I'm sitting here at the blogger table at the PASS Summit 2011. I got here Sunday, and it's already been an action-packed week. We spent the first 2 days on MS campus in MVP sessions and I'm already tired.
So far the most noteable part of PASS 2011 is the first-timers program. This program was started last year and really hit its peak this year. It's a program where those who are at the conference for the first time get assigned a big brother so to speak who takes them under his wing and shows them around, introduces them to people, gives them tips, etc. It's a great program, and this year I'm a big brother to a group of DBAs from all over the world. I wasn't too sure how the whole thing would go over initially, but in talking to the first timers, they just love it. They had no idea what they were going to do, or where anything was and we've been able to get them going quite nicely. It's very apparent that PASS as a organization is committed to making sure the summit is an event people want to come back to.
Now, probably the biggest part of the Summit is the release of the new MVP Deep Dives book. This is a title that was written by many MVPs, and all the money goes to charity. So if you're at the Summit, make sure you actually buy a copy of the book because it's for a good cause. If you're not at the Summit, then you can get your copy here.
My favorite part of the Summit itself is the SQLCAT labs where you can go in pretty much anytime during the week and get advice on some of your toughest SQL problems by Microsoft's top people. I spend time in there every year just listening to the problems that people come in with. I just love it.
You can also find me at the Experts Pods twice this year. I'll be at the Enterprise Management pod so come up with some of your questions, and I'll try to butcher them as little as I can.
That's all I've got for now, but I'll be blogging all week from the Summit so stay tuned.
- About SQL Marklar
Sean McCown holds a double MCITP in SQL Server 2008 for both Administration and Development. He is also a SQL Server MVP with over 15 years experience in databases. Sean is a contributing editor with InfoWorld and a frequent contributor to many community sites and forums.
Sean is also founder and co-owner of the popular database website MidnightDBA.com where he records free SQL Server training videos and co-hosts the popular webshow, DBAs@Midnight.
Sean has also created content for TrainingSpot.com, TrainSignal, and moderates the Petri IT Knowledgebase SQL forums. Sean also speaks a various SQLSaturday events and is a board member of his local user group, the North Texas SQL Server User Group (NTSSUG).
What's with the blog name, SQL Marklar?
The word marklar stems from an alien race named the Marklars, which appeared in an episode of South Park. The Marklars use the word marklar as a generic word, similar to a pronoun, that can refer with specificity to anything, place, person, idea, concept, or otherwise represent the meaning of any noun, including proper nouns. Ex: This marklar has been marklared by a marklar and now I can’t marklar with it anymore.
Most Discussed Posts
-
Network World, Inc
The Connected Enterprise