Next week I'll be giving presentations in Charleston and in Florence here in South Carolina.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009 - Pee Dee Area .NET User Group - Getting the Most Out of Your SQL Server Queries

You can register and find directions at the PDANUG web site (http://www.pdanug.net/). I spoke there at the end of last year and Chris Reeder, Chris Craft, Page Brooks, and crew have graciously invited me back. I'm looking forward to visiting with everyone there again.

In this presentation we'll look at standard tips and techniques to write efficient queries for SQL Server. The use of stored procedures, the basics of indexing and the impact that has on your queries, how to avoid cursors and RBAR code (a Jeff Moden-ism), as well as typical no-nos to avoid will be covered. We'll touch briefly on how to measure query performance through the use of execution plans and SQL Server traces using tools like Profiler and Microsoft Excel to provide for a quantitative assessment of which queries to look at tuning.

Thursday, April 16, 2009 - Greater Charleston .NET User Group - Baked In SQL Server Security

Again, you can register and find directions at the GCNUG web site (http://www.gcnug.org/). I'm looking to returning to my old stomping grounds, having spent four years in Charleston as a Citadel cadet. I'm also looking forward to hopefully meeting with Lou Vega.

We'll look at best practices for data contained within SQL Server from primarily a developer's perspective. We'll start with the basics of how to relate security to business personnel and take into account security measures from the beginning of the development effort. After that we'll dive into the technical aspects of using the security features of SQL Server to help us protect the data contained within. SQL Server 2000 through 2008 will be covered.

Apologies to the Augusta Developers Guild

I was scheduled to speak there (http://www.augustadevelopers.org/) on March 26, but came down with a stomach bug that took me out for several days. I'm working with Pete Mourfield to try and make it out there soon.