22-25 April 2026
SQLBits 2018

VLDBs: Lessons Learned

Maintaining very large databases (VLDBs) can involve a lot more creativity and bending of the rules than their smaller brethren. Attend this session to learn tips and tricks amassed from years of managing them.
Whoever coined the term "one size fits all" was not a DBA. Very large databases (VLDBs) have different needs from their smaller counterparts, and the techniques for effectively managing them need to grow along with their contents. In this session, join Microsoft Certified Master Bob Pusateri as he shares lessons learned over years of maintaining databases over 20TB in size. This talk will include techniques for speeding up maintenance operations before they start running unacceptably long, and methods for minimizing user impact for critical administrative processes. You'll also see how generally-accepted best practices aren't always the best idea for VLDB environments, and how, when, and why deviating from them can be appropriate. Just because databases are huge doesn't mean they aren't manageable, attend this session and see for yourself!

Speakers

Bob Pusateri

bobpusateri.com

Bob Pusateri's previous sessions

Relational or Non-Relational? Choosing the Best Database for the Task
Relational databases are excellent tools that can solve many data problems...but not all of them. The same can be said for non-relational databases. This session will showcase the strengths and weaknesses of both relational and non-relational databases with a particular focus on the best use cases for each. Attendees will see real-world examples of what they may - or may not - want to store in a particular database type, and why.
 
Maximizing Database Performance With Isolation Levels
How does a database handle multiple processes all trying to read and write at the same time? The answer is transaction isolation levels, and Azure SQL Database and SQL Server offer several to choose from depending on your workload's needs. Attend this session to understand how they work, why they matter, and how proper concurrency settings can result in great performance improvements!
 
Relational or Non-Relational? Choosing the Best Database for the Task
Relational databases are excellent tools that can solve many data problems...but not all of them. The same can be said for non-relational databases. This session will showcase the strengths and weaknesses of both relational and non-relational databases with a particular focus on the best use cases for each. Attendees will see real-world examples of what they may - or may not - want to store in a particular database type, and why.
 
Select Stars: A SQL DBAs Introduction to Azure Cosmos DB
Are you curious about Azure Cosmos DB? This is the session for you! Join us to find out what it is, how it compares to other database platforms, and what all the hype is about!
 
SQL Server Administration on Linux
Come learn how to set up a production-grade SQL Server on Linux environment!
 
VLDBs: Lessons Learned
Maintaining very large databases (VLDBs) can involve a lot more creativity and bending of the rules than their smaller brethren. Attend this session to learn tips and tricks amassed from years of managing them.