Zero to Hero: Surviving the Transaction Process Like a Pro
Proposed session for SQLBits 2026TL; DR
Your company is up for sale, and you need to talk about the applications and data in your environment (and maybe the security, too). Come learn what outside advisors are looking for, the questions they ask, and how to manage a stressful transition
Session Details
You heard rumors your company might be up for sale. Now you have a cryptic invite from someone you don't know with a title like "Technology Review Session". What do you do? How do you handle that meeting? What do you prepare beforehand?
In this talk, I will walk you through the transaction process from a technical standpoint. I will outline what the reviewers are looking for, and what they aren't. We will talk about how to answer questions without raising red flags, and how to give only the information being asked. Lastly, we will talk about how to approach preparing your code to give an accurate picture of the state of the software.
Transactions can be scary, but after this talk, you will be armed with the knowledge and strategies to survive like a pro.
In this talk, I will walk you through the transaction process from a technical standpoint. I will outline what the reviewers are looking for, and what they aren't. We will talk about how to answer questions without raising red flags, and how to give only the information being asked. Lastly, we will talk about how to approach preparing your code to give an accurate picture of the state of the software.
Transactions can be scary, but after this talk, you will be armed with the knowledge and strategies to survive like a pro.
3 things you'll get out of this session
Learn about the transaction process
Understand what outside advisors are looking for
Understand where to avoid answering or giving "bad" answers
Speakers
Dan Mallott's other proposed sessions for 2026
ORMs and the DBA: How to Make Both Happy - 2026
Testing! We're Talking About (Unit) Testing...Your Database! - 2026
The Field Guide For the Accidental Manager - 2026
Why Am I Always Late? Or Is It Early? Why Are Dates So Hard? - 2026
Dan Mallott's previous sessions
Testing! We're Talking About (Unit) Testing!
Is the business logic in your database tested? It should be, and in this talk, we'll talk about how.
Secure SQL Server Database Design: Tactics and Technology
When you design and build an application, do you think about security first or is it an afterthought? In this talk, you will learn strategies for designing and securing your data layer.