I'm off today. Not taking a break, though perhaps it's a touch of a break. I'm actually in an airplane, heading to the UK for the first 2018 SQL in the City. We'll be broadcasting this Wednesday, and you can still register and watch. Let your boss know that you can get some cheap training (it's free), refresh yourself away from work, and you'll appreciate the perk as a part of your job. Maybe you'll even get to watch from the comfort of home.

Grant and Kathi are already in the UK enjoying SQL Bits, but this year I've been trying to do less travel and coaching volleyball more. My team of 14 year olds had a tournament yesterday, so I was blowing whistles and giving (loud) advice in a high school gym. Today I've got a laptop on a plane and am making my way a third of the way around the world. I may get to watch a movie, but there will certainly be a little demo practice as well.

The theme for this SQL in the City broadcast is Data Privacy and Protection. GDPR will start being enforced this spring, and many people around the world with be affected. Those outside the EU might not be sure of the ramifications of the regulation, but I wouldn't be surprised if similar legislation gets passed in other countries. In any case, the idea of ensuring you can control and protect data, with an eye on designing privacy for users into the system, is a good idea.

You can read the GDPR text, but that's what many of us have done and tried to interpret it for you. We have a great piece at SQLServerCentral and our product teams have been working hard to ensure that our products will help you improve your compliance. Lots of other vendors are doing the same thing, either working to change their policies or enhance products. Microsoft has certainly spent a lot of effort getting ready, and I'm sure they're not along in their efforts.

We all want better security for our data. Many of us empathize with the customers and clients about whom we collect data and often wish our systems provided better security, controls, and options. Sometimes our management doesn't agree, but certainly they feel the impact if we suffer a data breach. This Wednesday we'll be talking about Redgate products specifically, but also including general knowledge and ideas that you might use within your organization.

Register for the event and watch along on Wednesday. Ask questions and see how you can improve your data privacy. Most of our applications could use a little work on security, and we hope to help educate you on what you can do and how Redgate might be able to help.