User Group

SQL Relay Agenda Announced

SQL Relay: Free, Full Day SQL Server Events

If you’ve not heard the news yet, then where have you been hiding?! With SQLBits X such a phenomenal success, but already a distant memory, we’re all looking for the next SQL Server community event to learn, network and enjoy.
The 2012 SQL Relay, following on from the great inaugural events last year, have now been announced and registration is open.

Where are they?

Monday 21st May – Edinburgh
Tuesday 22nd May – Manchester
Wednesday 23rd May – Birmingham
Thursday 24th May – Bristol
Wednesday 30th May – London

Who’s speaking?

Each event is different, but with a common theme. The awesome line-up of speakers include:

Morris Novello, Microsoft, SQL Server Product Manager
Andrew Fryer, Microsoft, Technical Evangelist [blog|twitter]
Allan Mitchell, MVP [blog|twitter]
Chris Testa O’Neill, MVP [blog|twitter]
Chris Webb, MVP [blog|twitter]
Martin Bell, MVP [blog]
Jamie Thompson, MVP [blog|twitter]
Tony Rogerson, MVP [blog|twitter]

As well as sessions from Microsoft partners and sponsors.

How big are these events?

Each of the 5 venues have different capacities, but in the region of 100-120 attendees per event.

What’s the format?

Each event has a morning session, in which the Microsoft speakers and partners will cover the technical challenges facing IT, and an overview of SQL 2012 and its new features that can help.
The afternoon sessions will be technical deep dives by the selection of World class MVPs.
Some events will also have an evening session, which will extend the technical sessions until 9pm, to cater for those who can’t get time off work!

You can come to 1, 2 or all 3 sessions, just mark your preference during registration.

How can this be free?!

Thanks to the kind generosity of our sponsors, who include:

Gold Sponsor	Microsoft
Silver Sponsor	Fusion IO
	Quest
	RedGate
	Strategy Companion
Bronze Sponsor	Microgen
	Purple Frog
	Technitrain
	Wrox

Say no more… Sign me up!

Thought you’d say that – register at SQLServerFAQ.com

I’m delighted to be running the Birmingham event, so look forward to seeing you there!

SQLBits X talk – Loading Data Warehouse Dimensions

I’m thrilled to have been asked to present another session at SQLBits X, especially so as it’s set to be the biggest and best Bits yet.

It’s the official UK launch of SQL Server 2012, and as such there’s an impressive collection of Microsoft folk attending and presenting, alongside the MVPs and internationally renowned speakers that we now come to expect at SQL Bits.

The Saturday is now sold out, but (as of writing this) there are still some places available on the Thursday and Friday, but these are unlikely to stay available for long so head to www.SQLBits.com and get your name down asap.

Loading Data Warehouse Dimensions

The session that I’ll be presenting will cover different techniques of using SSIS to load data into data warehouse dimensions. Specifically a performance comparison of the methods when loading Type 2 slowly changing dimensions, as well as showing the impact of using solid state storage such as Fusion IO.

I’ll also be covering the details of how to use the T-SQL Merge statement to take care loading dimensions, and showing why it’s now my preferred approach.

SQL User Group Community

I’ll also be there representing SQLMidlands, a SQL Server user group in Birmingham. User group leaders from around the UK will be presenting a session on Saturday lunchtime, as well as staffing the community corner.

If you’re interested in getting involved with your local user group, if you just want to find out more, or are at your first SQLBits and want a friendly face to chat to – find me & the other UG leaders at the community corner.

Look forward to seeing you there!

SQL User Groups and SQLBits

SQLBits 9

It only seems like yesterday since the SQLBits crew put on their awesome 8th conference in Brighton. The next conference has just been announced, SQLBits will move to Liverpool for SQLBits 9 – “Query Across The Mersey” (…Really?!) between September 29th and October 1st.

Registration’s not yet open, but you can find out more at www.SQLBits.com

I’ve already submitted two sessions to present, “PowerPivot & QlikView 101” and “Advanced data modelling for data warehousing and cubes”. Make sure you vote for them when voting opens! You can read full summaries of all sessions submitted so far here.

SQL User Groups

We’ve also got a busy time coming up with the UK SQL Server user groups. I’ll be running the next Birmingham user group the week after SQLBits, on Monday 3rd October. The agenda and speakers have yet to be set, but it should be a goodun!

I’ll also be speaking at the Southampton user group in 2 weeks time, on Wednesday 6th July. I’ll be presenting my 3 part blog post on automating SSAS cube documentation. Matt Whitfield will also be presenting, so it should be a good night. Now stop reading this and go and register!!

SQL Server User Group – Birmingham

It’s only a week to go until the first Midlands SQL Server User Group, being held on March 10th 2011 at the Old Joint Stock pub in Birmingham.

We’ve got two of the best speakers in the UK lined up, Allan Mitchell and Neil Hambly, we’re putting food on for you (pork pies and chip butties!) and it’s being held in a pub so beer will also be involved.

SQL Server, pork pies and beer – all in one place?! Go on, how can you resist?!