Voice of the DBA

Author: way0utwest

  • What’s New for the Microsoft Data Platform

    Today is the first day at the PASS Data Community Summit and I’m in Seattle where I’ll get to open the conference and introduce the Microsoft keynote. I’m sure the keynote will be full of announcements on something, but what?

    I’m writing this a little over a week before the event, and I have no idea what Microsoft will do. Actually, by the time you read this I may have some ideas as there was a practice session yesterday, but I can’t tell you anything. NDA, and really, by the time I got something organized, the keynote will be done.

    You can stream the keynote, and watch the opening (and wave to me if you want) for the conference for free. Some of you may read this before that time, and if you do, then think about this question: what do you want to hear Microsoft announce or what would get you excited about data work.

    I don’t often spend time thinking about what I might like, mostly because I can’t influence things and I don’t like to spend too much time dreaming about databases or what things would help sell more licenses or compute or anything else. However, I am interested to know if a new version of SQL Server is coming (and when) and what might be in it. Or if there are structural changes that might be interesting to me as someone who helps customers work with databases and data.

    If you complain about the performance of SQL Server 2022 and want bugs fixed, that’s fine, but that’s not going to be in a keynote. Instead, think about what things could be added to SQL Server, Azure, Fabric, or some part of the data platform. Where will Microsoft go that might help our organizations or be interesting? Think about what you might want to adopt in a year or 2 if it works as designed.

    I have no idea, though I suspect AI is going to be said once, maybe twice, or maybe even a few more times 😉

    Leave a guess in the comments. If you don’t watch it live, then take a guess and watch it tomorrow to see if you were right.

    Steve Jones

    Listen to the podcast at Libsyn, Spotify, or iTunes.

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  • My 2024 PASS Data Community Summit Schedule

    I’m already up. It’s just after 6am in Seattle, but I’m moving and getting ready to head over to the convention center. The keynote starts at 8, and I need to be there to kick off the conference and introduce the Microsoft speakers.

    My day:

    • 8:15am open the conference and keynote
    • 10:25am – Essential Productivity Hacks with Grant
    • 11am – Redgate lunch with the board
    • 3p – customer meeting
    • 6p – expo hall reception, where I hope to have a beverage

    The rest of the conference has me in the community sessions, though not too many. I like that I’m not too committed as I was buried in 2022 and only slightly less in 2023. The rest of the week:

    • Thur, 12p – Hobby sessions, come hear me talk volleyball
    • Thur, 1p – Community conversations about user groups and events
    • Fri 945a – Community leader meet and greet
    • Fri 1145a – Emcee the Dev Lightning Talks
    • Fri 4p – heading home, well the airport

    This is a slightly compressed week for me as I really only arrived at the conference Tuesday afternoon. I spent a little time in Redmond Mon/Tue and then off Fri as I have Sat am coaching commitments at home.

    If you are attending the Summit and see me, please say hi.

  • Republish: Idempotent

    Traveling today to Seattle and running around to Redmond as well. No time to look at anything, so you get a republish: Idempotent

    Enjoy and hope you learn something.

  • Off to the PASS Data Community Summit 2024

    As this publishes, I’ll get taxiing down the runway at DIA (fingers crossed) and flying to Seattle for the PASS Data Community Summit 2024.  I’m very lucky that I get to attend this conference most years, even when I wasn’t selected to speak by the program committee. I wasn’t picked this year, but Redgate has given me a few tasks, so off I go.

    If you’re attending the event, please stop my and say hi. I always enjoy meeting new people at the event and networking is one of the big reasons to go to a conference. Please, meet people. If you don’t want to meet me, meet others.

    Ref: If you’re not convinced, read this: .

    If you aren’t attending, you can watch some stuff on a livestream. I’m trying to get a full time stage/set up for the whole week, and I didn’t get it this year, but I’ll try for next year again.

    You can also get on-demand access to the content if you want.

    I had commitments last night in Denver, so I moved my flight to this morning. A relatively quick summit for me, as I’ll get there today and then leave Fri afternoon, but it will be great and I’m looking forward to the adventure.