It’s been a couple of years since I’ve been able to attend a SQL Saturday. This year was a first on two counts: first SQL Saturday in Minnesota, and first time attending a precon. Both were worth it.
Friday Precon: SQL Server Performance Tuning
On Friday, I attended Monica Rathbun’s (blog/twitter) precon — SQL Server Performance Tuning and Optimization for the DBA. It was definitely worth the time and expense. Monica is an excellent and energetic speaker, and I came away with a reminder that not everything in SQL is set in stone. There’s always more to learn, and the right tuning approach depends heavily on context.
Saturday: DevOps and Leadership
Saturday was equally good — although the weather turned and I spent the day watching snow squalls roll through. It made the 3-hour drive home a bit longer.
I concentrated on the DevOps tracks for most of the day, with the exception of a presentation on leadership given by James Phillips. I really enjoyed that session and wish more managers were as focused on being genuine leaders as he was. It was a good reminder that technical skills only take you so far.
All in all, it was a great couple of days of learning.
My only regret was not staying an extra night to attend the after-party. Ah well — maybe next year.
Key Takeaways
- SQL Saturday precons are worth the extra day and cost — a full day of focused content from an expert is hard to replicate.
- Monica Rathbun’s performance tuning session reinforced that SQL Server tuning is contextual, not formulaic.
- The DevOps track continues to grow in the SQL Saturday lineup — the overlap between DBA and DevOps work is real and accelerating.
- Leadership sessions at technical conferences are underrated — going to one is always worth your time.