Business Intelligence Track–SQLSaturday #64 Baton Rouge

Just in case you did not know, the annual Baton Rouge SQLSaturday #64 and Tech Day will be August 6th in Baton Rouge, LA at the LSU campus. Patrick LeBlanc started it all in 2009 and there is wonder group of Technology Geeks keeping the trend going.

If I were not volunteering for #SqlSat64, this is where my but would be all day, except during lunch eating jambalaya and watching with Steve Jones represent RedGate

http://www.sqlsaturday.com/64/schedule.aspx

Business Intelligence for Managers/Decision Makers (1111) - Beginner

BI Track – 8:30-9:30AM

Business Intelligence is an essential component for any business today and a successful BI implementation has the power to change the way your organization functions. In this non-technical session Carlos Bossy will show you what a BI project looks like and how it is different from other IT projects, how to determine the ROI of a BI project, the makeup of a good BI team, how to define the success of a BI implementation, and how to fix a BI project gone bad. You will also learn how to evaluate your BI & Analytical Strategy and you should leave this session with better knowledge of how to plan, build and deploy effective Business Intelligence solutions.

Carlos Bossy (MCTS SQL Server 2008 BI, CBIP) is a Consultant with 25 years of experience in software and database development. Carlos is an independent consultant and focuses on developing Business Intelligence solutions including data warehouses, predictive analytics, data integration and reporting. He has worked with SQL Server for 10 years and is very enthusiastic about its powerful features. Carlos has developed warehouses and BI solutions for a variety of industries and state agencies.

Handling Advanced Data Warehouse Scenarios in SSIS (1111) - Intermediate

BI Track – 9:45-10:45AM

So you’ve used SSIS to populate a simple star schema data mart, and everybody’s happy. But now you have new requirements that require more advanced data warehouse approaches, like late arriving dimensions, bridge tables, parent child dimensions, and Type 3 or Type 6 slowly changing dimensions (SCD). How do you handle those in a scalable, efficient way in SSIS? This session will present some common patterns for handling these scenarios. You’ll learn when to use each advanced approach and the pros and cons associated with each pattern. You will learn how to implement these patterns in SSIS, and how to tune them for high performance

John Welch is BI Architect with Varigence. Varigence builds tools and frameworks that enable the creation and management of end-to-end business intelligence solutions with unprecedented ease and speed. John has been working with business intelligence and data warehousing technologies since 2001, with a focus on Microsoft products in heterogeneous environments. He is a Microsoft Most Valued Professional (MVP), and a frequent presenter on SQL Server BI topics.

Introduction to Analysis Services 2008 R2 Cubes (1111) - Intermediate

BI Track – 11:00-12:00PM

Analysis Service’s OLAP component allows organizations to implement a cube that is designed for rapid ad hoc information retrieval of their data. The cube, as a single version of the truth, can be enriched to encapsulate business rules and calculations, and advanced Business Intelligence features including KPIs and actions. For organizations that have a Standard or Enterprise SQL Server license, Analysis Services is a possible zero-cost opportunity for your organization today. In the session learn how to exploit the capabilities and features, and the basics of best practice design. Be prepared for numerous compelling demonstrations and to leave the session energized by the potential

Peter Myers has 14 years of solid experience working in OLTP database design and Business Intelligence with SQL Server and SharePoint. In April 2010, Peter was re-awarded Microsoft MVP (Most Valuable Professional) for the fourth time. Peter enjoys sharing his enthusiasm for Microsoft technologies by presenting at SQL Server user group meetings and technical events, including TechEd in North America, Europe and Australia

Designing and Optimizing SSAS Hierarchies (1111) - Advanced

BI Track – 1:30-2:30PM

In this session Jose will do an overview of the different types of hierarchies and how to design user hierarchies in SSAS by defining attribute relationships and key columns the right way. Attendees will learn how to implement natural & unnatural hierarchies, balanced and ragged hierarchies, and Parent-Child hierarchies. Jose will show how to optimize SSAS hierarchies by specifying attribute and dimension types, member uniqueness, and aggregations. Jose will also do quick intro on querying hierarchies with MDX

Jose Chinchilla is a Microsoft Certified Database Administrator and Business Intelligence Developer working as a Sr. BI Consultant and trainer for Pragmatic Works. Jose has12+ years of experience in IT and has focused his career in OLTP and OLAP database design, development and administration and specializes in ETL/ELT using SSIS, Data Warehousing and Multidimensional Analysis using SQL Server 2008 BI tools. He is also the current president of the Tampa Bay Business Intelligence User Group

Visualizing SQL Saturday (1111) - Intermediate

BI Track – 2:45-3:45PM

This session will cover the best practices of dashboard design and data analytics as we explore and create data visualizations from the history of SQL Saturday. This session will focus on analyzing trends over time, categorical trending and dashboard design

Tim Costello is an MCITP, MCTS specializing in etl and data analytics for Interworks Inc. Tim is an international speaker with 25 presentations in the US and Canada since January of 2010. Tim is active in the SQL community and leads a data visualization focused user group in the Dallas area. Tim Started working with data in Access 95 and has worked in every version of SQL from SQL 7 forward

An Overview of PowerPivot (1111) - Beginner

BI Track – 4:00-5:00PM

In this presentation, Microsoft BI Architect and SQL Server MVP Bill Pearson explores “self-service BI” as a concept. We then provide a walkthrough of the primary features of PowerPivot, focusing on how we can exploit its capabilities to offer the benefits of BI to decision makers and analysts throughout our organizations. “There’s no service like self-service …”

Bill Pearson created Island Technologies Inc. in 1997, and has developed a large and diverse customer base since. Bill's background as a CPA, Internal Auditor, Management Accountant and SQL Server MVP (BI) enable him to provide value to clients as a liaison between Accounting / Finance and Information Services. Bill has implemented enterprise business intelligence systems over the years for many Fortune 500 companies, and focuses his practice upon the integrated Microsoft business intelligence solution

SQLSaturday #64 Baton Rouge Edition

AAAAYYYEEE!!! as they say down on the Bayou.

Time to get some free SQL Server, .Net and Sharepoint training in Baton Rouge. This is annual Tech Day in Baton Rouge for the third year. MVPs from all over the south and beyond are gathering to train people through 8 Tracks with 6 sessions each, that is 48 hours of free training plus a Window 7 Phone garage (not sure about this one).

Please register her: http://sqlsaturday.com/64/register.aspx

See the session lineup here: http://sqlsaturday.com/64/schedule.aspx

There are too many presenters to mention, so will not name them because I do not want to miss anyone, but this year the will be 46 different speakers and I will not be one of them. I am concentrating on helping the volunteers put on the show.

Also, I have been accepted as a speaker (and alternate) at the PASS Summit in Seattle October 10-15 2011. Still have to get approval from my new job to attend.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that I have a new Job. I now work at Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Louisiana in Baton Rouge in the Enterprise Architecture team, probably to change to Enterprise Architect Data Performance title. I am in New York right now training on Informatica which is an enterprise ETL tool that sorry to say, blows SSIS out of the water.

Maybe Denali will catch up with Informatica, but right now it does not look close.

Well, good night and back to work

God Bless,

Thomas

July 21 Data Arch VC Meeting: Gaurav Aggarwal on Microsoft – Readying on “Hadoop”

July 21 Data Arch VC Meeting: Gaurav Aggarwal on Microsoft – Readying on “Hadoop”

Subject:
Microsoft – Readying on “Hadoop”

Start Time:
Thursday, July 21, 2011 9:00 PM US Eastern Time (July 22, 2011 2:00 AM GMT)

End Time:
Thursday, July 21, 2011 10:00 PM US Eastern Time ( July 22, 2011 3:00 AM GMT)

Presenter:
Gaurav Aggarwal (blog)

Live Meeting Link:
https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/UserGroups/join?id=R9J5WW&role=attend&pw=Zf%2B-Q%6098k

Microsoft – Readying on “Hadoop”
This session will provide overview of different options on Microsoft platform for Hadoop. Session will cover pro and cons of different options and architecture level coverage of HPC, PDW and Dyrad.

Gaurav Aggarwal
Gaurav Aggarwal is a Senior Architect with 16+ years of experience. He has been working with Microsoft for the past 7+ years. He helps senior management in aligning their IT capabilities to innovate and achieve momentum for their business goals. He has been architecting and delivering solutions using various technologies for nearly 17 years. He has delivered solutions in the areas of Investment Banking, Insurance, HR, Manufacturing, Retail Banking and ITES. These solutions were based on a wide range of technologies including Microsoft and Java platform based solutions.

He is a Microsoft Certified Master (SQL Server), Microsoft Certified Architect (SQL Server), and Microsoft Certified Architect (Solutions), IASA Certified Architect Professional and a practicing Six Sigma and PMP (Project Management Professional) professional.

Gaurav’s blog:
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/gauravagg/

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PASS Data Architect presents Karen Lopez–You’ve just inherited a Data Model: Now What?

 

Please come join the PASS Virtual Chapter for Data Architect on Thursday June 16th at 2PM Eastern for InfoAdvisor's principal consultant  Karen Lopez sharing her experience with inheriting a Data Model.

This is the third month in a row the rebirth of this virtual chapter has hosted. The schedule is booked thru December, Robert, Lorra and I are excited about the presentations and volunteers that have helped this chapter teach SQL People about data architect.

The foundation of data is very important and some loss site of the basics while enjoying all the new stuff in SQL Server.

Subject:
You've Just Inherited a Data Model: Now What?

Start Time:
Thursday, June 16, 2011 2:00 PM US Eastern Time (7:00 PM GMT)

Presenter:
Karen López (blog|@datachick)

Live Meeting Link:
https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/UserGroups/join?id=T4ZKMM&role=attend&pw=Q%3A%26%24h%28-9m

You've Just Inherited a Data Model: Now What?
The good news is that someone else has done the hard work of architecting a data model and you just have to take on minor maintenance…or is that the bad news? Or have you been tasked with implementing a pattern or industry standard data model? Perhaps a team member has sent the world's best resignation letter and won't be helping you with the model. Learn the 5 steps you MUST take before working with a new data model.

Attendees will also receive a detailed checklist for the 5 steps.

Karen López
Karen López is a principal consultant at InfoAdvisors, Inc., a Toronto-based consulting firm. Karen is a frequent speaker at DAMA, SQLSaturdays and PASS conferences, including 24 Hours of PASS, the PASS Summit and PASS SQLRally. She has 20+ years of experience in project and data management on large, multi-project programs. Karen specializes in the practical application of data management principles.

Karen is also the ListMistress and moderator of the InfoAdvisors Discussion Groups at www.infoadvisors.com.

Karen's blog: http://www.infoadvisors.com/Home/tabid/36/BlogID/1/Default.aspx

Twitter:@datachick

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More #SqlRally pictures and observations

Wow, it is a picture of me taken by Tim Mitchell, a very cool dude from Dallas and SSIS MVP.

 

This was at the raffle outside and my friend from Wheeling, WV John Sterrett.

Geaux Tigers!!!

   SQLLunch and ex-MVP Patrick Leblanc

Picture taker Tim

Kevin Kline in the Pre-con for Personal Development I attended working on leadership and manager skills

Me at a distance, at least 30-40 people in the picture, so there was probably close to 100. That is crazy, but really cool.

Up next #SqlSat77 in Pensacola.

God Bless,

Thomas

SQLRally, what a Ride

The week was a wonderful learning, networking and speaking experience.

It all started with Kevin Kline { Blog | Twitter } giving a Personal Development session on Leadership and Management. Got some great statistics and experience from the 30+ attendees at this Pre-Con.

   

Wednesday and  Tuesday evenings were spent visiting with SQL Peeps at various places. I meet lots of new SQL People that are joining our community. 2 from Ohio – Tim and Dustin – were great to hang around and share about  what we do sharing SQL information and tools. Both were amazed by the end of Friday of everything that is available to them from SQLRally, SQLPass and SQLSaturdays plus blogs and webcasts. I am sure they were just like me when I first experienced all the sharing.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/62704669@N07/

Thursday, I spent the day in sessions and visiting vendors. Brian Mitchell from MS showed Parallel Data Warehouse with the single SKU for everything to some internals and client tools. A no show from a speaker (black list) cleared some time to go by Confio, Idera and Melissa Data booths.  During the week , I spent sometime with Heather from Idera about their new ACE program. Vicki and another developer from Idera chatted about the SQLdm product. I was also able to demo Ignite for David at the Confio booth. Brian McDonald did an awesome job with SSRS Boot camp, good presentation and flow even though he was late.

   

Lunch each day was a great box lunch with a big cookie which over road the apple for me each day. I made sure to sit with different people each day to chat about real world stuff. The last day I sat with SQL People from Utah, California, Indiana, Florida, North Carolina and of course me from Louisiana. That was great. SQLRally hit it good with this one.

Thursday afternoon I saw Scott Shaw talk about The Enterprise SQL DBA, Stacia Misner demo SSRS visualizations and Jen Underwood explain the workings of PerformancePoint in SharePoint. All in one afternoon!!! I went back to my room for room service and a review of my presentation on 3rd Normal Form: That’s Crazy Talk!!! One last review and some practice on the Visio diagrams to demo and then off to bed.

Friday at 8:30 I presented to a 2/3s full room (probably 60-70) people about database normalization. Louis Davidson (DrSQL) { Blog | Twitter } was the ‘moderator’ for my presentation. What a blessing to have a guru in the industry watching me, I hope he has some constructive criticism for me!  Lots of conversation after the session and plenty of comments the rest of the day from others. It was the first time I felt I did not leave anything out or felt I tried to explain too much. I believe it helped to run through the session with developers at work before the Rally, and take some things out to reduce the session to under an hour. I noticed a lot of sessions either did not have enough time (60 minutes) or the presenters needed to reduce the content to finish on time and not leave the attendees missing something.

The rest of the day was spent in Eric’s SSIS Data Flow Logging, Devin Knight performance tuning SSAS, Julie Smith’s Cool Tricks for SSIS, Adam Jorgenson guiding Julie in a cube creation and Excel reporting and finally watching Jeremiah flying through SQL Server internals. Man, that is a lot. But, I have learned from past SQLPass Summits that I should just try to bring 2-3 new ideas back to the office. The first week back, implement one to show the value to the bosses. Play with the second one for a month and then implement. And summarize the last to the some group or department.

God Bless,

Thomas

My PASS Summit 2011 Submissions

Before I list what presentations I have submitted this year to PASS, I want to briefly talk about SQLRally.

SQLRally gives me a wonderful opportunity to present on Database Normalization. This passion of mine is expressed with others in the SQL Server community and I see a really need for others to teach the basics of normalization. It is not an academic knowledge of 1, 2, 3… but more importantly to help performance, reporting and now business intelligence. Another session I have started working on is Database Standard Operating Procedure which came from questions I have received from attendees at SQLSaturday and in-house at Amedisys.

The next opportunity is SQLSaturday #77 in Pensacola. Karla and gang looks like the have many sponsors and the schedule is set. I am going to attend 4 others sessions while presenting at 2.

So here are my PASS Summit submissions:

3rd Normal Form: That's crazy talk!!!

How did the development world conclude that an integer is the best primary key? What has been added to SQL Server in 2005 and 2008 to help change the way database design has evolved over the years? Can we still use a VarChar(xx) for a primary key? What is the difference between a lookup and Parent/Child relationship? What is an example of a Many-to-Many relationship? What is 4th and 5th normal form? This session will go through the history of 22 years of experience with various database designs – normalized and denormalized. The discussion will include the benefits and forward looking that should be required for using various design techniques. The flow will be a discussion with attendee participation to share success and pains in database development, leading to standards for all of us to take advantage of while designing databases.

Execution Plan Basics

This will be a Beginners session highlighting the starting point for using the execution plans from SQL Server to assist in query tuning. Briefly, we will look at the history to get an idea of how Microsoft has improved the display through Graphical Plans and Missing Index suggestion. Examples from the AdventureWorks database will be shown so anyone can take the queries after the session to try on the own, which will be encouraged. Questions will be answered like: What is the difference between a Table and Clustered Index Scan? What is a Lookup? How do you improve performance of Lookups? What are the different types of Loops? How to get more information from the Plan with the properties window? What other options are available in Management Studio to assist with query tuning?

Transition from DBA to BI Architect

Database Normalization and Dimension Modeling are the same but different. Development in today ‘s larger industries require the design and analysis of Online Transaction Processing (OLTP) to take into account Data Warehousing/OLAP (Online Analytical Processing). My transition from Senior DBA to BI Architect at Amedisys has been a process of sanding the rough edges of my passion from fully normalized databases. The Dimensional Modeling started a re-tooling of my mind to look at end result analytics and statistics from smaller and smaller transactions. From previous experience, I know I am not going to get it right the first time. Lessons learned will mold me into a great BI Guy.

RML Utilities\SQL Nexus

Microsoft Support (CSS, formerly PSS) has made available a utility to do an analysis of a trace file. This session will go through an explanation of how to use this utility and interpret the results. RML Utilities can answer questions about where the most resources are being consumed, queries that are responsible for heavy usage, changes in plans during trace and if queries are running slow in comparison to other traces

Good to all submitters and look forward to seeing y’all all in Orlando and Seattle.

God Bless