SQLBits, the sponsors: Microsoft | Idera
Quest Software | Solid Quality Learning | redgate
I attended the first DDD-style SQL conference held in Reading last Saturday: SQLBits. It was an excellent event, well organised and very slick. Some really nice touches too, like coaches from Reading railway station to the venue at Microsoft’s Thames Valley Park campus (it was held on a Saturday, so the free bus wasn’t running). And there was a super bowling event laid on as part of the after-event entertainment!
I was given the job of room monitor, which isn’t an onerous job, but one that is very much required. Speakers often need somebody to remind them that they have to wrap up, sometimes they need a 15 min, 10 min or 5 min warning as their session reaches its conclusion. Anyway, I was able to sit in on some interesting sessions, those noted below. I did jump between sessions in the other slots – I was also podcasting too, so didn’t sit in on other sessions in the entirety. Here’s the first podcast: 029 – SQLBits – Richard Fennell on SQL Server Unit Testing
I was amused when Sutha said words to the effect “everybody hates writing documentation, right?” I couldn’t resist replying with “speak for yourself!” – it got a good laugh in the room. Of course, everybody really does hate writing documentation!
Handling early arriving facts 200 BI
Sutha Thiru
How do we handle early arriving facts? If you are an experienced DW developer you would have come across this many times, if you are a novice you are certain to face this challenge in the near future. Each organisation makes decision to handle this scenario as suited to them. I have handled this scenario in one of these 3 categories. 1. Ignore early arriving facts all together? Is that the right way to do it? 2. During load process populate the dimension table with the Natural Key and default values and map surrogate key to the incoming fact record. 3. During fact load map default surrogate key and load those records into the “Rejected” table. I would be conducting a demo for point 2 and 3. In depth analysis on what happens to the records in the Rejected table and what do I propose to resolve these records? What is Business Intelligence Service Centre (BISC) and their involvement is going to mission critical for the success of your BI project?
Getting Started with SQL Server Reporting Services 200 BI
Tim Leung
SQL Server Reporting Services provides a powerful mechanism for generating reports. This session provides an introduction to the many features and capabilities of Reporting services. Topics covered will include installation, managing reports and security. The session will also show you how to author reports using the Business Intelligence studio. Highlights include using Stored Procedures as data sources, passing parameters into reports and running conditional logic inside reports. Tips and tricks are included throughout the session to help you on your way.
Daves Top 10 SQL Keywords 200 DBA
Dave McMahon
‘Top of the Pops’ might be dead, but Dave will give you his own countdown of his 10 most useful/favorite SQL keywords. No secrets to giveaway here, suffice to say that you will know some of them (but maybe not used this way) and some may be unfamiliar to you. The whole ‘Countdown’ will be demoed and Dave will explain why they make his top 10. This is a session for people who use SQL regularly as Developers, know the standard DML but maybe never had the chance to peek around the corner to see what else was there! Both SQL 2000 and SQL 2005 syntax will feature, so this is stuff you can take away and use today …
Catch the end of Dave’s “Top of the Tops” styled session over here.
Related Podcasts035 – SQLBits – Simon Harriyott – On SQLBits and Dave McMahon in a wig…
034 – SQLBits – Liam Westley, Matt Barrett discuss SQLBits and Dave McMahon
033 – SQLBits – Colin Mackay on SQLBits and events in Reading
032 – SQLBits – Martin Cairney on Securing SQL Server
031 – SQLBits – John Van Hoof
030 – SQLBits – Attendees Jane Dallaway and Jim Shilling tell us what they think
029 – SQLBits – Richard Fennell on SQL Server Unit Testing
Dave McMahon, podcasting
Recursive photography?
Dave’s pre-session nerves are showing now
Thank you Solid Quality Mentoring for the sustenance
Hey, Rich, look, it’s an XBOX 360 – you should’ve come along and tried to win it! One lucky person won this, meaning that Quest Software went home with less than they arrived with.
Fernando (blog and blog) and Helen on the Solid Quality Mentoring stand
The boys from Idera had “iPods” as prizes!
Another full session
Super Simon Sabin struts his stuff (here’s Idera’s Super Simon)
Uh oh. Quiche. Developers. The two don’t work. For real: look here, here and here.
Dave tells us who he is to a packed room
Martin Cairney: can bowl.
I so nearly won with 140. Liam came back from 127 to win with 142.
Technorati Tags: SQLBits, Quiche
Podcast feed – subscribe here!
