Join SQL Server professionals from around the world for free online technical training and networking year round. PASS Virtual Chapters (VC) are interest-based forums that unite the SQL Server community through live webcasts with top SQL Server experts, online forums and resources – including an archive of past presentations, and special training events.

Adam Belebczuk - Introduction to SQL Server 2012 A
DBA Fundamentals - Canada/US Online Event

Language: English

Date: Tuesday, May 7, 2013  

Time: 11:00 am - 12:00 pm (Central Time)

Cost: Free

Event details >> Register

TBA - "Details of our upcoming event are still being ironed out..."
Professional Development - Online Event

Language: English

Date: Wednesday, May 8, 2013  

Time: 11:00 am - 12:00 pm (Mountain Time)

Cost: Free

Event details >> Register

HASSUG & H-BI Monthly Meeting
Professional Development - Online Event

Language: English

Date: Tuesday, May 14, 2013  

Tentative Schedule:

10:30-10:40 – Announcements
10:40-11:45 – General presentation (Topic 1)
11:45-12:15 – Lunch\Networking – Raffle #1
12:15-1:20 – BI themed presentation (Topic 2)
1:20-1:30 – Recap Announcements – Raffle #2

Time: 10:30 am - 1:30 pm (Mountain Time)

Cost: Free

Event details >> Register

Robert Davis - Case Study: Designing a Global Scaled-out Architecture Level

Summary: How do you deliver a public-facing website on a global scale? To be truly competitive in a global market, you need to deliver a high performing website no matter what part of the world the user is in. Scaling out websites to multiple locations is easy, but it doesn’t really provide the performance required if the website has to get data from halfway around the world. This session will look at the challenges to scaling out the entire application to meet global performance requirements and how we addressed these challenges for an existing web application.

About Robert: Robert is a SQL Server 2008 Certified Master and an experienced Database Administrator, SQL Server evangelist, speaker, writer, and trainer. He has worked with SQL Server for 13+ years, most recently as Chief SQL Server Evangelist for Idera Software. Previously he served as PM for the SQL Server Certified Master Program at Microsoft Learning, and as a production DBA at Microsoft. Robert helped found the PASS Data Architecture Virtual Chapter and was co-author of Pro SQL Server 2008 Mirroring

Language: English

Date: Thursday, May 16, 2013  

Time: 11:00 am - 12:00 pm (Mountain Time)

Cost: Free

Event details >> Register

SQL Server Disk I/O
WVPASS - Canada/US

Language: English

Date: Thursday, May 16, 2013  

Time: 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm (Mountain Time)

Cost: Free

Event details >> No registration link provided

HBase and HDInsight Java Script Console
PASS Big Data Virtual Chapter

This session continues on building an understanding on HadoopmEcosystem Components, with a focus on HDinsight Javascript shell and NOSQL DB HBase.

Language: English

Date: Tuesday, May 21, 2013  

Time: 11:00 am - 12:00 pm (Mountain Time)

Cost: Free

Event details >> Register

PASS SQLSaturday is a training event for SQL Server professionals and those wanting to learn about SQL Server.  Please note that in order to attend one of these event, you must register (registration links are provided for each event).  Please register soon as seating is limited, and let friends and colleagues know about the event.  Most events are free, however a nominal fee may be charged so that lunch may be provided (not pizza).

#209 / Rochester, NY

Date: Saturday, May 11, 2013

Time: 8:45 am - 5:00 pm (Check-in @ 8:00 am)

Cost: Free + $5.00 For lunch

Event details >> Register

#212 / Redmond, WA

Date: Saturday, May 18, 2013

Time: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Cost: Free, Includes lunch

Event details >> Register

#216 / Krasnodar, Russia

Date: Saturday, May 18, 2013

Time: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Cost: Free

Event details >> Register

#220 / Atlanta, GA

Date: Saturday, May 18, 2013

Time: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Cost: Free, $10 for lunch

Event details >> Register

#209 / Prishtina, Kosovo

Date: Saturday, May 18, 2013

Time: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Cost: Free

Event details >> Register

#208 / Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Date: Saturday, May 25, 2013

Time: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. 

Cost: Free

Event details >> Register

#219 / Kiev, Ukraine

Date: Saturday, May 25, 2013

Time: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Cost: Free

Event details >> Register

#224 / Sydney, Australia

Date: Saturday, May 25, 2013

Time: 8:30 a.m. - 4:45 p.m.

Cost: Free

Event details >> Register

All ColoradoSQL user group meetings start at 5:30 p.m. and provide food and refreshments. There is no cost to attend so bring a co-worker…or two. These events provide for great learning opportunities as well as networking with other local SQL Server professionals.

BoulderSQL

Date: Tuesday, May 21st.

Main Presentation:

Converting Unreliable Deployments Into Consistent Releases

Level 100/200

The deployment process is frustrating; an object is missing, an object is deployed in the wrong order or the incorrect version. Each database is made up of a lot of objects in different environments.  When you create an object like a table or stored procedure, you need to get this object deployed into each environment.  Together we will discover how to separate each object for proper order deployment while releasing only objects which have changed. Deployments can cause you trouble but we will provide a reliable deployment and version control process.

Presenter: Tom Norman, Database Architect / DBA, KPA.

In 1998, Tom changed his career focus to begin working with Sql Server. He has worked in all aspects of Sql Server including Administration, Database Development, BI and Reporting Services. He has worked in the Finance and Car Dealership industry.  His experience has included International deployments. Tom is the co-leader of the PASS Virtualization chapter and the past President of the Denver Sql Server User Group.

Tom Norman's LinkedIn Profile

DenverSQL

The Denver SQL Server User Group is organized to bring professionals of all career levels that work with Microsoft's SQL Server, together to learn and network with others. There is no charge to attend, and you are encouraged to bring guests. Food and refreshments are provided by event sponsors.

Date: Tuesday, May 16th

Time: 5:30 - 8:30 pm

Main Presentation: Capture Change and Apply it With Change Data Capture & SSIS

Whether you are trying to setup a new data warehouse, keep it updated, audit changes to your databases or quickly load changes to another database Change Data Capture (CDC) is a solution for all of these and can now be setup and supported easily with SQL Server & SSIS 2012! Change Data Capture (CDC) has been around since SQL Server 2008, but has been underused because it was difficult to fully implement. SSIS 2012 now provides support for CDC with new components that make consuming the captured data very easy to apply. This session will define what CDC is and with live demos show how it is setup on your databases. Once it has been setup then you need to consume and apply those changes, this will be demonstrated with live demos using SSIS 2012 to create packages that apply the changes.

Presenter: Steve Wake, Sr. BI Consultant

Steve Wake is a Sr. BI Consultant at Pragmatic Works with more than 20 years of experience in various IT organizations. Steve has experience in Manufacturing, Retail, Charities, Telecommunications and Financial Services organizations & switched to Consulting to share/expand/teach on his experiences with Microsoft Business Intelligence. Steve is also very involved in the local community, speaking at events across the country and is currently President of the Denver SQL Server User Group.

Steve Wake's LinkedIn Profile

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March 21, 2013

Well fellow Aliens, the SQL Universe has been revealed to masses.  In the efforts to expand my SQLeek status, I agreed to do a “Lighting” Talk at our local PASS chapter meeting this month. 

Now, I will have to preface this story with a little personal history.  So here goes …

During collage one of the classes required for an Associate’s degree was Oral Communication (Public Speaking).   On the first day of class, I was classified as a “High Risk” speaker.  This means that it would be physically very difficult for me to be in front of a group a give a speech.  Luckily, I did scrape past the class with a low C having missed several speeches due to sudden illnesses.  It was not a happy time.

Fast forward several years and my experiences now include having trained several people and hosting trainings, events, and classrooms.  So, when I was approached to do the Lighting Talk I was naturally a little nervous over how I would handle it.  I knew it would help my progression to SQLeekhood but could I get past the “High Risk” speaker classification?  Yes, I had been in front of people successfully in the past but that material was not my own.  I was just training people on various subjects.   “High Risk” kept playing on an internal constant loop.

Due to the support and prodding of our local SQL Star, Mike Fal and many other SQLeek pals, I agreed to do the talk while swallowing a huge lump that settled heavily in my stomach.  Now, I must say that I handled things pretty well.  I got some great support and practice with my SQLeek pals.  I’m sure that was what delayed the “High Risk” monster from rearing its ugly head.

About 5 minutes before the talk, that lump in my stomach made itself known and started jumping around.  It was too late then.  So bolstered by my pals support, I headed up to the head of the room of about 55 people.  I closed my eyes, held my nose, and jumped in with both feet.  Before I knew it, I was above water and everyone was clapping as the talk was over.

So the moral to this story is to take chances and help make those chances successful by surrounding yourself with solid SQLeek pals.  They got me through a scary moment and helped me slay the “High Risk” monster. 

Don’t let your monsters keep you from obtaining your SQLeek status.  Go forth and slay the monsters!

March 1, 2013

Microsoft is Big Cheese in the SQL Server galaxy.  Not only are they the creators of the SQL Server software but they also provide training and certification of that software.  Every Alien needs to be VERY familiar with Microsoft’s Nebula called Microsoft Learning.  You should be soaking in their Nebula on a consistent basis. 

•  http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/default.aspx#fbid=hDlnjxles8B
• Save this link!  Bookmark it! Remind yourself to check out this site. 
• This link will take you to the main site.  You have options to look for …
• certifications,
• training,
• and schedule an exam.

•   http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/certification-overview.aspx#fbid=hDlnjxles8B
• Save this link!  Bookmark it! Remind yourself to check out this site. 
• This link will take you to the certification path to each of the certification available for SQL Server
• MCSA Solutions Associate
• Exam 461 - Querying Microsoft SQL Server 2012
• Exam 462 - Administering Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Databases
• Exam 463 - Implementing a Data Warehouse with Microsoft SQL Server 2012
• MCSE Solutions Expert
• MCSE: Data Platform
• MCSA certification
• Exam 464 – Developing Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Databases
• Exam 465 – Designing Database Solutions for SQL Server 2012
• MCSE: Business Intelligence
• MCSA certification
• Exam 466 – Implementing Data Models and Reports with Microsoft SQL Server 2012
• Exam 467 – Designing Business Intelligence Solutions with Microsoft SQL Server 2012
• MCSM Solutions Master
• MCSA certification
• MCSE: Data Platform certification
• Exam 88-986 – MCSM: Data Platform Knowledge exam
• Exam 88-987 – MCSM: Data Platform Lab exam

You can click into each of the exams and find exam objectives that can be used as study guides, Microsoft Certification classes, and links to Prometrics to schedule your exam.

Prometric is a company that has testing centers around the country.  They will proctor the certification exams.  Check out their website to find out more about taking your exams.  https://www.prometric.com/en-us/Pages/home.aspx .  Again bookmark this site!!!

Certifications are an important part of the SQL Universe.  They provide you with a fancy alphabet soup after your name but also provide a strong foundation of the software.  Get to know these sites listed in this blog.  They are important. 

Stay tuned for more Stardust on Certifications!!