Voice of the DBA

Tag: SQL Intersection

  • The Gambler

    I'll be speaking here. Come shake my hand if you can come and register with the code "Jones"
    I’ll be speaking here. Come shake my hand if you can come and register with the code “Jones”

    In April of this year, the SQL Intersection conference is coming to Las Vegas. I’m speaking, along with Grant Fritchey and many others. It’s a fun event, in a city with a huge variety of things to do in the evenings after a full day of SQL Server sessions. At night I tend to look for networking chances to met new people and catch up with friends at night, though there have been a few times a comedy show has enticed me away from my hotel. I like Las Vegas, though I’m not a gambler. Despite the fact that most people think of visitors looking for their chance to sit at a table with dice or cards, there are many of us that go for other activities.

    I was at in a session recently and heard a speaker recommend that the audience run DBCC checks regularly. That’s good advice, and it’s what I recommend in my sessions as well. A person in the audience raised their hand and politely disagreed, saying that they almost never run DBCC CHECKDB. This person found it to be a waste of resources since they’d never encountered corruption in their career, and hadn’t known anyone in over a decade that had experienced on a SQL Server system. This person asked the speaker how many times the speaker had seen corruption (five was the answer) and then said across thousands of days of backups, it just wasn’t worth the resources to run DBCC CHECDB.

    If you feel that way, then you’re a gambler. You are accepting a higher level of risk than I do, and higher than I recommend. Consistency checks are designed to help us catch corruption. Since we never know when it will occur, we want to detect is ASAP so that we avoid, or at least minimize, data loss. If you run those checks and never experience corruption, those checks are insurance payments you’ve made and never needed to file a claim. However if you don’t run those checks, and experience corruption, you’ve placed a bet you’ve lost. Whether or not that cleans you out depends on the data loss your organization experiences and their tolerance for that loss. I’d seriously consider this a career limiting, or employment terminating, event, especially if the best practice recommendation from Microsoft and many experts is to run DBCC checks.

    I don’t recommend skipping your DBCC checks, but if that’s how you feel, think about coming to SQL Intersection (register with the code “Jones” to support me). You might enjoy that gaming tables at night, and I know the other speakers and myself would welcome the chance to change your mind about skipping DBCC checks during the day.

    Steve Jones

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  • Come Learn at SQL Intersection, Get a Surface Tablet

    This spring I’m speaking at the SQL Intersection conference. It’s a new conference, managed by SQLskills founders Kimberly Tripp and Paul Randal. It’s April 8-11 in Las Vegas, and it’s got a slew of amazing speakers that I’ll be alongside, including Brent Ozar, Grant Fritchey, and more.

    If you register today, and attend one of the pre- or post-conference sessions, and there are some great ones in the SQL Server space, you’ll get a Surface RT Tablet. It’s a great tool to use for mobile work, taking notes at events, in meetings, or even walking around your office.

    The tablet isn’t a reason to attend the conference, but it’s a nice bonus. And it will help you, since you’ll want to take lots of notes in the sessions. All of the speakers are experienced professionals, working with SQL Server and bringing a ton of experience to their talks. There are talks about new features and old ones, best practices, and practical advice.

    If you’re looking to learn this spring, think about coming to SQL Intersection this spring.

    Learning by day, Entertainment at night.

  • SQL Intersection 2013 – Las Vegas in April

    I'll_Be_ThereIt’s not too hot, it can be fun, and after a full day of SQL Server learning, there are lots of things to do. I’m heading back to Las Vegas in April to speak at the new SQL Intersection event. It’s in conjunction with DevIntersection, and it’s at the MGM Grand Hotel.

    This event is taking the place of the DevConnections, but it’s a little more focused. There are some great sessions and I’m honored to be picked to be speaking alongside these amazing individuals

    It’s a great spring conference with improve your SQL Server knowledge during the day and enjoy amazing shows at night. I’m hoping to get the chance to see one of the comedy acts while I’m there.

    Come join me if you want to get away this spring from work, learn more about SQL Server and find some warm weather in the early spring.

    One more note. If you register by Feb 11, 2013, you’ll get $100 to spend at the MGM, and a Surface RT tablet. A good reason to lobby your boss to make a decision early and attend this event.