Event Location:
Gwinnett Technical College - Alpharetta
2875 Old Milton Pkwy
Atlanta, Georgia
Abstract:
Data should be easy to work with in SQL Server if the database has been organized as close as possible to the standards of normalization that have been proven for many years, but are often thought of as old-fashioned. Many common T-SQL programming "difficulties" are the result of struggling against these standards and can be avoided by understanding the requirements, applying normalization, as well as a healthy dose of simple common sense. In this session I will give an overview of how to design a relational database, allowing you to work with the data structures instead of against them. This will let you use SQL naturally, enabling the query engine internals to optimize your output needs without you needing to spend a lot of time thinking about it. This will mean less time trying to figure out why SUBSTRING(column,3,1) = 'A' is killing your performance, and more time for solving the next customer problem.
Speaker(s): Louis Davidson,
Abstract:
SQL Server 2017 has finally arrived, bringing with it a host of exciting new features. Of particular interest to BI practitioners and data scientists is the integration of the Python programming language into the SQL ecosystem. This integration opens up a number of possibilities for in-database analytics and intelligent database applications, so let's get started! In this introductory session we'll briefly introduce the Python language and then look at how to install and administer Machine Learning Services. We'll start to demonstrate the power of Python by showing you how to create and run simple scripts from within T-SQL. We'll then discuss some of the powerful open source packages that are available to aid your data analyses. Finally, we'll go through some examples of how to use Python to integrate data analytical methods in real-world situations, and wow your customers with the power of analytics!
Speaker(s): Chris Hyde,
Abstract:
Has your manager come to you and said "I expect the SQL Server machines to have zero downtime?" Have you been told to make your environment "Always On" without any guidance (or budget) as to how to do that or what that means? This session will walk you through the high availability options in on-premises SQL Server, the high availability options in Azure SQL Database, and how those can be combined to enable you to achieve the ambitious goals of your management. Beyond the academic knowledge, we'll discuss real world case studies covering exactly how your on-premises environments and Azure services can work together to keep your phone quiet at night.
Speaker(s): Matt Gordon,
Abstract:
Data breaches abound! Do you want to keep off of the data breach list? What are some of the data privacy laws affecting you? How will encrypting data affect your database performance? What data fields should you encrypt? What else can you do to protect your sensitive data? In this session, we will review each option to encrypt data within SQL Server, Transparent Data Encryption, Cell Level Encryption and Always Encrypted. The session will deep dive into setting up Always Encrypted encryption and share my experiences implementing the encryption. In addition, the session will review auditing of sensitive data usage. You will leave the session with a deeper understanding about SQL Server encryption options and how encryption can affect your performance. In addition, you will gather information on how to fully protect and review your sensitive data usage.
Speaker(s): Thomas Norman,
Abstract:
When designing your HA/DR solution, you need to consider all the possible options SQL Server has to offer to implement what is right for you. You will see how to use Failover Cluster Instances, Standalone Instances, Clusters, Availability Groups and Distributed Availability Groups. We will walk through how to set up and configure an HA/DR solution from beginning to end, review possible alerts, and how to monitor. We will take a look at the new SQL2017 Read-scale Availability Groups and why to use them. We will architect one of many possible VM solutions to host your HA/DR implementation. Finally, we will see Automatic Failover and see how to perform a Manual Failover.
Speaker(s): Jennifer Brocato,
Abstract:
Dashboards, Reports, Charts and all ways to structure data for analysis is failing! Sound familiar? If so, the adoption dilemma is present and needs to be solved. If users would rather get data dumped to them, rather than work with what they’ve been given, this session is for you! We’ll give you techniques to solve the adoption dilemma and make analytics the hero of your organization without having to endure the pain of further purchasing, added frustration or the ongoing angst for something your organization simply does not have. This session will talk to the culture of analytics and the ways you might marry the best work of those who prepare the data (often IT) with the work those should be doing to explore the data (everyone else)!
Speaker(s): Trey Johnson,
Abstract:
T-SQL programming makes wide use of parameterization in stored procedures, dynamic statements and ad-hoc queries. Many developers aren’t aware of the significant influence they have on query performance. Incorrect use or lack of parameters is a common reason for query performance issues. Have you experienced a query that always ran fast, suddenly (and for "no reason") become slow? And with nothing changing? Yep! * In this session we will learn about how the plan cache deals with queries that are (and are not) parameterized. * You'll learn about parameter sniffing, what it is, and how it's handled in the older and newest versions of SQL. * We will explore the problem of mismatched data types and implicit conversions - and how that ties in with ORM generated code. * Lastly, we'll take a peek at value list handling from applications, and how using a table valued parameter as an input instead. If this is a new topic to you, you'll leave this session with takeaways galore.
Speaker(s): Mindy Curnutt,
Abstract:
Azure Data Factory - ADF - is a cloud data engineering solution. ADF version 2 sports a snappy web GUI (graphical user interface) and supports the SSIS Integration Runtime (IR) - or "SSIS in the Cloud." Attend this session to learn: - How to build a "native ADF" pipeline; - How to lift and shift SSIS to the Azure Data Factory integration Runtime; and - ADF Design Patterns to execute and monitor pipelines and packages.
Speaker(s): Andy Leonard,
Abstract:
Unlike many other DBAs, the SQL Server DBA is finding themselves managing databases running on Linux without the server support or knowledge of a local Linux Administrator. This extended session will provide the attendee with a full immersion into the Linux world. You'll learn the history behind Linux, how to design an enterprise level Linux environment to support a SQL Server database and what tools, scripting and monitoring have served other database platforms running on Linux since it's inception. The session will provide an electronic handout that will serve as excellent reference material even after Summit is over, providing continued value to the DBA, the Architect and even the Database Developer.
Speaker(s): Kellyn Pot'Vin-Gorman,
Abstract:
In many industries, it is necessary for data professionals to be able to show what a data set looked like at a previous point in time. Whether it's calculating tax or insurance rates based on a contract date, quickly comparing data changes over time for trend analysis or just recovering from an accidental data change, it's useful to be able to look back in time through our data. Starting in SQL Server 2016, system-versioned temporal tables provide a solution that tracks data through time with far less overhead than previously offered solutions. This session will cover the basics of temporal tables, how SQL Server manages data within those tables, and how to query data at a specific point in time using several real-world examples. We will also cover the mechanics of data retention and storage and archival of historical data. Attendees will leave with a fundamental understanding of practical use cases for temporal tables and the knowledge required to implement them successfully.
Speaker(s): David Maxwell,
Abstract:
Back in 2003 Microsoft released an addition to SQL Server 2000 named SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS). This is a story of the journey of the BI Engine that could. From updates, to periods or rest and updates again. Not only has it been updated, but new features, capabilities and event a new project has been born from its humble beginnings. Now, paginated reports, the only type of report that was available when SSRS was initially released, are available in both on-premises and cloud-based solutions. Join this session to experience the journey of SSRS and how to create and deploy reports across all the different products available in the Microsoft Ecosystem.
Speaker(s): Patrick LeBlanc,
Abstract:
In this session, we will look at the new Query Store feature in SQL Server 2016 and 2017. Query Store tracks changes in execution plans, allowing you to easily view performance differences and revert to older plans with a few clicks of the mouse in 2016. Then in 2017, Microsoft added wait stats per query plan and Automatic Tuning capabilities. Allowing DBAs more tools to troubleshoot fires with and a way to automatically resolve issues. In this session, we will walk through the features of Query Store, so you can understand how to use them in SQL Server 2016 and 2017.
Speaker(s): Tracy Boggiano,
Abstract:
Moving data around in On-Prem databases is fairly easy with SSIS. Moving data around when involving Azure - may be not. Especially if you're just seeing ADF v2 for the first time. We'll look at moving data around from On-Prem to Azure, moving files to Azure, and moving data between Azure databases.
Speaker(s): Kevin Wilkie,
Abstract:
Interested in becoming a consultant? Think it's too overwhelming? Want to be your own boss? Wish to expand your clientele? The hardest thing about being your own boss is getting in the right mindset and to truly understand that your past doesn’t equal your future. In this 60 minute session, I cover 3 keys to being a successful consultant. I share techniques used to help others get in the right mindset and tackle the mental blocks to achieving success in their entrepreneurial pursuits. Whether you are interested in starting your own business, or a consultant wanting to expand your clientele, this session will position you for future success as an entrepreneur.
Speaker(s): Mohammad Darab,
Abstract:
Are you investing enough time and in right place when it comes to learning new stuff? Or do you feel like you're spending too much time? Or, more commonly, that you're setting goals and then falling off track? All of us struggle to manage learning while sustaining a career and family. But it IS possible! This session is designed to give you a prescriptive solution to the challenges of managing learning; identifying what you need to learn, how much time to invest in learning each topic, scheduling and tracking your learning, and recovering from the interruptions that life throws at us. My system won't make you rich, but it will make you feel in control of your career learning goals.
Speaker(s): Andy Warren,
Abstract:
Storytelling and depiction of information has existed for hundreds of years in various forms and formats. In today’s era of artificial intelligence and machine-assisted analytics, accurately interpreting and effectively communicating findings is becoming a crucial skill to bridge the growing data literacy gap. To help decision makers get the most value from analytics projects to drive better outcomes, you need to help them make sense of the results. Machine learning and advanced analytics can be difficult to understand and explain. Describing the problem, the model, the relationships among variables and the findings are often subtle, surprising and technically complex. Effectively translating quantitative insights and telling a compelling story requires planning, compelling design, and visualization choices. Successful analytical communicators use the entire process to communicate with stakeholders. Don't miss this fun demo-packed educational session.
Speaker(s): Jen Underwood,
Abstract:
In this session Buck Woody explains how Microsoft has implemented the SQL Server 2019 relational database engine in a big data cluster leverages an elastically scalable storage layer that integrates SQL Server and HDFS to scale to petabytes of data storage. You’ll see the three ways you can interact with massive amounts of data: Data Virtualization, Data Marts, and working with a complete Kubernetes Cluster in SQL Server. You’ll also learn common use case scenarios that leverage big data and the SQL server 2019 Big Data Cluster on-premises, in the cloud, and in a hybrid architecture. Learning Objectives: - Articulate the Big Data Landscape and the problems it addresses - Present the technology approaches to analyzing large, heterogenous data sets to an audience - Design a solution using SQL Server 2019’s Big Data Clusters architecture and programming model
Speaker(s): Buck Woody,
Abstract:
Azure SQL Database offers a way quickly spin up new databases with minimal management requirements. However, the number of differences between on-premises SQL Server and Azure SQL Database can be overwhelming. Even worse, with DBaaS it’s not clear who is responsible for what anymore. In this session, we will cover all the basic steps of getting your first Azure SQL Database instance spun up. We’ll cover common gotchas, like firewall settings and resource locks. We’ll also dive into some more advanced options with templates, allowing you to make your processes reproducible. By the end of this presentation, you’ll understand if Azure SQL Database is the right choice for you and your needs. You’ll understand how it can simplify management and allow you to scale easily. Finally, you’ll have the confidence to go and create your own instance with ease.
Speaker(s): Jim Donahoe,
Abstract:
You’ve all heard about data scientists, and seen job postings for them. But what is the job like, really? Let me share the story of my first official data science project. While sharing the story I’ll stop to point out the skills used that many DBAs, PowerShell junkies, BI developers and architects already have. There may be a few new topics you’ll want to pick up. This is a show and tell session.
Speaker(s): Shannon Lowder,
Abstract:
Data collection and usage is all around us, it is what we do. But is what we do with the data ethical? Are we collecting and processing biased data? We will take a look at ethical data collection and usage, what it means to your models and forecasts, and how being aware of possible biases can impact your bottom line. You might be training on extremely biased data and not know it, skewing your forecasts in the wrong direction.
Speaker(s): Angela Tidwell,
Abstract:
The Internet of Things (IoT) is one of the most talked about emerging technologies nowadays. But what is it and how can it help by business? Most importantly, how do I get started? In this presentation, we will do an interactive demo with a Raspberry PI and a Microsoft Sphere MCU along with several sensors and components to capture and analyze data from a connected device in Azure IoT Hub and IoT Central. Learn how to connect, monitor and manage connected devices using Azure IoT Hub. We will also discuss how Azure IoT Edge can simplify secure deployment of complex event processing, ML, and AI functionality to connected devices to reduce the latency of decision making.
Speaker(s): Jose Chinchilla,
Abstract:
Do you want to make your deployments risk free? Do you want to deliver business values to your customers faster? Do you want to increase the efficiency of your Team? Are your application and database deployment separate processes? Do you encounter issues while deploying your database changes? Do you want to automate your testing process? Is your database slowing you down? If the answer to any of the above questions is a Yes, then this presentation is for YOU. Come join me in this 60 min session to understand the problems with traditional database development, why organizations are moving towards achieving Continuous Integration and Database DevOps, the problems it tries to solve and learn about the toolsets which will assist you in this journey towards painless database deployments.
Speaker(s): Samir Behara,
Abstract:
Performance Tuning for SQL Developer session aims to provide essential building blocks to get starting with this challenging subject. When it comes to performance tuning the execution plan needs to be the first stop for every developer however many developers don’t know how to read and extract relevant information. When looking at execution plans in SSMS, there are many different ways of getting relevant information however it is not always simple to understand. The goal of this presentation is to provide tools and high-level overview of pertinent information to enable each developer to start optimizing their code.
Speaker(s): Vladimir Oselsky,
Abstract:
As an IT Pro, you don't enjoy saying "I can't do that" in response to the needs of your boss or business users. So I will introduce a tool to help you say "yes". Discover how to build front-end apps in less time, and with less hassle than you might imagine... apss that that powerfully surface your SQL data for end users in an effective UX. In this session you will learn how to: - Get started with a free Skuid developer account - Connect to Azure SQL DB - Create Skuid pages - Add components to enable end-users to interact with your data Leave the session empowered with a new tool in your toolkit to get things done better and faster for all of your end-users’ needs.
Speaker(s): Carl Sheffield,
Abstract:
DevOps is based on building an application binary (immutable artifact) that supports a highly reliable, repeatable engineering process. In the case of SQL Server, however, a database is already in production, and isn’t simply replaced (as an app binary), but is upgraded. Current SQL Server DevOps methods use source control to build a “development” database, with schema and objects and static data needed for functional testing. "Near production data" is used in Staging, and finally production is upgraded. This approach involves complexity, and breaks the principle of working with immutable artifacts throughout the process. Our session introduces a new approach to SQL Server DevOps, with production databases used in all stages. Production database clones are delivered more quickly than "built" databases, are more easily integrated with source control, and produces higher fidelity outcomes. Learn how leading enterprises are simplifying SQL DevOps.
Speaker(s): Paul Stanton,
Abstract:
Learn common patterns for testing data, and the anti-patterns that trip developers up. Data is a critical asset for many companies, but often it's not treated that way. During this session, we'll discuss common patterns for testing, validating, and monitoring your data to ensure that it is accurate and complete. This will include patterns for • data warehousing • data integration • data migration We will also discuss the common pitfalls that organizations encounter when they start treating their data as an asset, including: • treating data testing like application testing • testing the wrong things • not supporting your data testing initiatives for the long term Attend this session, and you will gain valuable information on ensuring your data is a real asset to your organization.
Speaker(s): John Welch,
Abstract:
In this session we will discuss Data Strategy around data lake ingestion and how that shapes the design of a framework to fuel Azure Data Factory. This session will take you through the development of a Metadata database designed using Data Vault modeling, the collection of the metadata, as well as building a fully automated Data Factory pipeline.
Speaker(s): Sean Forgatch,
Abstract:
DevOps is a software delivery philosophy that focuses on delivering quality, faster. The purpose of this session is to cover some of the basic principles of DevOps and how they apply to database development and administration. Everyone's environment is different, but the strategies discussed within can be translated into basic tactical gains that are easy to implement. Topics covered include: * a (VERY) brief history of DevOps * why DBA's make the best DevOps engineers * what admins can teach developers, and what developers can teach admins
Speaker(s): Stuart Ainsworth,
Abstract:
PowerShell is a tool used by many people in DevOps and Infrastructure. Should the DBA get on board with using PowerShell? The answer is yes - as a DBA, PowerShell can have a significant impact on tasks that would be long and tedious with just T-SQL alone. Today there are specific modules that can be incorporated into PowerShell to help in automating every-day DBA tasks. Beyond that, PowerShell can be used to do things like automate deployments and audit permissions. In this session we will explore real-world examples and demonstrate how PowerShell can be leveraged by the DBA to not only improve efficiency but also streamline processes across an enterprise environment.
Speaker(s): Amy Herold,
Abstract:
Many organizations would like to take advantage of the benefits of using a platform as a service database like Azure SQL Database. Automated backups, patching, and costs are just some of the benefits. However, Azure SQL Database is not a 100% feature compatible with SQL Server—features like SQL Agent, CLR and Filestream are not supported. Migration to Azure SQL Database is also a challenge, as backup and restore and log shipping are not supported methods. Microsoft recently introduced Managed Instances—a new option that provides a bridge between on-premises or Azure VM implementations of SQL Server and Azure SQL Database. Managed Instances provide full SQL Server surface compatibility and support database sizes up to 35 TB. In this session, you will learn about migrating your databases to Managed Instances, developing applications for managed instances. You will also learn about the underlying high availability and disaster recovery options for the solution.
Speaker(s): Joseph D'Antoni,
Abstract:
With Power BI becoming a leading BI tool over the last few years, a question arises… What does this mean for the existing SSRS environment? This session will explore an analysis plan on your existing reporting landscape to provide you options and considerations to be able to make an informed decision about how Power BI could best be used in your environment. You will learn how to get valuable SSRS usage metrics. You will understand the benefits and limitations between the two BI tools and what questions to ask your users. By Monday morning you will be able to provide an analysis plan on what is involved to introduce Power BI into the enterprise.
Speaker(s): Preston Mesarvey,
Abstract:
Containers are taking over, changing the way systems are developed and deployed…and that’s NOT hyperbole. Just imagine if you could deploy SQL Server or even your whole application stack in just minutes. You can do that, leveraging containers! In this session, we’ll get you started on your container journey learning container fundamentals in Docker, then look at some common container scenarios and introduce deployment automation with Kubernetes. In this session we’ll look at Container Fundamentals with Docker Common Container Scenarios Automation with Kubernetes
Speaker(s): Anthony Nocentino,
Abstract:
This presentation focuses on the value proposition for Azure Databricks for Data Science. First, the talk includes an overview of the merits of Azure Databricks and Spark. Second, the talk includes demos of data science on Azure Databricks. Finally, the presentation includes some ideas for data science production.
Speaker(s): Mark Tabladillo,
Abstract:
You probably already know that indexes make your queries go faster. But do you know all the different types of indexes in SQL Server and when to use them? Also with each new release of SQL Server, there are new features that can impact how indexes function and are maintained. Finally, knowing how the different types of indexes work can help you make better indexing choices when tuning your queries. This presentation will review current SQL Server index structures and options, discuss how they work, when they should be used and how to maintain them. Examples of all the index types such as hash, in-memory, columnstore, filtered, etc… will be shown. This presentation is a must see for DBAs, Developers, Application Architects and anyone else who is interesting in maintaining high performance SQL Server applications.
Speaker(s): Janis Griffin,
Abstract:
Discover the ways Azure transforms AI and Predictive Analytics making it easier and more accessible through services like Azure Machine Learning and pre-built Cognitive Services, while also supporting custom development and deep-learning. Discussion of real-world scenarios and the tools used to solve them.
Speaker(s): Amie Mason,
Abstract:
Computers can't be biased, right? I mean, it's just lines of code. Yes or No. Ones Zeros. Those lines of code are written by people. People have life experiences that color how they see the world. Okay, let's be blunt. People have baggage. And that baggage is seeping into your application, surveys and web forms. You've got an idea for a new app and it's going to change the world! Right? It's a brilliant idea no one has ever thought of it before. You're working on the GUI for your company's web portal and you know just what information to collect from the user. Are you sure about that? Odds are pretty good that the information you're going to collect is a reflection of your life your experiences. Learn how to identify bias when it seeps in, how to code to be inclusive instead of exclusive , and some quick tips tricks to make sure you're accounting for all the users that will use YOUR application to change the world.
Speaker(s): Rie Irish,
Abstract:
Azure Machine Learning services is an integrated, end-to-end data science and advanced analytics solution that provides professional data scientists and data engineers with tools not only to develop ML models, but also tools for data preparation and wrangling, data visualization, model deployment and model management at cloud scale. The session will teach the attendees how to get their hands on each tool in the stack.
Speaker(s): Bhakthi Liyanage,
Abstract:
This session is for SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) rookies who want to work like veterans. Nathan will share lots of "tips and tricks" he's learned in his 15 years of SQL Server administration and development.
Speaker(s): Nathan Boster,
Abstract:
Design and development may be exciting, but database administration is absolutely critical (and, reasonably well-paying!) The care and feeding of a server tends to get short-changed or neglected. In this class, we'll cover the basics of the big five administrator tasks: * Backups – You must set up regular backups, to keep copies of your databases...just in case something breaks, or someone makes a bad, bad mistake. * Integrity checks – Regularly and automatically check databases for corruption, which is when bits get scrambled, lost, and ruined. * Index maintenance – Databases need regular upkeep so they'll continue to run well. * Disk management – It's actually your job to find out about full disks before they happen. After all, databases grow! * Alerting – Alerts tell you what's wrong, so you don't have to go looking for problems. Being a database administrator is a big job, but we can cover the basics in one session!
Speaker(s): Jennifer McCown,
Abstract:
An Azure based approach to Modern Data Movement. See a practical demonstration of how to move data from Azure Blob Storage to an Azure SQL Database using Azure Data Factory and Logic Apps.
Speaker(s): Michael French,
Abstract:
Azure Automation opens up a plethora of opportunity for organizations both in the cloud and on-premises. The ability to centralize code and execution schedules from one central place is breathtaking and beautiful as will be demonstrated in this session. During this feature-rich demo, we will walk-through getting started with Azure Automation accounts, including account creation, runbook management and implementing custom modules. We'll also cover how the Az PowerShell commands can be used to automate these same actions. And finally, we will go through code using dbatools that demonstrates how easy it is to perform tasks against Azure VMs and on-premises environments.
Speaker(s): Shawn Melton,
Abstract:
These days, NoSQL and CosmoDB is all the rage. I've even heard a technology professional say "no one uses joins any longer". Is CosmosDB really able to solve all the worlds problems? In this session, we will explore the following questions: What is CosmosDB? What are the benefits of CosmosDB? How do I use CosmosDB? Should I use CosmosDB?
Speaker(s): Jeremy Edmondson,
Abstract:
This session will give you an introduction to Power BI dataflows and how to leverage the data for data science. Power BI dataflows allow for self service data migration into Azure Data Lake Services gen 2 utilizing Power Query. This session will show how to user dataflows and how to connect to the resulting data in the Azure Data Lake Services gen 2 to do Data Science with tools like Azure Databricks.
Speaker(s): Jamey Johnston,
Abstract:
Since the new cardinality estimator was released in SQL Server 2014, every version on SQL has introduced new great features design to help your queries run at max performance. In 2016, it was Query Store; in 2017, Adaptive Query Processing and Automatic Tuning have been introduced. In this session we will explore these new features and how they can make your life easier. We will also look at some of the pitfalls and potential issues that can arise from these new features.
Speaker(s): Lance Tidwell,
Abstract:
Your company needs to achieve high availability and disaster recovery, but there are many choices nowadays (More than a few ways inside of SQL Server, third-party options, on-prem, cloud, VM based technologies, oh my!).  In this session, you'll wade through all of the choices and understand the pros and cons of each. You'll also learn which questions you should be asking of the business. Find your needs. Then the right solution. Not the other way around! You'll leave more informed about the choices, have some guides to help you pick, and you'll be on your way to the right choice! This session is for SQL Server technologists who "get SQL," but are looking to weigh their HA/DR options out and want to level up their knowledge and go back to the office prepared to be a consultant to your company and tackle those HA/DR needs.
Speaker(s): Mike Walsh,
Abstract:
Are you new to Power BI? Do you want to learn what all the buzz is about and how to use it from a purely novice standpoint? Do you need to ramp up quickly to be able to build some great visualizations? This session is the session that you need! We will walk you through the basic architecture and nuances of Power BI all the while taking a fun adventure to building your first Power BI report. The attendee will leave the class ready to start using Power BI in the real world.
Speaker(s): Ed Watson,
Abstract:
Have you dipped your toe into the Powershell pool, but are still lost on how you can make it work for you? Maybe you're just looking for a few more tools to help you better manage SQL Server administration? In this session, we will cover a handful of useful scripts and patterns in Powershell that will ease your management of SQL Server. Backups, file management, instance configuration, and several other areas will be covered. By attending this session, you will learn more about how you can use Powershell effectively in your environment.
Speaker(s): Michael Fal,
Abstract:
Are you curious about Visual Recognition and Object Detection in Azure? Are you wondering what the difference is between the Computer Vision API and the Custom Vision API? Do you want a quick introduction to get you up to speed on both, so that you can quickly build and deploy a Cognitive Services model? Join us for an introduction to the Cognitive Services Computer Vision and Custom Vision APIs on Azure. In this session, we will look at the basics of Cognitive Services Vision. First learn how to create your Cognitive Services model. Then you can see how to train and improve accuracy. Finally, we will step through python code in Azure Notebooks to call the APIs. After this session, you will get up and running in Cognitive Services Vision in under an hour! Prerequisites: Attendees who would like to follow along should have an Azure account, as well as an account on Azure Notebooks. Experience with coding in python is helpful, but not required.
Speaker(s): Alicia Moniz,
Abstract:
Visual Studio SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) is awesome! Here are a few reasons why. - Create and organize database objects more easily with the Database project template. - Write SQL code faster with IntelliSense. - Checks for errors in real-time to identify mistakes quickly. - Makes refactoring database objects seem like magic. - Includes powerful tools for comparing database schemas and data. - Integrates with source control systems including GIT. - Helps make team development easier and safer. - Enables continuous integration and deployment for modern end-to-end application lifecycle (ALM) practices. Best of all… It’s free! Also, it works with all versions of Visual Studio – including the free community edition. In this presentation, I will show you how to get started with SSDT, get some quick wins, and touch on some of the advanced features. By the end of the presentation, I hope to make you as excited about SSDT as I am.
Speaker(s): Paul Waters,
Abstract:
Your job includes designing and writing stored procedures, but you haven’t had a lot of actual training on the subject, right? I will show you how to write stored procedures from scratch, using the design advice I’ve accumulated in my 20+ years of experience. Here are a few of the things you’ll learn: When and how to use stored procedures The benefits and basics of contractual programming How to write stored procedures from scratch How to structure and organize stored procedures Key techniques for ideal stored procedure management Troubleshooting and debugging stored procedures The session will be packed with tons of code examples, with plenty of labs to reinforce key concepts. Beginner and experienced T-SQL programmers both will walk away with a greater understanding of how to design, manage, and troubleshoot stored procedures. Join mefor one fun session of SQL Server programming!
Speaker(s): Sean McCown,
Abstract:
What if we could analyze a single query with thirteen different performance problems? In this session we’ll explore a query, understand and fix all thirteen problems. 1- There is a nonsargable filter 2- An index is missing 3- It is a query optimizer mistake 4- The subquery is unnecessary 5- Query join order is incorrect 6- A filtered statistic is missing 7- Scalar functions are running twice per each row 8- High number of reads on worktable 9- An unknown syntax could be used 10- Memory grant wasn’t enough 11- Distributed query doesn't look good 12- Residual predicates 13- Avoid window spool ondisk
Speaker(s): Fabiano Amorim,
Abstract:
The programming language Python has become one of the top 3 languages for data scientists. This session introduces the language and its application in data analysis. I’ll introduce popular packages used in data analysis with Python. We’ll look at Jupyter to introduce the “notebook” experience and then move on to executing some Python scripts inside SQL Server 2017.
Speaker(s): Julie Smith,
Abstract:
Most are talking about it, some have migrated to it and others are just overwhelmed. If you thought Azure was the color of the sky and you are wanting to learn about MS Azure then this is the session for you. Join me for a fun journey to learn the very basics of Azure. Some how-tos, some whys, and some demos. This is a level 0 session, #N00b, #Imabeginner
Speaker(s): Tamera Clark,
Abstract:
You're starting a new job as one of the database people, whether it is an analyst, developer, DBA, or other role. You are dealing with a new system and new practices versus your previous gig or four. Now you're already getting tasks to make changes on the development server or run some reports on data in production, but aren't sure where everything is or how they do it. So what's the best way to get up to speed? In this session, we discuss good ways to get familiar with the servers and databases, the potential architecture surrounding them (transactional and analytical), any source control, and other aspects to keep an eye on. You can start delivering the goods and swim in your new database environment without drowning!
Speaker(s): Chris Voss,
Abstract:
In the world of Power BI, data modeling is what separates the Rockstars from the Rookies. Join Bill Anton to learn how dimensional modeling - a concept developed 20+ years ago - continues to be the best approach for delivering self-service BI to the masses. You'll learn how to create flexible data models that can be expanded upon over time, unlock the power of the date table, and a variety of DAX patterns supporting common but complex business logic. Good data modeling will result in better Power BI solutions that support a wider range of reporting requirements and are easier for the business users to understand. If your Power BI solutions contain a single table, if you're frequently banging your head against the wall trying to figure out how to write a DAX calculation, or if you've never heard the term "dimensional model" this session is for you.
Speaker(s): Bill Anton,
Abstract:
Let’s face it. You can effectively do many IT jobs related to SQL Server without knowing the internals of how SQL Server works. Many great developers, DBAs, and designers get their day-to-day work completed on time and with reasonable quality while never really knowing what’s happening behind the scenes. But if you want to take your skills to the next level, it’s critical to know SQL Server’s internal processes and architecture. This session will answer questions like: - What are the various areas of memory inside of SQL Server? - How are queries handled behind the scenes? - What does SQL Server do with procedural code, like functions, procedures, and triggers? - What happens during checkpoints? Lazywrites? - How are IOs handled with regards to transaction logs and database? - What happens when transaction logs and databases grow or shrinks?
Speaker(s): Kevin Kline,
Abstract:
Everyone wants to know if there are magic buttons you can push to make SQL Server run faster, better and more efficiently. In this session we will go over some of my go-to performance tricks that you can implement to get the biggest improvement with the least amount of change. When it comes to performance tuning, every second counts. We will cover memory optimization, isolation levels, trace flags, statistics, configuration changes and more. I’ll go over real life scenarios we come across as consultants and the changes we made to fix them.
Speaker(s): Monica Rathbun,
Abstract:
PowerApps is an O365 service that lets you build business apps that can run in the browser, tablet, or phone. To build PowerApps, no coding experience is required since PowerApps combines visual drag-and-drop concepts with Excel-like expressions for building the logic and working with data. You can build PowerApps against a modern SharePoint list or other types of data such as SQL and Excel. PowerApps also provides templates and sample data you can use to quickly build an app that you can customize to better suit your needs. In this session, you will learn the basics to building a PowerApp using PowerApps Studio.
Speaker(s): Christina Wheeler,
Abstract:
With the advent of SQL Server for Linux, you need a tool you can use to manage it. Sure, you could try to learn bash, python, or some other tool, but wouldn't it be nice to be able to use a scripting language you're familiar with? Or maybe you are a long time Linux admin, now having to work with all this new Microsoft technology. Wouldn't it be great to leverage tools that make your life even easier? In this session you'll learn all about PowerShell Core for Linux. You'll see just how quick and easy it is to install PowerShell Core, then interact with it from the terminal. But wait, there's more! You'll want a good editor to compose your PowerShell Core scripts in, and that's where VSCode comes in. You'll see how easy it is to install VSCode, then work with your PowerShell Core project within it. We'll wrap up the session showing how to install SQL Server in a Docker Container, all using PowerShell Core!
Speaker(s): Robert Cain,
Abstract:
Extended Events was introduced in SQL Server 2008. Every release since then, we have seen a significant upgrade to this feature. Join me for a little adventure into the realm of extended events. We will discuss how to use extended events to aid in performance tuning and in day to day administration. We will also explore some background and the architecture of extended events. This is a fast paced session and will be a lot of fun. Attendees will be able to take back several sample XE sessions to help troubleshoot different issues and get to more intimately know their data/environment.
Speaker(s): Jason Brimhall,
Abstract:
Have you tried implementing source control? How has your continuous integration (CI) process gone? This session is for developers, database administrators, database engineers, and data architects that want to automate their database deployments. Particularly for those individuals that have hit roadblocks along that way. We will discuss the differences between migration and stated-based deployment methods. We will also discuss options with branching and merging. At the end of the session, attendees will know how to select the best deployment method for their environment. In addition, attendees will be familiar with branching and merging strategies that can be used as part of their continuous integration strategy. Attendees should be familiar with general concepts about source control and be comfortable with Visual Studio or VS Code.
Speaker(s): Elizabeth Noble,
Abstract:
Microsoft finally has a good migration target for on-premise SQL workloads with Azure SQL Managed Instance. But the SQL Server database engine is only one component in the whole SQL Server product toolkit. SQL Server Integration Services is used with almost every SQL Server deployment. This session will discuss and demonstrate how to migrate existing SSIS packages to Azure.
Speaker(s): Geoff Hiten,
Abstract:
There is no debate – duplicate data is unwanted data. But, issues behind duplicate data detection persist, such as sound-al-like matches, misspellings, abbreviations, nicknames and other variants of fuzzy matching records. So how do you overcome those challenges? Join us for a lunch and learn presentation where we’ll cover all of that and more! Key takeaways: Problems and implications of duplicate data Real-world applications of deduplication within SQL Server What makes a golden record and how data survives the process Improved fuzzy matching in SSIS Amanda Nguyen with Melissa Data
Speaker(s): SQL Saturday Atlanta,
Abstract:
VMware Sponsor Session Over the years, virtualization has matured from the exotic black magic realm to become a mainstream standard IT practice. “Virtualize First” is now a well-accepted default practice in most enterprises and any deviation is now considered an anomaly. In spite of this trend, many IT administrators and architects still have some reservations about virtualizing SQL Server workloads. They consider SQL too “critical” to be virtualized; they wonder and worry about scale about performance; they are looking for guidance and reassurance. If this is where you (or your clients) are today, be sure to attend this session. You will gain valuable insights from what others have done to successfully undertake similar tasks in their environments. We will talk about configuration pitfalls to avoid and also review the configuration and current performance data for some of the most demanding applications in customers environments. Got an SQL virtualization or performance question? Br
Speaker(s): SQL Saturday Atlanta,
Abstract:
Join this session to learn how to create SANLess clusters in environments where traditional shared storage clusters are impractical or impossible. We will discuss high-performance clusters leveraging SSD and Flash-based PCIe storage for faster SQL application response times - no SAN (or SAN Admin required). We will also touch on methods for providing HA protection and native Windows Failover Clustering in Windows Azure or the Amazon Cloud. -- Topics covered -- High-performance storage and accelerating SQL Server without sacrificing availability; AlwaysOn Failover Clustering vs. AlwaysOn Availability Groups; HA and DR strategy for SQL Server in Amazon EC2 and Azure instances; Fast, cost-effective strategies to get HA and DR protection without a SAN.
Speaker(s): SQL Saturday Atlanta,
Abstract:
Considering a cloud architecture instead of on-premises? Come and walk through a Tier 1 Application with a heavy SQL on-premises footprint that was migrated to Azure. Considerations such as development changes, architecture, features required, reduced labor required, and people process to get this deployed.
Speaker(s): George Walters,
Abstract:
Availability Groups and Clustering are great but they only protect you against hardware failures. DBA's still need to rely on backups to set up AGs, initialize replication, recover from data corruption and more. Join us to discuss how you can restore your database in minutes and not hours. MARSHA PIERCE Database Architect Pure Storage, Inc.
Speaker(s): Marsha Pierce,
Abstract:
Have you been watching SSAS Tabular develop? What about the Azure Analysis Services product? Power BI's data modeling? These technologies are all effectively the same, but live in different places and can serve different roles. Now's the time to dive in and figure all of this out. In this session, we will talk about what Tabular is and what it does, in addition to the various "flavors" it comes in. We'll explore development processes and will wind up with a model ready for ad-hoc querying through Excel or Power BI.
Speaker(s): Kerry Tyler,
Abstract:
Modern CPU architectures are complex and misunderstood, especially as they relate to SQL Server instance configuration and database usage patterns. Default values in virtualization and the SQL Server instance can cause misalignments and improper balance in the way the SQL Server lines up with the CPUs and memory, which results in an immediate (and silent) performance penalty. Come learn as we discuss topics such as physical and virtual NUMA, hyperthreading, query parallelism, and instance settings, and show you how to validate your SQL Server architecture and improve the performance of your critical SQL Servers.
Speaker(s): David Klee,
Abstract:
New versions of SQL Server have great new additions and features. I will cover the following features in this session. Linux Support Graph Tables Intelligent Query Processing Resumable Online Index Rebuild How to run R/Python with Machine Learning Services In-Memory Tables (Let's create NoSQL DB in SQL Server)
Speaker(s): Hasan Savran,
Abstract:
Do you know what makes a great data model? What does it mean to be Third Normal Form or a Star Schema? When would you use one over the other and why? How can you identify bad designs? In this presentation you will be exposed to good and bad models and learn what you should do in order to create a perfect ten model of your own!
Speaker(s): Leslie Andrews,
Abstract:
One of the main goals of reporting is to spot issues. This is always useful in some fashion, but the best reports allow the user to find and correct problems before they have a chance to impact the business. Stream Analytics empowers you to analyze events as they happen and flag those that require intervention. We'll take a look at how the service can generate alerts or even take action automatically when a piece of equipment runs into trouble.
Speaker(s): Samara Soucy,
Abstract:
An overview of creating SQL Server Containers and how you can clone your databases to Linux Containers. Containers are the future of DEVOPS!
Speaker(s): Marsha Pierce,
Abstract:
Do you know if your database's indexes are really being used to their fullest potential? And do you know if SQL Server needs other indexes to improve performance? Attend this session and learn how SQL Server tracks actual index usage, and how you can make use of that information to improve the state of indexes in your database. We will use this data to identify wasteful, unused, redundant indexes, and explore performance penalties you pay for not addressing these inefficient indexes. Finally, we will dive into the Missing Index DMV and explore the art of evaluating its recommendations to make proper indexing decisions.
Speaker(s): Andy Yun,
Abstract:
Entity Framework Core is a great way to quickly access database data in many applications. But during optimization of certain queries, Entity Framework Core can be a hinderance. In this talk, Shawn Wildermuth will show you how to mix Entity Framework Core with Stack Overflow’s Dapper project to find performance bottlenecks and address them with the control you get from Dapper.
Speaker(s): Shawn Wildermuth,
Abstract:
Join us for a panel discussion where we'll talk about succeeding as a woman in tech. It's hard. We get it. We've been there before. We'll be there again. Sometimes it's hard, throwing yourself into that brick wall. All day. Every day. But you can do it. I know you can. But it's about more than just living in a man's world. Let's talk tech, Where we've been Where it's going. How we keep our skills sharp. How we mentor other women.
Speaker(s): Rie Irish,
Abstract:
Did you know stress releases chemicals into the blood? These chemicals give more energy and strength, which can be a positive if the stress is caused by physical danger. But this can also be a negative, if the stress is in response to something emotional and there is no way to release the extra energy and strength. Need stress management techniques? Stressed out? Learn how to cope and ultimately whip stress away.
Speaker(s): Karlyn LeBlanc,
Abstract:
The only constant thing is change. As companies continue to migrate to newer versions or different data centers, we need to develop strategies and tools to make sure we can perform successful migrations. What if we had a checklist? Just like moving to a new home the success of the "move" relies on the preparation. This presentation will go over a checklist of steps needed to prepare for a database migration.
Speaker(s): Gilda Alvarez,
Abstract:
Azure Data Studio is a newer tool in the database developer and DBA's toolkit. It's a cross-platform and extensible application for connecting to on-premises and cloud data. Does it replace SSMS? How is it different? Can it really check if my Diet Coke needs replenishing? Come and find out in this demo-driven session, that will hopefully have you convinced to install Azure Data Studio before 60 minutes are up.
Speaker(s): Sven Aelterman,
Abstract:
This session will cover the importance of IT and Data Governance and how it relates to protecting information, standardizing your computing environment, and controlling cost on Azure. By using Azure Policy Management one can quickly setup controls to meet you business and data protection requirements.
Speaker(s): George Govantes,
Abstract:
In this session you will learn about the basic concepts of Azure Analysis Services (AAS) and the role it plays in the Azure BI platform. You will learn how to build a simple model based on data in an Azure SQL Server database, deploy it to AAS, build a simple report with Power BI Desktop, and deploy the report to Power BI Service to share. You will also learn about the cost model of AAS servers and production considerations to take into account after a model has been deployed.
Speaker(s): Shabnam Watson,
Abstract:
Follow us on a journey through the Power platform. This session uses business scenarios that span across Microsoft Flow and PowerApps, and then uses Microsoft Power BI to bring it all together. Using the Power platform can change the way you do business in your organization and we want to show you how!
Speaker(s): Patrick LeBlanc,
Abstract:
Topic Pending
Speaker(s): SQL Saturday Atlanta,
Abstract:
Do you consider yourself a beginner to T-SQL? This session will go over the basic T-SQL syntax for querying data. We'll break down the fundamental statements to look at the different parts to see how they work together. This session is designed for the junior DBA or developer who is looking for a better foundation of the basics. The goal is to feel more confident with how to write queries and understand how to build on that knowledge.
Speaker(s): Deborah Melkin,
Abstract:
SQL Server 2019 delivers important data analytics features and enhancements. Join this session to discover what BI features are coming up in Database Engine, SSIS, SSAS, SSRS (Power BI Report Server), and MDS, and to see some of these preview features in action.
Speaker(s): Teo Lachev,
Abstract:
Having the right architecture is key to the adoption of Power BI, and to make the most of your business intelligence solution. This session guides you through different Power BI architectures, such as Direct Query, Import, Connect Live, Composite Models, and Embedded. We will analyze different techniques in data refresh, incremental extraction, integration and collaboration to provide a quick overview of the different approaches available.
Speaker(s): Paco Gonzalez,
Abstract:
Come learn all the new capabilities of SQL Server 2019 directly from the Microsoft engineering team. This session will provide the strategy behind SQL Server 2019 as well as a deep dive into all the new features and how they can help you modernize your data estate with SQL Server.
Speaker(s): Bob Ward,
Abstract:
Topic Pending
Speaker(s): SQL Saturday Atlanta,
Abstract:
This is a deep dive session full of demos about SQL 2016 stretched databases feature. It will go from pre-reqs and blocking factor through deployment and disaster recovery. Everything you need to know and when to use this new cloud-based exciting capability.
Speaker(s): Armando Lacerda,
Abstract:
Topic Pending
Speaker(s): SQL Saturday Atlanta,
Abstract:
Most of us have heard that using the NOLOCK hint is not recommended. But why is this? What is it about NOLOCK that sends most DBAs into a tizzy? And how about other hints such as ROWLOCK and RECOMPILE - are they OK to use? Come hear a discussion on why exactly query hints cause problems when used excessively, and watch some demos of NOLOCK craziness in action.
Speaker(s): Rick Lowe,
Abstract:
Amazon Web Services offers the ability to run SQL Server as part of its relational database service for managed databases, as well as hosting Windows/SQL Server installations via EC2. This session will compare/contrast these two options, discuss automation, monitoring, scaling, performance, and specifically address how to implement High Availability and Disaster Recovery options with both types of implementations.
Speaker(s): Steve Abraham,
Abstract:
The heart of software systems today is data storage. As software development cycles get shorter, database development is being forced adapt the same pace. It’s increasingly important to be able to combine Agile practices with SQL Server database development. Learn how to take advantage of SQL Server Data Tools and Azure DevOps to enable rapid, iterative development.
Speaker(s): Ken Muse,
This is a list of speakers from the XML Guidebook records. The details and URLs were valid at the time of the event.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/watsoned
Contact: http://sqlgator.com
Ed Watson is a Principal Data Platform Consultant for Improving Enterprises, a full-stack Microsoft consulting firm in Atlanta. Ed is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP since 2014 and like most children, Ed was born at an early age. Today, Ed specializes in the Business Intelligence stack and enjoys specializing in Power BI immensely. He currently lives in Atlanta and is active with the Atlanta MDF and Atlanta BI user groups and is an organizer for SQL Saturday Atlanta, Atlanta BI, and Pensacola.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelfal/
Contact: http://mikefal.net
Mike is a specialist in data management technologies. As a community advocate, public speaker, and blogger, Mike is a practicing thought leader for data and automation. He is passionate about DevOps and data, building platforms to optimize, protect, and use data efficiently. Since 1999, Mike has been working in the database field, focusing primarily on SQL Server and specializes in automating data solutions to improve the reliability and efficiency of his environments. He has been caught playing trombone in public on more than one occasion.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickdleblanc
Contact: http://patrickdleblanc.com
Patrick LeBlanc is a currently a Principal Program Manager at Microsoft and a contributing partner to Guy in a Cube. Along with his 15+ years’ experience in IT he holds a Masters of Science degree from Louisiana State University. He is the author and co-author of five SQL Server books. Prior to joining Microsoft he was awarded Microsoft MVP award for his contributions to the community. Patrick is a regular speaker at many SQL Server Conferences and Community events.
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/slowder
Contact: http://shannonlowder.com
For over 15 years Shannon Lowder has been spotting patterns and learning ways to work smarter instead of harder. He started with development and moved into database administration. Using TSQL, Database Jobs and PowerShell, he automated himself out of contracts quickly. As Business Intelligence became a greater demand, he moved into SSIS, SSRS, and SSAS development. Early on, he tried using PowerShell and .Net to automate BI Development. Later those efforts turned to Biml. After founding a startup six years ago, he finds himself a data platform consultant, designing and guiding other professionals to build highly automated enterprise solutions. Today, he is a Biml Hero candidate and is awaiting the final approval for the award.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/armando-lacerda
Over 30 years in the computing field as a developer and system integrator; over 20 years working with SQL Server since version 6; cross platform experience with Oracle and IBM SQL/DS and DB2; Microsoft Certified Trainer for over 20 years.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samir-behara-78953870
Contact: https://dotnetvibes.com/
Samir Behara is a Solution Architect with EBSCO Industries and builds software solutions using cutting edge technologies. He is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP with over 13 years of IT experience working on large-scale enterprise applications involving complex business functions, web integration, and data management in various domains like Insurance, Manufacturing and Publishing. Samir is a frequent speaker at conferences such as PASS Summit, IT/Dec Connections, CodeStock, SQL Saturdays and CodeCamps. He is the Co-Chapter Lead of the Steel City SQL Server UserGroup, Birmingham, AL. He is the author of www.dotnetvibes.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nocentino
Contact: http://www.centinosystems.com/blog/
Anthony Nocentino is the founder and President of Centino Systems as well as a Pluralsight author, Microsoft Data Platform MVP, Linux expert, and corporate problem solver. Anthony designs solutions, deploys the technology, and provides expertise on business system performance, architecture, and security. Anthony has a Bachelors and Masters in Computer Science with research publications in high performance/low latency data access algorithms and spatial database systems.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mdarab/
Contact: https://mohammaddarab.com
Mohammad Darab is a Microsoft Data Professional, speaker and blogger with over 19 years of IT professional experience, 10+ years of that working with SQL Server. Some areas of his focus are the database engine, HA/DR, and security. He is currently an MCITP, MCP, as well as an IDERA ACE Class of 2019.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/amiemason33
Consultant with a demonstrated history of working with clients across multiple verticals to leverage their data to improve reporting and decision making in their business. Able to quickly assess business requirements and skilled in report design and predictive analytics enabling a direct translation from those requirements to business impact. Broad background includes experience in the public sector, survey design, and grassroots campaign management.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaellfrench
Michael French is a Senior Consultant with Pragmatic Works. He has been working with SQL Servers for 20 years . In his spare time, he supports his community by training adult volunteers with Boy Scouts and serving with his national fraternity.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wshawnmelton
Contact: https://wsmelton.github.io
Shawn Melton Project Engineer at Pythian and a Microsoft MVP. He is a maintainer for the popular PowerShell module for SQL Server professionals, dbatools, and is a Top 2 Contributor for the project. Shawn has a passion for Microsoft Data Platform automation and develops both on-premises and cloud solutions. He has a strong background in both development and systems engineering.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/rie-irish/2/34a/78/
Rie lives with her family just north of Atlanta, Georgia. She worked as a SQL Server DBA, manager director for over 20 years. She's worked in many industries including the non-profit sector, education, big pharma, and e-commerce. She was awarded the MVP in the Data Platform 3 times beginning in 2017 and gave that up to accept her role as a Senior Program Manager with Microsoft in 2019. She is very involved with the Atlanta MDF User Group, SQL Saturday Atlanta and is co-leader of the PASS Women in Tech virtual group.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dbajbrimhall/
Contact: http://jasonbrimhall.info
Jason Brimhall has more than 20 years of experience and has worked with SQL Server 6.5 through SQL Server 2019. He has experience in performance tuning, high transaction environments, and large environments. He is currently a consultant specializing in performance tuning, server analysis, and problem resolution. Jason is a Microsoft Certified Master (MCM) and a Data Platform MVP.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-a-noble
Elizabeth Noble is a Director of Database Development in the metro Atlanta area. When she was introduced to her first database over 10 years ago, it was love at first sight. Her passion is to help others improve the quality and speed of deploying database changes through automation. When she is not trying to automate all of the things, she can be found spending time with her dogs, playing disc golf, or taking a walk at the gym.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/davidaklee
Contact: http://davidklee.net
David Klee is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP and VMware vExpert with a lifelong passion for technology. David spends his days focusing on the convergence of data and infrastructure as the Founder of Heraflux Technologies. His areas of expertise include cloud, virtualization, performance, and business continuity. David speaks at a number of national and regional technology related events, including PASS Summit, VMware VMworld, SQLBits, SQL Saturday events, and many SQL Server User Groups.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/louisdavidson
Contact: https://www.red-gate.com/simple-talk/author/louis-davidson/
Louis Davidson has worked in the IT industry for over 25 years as a corporate database developer and architect. He has been a Microsoft SQL Server MVP for 15 years and has written five books on database design, and contributed to many other SQL Server books as an author and tech editor. He has a bachelor's degree in Computer Science from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. You can read more about Louis at http://drsql.org.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marsha-pierce-1a020a2
Marsha Pierce lives in Nashville, TN. She studied Computer Science, Mathematics, and French at Belmont University. She has 23 years of experience as a DBA, which means she has broken and fixed a lot of stuff. Before joining Pure Storage, she was an architect at HCA and Asurion. She is passionate about DevOps, Storage, Performance Tuning, and Standardization.
Karlyn LeBlanc is a native of Chicago, Illinois. She currently resides in the Atlanta, Georgia area. Karlyn obtained her Bachelors degree from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge and her Masters from Tulane University in New Orleans. Her career began as licensed master social worker where she spent twelve years counseling patients, supervising master level social workers, and facilitating support groups. In addition, she’s a bestselling author of two books and motivational speaker.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/rie-irish/2/34a/78/
Rie lives with her family just north of Atlanta, Georgia. She worked as a SQL Server DBA, manager director for over 20 years. She's worked in many industries including the non-profit sector, education, big pharma, and e-commerce. She was awarded the MVP in the Data Platform 3 times beginning in 2017 and gave that up to accept her role as a Senior Program Manager with Microsoft in 2019. She is very involved with the Atlanta MDF User Group, SQL Saturday Atlanta and is co-leader of the PASS Women in Tech virtual group.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/arcanecode
Contact: http://arcanecode.com
Robert C. Cain (http://arcanecode.com) is a Microsoft MVP, MCTS Certified in BI, and is the owner of Arcane Training and Consulting, LLC. He is also a course author for Plurasight, author for Red Gate's SImple Talk website, and co-author of 4 books. A popular speaker, Robert has presented at events such as the SQL PASS Summit, TechEd, CodeStock, and numerous SQL Saturdays. Robert has over 25 years experience in the IT industry, working in a variety of fields ranging from manufacturing to telecommunications to nuclear power.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/treyjohnson/
Contact: https://www.zapbi.com/blog/
A veteran of the SQL Server Business Intelligence community, Trey Johnson has been a senior board member of PASS, a global speaker and author and was an influencer for several years on Microsoft's Business Intelligence Partner Advisory Council. Today, Johnson is the Chief Evangelist, a senior leader and technologist with ZAP, focused on bringing immense value from ZAP's Data Hub and the Microsoft SQL Server, Analysis Services and Azure platform. Johnson enjoys communicating about his experiences over 25 years with the intersection of analytics, SQL and BI.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/AndyLeonard
Contact: https://andyleonard.blog
Andy Leonard is founder and Chief Data Engineer at Enterprise Data Analytics, Microsoft Data Platform MVP, creator of the DILM (Data Integration Lifecycle Management) Suite, an SSIS trainer, consultant, developer, Business Intelligence Markup Language (Biml) developer and BimlHero, SQL Server database and data warehouse developer, community mentor, engineer, and farmer. He is a co-author of "The Biml Book and SQL Server Integration Services Design Patterns" and author of "Managing Geeks - A Journey of Leading by Doing", "Data Integration Lifecycle Management with SSIS", "Building Custom Tasks for SSIS", and the "Stairway to Integration Services". Andy blogs at andyleonard.blog where you can learn more on the About Andy page.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellynpotvin
Contact: http://dbakevlar.com
Kellyn Pot’Vin-Gorman is a member of the Oak Table Network and an Idera ACE and Oracle ACE Director alumnus. She is a Data Platform Architect in Power BI with AI in the EdTech group at Microsoft. Kellyn is known for her extensive work with multi-database platforms, DevOps, cloud migrations, virtualization, visualizations, scripting, environment optimization tuning, automation, and architecture design. Kellyn has spoken at numerous technical conferences for Oracle, Big Data, DevOps, testing, and SQL Server. Her blog (http://dbakevlar.com) and social media activity under her handle, DBAKevlar, is well respected for her insight and content.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fabianoamorim/
Contact: http:\\blogfabiano.com
Fabiano Amorim is a Data Platform MVP that loves to conquer complex, challenging problems—especially ones that others aren’t able to solve. He first became interested in technology when his older brother would bring him to his work meetings at the age of 14. With over a decade of experience, Fabiano is well known in the database community for his performance tuning abilities. When he isn’t working, he loves to read and spend time with his family.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/kekline/
Contact: http://blogs.sentryone.com/author/kevinkline
Kevin Kline is a database and industry expert serving as Principal Program Manager at SentryOne, the industry leading SQL Server database tools vendor. A Microsoft SQL Server MVP since 2003, he is a founder and former president of PASS. Kevin is an author of many books, blogger, columnist, and popular international speaker. Kevin’s best known book is the best-selling SQL in a Nutshell and contributes monthly to Database Trends Applications magazine. He tweets at @kekline and blogs at http://Blogs.SQLSentry.com/Author/KevinKline.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgewalters
Contact: https://georgewalters.wordpress.com/
Currently a partner technical strategist, George has been solving customer needs and issues. He can translate customer pain into potential solutions. A seasoned Microsoft SQL and Azure expert, with over 20 years of experience with Microsoft SQL Server, Sybase, Oracle, and other relational databases. Specialties: Partner strategy, PreSales Engineering, Cloud Architecture, Enterprise Scalability, SQL Server performance, Business Intelligence, High Availability, Scale. I volunteer and present relevant topics at SQL Saturday and internal Microsoft events
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenunderwood
Contact: http://www.jenunderwood.com
Jen Underwood is a Senior Director at DataRobot. Over the past 20 years, Jen has held worldwide product management roles at Microsoft and served as a technical lead for system implementation firms. She has a unique blend of product management and “hands-on” experience in data warehousing, reporting, visualization, and advanced analytics. In addition to keeping a constant pulse on industry trends, she enjoys digging into oceans of data to solve complex problems with machine learning. Jen has a Bachelor of Business Administration – Marketing, Cum Laude from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee and a post-graduate certificate in Computer Science – Data Mining from the University of California, San Diego.
Contact: http://lancetidwell.com
Lance Tidwell, from the Austin, TX, area, has worked as a SQL Server DBA for the last 11 years. During his time as a DBA he has found his passion for all things SQL, but specifically for performance tuning. He has a life-long quest to always be learning new things; currently this quest has lead him to explore more about the Data Analytics/ Data Science areas.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/mikepwalsh
Contact: https://www.straightpathsql.com
Mike Walsh is an experienced SQL Server professional and has worked with SQL Server since version 6.5. He has been in the role of DBA, developer, and performance tuner, but always leans on his DBA and tuning experience. He has been awarded the SQL Server (now Data Platform) designation 6 times since 2011 and is a current MVP. He runs a SQL Server consultancy focused on DBA services and cloud enablement. He has spoken several times at PASS and regional events.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sqlatspeed
Contact: http://www.sqlatspeed.com
Matt is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP and has worked with SQL Server since 2000. He is the leader of the Lexington, KY PASS local group and a frequent domestic and international community speaker. He's an IDERA ACE alumnus and 2020 Friend of Redgate. His original data professional role was as a database developer, which quickly evolved into query tuning work that further evolved into being a full-fledged DBA in the healthcare realm. He has supported several critical systems utilizing SQL Server and managed dozens of 24/7/365 SQL Server implementations. He currently utilizes that real world experience as a data platform consultant helping clients design solutions that meet their ever-changing business needs.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/armordba
Contact: https://armordba.com/
Tom Norman is a Database Architect at KPA with a strong fervor to protect data. He works daily to review and improve data protection methodologies while reviewing governing laws affecting finance, healthcare, and personal data. His areas of expertise include encryption, auditing, data identification, and database object deployment. He is the current leader of the PASS Virtualization Group and Vice President of the TRIPASS user group. You can read his blog at https://armordba.com/ and reach him on twitter at @armordba. Tom speaks at a number of SQLSaturday events and SQL Server user groups.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bhakthi-liyanage/
Bhakthi Liyanage is a seasoned IT professional with many years of industry experience, a Microsoft MVP on AI, and is currently working as an AI Architect at one of the largest banks in the US where he leads projects to provide predictive analytics and AI solutions for complex business problems.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=3997984amp;trk=hb_tab_pro_top
Contact: http://joeydantoni.com
Joseph D'Antoni is a Senior Consultant and Microsoft Data Platform MVP with over 20 years of experience working in both Fortune 500 and smaller firms. He is a Principal Consultant for Denny Cherry Associates and lives in Malvern, PA. He is a frequent speaker at major tech events like Microsoft Ignite, PASS Summit, and Enterprise Data World. He blogs about all topics technology at joeydantoni.com. He believes that no single platform is the answer to all technology problems. Joseph holds a BS in Computer Information Systems from Louisiana Tech University and an MBA from North Carolina State University, and is the co-author of the Microsoft book "Introducing SQL Server 2016”.
Jeremy Edmondson is a .NET Web Architect at Improving. When designing software, his belief is that technology is simply a tool to solve the complex problems that businesses face. The best software solution is the simplest one. Jeremy is an advocate for agile software development. Jeremy has worked with a variety of technologies developing websites, windows applications, windows services, and REST based APIs including C#, ASP.NET, MVC, Web API, WCF, JavaScript (including jQuery and Angular), SQL Server, Reporting Services, and SSIS.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlsheffield/
Currently helping developers "make data great again" using Skuid Platform to build human friendly applications. More than 20 years of positive experience helping people improve lives through processes and program advancement. While certifications don't tell the whole story, I have earned several in the areas of Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Business Intelligence tools, Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Sales and Microsoft Dynamics GP Salesforce Administration,
To be used for sponsor sessions
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmmaxwell
Contact: https://dmmaxwell.wordpress.com/
David Maxwell has almost 20 years of experience with SQL Server, with a keen interest in performance tuning, monitoring, and troubleshooting. He has experience in environments as diverse as health care institutions, auto manufacturers, and insurance companies. David has been a frequent presenter at SQLSaturday events around the United States since 2012, as well as a presenter for the DBA Fundamentals Virtual Group, the Performance Virtual Group, 24 Hours of PASS, and the annual PASS Summit. David participates in his local Columbus Ohio PASS Local Group, where he serves on the board of directors as SQLSaturday coordinator.
Contact: https://wildermuth.com
Shawn Wildermuth has been tinkering with computers and software since he got a Vic-20 back in the early ‘80s. As a Microsoft MVP since 2003, he’s also involved with Microsoft as an ASP.NET Insider and ClientDev Insider. He’s the author of over twenty Pluralsight courses, written eight books, an international conference speaker, and one of the Wilder Minds. You can reach him at his blog at http://wildermuth.com. He’s also making his first, feature-length, documentary about software developers today called “Hello World: The Film”. You can see more about it at http://helloworldfilm.com.
To be used for sponsor sessions
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinwilkie
Contact: http://sherpaofdata.com
Kevin has 15+ years experience with SQL Server and has worked with the product since version 6.5, although he remembers with distaste the early versions of the product. He started working with SQL Server as an "Accidental" DBA, and has moved up through the ranks as a SQL Developer, a BI Associate, and Production DBA at various parts of his career. Currently, he works as a Lead Data Analyst spreading the gospel of how great data can be to anyone and everyone who will listen.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracyboggiano
Contact: http://databasesuperhero.com
Tracy Boggiano is a Senior Database Administrator for DocuSIgn. She has spent over 20 years in IT, using SQL Server since 1999, and is currently certified as an MCSE Data Platform. Tracy has worked on SQL Server since 6.5. She has spoken at local user groups and numerous SQLSaturdays. She is currently a co-leader of a TriPASS Local Group in Raleigh, NC. Tracy also tinkered with databases in middle school to keep her sports card collection organized. She blogs at databasesuperhero.com. Her passion outside of SQL Server is volunteering with foster children as their advocate in court through volunteerforgal.org and being a mental health advocate as part of the PAIMI NC Advisory Council.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/deborah-melkin-5ba4244
Contact: http://debthedba.wordpress.com
Deborah Melkin has been working as a database professional with SQL Server for almost 20 years. She spends her days helping programmers with all aspects of database design, queries, performance, and deployment. In 2016, she began her blog, Deb the DBA. Soon after that, she began speaking at SQL Saturdays and user groups. Deborah is a board member of the New England SQL Server User group (NESQL) and was recently named as an IDERA ACE Class of 2020. She also won Speaker Idol at PASS Summit 2019. In her spare time, Deborah can usually be found doing something musical.
Contact: http://www.midnightdba.com/dbarant
Sean McCown is a Certified Master with 23 years of experience in databases. He is also founder and co-owner of the MidnightDBA.com website, where he records free SQL Server training videos. He also writes the popular Minion Maintenance suite, the most configurable maintenance solution on the planet.
To be used for sponsor sessions
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hyde-3803706
Chris Hyde is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP and Microsoft Certified Trainer based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He works as an independent SQL Server BI and DBA consultant, and is the leader of the Albuquerque PASS local user group. He is also part of the Friends of Redgate program and was a member of the Idera ACE class of 2018. He loves loud music and cricket, but usually not at the same time.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelfal/
Contact: http://mikefal.net
Mike is a specialist in data management technologies. As a community advocate, public speaker, and blogger, Mike is a practicing thought leader for data and automation. He is passionate about DevOps and data, building platforms to optimize, protect, and use data efficiently. Since 1999, Mike has been working in the database field, focusing primarily on SQL Server and specializes in automating data solutions to improve the reliability and efficiency of his environments. He has been caught playing trombone in public on more than one occasion.
Contact: http://www.sqlflipflopsdba.com
Jim is a Premier Field Engineer for Microsoft in the Data/AI space. He lives in Pittsburgh in a small suburb. He loves working with all things Azure(ARM templates, DBaaS, SQL on IaaS). He is an avid collector of retro video games! He is a member of the Idera ACE program for 2018.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/guyinacube
Contact: https://guyinacube.com
Adam Saxton is just a guy in a cube doing the work! He is on the Power BI CAT team at Microsoft, working with customers to help adopt Power BI. He is based in Texas and started with Microsoft supporting SQL Server connectivity and Reporting Services in 2005. Adam has worked with Power BI since the beginning, on the support side, and with documentation. In addition, he produces weekly videos for his Guy in a Cube YouTube channel.
To be used for sponsor sessions
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-blair-brocato-b19b501
Microsoft Certified in SQL Server. Leads a groups of DBAs providing support of operations and implementing the latest SQL technologies. 25+ years experience in enterprise development and passionate about SQL Server. When I am not engrossed in SQL Server, I am judging USA Gymnastics in Maryland.
Samara holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics from the University of Wisconsin - Whitewater. Since her college days, she's developed a passion for software development and specializes in C#, JavaScript, and SQL. She makes use of her ability to learn quickly and think creatively to find solutions that fit her client's needs. Samara has experience working on both small and large-scale development projects and takes great pride in working side by side with clients to ensure that the final product is a success. Samara currently resides in Buckhead.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/josechinchilla
Contact: http://www.sqljoe.com
Jose Chinchilla is an experienced data analytics professional with multiple certifications including Microsoft Certified Database Administration (MCSE), Microsoft Certified Data Management and Analytics (MCSE), and Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT). Jose specializes in Data Warehouse and Data Lake Architecture and Development as the Data Analytics Practice Lead at AgileThought, a full-service custom software and analytics consulting firm based in Tampa, FL. Jose is a book author (SQL 2012 Bible, Professional SQL Server 2012 Administration, Exam Ref 70-767 Implementing a SQL Data Warehouse 2016) and leads the Tampa Bay BI Data Analytics PASS Chapter in Tampa, FL.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stuartainsworth
Contact: http://codegumbo.com
Stuart Ainsworth (MA, MEd) manages a team of Service Reliability Engineers for the Gladiator Enterprise Information Security Services section of Profitstars, a division of Jack Henry and Associates. He's a former DBA, developer, consultant, and public speaking professor. He's one of the chapter leaders for AtlantaMDF, and a long-time organizer of SQL Saturday's. He tweets infrequently (@codegumbo) and blogs even less often at http://codegumbo.com.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/tameraclark/
Contact: http://tameraclark.com
Tamera Clark has been involved in the IT industry for greater than ten years, with experiences ranging from systems analysis/engineering to SQL Server and SSRS administration/development. She is an active member of the SQL Server community, participating in the Women in Technology Virtual Chapter, Co-leading the Nashville BI Chapter, assisting the Nashville PASS Chapter and serving as a Regional Mentor. Tamera is also the event chair of SQLSaturday Nashville.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cwvoss
Contact: http://ceedubvoss.com
Chris is a data professional located in the Raleigh-Durham region of North Carolina. He has been working on data analysis and database development in SQL Server since 2008 R2. His experience includes hacking T-SQL code, using Reporting, Integration, and Analysis Services for solutions, and delivering data models and optimized queries. He has been a member of the TriPASS user group since 2013 and is part of the organizing committee for SQL Saturday Raleigh. In his spare time, you can spot him working within the autism spectrum community or running somewhere (most likely at a local run club).
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jameyj
Contact: http://STATCowboy.com
Jamey Johnston is a Senior Data Scientist/Engineer for a large independent OG company. For over 25 years, he has worked for Fortune 500 companies architecting successful platforms in the cloud, on the edge, and on-premises for BI reporting, statistical analysis, ML, and AI. Lately, he spends his time in Azure, Python, R, Power BI, MS SQL, and SAS JMP. He holds a BS in Spatial Analysis from LSU and a Masters of Science in Analytics from Texas AM. He is a professor at the Mays Business School at Texas AM in the MS Analytics program. He is active in his PASS Local Group in Houston, co-leader of the local Power BI users group and data analytics group. He regularly speaks and volunteers at PASS events. He is also a Microsoft Data Platform MVP.
 Her work focus within the Microsoft BI Stack has been on Analysis Services and Power BI. She is an active member of PASS community and has spoken at PASS Summit, SQL Saturdays, PASS Business Analytics and Women in Technology virtual chapters, and many other local user groups and conferences. She is one of the organizers of SQL Saturday Atlanta BI Edition. She holds a master's degree in computer science, a bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering, and a Certified Business Intelligence Professional (CBIP) certification by The Data Warehouse Institute (TDWI).
Contact: https://sqlandy.com
Andy Warren is a SQL Server consultant and trainer based in Orlando, FL. Focusing on administration, performance tuning, and SQL Server patterns and practices, he’s been a SQL Server MVP since 2008. Andy served two terms on the PASS Board of Directors, was a founding principal in SQLServerCentral, and created both the SQLSaturday and SQLRally event models.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/janis-griffin/0/914/aba
Janis Griffin has over 30 years of DBA/database experience including design, development and implementation of many critical database applications. Before coming to Quest Software, Janis primarily worked in the Telecom/Network Industry, working with both real-time network routing databases and OLTP business to business applications. Janis also held positions as a Principal Architect and Senior Manager, mentoring other DBAs on best practices in database performance tuning.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-tidwell-28a11528
Contact: https://www.TidwellTidbits.com
Angela Tidwell is an experienced Data Professional with a love for Data Analytics, Data Science, Power BI, Python, SQL, etc. She is a dynamic and exciting speaker armed with a zest for life and quick wit; her background and unique views on the world provide the backdrop for a plethora of great stories. Utilizing her strong interpersonal skills and verbal/written communications, Angela supports SQL Saturdays across the country and blogs about her experiences in order to help other data professionals grow at TidwellTidbits.com.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoffhiten
Geoff Hiten is a Technical Solutions Professional at Microsoft. Geoff began working with SQL Server in 1992 with version 4.2 and has used every version since. He specializes in highly available SQL systems, performance tuning, and systems migration. Geoff is heavily involved in the Microsoft SQL Server Community and was initially awarded MVP status in 2004. Geoff was appointed in 2011 to fill an interim Director position at the National PASS organization.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/voselsky
Vladimir Oselsky (Vlady) is an IT Professional with over 15 years of experience in various IT Jobs. Born and raised in Siberia, moved to United States in late 90s. Passion for computer and programming started with DOS games and learning Borland Paschal in 8th grade as a hobby. IT career consisted of everything from hardware and software support to server administration. Current focus on SQL Server Database Development and .NET programming
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mindycurnutt
Contact: http://www.mindycurnutt.com
Mindy Curnutt is a 5X Microsoft Data Platform MVP, Business Owner and Entrepreneur. Her specialties include SQL Server hardware, configuration, migrations, scalability, performance tuning. She has been actively involved in the SQL Server Community for over two decades and has become a well known speaker within the SQL and Transportation Management communities. She is a two-time PASS Volunteer of the Month, has presented at 6 SQLPASS Summits, Live360, DevConnections, MVPMix and too many SQL Saturdays to count. She is currently the President of the North Texas SQL Server User Group out of Dallas/Fort Worth, TX.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sqlsteve/
Steve Abraham is a Principal Solutions Architect and a database specialist for AWS. Steve was previously the lead SQL Server DBA for T-Mobile and prior to joining AWS, Steve co-founded and ran an award-winning software development company based in Tampa, Florida.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgegovantes/
SQL Architect and Senior SQL Database Administrator with over 20 years of experience turned Chief Information Security Officer, Certified Information Security Manager, and Governance Risk and Compliance Certified Professional that helps organizations develop cloud and on-prem Identity and Information Security programs. He also trains and consults in the area of IT leadership and the development of high-performance teams.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/sqlbek
Contact: http://sqlbek.wordpress.com
Andy Yun is a SentryOne Principal Solutions Engineer and a former Microsoft MVP. He has been working with SQL Server for nearly 20 years as both a Database Developer and Administrator. Leveraging knowledge of SQL Server Internals and extensive experience in highly transactional environments, he strives to make T-SQL leaner and meaner. Andy is extremely passionate about passing knowledge onto others, regularly speaking at User Groups, SQL Saturdays, and PASS Summit. Andy is a co-founder of the Chicago SQL Association, co-Chapter Leader of the Chicago Suburban User Group, and part of the Chicago SQL Saturday Organizing Committee.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marsha-pierce-1a020a2
Marsha Pierce lives in Nashville, TN. She studied Computer Science, Mathematics, and French at Belmont University. She has 23 years of experience as a DBA, which means she has broken and fixed a lot of stuff. Before joining Pure Storage, she was an architect at HCA and Asurion. She is passionate about DevOps, Storage, Performance Tuning, and Standardization.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marktab
Contact: http://marktab.net
Mark Tabladillo Ph.D. works for Microsoft as a Cloud Solution Architect for the US CTO Customer Success Team. He has a science doctorate from Georgia Tech. Based in Atlanta, GA, Mark provides cloud enterprise solutions for companies in the US for Microsoft's strategic clients. He is a chapter leader for the PASS Data Science virtual chapter.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/johncwelch/
Contact: http://agilebi.com/jwelch
John Welch joined SentryOne in spring 2018 as VP of Engineering with the acquisition by SentryOne of the software division of Pragmatic Works. John leads the development of a suite of products that make developing, managing, and documenting data solutions easier. John has been successfully delivering IT solutions to business problems since 1994, and has been focused on business intelligence and data warehousing technologies since 2001. He is a Microsoft Most Valued Professional (MVP), and a frequent presenter on SQL Server and data topics. He also contributes to several open source projects and community initiatives targeted toward making data professionals work more productive.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prestonm/
Contact: http://www.engageddata.com
I am a Senior Data Services Consultant with Improving based in Atlanta GA. I work primarily with Microsoft SQL Server and the accompanying Business Intelligence tools. In the last 15 years I have worked with data in the financial, medical, real estate, insurance, government, media, and industrial industries. My data interests include design, integration, and visualization. My hobbies outside the world of data include reading, trivia, baseball, music, beach road trips, and spending time with the family.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickdleblanc
Contact: http://patrickdleblanc.com
Patrick LeBlanc is a currently a Principal Program Manager at Microsoft and a contributing partner to Guy in a Cube. Along with his 15+ years’ experience in IT he holds a Masters of Science degree from Louisiana State University. He is the author and co-author of five SQL Server books. Prior to joining Microsoft he was awarded Microsoft MVP award for his contributions to the community. Patrick is a regular speaker at many SQL Server Conferences and Community events.
She graduated from the University of Central Florida with MIS and Computer science degrees. She has over a decade of experience in Enterprise Information Technology solutions for several Fortune 500 companies. In depth and applied knowledge of database administration with emphasis on high availability and disaster recovery solutions, security audits, database health checks, capacity planning, resource utilization analysis and enterprise database migrations. She is a big advocate of technical and leadership education in her community. She loves to spend time with her family, friends and dance Latin music.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/rick-lowe/a/228/441/
Contact: http://dataflowe.wordpress.com/
Rick is a Microsoft Certified Master with more than 20 years of SQL Server experience in a variety of roles. He currently lives in Washington state and works as an independent consultant providing remote performance DBA and performance tuning services for clients in the USA and Canada. His first exposure to SQL Server was as a database developer, but over time he became more and more interested in how the database engine operated... eventually specializing more on performance issues than code. Rick will work with all things relational, but most enjoys helping smaller companies get better performance from MSSQL, as well as smoothing over relationships between DBA and development teams.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifermccown
Contact: http://www.MidnightDBA.com/Jen
Jen McCown is CEO of MinionWare, LLC; a Microsoft Certified Master for SQL Server; and an independent consultant. She is Senior Editor at MidnightDBA.com, where she creates training videos, the DBAs at Midnight webshow, blogs, reviews, and podcasts. Jen is a member, volunteer, and speaker in PASS, and the PASS Women in Technology Virtual Group.
To be used for sponsor sessions
Nathan Boster is a data services developer for Improving - Atlanta.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulstan/
Contact: https://www.windocks.com/blog-2
Co-founder of Windocks, Paul is a former Microsoft engineer who is focused on delivering solutions for SQL Server development and test, including SQL Server containers and database cloning.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/bill-anton/12/526/4bb
Contact: http://byobi.com/blog/
Bill Anton is an expert in Analysis Services and an experienced data warehouse practitioner. In 2013, he founded Opifex Solutions, a consulting firm with deep expertise in enterprise-scale architecture, design, and performance optimization of Analysis Services and Power BI solutions. He loves eating and spends most of his free time convincing his beloved wife to adopt more golden retrievers.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/buckwoody
Contact: http://buckwoody.wordpress.com/
Born helpless, naked, and unable to provide for himself, Buck Woody overcame these amazing handicaps to become a software developer, data professional, teacher, and a productive invertebrate member of society.
Contact: http://aka.ms/bobsql
Bob Ward is a Principal Architect for the Microsoft Azure Data SQL Server team, which owns the development for all SQL Server versions. Bob has worked for Microsoft for 26+ years on every version of SQL Server shipped from OS/2 1.1 to SQL Server 2019 including Azure SQL. Bob is a well-known speaker on SQL Server, often presenting talks on new releases, internals, and performance at events such as PASS Summit, Red Hat Summit, Microsoft Ready, SQLBits, SQLIntersection, Microsoft Inspire, and Microsoft Ignite. You can follow him at @bobwardms or linkedin.com/in/bobwardms. Bob is the author of the books Pro SQL Server on Linux and SQL Server 2019 Revealed available from Apress Media. Twitter: http://twitter.com/bobwardms.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/pswaters
Paul has over 20 years of experience working in IT-related fields. Over the past 15 years, he has focused on Business Intelligence. Paul was the Technical Editor for the book quot;Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Integration Services Problem-Design-Solutionquot; and contributed to the Wrox book quot;Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services Recipes: for Designing Expert Reports.quot;
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerrytyler
Contact: http://airbornegeek.com
Kerry Tyler is a SQL Server, Business Intelligence, and Azure consultant. His initial IT experience was in network engineering and Windows system administration before moving into the data realm. This infrastructure background builds a firm foundation for performance tuning and cloud infrastructure design and implementation. Kerry has full-time DBA experience in SQL Server since version 2000 and business intelligence architecture since SQL Server 2005. In addition to consulting work, he delivers presentations and training on SQL Server administration, business intelligence, and Azure data and infrastructure components.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/leslie-andrews-csm/9/491/b89
Contact: https://www.lace.technology/blog
Leslie Andrews is an IT professional with almost 20 years of experience working with databases, designing databases, as well as designing and developing applications against those databases. 2018-2019 Idera ACE.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sqlespresso
Contact: http://www.sqlespresso.com
Monica Rathbun lives in Virginia, is a Microsoft MVP for Data Platform and Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert. She has nearly two decades of experience working with a wide variety of database platforms with a focus on SQL Server and the Microsoft Data Platform. She is a frequent speaker at IT industry conferences on topics including performance tuning and configuration management. She is the Leader of the Hampton Roads SQL Server User Group and a Mid‐Atlantic PASS Regional Mentor. She is passionate about SQL Server and the SQL Server community, doing anything she can to give back. Monica can always be found on Twitter (@sqlespresso) handing out helpful tips. You can find Monica blogging at sqlespresso.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinawheeler
Contact: https://www.sharepointwheeler.com
Christina Wheeler (MVP) is an Independent Consultant Solution Architect and a part-time Trainer specializing in Power BI, PowerApps, SharePoint and other O365 training. She is a highly respected O365/BI expert who focuses on development, administration, branding, and training. With over 15 years of experience in the industry, Christina has knowledge in graphic design, Web development, and custom development who also specializes in Enterprise Content Management and Business Intelligence. As a trainer, Christina brings her real-world experience to the classroom.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pacosql/
Paco Gonzalez is the CEO of SolidQ North America, and a Microsoft Data Platform MVP. Focused on Business Analytics and Artificial Intelligence, he specializes in helping organizations become data driven from a strategic and technical perspective. Paco is a speaker at small and large conferences such as PASS Summit, Ignite, and Business Applications Summit, and he has published several books and whitepapers. He is based in Atlanta, GA.
LinkedIn: https://linkd.in/svena
Contact: https://svenaelterman.wordpress.com
Sven Aelterman is the Director of IT for the Sorrell College of Business at Troy University; a role with a global scope. He is also a lecturer in Information Systems and teaches courses in data warehousing and information security. He continues consulting work through Adduxis, where he assists customers with various Microsoft technology implementations. Co-author of The Art of SQL Server FILESTREAM, published by Red Gate; and SQL Server 2017 Administration Inside Out, published by Microsoft Press. Cloud Software Architect at Sorrell Solutions, L.L.C. developing a Microsoft Azure-hosted Electronic Health Record system.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/aherold
Contact: http://www.sqlkitten.com/
Amy Herold is currently a Premier Field Engineer with Microsoft, specializing in APS. Prior to this, she was a Sr. Database Administrator, focusing on PowerShell and automation. She is also currently the Director of Programs for the North Texas SQL Server User Group (NTSSUG). She frequently speaks at SQL Saturday and user group events across the United States and has also participated in numerous Women in Technology sessions as a panelist. Amy currently blogs at sqlkitten.com.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kmuse/
Contact: https://2mu.se/blog
Ken is a cross-platform cloud architect and recovering polyglot programmer with more than 20 years of experience developing code in C, C#, Java, .NET, and PHP. He is an ALM | DevOps Ranger, an Azure MVP, a Microsoft Certified Trainer, and a member of the Microsoft Azure Advisors. As the Consulting Director at Wintellect, Ken is helping companies of all sizes to create a culture of DevOps and to craft cloud-scale architectures.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hasansavran/
Contact: http://h-savran.blogspot.com/
Hasan Savran is a BI Architect at Progressive Insurance Company. He spends his days architecting cutting edge business solutions by using the latest Web and Database technologies. He is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP, Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer. Hasan has spoken at many SQL Saturdays, Code Camps and User groups. He is an active member of the HTML5 and WebAssembly W3C groups. He likes to write about SQL, CosmosDB, C#, and Front End development on his blog.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/tlachev
Contact: http://prologika.com/cs/blogs
Teo Lachev is an internationally-recognized authority on Data Analytics. Through his Atlanta-based company Prologika, a Microsoft Gold Partner in Data Analytics, he helps organizations make sense of their most valuable asset: their data. His strategy formulation, trusted advisory and mentoring, design and implementation services empower clients to apply effectively data analytics in order to understand, improve, and transform their business processes. Teo has authored and co-authored several bestselling books on organizational and self-service data analytics, and he has been leading the Atlanta Microsoft BI and Power BI group since he founded it in 2010. Teo has been a Microsoft Most Valued Professional (MVP) Data Platform since 2010.
To be used for sponsor sessions
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanforgatch/
Contact: https://www.modern-dataengineering.com
Sean Forgatch is a Manager in Data Engineering consulting Avanade\Accenture based out of Chicago, IL focusing on Data Strategy, EIM , and Data Archtiecture. Serving multiple Fortune and Global 500 companies he has helped push the limits of Azure and is working on some of the largest Azure Data Lake and Analytics implementations in the industry. He has spoken at over 25 conferences across the United States since 2016, was the President of the Northeast Wisconsin PASS, and served on the board for SQL Saturday Madison.
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/juliesmith0503/
Contact: http://datachix.com
Julie Smith is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP and a BI consultant for Innovative Architects in Atlanta, GA. She#39;s implemented increasingly complex Business Intelligence solutions for over a decade at various organizations. She#39;s also worn many other database “hats” in her career – production DBA and database developer--but data integration and BI are her true passions. Julie holds a BA from the University of South Carolina. She and Audrey Hammonds co-created The Datachix.com blog.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliciamoniz
Alicia Moniz is a Microsoft AI MVP. She authors the blog HybridDataLakes.com, a blog focused on cloud data learning resources. Alicia has been in the Database/BI services industry for 14+ years and is an expert in T-SQL, Data Modeling, Database Administration, Analytics, Data Visualization, and Data Warehousing. Her skill set spans SQL Server 2005 through 2016 and Azure. She has hands on experience architecting, developing, and optimizing BI solutions in the Microsoft ecosystem. Alicia holds certifications for both AWS/Azure Architect and AWS/Azure Big Data, and is a Microsoft Certified Solution Expert (MCSE): Data Management and Analytics.
The following is a list of sponsors that helped fund the event.