Even with the economic downturn, it looks like2009 will offer more SQL Server-related conferences (both free and paid) than ever before. With the belt-tightening that many businesses are experiencing, I predict that most paid conferences will see a decline in attendance. On the other hand, attendance at free events should increase sharply.
Being a DBA demands that you keep up with the latest technology, and conferences are one of the best ways to do that. So, despite the fact that training budgets may be shrinking, I suggest you begin lobbying your manager to attend as many of these SQL Server events as you can. If you can't get your company to send you to a paid conference, then try to attend one of the free ones, on your own time.
In the list below, I've tried to gather together and organize some of the many conferences planned for 2009, covering both large national events and smaller community gatherings. Some of these events have yet to finalize their 2009 schedule, so if you're interested in attending sign up for their newsletter to keep up to date with the latest schedules.
Inside the United States (ordered by state)
- SQLSaturday (Birmingham, AL)
- Silicon Valley Code Camp (Los Altos, CA)
- TechEd 2009 (Los Angeles, CA)
- Microsoft PDC 2009 (Los Angeles, CA)
- MSDN Developers Conference (San Francisco, CA)
- Rocky Mountain Tech Tri-Fecta (Denver, CO)
- SQLSaturday (Atlanta, GA)
- Orlando Code Camp (Sanford, FL)
- SQL Connections (Orlando, FL)
- SQLSaturday (Jacksonville, FL)
- SQLSaturday (Pensacola, FL)
- Tampa Code Camp(Tampa, FL)
- IndyTechFest (Indianapolis, IN)
- Twin Cities Code Camp (Minneapolis, MN)
- SQL Connections (Las Vegas, NV)
- Tulsa TechFest(Tulsa, OK)
- SQLSaturday (Portland, OR)
- DevLink Technical Conference (Nashville, TN)
- Dallas TechFest (Dallas, TX)
- Houston TechFest (Houston, TX)
- Utah Code Camp (South Jordon, UT)
- PASS Community Summit 2009 (Seattle, WA)
- SQLSaturday (Tacoma, WA)
Outside the United States (Ordered by Country)
- SQL Down Under Code Camp (Wagga Wagga, Australia)
- Code Camp OZ (Wagga Wagga, Australia)
- DevTeach/SQLTeach (Vancouver, BC, Canada)
- DevTeach/SQLTeach (Toronto, ON, Canada)
- European PASS Conference (Neuss, Germany)
- Christchurch Code Camp (Christchurch, NZ)
- DevWeek (London, UK)
- SQLBits (Manchester, UK)
If you know of any SQL Server-related event not listed above, please e-mail me at "brad.mcgehee at red-gate.com" (replace " at " with "@") and I will add them to my blog at SQLServerCentral.com.
Thanks,
Brad M McGehee
Director of DBA Education
Red Gate Software
