Voice of the DBA

Tag: SQLBits

  • SQL Bits 2023

    I’m honored to be heading back to SQL Bits 2023. I was selected to deliver one session, in the professional development track. With so many people submitting, I’m not surprised that this was the only selection.

    This year, SQL Bits is in Wales, at the International Convention Centre just north of Cardiff. I’ve been to Cardiff only once, and am looking forward to going back and exploring a bit.

    SQL Bits has been my favorite conference over the years. Others are great, but I have always loved this one. If you want to join me, start making some plans and register today.

    Hopefully I’ll see you there.

  • Lots of Learning at SQL Bits

    This year SQLBits is returning to Telford, UK, on April 5-8, 2017. I’ll be there, presenting on Friday, and enjoying the show the rest of the time. If you haven’t ever been to the event, it’s a fantastic, fun, casual event with attendees from all over the world coming to learn, teach, and get excited about SQL Server. The event isn’t the largest SQL Server event, but it’s got the best atmosphere and doesn’t have all the hassles of some other events.

    I’ve attended most of the SQL Server conferences in the world, and if I had to choose only one to go to, it would be SQL Bits. The others are good, but SQLBits is my favorite. I’ve been many times, and I’ve watched the event grow over the years. With the venue moving from year to year, it’s also a chance to experience different venues and locations in the UK.

    One of the neat things about SQLBits is that there are a mix of different training on different days. The event started with one day of pre-con learning, a paid training day on Friday with more technical sessions, and a free day on Saturday. This has grown to two full training days of pre-con training, and if you’re looking for a good deal on learning a new technology, you should come spend a day on Wednesday, April 5, or Thursday, April 6 with one of the world class instructors.

    I don’t get much of a chance to attend classes, but since I’ll be there, I’m hoping to sit in on a class each of these days. There are many to choose from, and fortunately I’ve seen a few so my choice isn’t as hard as yours.    Whether you want to learn HA, Power BI, T-SQL, Text Mining with R, or more, I’m sure you’ll find one or two days worth of valuable training. In fact, if you’re going to make the journey to Telford, you should spend both days in class. Whether it’s directly useful in your job right now or it’s something that interests you, I bet you could find two days of intense training beneficial.

    If you make the decision to come soon, you’ll save a bit of money if you register now. The full conference registration will go up on Mar 4, so push your boss to send you today. I’ll be there, and I hope to see a few of you there as well. Be sure to say hi to me if you make the journey to SQLBits in April.

    Steve Jones

    The Voice of the DBA Podcast

    Listen to the MP3 Audio ( 3.8MB) podcast or subscribe to the feed at iTunes and Libsyn.

     

  • Vote for @SQLBits Sessions (pick me, pick me)

    The SQL Bits sessions are out and it’s time to vote for me. Well, vote for the sessions you’d like to see, but certainly include me in the list. I’ve got a few new ones, and a few that have been popular at other conferences. I am hoping to return to Telford, find a new costume for the party, and have a great week of SQL Server debates, discussions, and inspiration. Last time I did visit IronBirdge. This time, perhaps the birthplace of the modern Olympics and a little running.

    You can view the complete list of sessions and then vote for up to 10. There are some great ones, and honestly, it’s going to be hard to choose 10. I really appreciate how many people have submitted and the work they’ve put into crafting some really exciting presentations.

    I’ve written it before, but SQL Bits is really my favorite conference. It’s large, but not too large. There are lots of people and it’s exciting, but it’s also not too crowded, nor is it a security cumbersome event. Spouses are welcome, even kids, and it’s got a casual atmosphere at night and highly charged with learning and talking SQL all day.

    My hope is that I get to go again, and I get to see lots of you there this spring.

  • SQLBits 2017 In April

    I’m getting excited, with the announcement that SQL Bits 2017 is scheduled. The conference goes back to Telford, which I enjoyed and takes place April 5-8, 2017. 

    I’m getting my presentations ready for submission, and I really hope I get the chance to speak again. This is a fun event, and one I try not to ever miss.

    Registration opens soon, and the schedule should be out early in 2017, so start planning your trip today.