SQLSaturday #220 Atlanta

From the tweets, it looks like there will be about 800 attendees sitting in on 11 different tracks with 5 or 6 sessions on each track. This will be the largest SQLSaturday event I have been a part of. It will be my first time at a SQLSaturday event in Atlanta. There are also 5 different pre-conference sessions today (Friday) from some great speakers – Bill Pearson, Denny Cherry, Stacia Misner, Eddie Wuerch and Adam Machanic.

I get to present 2 different sessions. DW ETL with SSIS 2012 was a session I did at the PASS Summit last year and Attributes and Hierarchies is a new session I presented to the local Baton Rouge SQL Server User Group a month ago.

Using SSIS 2012 for ETL in a Data Warehouse

This session will go through some old and new features of Integration Service 2012 to help with loading data into a Data Warehouse/Mart. The GUI has been improved visually during design and execution. The storage of packages has been update with Integration Service Catalogs. The Change Data Capture task helps with incremental updates. Logging has been improved for debugging. A demonstration of creating your own Slowly Changing Dimension with current Tasks will be shown with some design hints.

Attributes & Hierarchies in Analysis Services 2012

The session explains Attributes and Hierarchies in Analysis Services 2012 Semantic Model. They are used to slice (filter) and dice (group) measures and dimensions used to view analytical data. The slicing and dicing of data involves fields, columns, or whatever you want to labeled them. But, in SQL Server Semantic model these are called Attributes and Hierarchies. The configuration of these slicers and dicers are important in SQL Server Analysis Services. This session will demonstrate the difference between an attribute and columns in a hierarchy in the dimension as well as the configuration of these for best performance and viewing.

Hope to see ya’ll all there if you are local to the area.

PASS Data Arch VC presents Robert Davis–Case Study: Designing a Global Scale-Out Architecture

Thursday May 16th at noon central, we are going to be educated by MCM and past SQL Server MVP Robert Davis talking about “How to deliver a public-facing website on a global scale.” The online webcast is part of the monthly presentations by the PASS Data Architect Virtual Chapter which Robert help revitalize about 2-3 years ago. Please join us.

Online Meeting URL 

https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/usergroups/join?id=2PKSJC&role=attend&pw=fb%2CN%7C3-qZ

 

When iCal UTC : Thu, May 16 2013 17:00 - 18:00
Event Time : Thu, May 16 2013 12:00 - 13:00 (GMT-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada)

Case Study: Designing a Global Scaled-out Architecture

Speaker: Robert Davis, SQL Server Master SQL DBA Master

Summary: How do you deliver a public-facing website on a global scale? To be truly competitive in a global market, you need to deliver a high performing website no matter what part of the world the user is in. Scaling out websites to multiple locations is easy, but it doesn’t really provide the performance required if the website has to get data from halfway around the world. This session will look at the challenges to scaling out the entire application to meet global performance requirements and how we addressed these challenges for an existing web application.

About Robert: Robert is a SQL Server 2008 Certified Master and an experienced Database Administrator, SQL Server evangelist, speaker, writer, and trainer. He has worked with SQL Server for 13+ years, most recently as Chief SQL Server Evangelist for Idera Software. Previously he served as PM for the SQL Server Certified Master Program at Microsoft Learning, and as a production DBA at Microsoft. Robert helped found the PASS Data Architecture Virtual Chapter and was co-author of Pro SQL Server 2008 Mirroring

SQLSaturday Atlanta #220–May 18th

I am pleased to be selected to present a session on Analysis Services at the Atlanta SQLSaturday this May 18th at Georgia State University. If you follow @SQLPass and #SQLSatAtl on twitter, you might have seen tweets about 775+ registered attendees for this event. You can still get on the waiting list if you really want to attend. So what does this mean? There are going to be lots of networking along with some of the great speakers sharing their SQL Server knowledge.

It is going to be cool to talk with Bill Pearson again, visit with Adam Machanic and Louis Davidson, plus get to sit in on sessions from Stacia Misner, Teo Lachev and Mellissa Coates. I wish I had time to go to a Brave’s baseball game, but I will instead go to the Speaker Dinner Friday night and the after-party on Saturday, then fly home.

Below is my session:

Attributes & Hierarchies in Analysis Services 2012

The session explains Attributes and Hierarchies in Analysis Services 2012 Semantic Model. They are used to slice (filter) and dice (group) measures and dimensions used to view analytical data. The slicing and dicing of data involves fields, columns, or whatever you want to labeled them. But, in SQL Server Semantic model these are called Attributes and Hierarchies. The configuration of these slicers and dicers are important in SQL Server Analysis Services. This session will demonstrate the difference between an attribute and columns in a hierarchy in the dimension as well as the configuration of these for best performance and viewing.

T-SQL Tuesday #41 – Presenting and Loving It

Some Tuesday mornings I have bacon with eggs and an English muffin. Not today though. I am blogging about Why I Love Presenting for T-SQL Tuesday #41 hosted by Bob Pusateri. I will attempt to answer all his questions.

What was the first time you gave a presentation in front of a group and really enjoyed it?

It was probably when I worked at IEM and became a Microsoft Certified Database Administrator (MCDBA) in SQL Server 2000. We (me) started to do Lunch & Learns at the office where everybody brought their lunch to a conference room and listened to a presentation. We were about to upgrade to SQL Server 2000 from 7.0 and I was asked to show the .Net developers (I was a developer back then slowly becoming the Accidental DBA) what was new in SQL Server 2000. There was so much to talk about, that it took about 2 months giving a Lunch & Learn every 2 weeks to cover everything significant to developers. One thing I learned by presenting was that SQL Server 2000 included Cascade Update and Delete in foreign key constraints. I had just finished a month project coding this in triggers for a 7.0 database with 100+ tables.

Was it something that was required of you in school?

Yes, presenting at a speech class at LSU was a requirement, but I did not take it as serious as I do today. It was just school, right?

Something you did in the workplace?

Yes, see answer to first question. I also continued Lunch and Learns when I started working for Amedisys following IEM. They actually provide the lunch for the group. We were upgrading to SQL Server 2005 at this time. This eventually led to presenting at the local Baton Rouge SQL Server User group started by Patrick LeBlanc about the Performance Dashboard.

Were you inspired by other SQL community members and thought “I think I can do that too”?

After attending the second PASS Summit, this is what I started saying to myself. I noticed that some presenters were really excited (Grant Fritchey and Paul Neilsen) about a topic and I thought I could do the same. It was not as easy as I fantasized, but it was worth the time and energy.

Whatever your story is, I’d love to hear it.

From there, I presented at the local user group and started submitting to the Summit. I was not accepted the first 2 or 3 years, but after presenting at about 5-6 SQLSaturday events, I was accepted by SQLRally in 2011, then the Summit in 2011 and 2012. The Virtual Chapters of PASS really help as well and I started to volunteer to help run a VC.

By far the greatest benefit realized from presenting is learning the technology. There is countless hours I sit and read and practice the material over and over. This repetitiveness ingrains the mind with the ideas and practices of the technology. It then carries over into the day-to-day motions of being a DBA. The companies I have worked for get an experience expert.

PASS Business Analytics presents MVP Jessica Moss: Putting the Business Into Business Analytics

I saw Jessica Moss presenting at the PASS Summit a couple of years ago on Reporting Services. She has been an author to many books and has a good series on SQLServerCentral.com’s Stairway series for Reporting Services.

Please join the PASS Business Analytics virtual chapter on April 4th at noon Eastern as Jessica presents “Putting the Business into Business Analytics”. Do not forget about the PASS Business Analytics conference in Chicago April 10-12 where you can see Jessica live.

Putting the Business into Business Analytics

Live meeting: https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/8000181573/join?id=3J2DTB&role=attend&pw=RG%2F652Wqq

Jessica Moss, BI Architect CapTech Consulting

Having analytical information is only as good as what you do with it. A key component to business analytics is incorporating your informational results back into your business to create an ecosystem of analytics that will continually improve how you run your business. This session will discuss ways to integrate your knowledge back into your business processes, using examples from several industries and subject areas.

About Jessica:
Jessica M. Moss is a well-known architect, speaker, author, and Microsoft MVP of SQL Server Business Intelligence. Jessica's expertise includes data warehouse modeling, Integration Services ETL, Analysis Services semantic modeling, Reporting Services report design, and helping customers across industries successfully implement and enhance their BI solutions. She enjoys sharing her knowledge with the central Virginia community, speaks regularly at user groups, Code Camps, and conferences, and has co-authored four technical books. You can read more on her website at http://www.jessicammoss.com.

PASS Data Arch VC presents Steve Hughes on Accounting for Windows Azure

I meet Steve this past November in Seattle at the PASS Summit. Reading his series on XMLA and Analysis Services help me understand more about SSAS. It was good to finally talk with this dude and get him to present to the Data Arch VC

His blog is Data on Wheels.

Please join us on March 21st at noon central to get some data architecture information for Windows Azure.

Steve Hughes Accounting for Windows Azure

Online Meeting URL: https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/UserGroups/join?id=C2NPG7&role=attend&pw=x9%25%299%23Dr2

When iCal
UTC : Thu, Mar 21 2013 17:00 - 18:00
Event Time : Thu, Mar 21 2013 12:00 - 13:00 (GMT-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada)
Accounting for Windows Azure in Your Data Architecture

Speaker: Steve Hughes, Practice Lead - Data and Business Intelligence Magenic

Summary: As Windows Azure becomes a more significant part of the IT landscape, data architects need to understand the data technologies at their disposal. Not all data can nor should be stored in the relational database in Azure. The discussion will include the various storage types available for data in Azure and how they may fit into an architecture. Learn which data storage techniques may work best for your next project with Azure and some of the nuances of using each type within a project.

About Steve: Steve Hughes is a Practice Lead at Magenic, working with Microsoft’s SQL Server stack to deliver data and BI solutions. He has worked with technology for over 15 years and is passionate about helping customers understand that data is valuable and profitable. Over the past 6 years, he has delivered more than 30 presentations on SQL Server and data architecture. In 2010, he received Consultant of the Year honors at Magenic. Steve is also a PASS Regional Mentor for the Northeast.

Baton Rouge SQL Server User Group

Wednesday March 13th 2013, I have the pleasure in presenting to the local SQL Server User group in Baton Rouge, LA. The topic will be Attributes and Hierarchies in Analysis Services 2012. The flow will be from requirements gathering thru implementation in the Semantic Model.

My employer, Turner Industries, LLC, will be sponsoring the evening which includes the .Net User and Windows Phone groups in Baton Rouge. We all meet on the same night and have networking/dinner together with a lightening round for all groups. Please come join us at Louisiana Technology Park on Florida Blvd. The park is an business incubator for technology companies in Baton Rouge and Louisiana.

March '13 SQL Server User Group Meeting

Topic: Attributes and Hierarchies in Analysis Services 2012

Date: Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Location: The Louisiana Technology Park

Sponsored By: TBA

Agenda:

5:45 - 6:15 pm: Networking and Refreshments

6:15 - 6:30 pm: Lightning Round Topic

6:30 - 8:00 pm: Main Topic

8:00 - until: Open Forum for questions and giveaways

Main Topic: Attributes and Hierarchies in Analysis Services 2012

Main Topic Speaker: Thomas LeBlanc, Turner Industries

Summary: The session explains Attributes and Hierarchies in Analysis Services 2012 Semantic Model. They are used to slice (filter) and dice (group) measures and dimensions used to view analytical data. The slicing and dicing of data involves fields, columns, or whatever you want to labeled them. But, in SQL Server Semantic model these are called Attributes and Hierarchies. The configuration of these slicers and dicers are important in SQL Server Analysis Services. This session will demonstrate the difference between an attribute and columns in a hierarchy in the dimension as well as the configuration of these for best performance and viewing.

Summary: Thomas LeBlanc (MCITP DBA/BI) is a Sr. SQL Server DBA @ Turner Industries & the PASS Data Architecture Virtual Chapter Chair. His specialties include normalization, performance tuning, database design, ETL-SSIS, SSAS cubes and T-SQL code. DBA work includes monitoring many SQL Server instances at Turner for performance and uptime then spends the other half of his time gathering requirements, designing, coding and presenting Data Marts using SSIS, SSAS Cubes, Excel & PerformancePoint while migrating some cubes to 2012 Tabular Model for PowerView.