from the writings of this author.

I enjoyed reading this chapter, as it rang true with many of my experiences. Through reading this, I have been inspired to add to my toolbelt from those suggested tools the author shares. I have thought of scenarios where I can better improve my interactions with others. I have thought about ways to implement some new tasks in my team as well. I hope that through reading this chapter, I can be a better IT professional, a better DBA. I hope that it helps you as well.


http://www.amazon.com/Server-2012-Practices-Professional-Apress/dp/1430247703

My tips on getting organized

I like to think that I am an organized person. But, sometimes, I must admit that I am not. Even though I have several tricks that help me get organized on some aspects of my life, I often fail to use those same tactics in other areas of my life.

Recently, a friend posted something online about getting organized. I agreed with her on her status, but did little to help the effort. I then realized that I should write more, and actually help, instead of simply agree, like I was the world's bese organizer and had it all going on. So I added a little bit more. She mentioned that the advice I gave was really helpful and that she was going to try it out. I felt good. I patted myself on the back. I was done.

Then a couple days later, I was at work, staring at my computer desktop, which has been a mess since, well, about a week after I started this job. Its one of those tasks I simply 'will get too soon'. And have never done so. Simple. Clean up your desktop. Make it useful again.

So, I sat back, having just received kudos on a job well done on organization prowess, and realize I should apply the same techniques described to my own life. Minutes later, I had put away items that had lived on my desktop for over a year. I removed duplicate items. I stored items where they should properly go. I regained control over something simple in my life that had become a burden. In mere minutes. Simple. But I hadnt applied those techniques in this area, and I hang my head in shame.

Now I share with you those simple steps I applied.

Do a small are at a time.

Take a box with you, large enough to hold everything in the offending area.

Put everything into the box. Everything.

Take the box elsewhere. sit down and go thru it.

  Do this while on the floor watching tv so you arent paying close attention to what you are sorting.

The things that are worth keeping will be put into a pile.

Most likely you will have a pile of things that need to be relocated to other areas. This is ok.

And you should have a pile for the trash. Put all the trash into the trash. Do not sort it again.

Do not sort any of the piles again.

  Keep, Relocate, Trash.

Then put things back where they have been sorted to go.

 

If items still wont fit, repeat.

If you pause while stuff is still unsorted, thats ok. Wait until you have time. But keep it in the unsorted box until you have time to properly sort it.

Do not redeposit it back where you got it.

 

Then move onto another area. Maybe on another day.

 

T-SQL Tuesday #36 SQL Community / What Does the Community Mean To You?

Chris Yates is hosting the TSQL Tuesday party this month.  You can read the original invitation here.  The rules for participation are in the invite.  Check it out.

T-SQL Tuesday #36 SQL Community / What Does the Community Mean To You?

Many years ago I went to college at BYU (Brigham Young University) and studied computer science. While in school, I found it easier to get thru classes, to learn, and to share by associating myself with others. I had a Calculus class where I met a young lady retaking the class to raise her grade. We became friends and she helped me study. This was mutually beneficial. She was able to teach and mentor, I was able to learn and study. We both gained. But we became friends along the way. I also found a study group in a Physics class of similar folks. We all got to know each other, used each other, and benefited from each other. This wouldn't have worked had I not given back to them, nor would it have worked if they only took from me. Symbiosis.

Fast forward a few years, and you find me working for a software company. I wasn't the first one there, so I was able to learn from a great colleague. Nathan was a very smart developer, and was patient with me as he taught me the systems he created. I was able to take them over and develop them further than he had for a time. I was able to, in turn, teach others about said systems, and we all progressed. The company benefited. We individually benefited. This job got me my first exposures to databases, a benefit that has served me till this day.

I still am friends with some of these folks. Some I follow on Facebook. Some I've not seen physically in a long time, but those connections have been made, forged, and are hard to break. We may no longer be colleagues. We may not see each other often. But somewhere along the way, we became something akin to family. Not blood. Not relations. But if there is a level above colleague and friendship, I’m not sure what to call it. Family will suit me fine for now.

Every Sunday I go to church and interact with people that have a similar belief system. Some of these folks are my immediate neighbors, while others are neighbors in title only. As we interact, we learn about each other, our needs, our wants, and so on. Each of these interactions tends to build on the previous ones, and soon, friendships are formed, then a little more. Sometimes not. But those that become friends, sometimes become family.

My career started a number of years ago. In my early career I worked with colleagues. They were the ones that I leaned on when I needed help. But they were few. As my career progressed, I was able to learn more, meet more people, and have more individuals in my corner of influence. If I was able to help them out and they were able to help me out, we both benefited. As I leaned my career more into the SQL world I was so lucky to fall into a new family.

Fast forward to today. I've found another family. It’s the #SQLFamily. It’s just like all the other families that I've participated in previously, just on a much larger scale. It started with a local community of like-minded individuals participating in a User Group. We were able to support each other in our day jobs, as well as while attending functions as a User Group. Soon we were able to meet other extra-regionally folks to add to our network. This has exploded to the point that when I attend a SQL conference, I can rarely attend without knowing someone at the event. At PASS Summit, it feels like 'DBA Summer Camp', where we get to see our friends from last summer. We get to high five, hug, or simply say ‘hi’ and then recount our stories from when we last saw each other. The tales become those little strings of connections that further forge those bonds, further those friendships, furthering our familyness.

When I got hired at my current job, those performing the interview googled me. They found out quite a bit about me through this investigation. They knew that I was on twitter and even researched the tweets. Soon I was able to show the power of this tool and the #sqlfamily through gaining answers to questions while sitting in a meeting with my team. Some topic had came up and I thought to reach out to my #sqlfamily for answers. Before the meeting concluded, I had #sqlfamily members answering me and helping me out. My boss sees this as a huge benefit. They didn't just hire me, they hired a slew of other technical individuals that are simply a keystroke away. Hundreds. Soon, thousands. 

I never want to go back to before. Alone, in my cubicle. Trying to figure things out with the knowledge I have or can find on the interwebs. I wouldn’t ever get rid of my friends, no, my family.

Join my family. Welcome me into your family. Share with me, and I will share with you. We will all benefit. Our careers will be better for it. And along the way, we will become friends and family.