11Mar 2013 by Grant Fritchey 3 Comments

Time to Chat

Professional Development, Redgate Software
The greatest part of my job is that I get to travel all over the world to present different technical sessions. But, it's not the presentations that make it cool. It's the fact that I get to meet people. I get a chance to hang out with my #sqlfamily. I get a chance to make new friendships. Those contacts are amazing. I love the opportunity to sit down and talk to people about what they're doing with technology, the challenges they face, what's common with my own experience, what's different. From all that, I get a chance to grow and learn. Sometimes I even get the chance to help people. I'm going to be all over the place between now and June. I'd love to get the opportunity to talk…
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03Jan 2013 by Grant Fritchey No Comments

SQLBits Public Sessions

SQL Server
If you're over in the UK, or close to it, you've probably heard of SQL Bits even if you haven't attended. If you're across the pond here in the US or somewhere else you may have heard of SQL Bits, but few of you have gone. Well, let me tell you, from everything I've heard, this is a community event you want to find your way to. So, I'm trying. This is my first time submitting to this outstanding event and I really want to go. But, in order to make the cut, I need your help. They base who presents on community feedback. This means you go over and vote. You'll have to have a SQL Bits login, but if you're even thinking about attending you're going to have…
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14Sep 2012 by Grant Fritchey No Comments

Conference in Florida: SQL Server Live

Misc
This conference is new to me. In case it's new to you, I thought I'd take a moment to point it out. Mostly because I'll be presenting there and I love talking to anyone who has actually read any of the blather I post on my blog. If you want to get together in the land of sunshine in December (don't tell Mrs. Scary but I'm looking forward to this one, winter in New England is awful), then click here to register. If you do it now you save $500, so it's a good time to take care of it. I'll be presenting two different sessions. One is on backups and restores for the accidental DBA. I'll go over the important stuff to get you started protecting your company's data…
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16Aug 2012 by Grant Fritchey 3 Comments

Coming to Your Town

PASS, Professional Development
I can't sing and I can't play and I left the young generation behind a while ago, but I'm still coming to your town, or maybe one near you. Between August and December I'm hitting a substantial portion of the country, so if you want to have a little fun, discuss SQL Server, network, or just chat, here are your chances. Please, ask me questions. Please, walk right up and say hello because we can learn from each other and I love my SQL Family. Here's where I'm going to be: SQL Saturday #125 in Oklahoma City, August 25: Only one presentation here, Top Tips for T-SQL Performance, but it's a fun presentation. Register now because time is running out. SQL Saturday #156 in Providence, RI, September 15: This is…
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19Jun 2012 by Grant Fritchey 2 Comments

PASS Summit 2012

PASS
I sure hope you’re planning on attending the PASS Summit this year. If you’re not, you might want to reconsider. They’ve just released the list of sessions. You should click this link and check them out. There’s going to be some magnificent instruction available in all aspects of SQL Server. You don’t want to miss it. On a personal note, I’m doing an all-day pre-conference seminar on query performance tuning. It’s called “Query Performance Tuning: Start to Finish.” The pre-con’s, as we call them, are an additional cost on top of the cost of the Summit itself. But you’re flying out to Seattle anyway. Why not attend a full day of learning, walk away with a little more knowledge under your belt. I’m going to give you as much information…
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16May 2012 by Grant Fritchey 18 Comments

Don’t You Know Who I Am?

PASS, Professional Development
I’m happy to say that for most of you out there, the answer to this question is “no.” That’s as it should be. I’m not anyone all that special. I present technical sessions at various events from local user group meetings to SQL Saturday’s to international events like the PASS Summit and 24 Hours of PASS. Why? Not because the attendees know my name, that’s for sure. It’s because of a combination of at least two of these three things: The organizers might know my name or may know of my books or the fact that I’m working for a vendor that sponsors their event I’ve submitted sessions that seem to be of interest to the people who might be attending the event being organized I’ve got a track record…
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08Mar 2012 by Grant Fritchey 1 Comment

Let’s Talk

PASS, Professional Development
I’m travelling to several upcoming events and I’d love to sit down and talk with you. Yes, I get it, most of these events you’re going to see the sessions, but you really should plan on networking too. Here’s your chance to get started on that: Southern New England SQL Server Users Group, East Greenwich,RI – 3/14/2012: TSQL Deployment and Continuous Integration Best Practices SQL Saturday 120, Orange County - 3/24/2012: I’m presenting two times here. They’re both presentations that I’m working up for Connections. Common Backup Problems and How To Deal With Them TSQL Deployment and Continuous Integration Best Practices SQL Connections:Las Vegas 3/26 – 3/29/2012: I get it. You don’t go to Vegas to network. That doesn’t mean you can’t still do that too. I’m presenting three sessions.…
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14Dec 2011 by Grant Fritchey No Comments

SQL Saturday #104: Colorado Springs

Professional Development
I’ll be presenting at the Colorado Springs SQL Saturday on January 7th of 2012. The session is called Seven Ways to Fix Bad Parameter Sniffing. Please, if you’re in the area, register and come to the event. There are going to be some truly excellent speakers there. There is also evidently skiing on Sunday, although I won’t be taking part in that.
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22Sep 2011 by Grant Fritchey 5 Comments

SQL Server Execution Plans

PASS, Professional Development, SQL Server
I write quite frequently about SQL Server Execution Plans. I started in that area just because that’s how you figure out what a query is doing and sooner or later, we all have to tune a query. I found I was doing it sooner and more frequently. When the opportunity came up to write a book , I jumped on it. Now I find myself presenting, rather frequently, on execution plans. One of the people I’ve learned from over the last several years is Gail Shaw (blog|twitter). I first saw Gail on stage at the PASS Summit, I think it was 2007. A co-worker of mine was picked, along with Gail, to go on stage for the Quiz Bowl. Gail was answering all the questions. If you go over to…
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03Aug 2011 by Grant Fritchey 1 Comment

All About Execution Plans

PASS
If you’re attending the PASS Summit this October, I’d like to make a suggestion. The Summit itself is only three days long, Wednesday to Friday. But, if you have to travel any distance to get there, you’re going to miss work on Tuesday as well. Why not take a whole week away and spend Monday with Gail Shaw (blog|twitter) and me? The reason I ask is because Gail and I are putting together 7 hours of information all about execution plans. We’re going to be presenting this information on Monday at the Summit as a pre-conference seminar. Yes, you’ll have to pay extra to attend this session. But if you register for the Summit now, there’s still a discount, which you can put towards to the seminar. And, seriously now,…
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