Jul 11, 2012: Portland SQL Server MVPs Share Their Passions

(Note: New Meeting Location this Month. Check the registration page for details.)

Portland is fortunate to have five SQL Server MVPs -and that is a high number for any city -except Seattle. This month, four of Oregon’s SQL Server MVPs will each discuss an item that holds their passion. Don’t miss this great meeting.

Kendra Little
Table Structure Matters: All About Heaps

Do you use heaps in SQL Server? How can heaps impact your query performance and database maintenance? In this 30 minute webcast Kendra Little will show you how heaps behave differently than than tables with clustered indexes in SQL Server. You’ll learn how to identify heaps, how to measure their size, and how to plan a change to convert your heaps to clustered indexes. If you’re a SQL Server developer or database administrator with one year’s experience, this webcast will get you up to speed on the basics of table structures in SQL Server.

Kendra Little (Blog | LinkedIn | Twitter) is all about data, communication, and creativity. Kendra nerds out on SQL Server full time as a founder of Brent Ozar PLF, LLC, a boutique consulting company. She is a Microsoft Certified Master in SQL Server 2008 and a Microsoft MVP. When she’s not blogging, speaking, or performance tuning with clients, Kendra draws cartoon posters about SQL Server– check them out at http://BrentOzar.com/go/posters.

Jeremiah Peschka
Built-in Tuning Tools -Execution plans, STATISTICS IO and STATISTICS TIME

Tuning queries isn’t a black art – SQL Server provides you with all the information you need to understand what a query is doing. In this session we’ll walk through execution plan basics and other built-in tools to make tuning queries easier.

Jeremiah Peschka (LinkedIn | Twitter ) helps developers, DBAs, and engineers build faster, robust, and scalable solutions; Microsoft SQL Server is frequently a part of that solution, but other databases are also. He has worked as a database and emerging technology expert at Quest Software researching new trends and technologies around data storage. Before that Jeremiah worked across many industries as a system administrator, developer, and DBA, and has been involved in all aspects of application development and deployment.

Paul Turley
Generating dynamic datasets in SSRS with a custom assembly

Take reporting to next level by dynamically creating dataset queries using custom code and conditional parameter logic.

Paul Turley(Blog | LinkedIn | Twitter) is a Mentor with SolidQ, a Microsoft MVP, solution architect, teacher, and presenter.

Arnie Rowland
What is a Resume Defining Moment? And Why is that Important?

You’ve worked hard to become a highly skilled and well paid professional, and yet you live in perpetual anxiety about the continual threat of positions like yours being outsourced off-shore. What do you need to know, and what should you be doing to better project your hard-earned career?

You will encounter many opportunities that may rightfully be called ‘resume defining moments’. Arnie will discuss ways to identify such opportunities, and how you should handle them in order to gain the most benefit. What should you catalog for your resume? When tooting your horn, should you use a picilo, or a tuba?

Even if you don’t think that you ‘on the market’, hear how this approach can influence the outcome of your annual review process.

Arnie Rowland (Blog | LinkedIn | Twitter) is an Independent Consultant and Trainer, working with Microsoft SQL Server. He hs been designated a Microsoft MVP for SQL Server for six years. He founded and regularly facilitates the Oregon SQL User Group, is a co-founder of Portland Code Camp, is a senior Moderator for the TechNet/MSDN SQL Server Forums, and is a member of the TechNet Wiki Governing Council. Arnie specializes in mentoring development teams on topics related to optimizing their efforts to access data stored in SQL Server. Arnie is a frequent speaker at user groups, SQLSaturdays, TechDays, and has spoken at many conferences, including SQL Pass and TechEd.

Don’t miss this meeting!

Refreshments graciously provided by Apex Systems, Inc..

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Jobs, Jobs, Jobs …

The SQL Server related job market has really taken off in the past few months. Currently, there are approximately 20 open positions (Admins, Developers, BI -from entry to advanced skills) in the Oregon/SW Washington region. Check out the Oregon SQL Jobs page. Tell your friends and colleagues to regularly visit the Jobs page.

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Featured Sponsor: Quest

With Quest, you can tackle the toughest IT work easier and faster – and save your organization a lot of money.

When that happens, you have more time to do bigger and better things for your organization – and everyone thinks you’re a genius. We think that’s pretty cool For more information, visit Quest.

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We wish to acknowledge the OSHU Information Technology Group for supporting Oregon SQL by generously sponsoring the meeting venue.

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