As we have done for the last several years, SQLServerCentral.com will be offering its own track at SQL Server Connections (a part of the greater DevConnections event) in Las Vegas, NV, October 29 – November 1, 2012, at the Bellagio Hotel. This is in addition to the SQL Server tracks that are being chaired by Paul Randal and Kimberly Tripp.
The SQLServerCentral.com track includes the following speakers and sessions:
Grant Fritchey
Grant Fritchey is a SQL Server MVP with over 20 years’ experience in IT, including time spent in support and development. He has worked with SQL Server since 6.0, back in 1995. He has developed in VB, VB.Net, C# and Java. He has authored books for Apress and Simple-Talk, and is a Product Evangelist for Red Gate Software. He blogs at www.scarydba.com.
Improving Query Performance by Understanding and Fixing Bad Parameter Sniffing—300 level
Parameter sniffing is a very misunderstood problem among SQL Server DBAs. Most of the time native SQL Server parameter sniffing boosts query performance, but sometimes, circumstances change, and native parameter sniffing hurts performance instead of helping. In this session you will gain an understanding of what exactly parameter sniffing is, how it works, and why it’s usually so helpful. You will also learn how parameter sniffing can go wrong, and what to do about it. I’ll show you multiple methods for resolving common parameter sniffing issues, helping you to boost the overall performance of your SQL Server instances. You’ll bring back a wealth of knowledge so that you can identify and resolve bad parameter sniffing in your own environment.
All About the Execution Plan—200 Level
This presentation is about execution plans and nothing but execution plans. The entire session focuses on how to dig into execution plans so you can gather as much data as possible, learning exactly what happens when a query executes. You will explore places in execution plans that most DBAs don’t even know where to look, offering insights to help you better tune a query’s performance. All of this from the author of SQL Server Execution Plans, the only book ever written exclusively covering everything you every needed to know about execution plans.
Steve Jones
Steve Jones is the founder and editor of SQLServerCentral.com, the largest SQL Server community in the world. Steve has worked with SQL Server for two decades, starting with v4.2 and continuing on to SQL Server 2012. He has worked for a variety of small and large companies in that time in different industries, allowing him to learn how SQL Server can solve many types of problems. He currently works for Red Gate software, the owner of SQLServerCentral.com. He blogs at http://www.sqlservercentral.com/blogs/steve_jones/default.aspx.
Getting Control of Your Instances with Policy Based Management—200 Level
What sounds more productive: 1) managing each of your instances one at a time; or 2) managing all of them in one or more groups? I’m betting you like the latter option better. In this session you will learn how to use Policy-Based Management to scale your DBA administrative capabilities by grouping your instances together and managing them as one or more groups. This will not only save you administrative time, but it help ensures that your policies and procedures (best practices) are standardized across all of the SQL Server instance throughout your organization.
Searching Binary Data in SQL Server 2012—200 Level
Are you using SQL Server to manage documents stored outside of SQL Server, such as Word or Excel documents using Filestream and Filetable (new in SQL Server 2012)? If so, then this session will teach you how to use the Full-Text Indexing service to be able to retrieve all of this hidden information for easy access by your application, similar to how a search engine works. This session is introductory and will provide you the overall picture of how to implement binary search in SQL Server 2012.
