Ask the Expert - Group A (Sat, 9:00 to 9:50)

How to be awesome at getting your next job

Finding that job you desire and want can be hard work. First, writing that CV that gets your name on the interview list. Then, making the first good impression at the interview, handling those tough questions easily. These skills are something you can learn This session, is based on many years real life hard won experience. What will be shared is tips and techniques that have got me jobs I wanted. This session is full of practical advice that you to can take away and use in your life. I will share some of the tips and techniques I have used to get roles over our career. * Creating a CV that gets noticed. * How to work with recruitment agents. * What to say when you speak with recruitment agents. * Ways to get your name to the top of the recruiter's list. * How to prepare for an interview * Get some insider tips on how to deal with those difficult interview questions. * What to say and what not say at an interview. * First hand advice from someone who has been on both sides of the job interview. When you leave this session, you have techniques and tips you can use as soon as you leave the session to help you in your search for that role you want.

Power BI Incremental refresh made simple.

Power BI has many amazing features that will make life much easier and more efficient. Yes, incremental refresh is one of them, so you read the official Microsoft documentation. Maybe once, then again, just a few more times. Now you have more questions than answers. Or was that just how I felt? If you thought the same thing or want to ask questions, this session is for you. This session will look at setting up incremental refreshes for both Dataflows and Datasets. Explain what ALL the different settings mean and words we can all understand. How will I perform this daring feat? Using a combination of words, pictures and examples. As part of the presentation, I will share the demo code so you can try this at home. Leaving this session, you will understand how to configure Incremental Refresh and use it when you return to your office. You will have a link to the code shown as part of the session. So that you to can see how it works.

The art and skill of listening

We all want to be listened to. In our busy world sometimes we forget how to listen, often to other people. There are advantages to listening, and its a skill we can learn.

10 reasons to look at using Azure Data Studio

Yet another new tool from Microsoft ! Why should you consider using it? Thats a good question. In this session we will explore at least 10 reasons to use the tool, and maybe a few more.

Soaring to New Heights with Accelerated Database Recovery

In this deep technical session, we will uncover the mechanisms of accelerated database recovery that allow for a much smoother flight in the journey of database recovery.

Azure Infrastructure - What Not to Do

This session will high light things I've seen in Azure SQL implementations that have caused issues. Attendees will learn from the mistakes of others to ensure a smooth Azure flight of their own.

Banishing Slow Queries with Intelligent Query Processing

An overview of the performance enhancing Intelligent Query Processing features in SQL Server 2019 as well as including some new SQL Server 2022 items,

Tales from the Field - How to Avoid Burnout

In the fast paced "always plugged in world" we all live in today, getting burned out is something that you will most likely experience. That feeling of emotional and physical exhaustion that leaves you overwhelmed, trapped, defeated and stagnant can be unbearable. Taking the time to learn how to avoid burnout can be game-changer for your mental health, motivation, and productivity. In this 20 minute session, we will discuss ways to help prevent that burn out.

Switching Careers: From PT to IT

The biggest risk in life is not taking one. Would you switch careers in the middle of the pandemic to a field that you have no experience in? That is exactly what Yuki did: he was on the brink of starting his doctorate for physical therapy when he decided to make the last minute change to become a DBA. Yuki and his mentor, John Morehouse, both found themselves in unique positions on opposite ends of their careers with a long road ahead of them. Listen to Yuki's unique journey of becoming a DBA and hear John's advice on how to mentor someone from early days.

10 Productivity tools in 20 minutes

You are busy, we are busy, everyone is busy. These are the tools that two busy consultants use to improve their productivity. We want to tell you about the tools that we use; that maximise our time, simplify our life, reduce our key strokes and generally make us appear more amazing. So that you can use them too. We have 20 minutes, so we wont go into much detail but we have some good quick stories to tell.

There is a time and a place for everything

There is a time and a place for everything. John and Rob, being consultants, often say "Well, it depends" Lets talk about some of the times when the "rules" may not fit

Designing Azure Data Disaster Recovery Strategies

Unfortunately, disasters can affect cloud technologies and if you are't prepared for it, the results can be painful. Let's discuss ways to implement Azure SQL disaster recovery techniques to help protect your data!

Getting Started with Learning Azure

Join three Microsoft Data Platform MVPs to discuss the best approach with building your Azure skills. You will learn the best approaches to gaining the skills you need to function in a cloud world.

Aggregations in Power BI

Introduce Power BI aggregations with practical examples, evaluate pros and cons, and learn how to use alternative approaches by using DAX to control the aggregation used.

Using ALLEXCEPT or ALL/VALUES?

Learn when to use ALL / VALUES instead of ALLEXCEPT in DAX calculations.

Understanding window functions in DAX

Introduction to DAX window functions and apply semantics through several examples to understand their capabilities and performance.

Power BI Performance Analyzer crash course

Learn how to use Performance Analyzer in Power BI to get a first idea of performance bottlenecks in Power BI reports.

VertiPaq Analyzer crash course

Introduce VertiPaq Analyzer features in DAX Studio and as a library available in other tools.

My Power BI report is slow: what should I do?

Use Performance Analyzer and DAX Studio to find the performance bottleneck in a slow Power BI report.

Time Intelligence in Power BI

Create the right Date table and use DAX time intelligence functions or custom filters to get the desired calculation aggregating and comparing data over time.

VertiPaq Analyzer crash course

Learn how to read the information provided by VertiPaq Analyzer 2.0 and optimize data models in Power BI, Analysis Services, and Power Pivot.

Different types of many-to-many relationships in Power BI

Clarify differences between many-to-many and weak relationships in Power BI

DAX Best Practices

Best bractices in DAX formulas from real world experience.

Power BI Dashboarding

Power BI offers new features for creating dashboards on the cloud. In this session, you will learn how to create data models, display visualizations and synchronize cloud data with on premise data sources.

SSAS Tabular from the Trenches

In this session, we will share some of the hard lessons learned from the first large deployments in Analysis Services Tabular.

DAX Patterns

Learn ready-to-use DAX patterns improving development speed of Power Pivot solutions. Good also for SSAS Tabular developers.

Power Query in Modern Corporate BI

Explore Power Query features to import data from existing Corporate BI systems.

Modern Data Warehousing Strategy

This session will discuss what a modern strategy for data warehousing can be in this era, considering how the use of technologies like PowerPivot or Analysis Services Tabular affect the way you should model your data.

Create a Data Model in BISM Tabular

In this session you will see how to create a BISM Tabular data model from scratch, providing the required metadata in order to improve user experience navigating the data model by using client tools like Excel PivotTable and Power View.

Analysis Services Advanced Best Practices

This dense hour of presentation will cover design techniques to leverage cube features that also consider possible maintenance of the database structure over time.

BISM Introduction

Introduce the features of BISM (BI Semantic Model), the new engine that will be available in Analysis Services "Denali".

Vertipaq vs OLAP: Change Your Data Modeling Approach

In this session we will introduce the new modeling capabilities of Vertipaq, showing how the same scenarios can be modeled in both Multidimensional (MOLAP) and Tabular (Vertipaq), looking at how to enable your data warehouse to support both.

Mastering TempDB

Have you experienced performance problems caused by contention in TempDB? Have you ever wondered why your TempDB is suddenly 3 TB? In this session, you will learn about all the various components of SQL Server that use TempDB. Whether it be AlwaysOn Availability Groups, Read Committed Snapshot version stores, spills, or simply temporary tables, learn about how to identify what SQL Server or your applications are doing in TempDB. Once you understand all the ways SQL Server uses this critical resource, and how to proper configure it, you'll be better prepared for your workloads whether it be an Azure VM, a physical server, or a container.

Your Performance Tuning Check List

Everyone needs a list of what to double check in your environment to ensure your servers and databases are optimized in order to make SQL Server run faster, better and more efficiently. In this session you will learn about what you need to review and implement to get a performance and configuration improvements. You will learn about best practice configuration, SQL Server surface area, memory optimizations, isolation levels, Tempdb and transaction log configuration.

Performance Tuning Azure SQL Database

Have you moved to a cloud database like Azure SQL Database and are having performance issues? While the Azure SQL services running in Azure are similar to SQL Server, they are key differences in performance tuning methodologies. In this session, you will learn about monitoring options, changes in cloud DMVs, and additional cloud tuning tools like Azure SQL Analytics and Performance Insights that can allow you quickly get to performance data across a number of instances. You will learn about what you need to keep in mind when choosing between scaling-out to readable secondaries and scaling-up to higher tier solutions. Discuss with Microsoft MVP Monica Rathbun the challenges and benefits of tuning, what to keep in mind, and what to expect in the cloud.

Tales from the Field - How to Avoid Burnout

In the fast paced "always plugged in world" we all live in today, getting burned out is something that you will most likely experience. That feeling of emotional and physical exhaustion that leaves you overwhelmed, trapped, defeated and stagnant can be unbearable. Taking the time to learn how to avoid burnout can be game-changer for your mental health, motivation, and productivity. In this 20 minute session, we will discuss ways to help prevent that burn out.

Your Performance Tuning Check List

Everyone needs a list of what to double check in your environment to ensure your servers and databases are optimized in order to make SQL Server run faster, better and more efficiently. In this session you will learn about what you need to review and implement to get a performance and configuration improvements.

Erin & Monica’s Favorite SQL Stuff

Two consultants, two different companies, two data professionals passionate about performance tuning. Do we like the same things? Do we have the same approach to problems? Topics will include: Trace Flags, DMVs, DBCC commands, Community Scripts and Intelligent Query Processing Features. We will talk about the features and solutions we agree on, and discuss where we disagree.

Always Encrypted for Beginners

Let's learn about what Always Encrypted is, how it works, and the implications for your environment. By the end you will know how to now easily encrypt columns of data and just as importantly how to unencrypt.

Getting Started with Learning Azure

Join three Microsoft Data Platform MVPs to discuss the best approach with building your Azure skills. You will learn the best approaches to gaining the skills you need to function in a cloud world.

Azure SQL MI & Fabric Fusion: A speed-session

We'll take the flight showcasing how data housed in Azure SQL Managed Instance can be dynamically exposed and utilized through Microsoft Fabric. This session will demonstrate the seamless altitude transition from the operational data platform of Azure SQL MI to the analytical skies of Microsoft Fabric, ensuring a smooth integration that leverages the best of both worlds for your business needs. Pilots of data – ready your instruments for this quick cruise that will equip you with the navigational know-how to soar above the rest, utilizing Azure SQL MI and Microsoft Fabric in tandem. Fasten your seatbelts; we're cleared for takeoff into the realm where data agility meets cloud efficiency.

Fly at Mach-speed with Azure SQL Managed Instance

Discover the future of SQL Managed Instance in our session! Learn about best-in-class storage tech and new capabilities for the unmatched price/performance and scalability.

Discover what's new in Azure SQL Managed Instance through an exciting Demo Party!

Let us review the latest and the greatest investment that Microsoft has made into the Azure SQL Managed Instance, the product that serve as the best target for the existing SQL Server migration into Azure PaaS. 

Advancing the DBA's Role in the Cloud: In the Cockpit of Azure SQL Managed Instance

Join us to learn how DBA role has evolved from on-premises SQL Server DBA to Azure SQL DBA and what does it mean to you. You will learn how existing on-premises DBA responsibilities map to new DBA role in Azure, what are the new shared responsibilities in Azure, and opportunities for skill development helping you become Azure SQL DBA superstar.

Azure SQL MI End-to-end Demo Party for DBAs and Devs

Join us for a pure, demo-driven journey of a dozen incredible features for Azure SQL Managed Instance showing you the greatest and latest innovations enabling Database Administrators and Developers to achieve more. Whether you’re a DBA, Azure Administrator, Developer, Business Intelligence developer, or of course any other data professional, these demos will show how you can achieve more with the exciting features that are available to you. Some of the topics we will cover are hybrid scenarios, performance and scale, application compatibility, workload modernization, compliance, data mobility/migration & business continuity/disaster recovery - and several more - in this fast-paced, demo-only session.

Secure networking with Azure and Azure SQL Managed Instance

Database migrations to the cloud must respect the existing networking and security systems already in place. Learn how Azure SQL Managed Instance combines its managed-service PaaS benefits with on-prem and hybrid⁄mixed scenarios. Modern features further leverage the benefits of the cloud to bring new value.

The SQL Leadership Panel

Bring all your questions about the strategy and future of Microsoft SQL to the leadership team of Microsoft in a panel hosted by Bob Ward, Principal Architect at Microsoft

Azure SQL Managed Instance Roadmap

Learn more about the next wave of innovation coming to Azure SQL Managed Instance at this session hosted by the engineers from the product group.

Batch Execution Mode on the Rowstore

Learn in 75 Minutes what Batch Execution Mode is, when & how it will affect your workloads (in upcoming SQL Server 2019 & Azure SQLDB) on the traditional Rowstore Indexes.

Columnstore killed the OLAP Star-Did it really?

With increasing speed in relational query execution classical analytical solutions get challenged more and more. Why loose time for processing data into multi-dimensional databases? Why analyze outdated data if you can have fresh data instead?

Understanding & Solving Columnstore Problems

Dive deep into Columnstore Indexes and discover their advantages and some of the limitations. Look into some of the Columnstore Indexes myths, understand more complex concepts of Batch Mode & Query Processing with another depth.

Getting Your Data into NodeXL

If you work with an amazing visualisation plugin NodeXL you might have asked yourself the question - how do I get my custom data for getting those great visualisation for analysis. This session will show you a couple of ways of how to get it done.

ETL Patterns with Clustered Columnstore Indexes

Join me for an hour of playing with different ETL patterns by using Clustered Columnstore Indexes. Using different Hardware might lead you to different conclusions,and the size of the workload is always the paramount of your performance.Loading data first and then creating a Clustered Columnstore or creating Clustered Columnstore and than loading - join me to find the answers!

Dynamic MSBI content generation

In the ideal world, all information and structures are static, but in the real world almost everything is dynamic, and changes are constant. This session reviews different methods for generating MSBI content (SSIS, SSRS) dynamically.

What to look out for when migrating your data to the cloud; is it REALLY the right choice?

Do you want to migrate your data in the cloud? Are you sure? I'll make you think about what to consider for a successful move

How To Actually Make Decisions When Architecting a Data Platform

Are you drowning in a sea of architectural options for your new data platform? Are there people in your organisation with strong opinions on which tools should be used, and for what? Are you unsure how to prove/evidence your gut feeling as to how things should be built? Well - this session's for you! If you're in charge of architecting a new data platform, it can be difficult to make concrete decisions that pushes you closer to your end goal - building a successful solution. This session will introduce a tried-and-tested suite of strategies and tools that will help you efficiently navigate the unforgiving task of architecting a modern data platform. We'll take a look at artifacts such as ADRs (Architectural Decision Records), NFR (Non-functional requirements) documents, and discuss strategies inspired from the Agile methodology (such as failing fast) that can help you in your endeavour.

Mastering Power BI Design with User-Centric Frameworks

Key to Power BI report success and user adoption is a deep understanding of the consumer. This session will explore essential tools and strategies that enable you to gain valuable insights into your audience's information and experience needs. From this, the presenter will delve into practical techniques for shaping and crafting a compelling data story or data application for your audience.