Voice of the DBA

Category: Blog

  • Almost an MCSA

    I took four beta tests earlier this year for SQL Server 2012. I had debated writing another book, and I’ve worked on a few of the cert books in the past, so I thought this would be a good chance to look at the tests. Since I had free invites to the beta program, I also thought, what the heck. The worst that can happen is I fail.

    It’s been about two months, and I was waiting for results when someone mentioned that the Prometric site had the results, though they weren’t yet up on the MCP site. I checked, and sure enough I had results for some of my exams. I checked a few days later, and found results for all four of my tests. They were:

    All passed, which was cool. I think certification is what you make of it, and I’ve been looking over lots of SQL Server 2012 stuff for almost a year, so to me it says I have some good knowledge of SQL Server 2012. The tests were a good mix of old and new stuff, and not as focused on the new features, which was good.

    The MCSA track for SQL Server 2012 needs 461, 462 and 463. I skipped 463 in the beta cycle because I’m not much of a DW person, and I was busy. Fitting in 4 exams across two weeks was hard, and took time away from work that I had to make up at night.

    I’m not overly concerned about being certified, but it’s a nice feather to have in your cap. The MCSE for SQL Server 2012 requires the MCSA and 464 and 465, which I have. So one more test and I’d have the MCSE as well.

    My goal now is to start studying for 463, after I get a few more presentations built that I need for work. I hope to get to this test in the fall, or perhaps at the end of the year, depending on my schedule. I haven’t done a lot with the DW side of things, so I’ll be working, and likely writing, about a few more DW topics later this year.

  • Holiday

    Sort of.

    I’m off for a week to Camp Alexander near Pikes Peak for Boy Scout summer camp. My 13year old is attending and working his way toward Eagle Scout. He’s a Star scout now, and with any luck, this week we’ll get 3 more of the Eagle required merit badges and be that much closer to that amazing achievement.

    There’s no cell service, and no real Internet, so I’ll be completely out of touch for a week.

    Everyone behave.

  • A Speaker’s Dilemma

    I read Eddie Wuerch’s post on cross-submissions for SQL Saturdays and found it hitting close to home. It provoked a few thoughts, and I wanted to write a little bit about what I think since it’s something I think more and more people will deal with over time.

    The idea behind SQL Saturday was to get more local events, more local speakers, and improve our industry at a grass roots level. That was Andy Warren’s vision, and it was something we strived for as we grew the SQL Saturday framework. Over time it’s evolved into something we never expected, with many speakers traveling from remote locations to talk.

    It’s also grown so much that many of the weekends of the year have multiple events. This year we have 58 events (completed or scheduled) and we have multiple collisions, including

    • 3 on Apr 21, Apr 28, Aug 4, Sept 15, and Sept 29,
    • 5 on Apr 14

    There are also plenty of weekends with two events.

    As a speaker, I like attending these events. I’ve been to quite a few, and I turn many more down because of scheduling conflicts. I try to get to 4-5 a year, and meet a lot of people. These are fun events, and I’d like to do more, but travel is hard and it takes away from other things in my life.

    When I decide to submit to a SQL Saturday, I usually start making plans to attend. I don’t book travel, but I free up my schedule, and I don’t submit to events on consecutive weeks. Traveling two weeks in a row, while it might not seem like much, is a big impact to my family, and to me.

    My method for dealing with multiple events and choices is to contact the organizers of my first choice. I don’t ask them for a favor, but I do ask if they would like me to submit and attend. I’ll give him an idea of what I am prepared to talk about and let them know that I don’t want to submit if I’m not being chosen, only because I would like to attend some event that weekend. If they decline, and I have had some decline, I thank them and contact my second choice.

    I don’t like the idea of adding in more rules, or restrictions, or even asking the organizers to work out among the various events who will get speaker X. I think it’s the burden on the speakers to make as little an impact on the organizer’s workload.

  • SQL Saturday #132 Files

    Uploaded here if you need them. These are the PPT deck and the code.

    UnstructuredData.zip

    EncryptionPrimer.zip