Thanks to all PASS Summit 2011 attendees who filled out their post-event survey, and congratulations to Linda Zhang, who won the drawing for a free registration to PASS Summit 2012!
The survey results are out, and for the second year in a row, 99% of respondents said they would recommend PASS Summit to other SQL Server professionals. Ninety-six percent said the conference met or exceeded their expectations. Survey results showed that the most important aspects of Summit were the session topics, access to SQL Server experts, and quality Community speakers.
Attendees rated the following aspects of Summit as good or excellent:
- Quality of Community and Microsoft speakers
- Mobile Guide App and Session Scheduler
- Microsoft Product Demonstration Kiosk in the Exhibit Hall
- Women in Technology and Birds of a Feather luncheons
- Exhibit Hall
And those who participated in the First-timers program gave high marks to the:
- Welcome Reception entrance
- First Timer Orientation with Rick Heiges
- Speed Networking session with Don Gabor
- Pre-Summit Communication with their Big Brother/ Sister
Summit’s networking events, including the Welcome and Exhibitor Receptions and Community Appreciation Party, were well attended and successful in connecting the SQL Server Community, with 82% of survey takers saying they met people to connect with after the event.
Common feedback on ways to improve Summit included:
- Better Wi-Fi
- Access to power strips, especially on pre-con days
- Snacks during breaks
- Improved room planning and scheduling for less crowded sessions
- Having presentation decks available for download before sessions
Overall, the survey results placed PASS Summit 2011 as one of the most successful Summits ever. As one survey respondent noted, “I was feeling burned out on my career, and this trip to the Summit completely rejuvenated me and reminded me why I got into this field in the first place. The speakers were top notch, and the event was very well planned, organized, and executed. I'll be there next year regardless if the company pays or I pay from my own pocket. Great job!”
With 250 chapters and counting, PASS is serious about its commitment to global growth. We are excited that members of the SQL Server community from far and wide can connect, share and learn in their own region! In November alone, 8 new chapters were created:
• Himalayan SQL Server User Group, Nepal (Leader: Shree Khanal)
• SQLPASS Egypt (Leader: Wagdy Ishac)
• Cambridgeshire SQL Server User Group, UK (Leader: Mark Broadbent)
• Montreal BI User Group, Canada (Leader: Dwayne Pindling)
• St. Louis BI Users Group, US (Leader: Phil Milner)
• Chicago BI User Group, US (Leader: Emre Motan)
• Quad Cities PASS, Iowa, US (Leader: Sheila Acker)
• New London SQL Server User Group, US (Leader: Victor Pavlovit)
November also saw the addition of 3 Regional Mentors recently appointed, for the US Northeast (Steve Hughes), US Southwest (Phil Robinson) and Western Canada (Colin Stasiuk). Find out more about Steve, Phil, and Colin from PASS Director Mark Ginnebaugh’s recent blog post.
To facilitate chapter development, educational webcasts geared towards chapter leaders are available for streaming from the Chapter Resources page (PASS login required to access). Recent webcasts include:
• Using Dot Net Nuke Websites with Mike Lawell
• Making Your Chapter Legal While Removing Stress with Arnie Rowland
Lastly, SQLSaturday keeps on growing with new events popping up all over the world. New SQLSaturdays are added all the time so be sure to keep tabs on the SQLSaturday event calendar for one near you!
Recently added:
• SQLSaturday#113, Indonesia, Dec 10, 2011
• SQLSaturday#108, Redmond, Feb 25, 2012
• SQLSaturday#109, Silicon Valley, Mar 3, 2012
• SQLSaturday#110, Tampa, Mar 10, 2012
• SQLSaturday#114, Vancouver, Mar 17, 2012
• SQLSaturday#115, Portugal, Mar 17, 2012
• SQLSaturday#107, Houston, Apr 12, 2012
• SQLSaturday#111, Atlanta, Apr 14, 2012
• SQLSaturday#112, Birmingham, May 12, 2012
• SQLSaturday#106, Puerto Rico, May 26, 2012
If you have any questions or comments about chapters, regional mentors, or SQLSaturday events, please contact PASS Community Evangelist Karla Landrum.
We are happy to announce that three new Regional Mentors are joining the PASS team.
Steve Hughes will be filling the open slot for U.S. - Northeast, providing Melissa Demcsak some badly needed help. Steve is a Principal Consultant at Magenic, focused on Business Intelligence architecture. He recently helped put on SQLSaturday #99 - Minnesota 2011 and convinced Magenic to send nine SQL Server professionals to this year's PASS Summit.
Phil Robinson is our new Regional Mentor for U.S. - Southwest, where he will be working with Tjay Belt. Phil is an independent database developer and BI consultant and is President of the San Diego SQL Server User Group. He has been an organizer of two SQLSaturdays (#55 and #95).
Phil is replacing Andrew Karcher, who is stepping down after a long tenure as a Regional Mentor. Thanks, Andrew for your service, and welcome Phil!
Things are changing in Canada, too! Another longtime Regional Mentor, Scott Stauffer, is ready to hand his responsibilities to an able replacement. We appreciate Scott's efforts and know he will enjoy his return to private life.
Colin Stasiuk is filling Scott's position as Regional Mentor for Western Canada. Colin has been working with SQL Server since version 6.5. He is co-author of SQL Server 2008 Policy Based Management, an active blogger, and founded the PASS Chapter in Edmonton.
Please join us in welcoming Steve, Phil, and Colin to the Regional Mentors team.
- Mark Ginnebaugh
Director, Global Chapters
Lara Rubbelke, Microsoft SQL Server Community Principal Program Manager, recently talked with PASS Marketing Vice President Rick Heiges about the changes in editions and licensing for SQL Server 2012.
Rick: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions Lara. Let’s get right to it: What’s new in SQL Server 2012 as far as editions?
Lara: We’ve streamlined SQL Server 2012 editions to better align with how customers are deploying applications and solutions and are releasing SQL Server 2012 in three main editions:
• Enterprise Edition – for mission-critical applications and large-scale data warehousing
• Business Intelligence (BI) Edition – a new edition that provides premium corporate and self-service BI
• Standard Edition – for basic database, reporting, and analytics capabilities
Enterprise Edition will include all features available in SQL Server 2012, and the BI Edition will include premium BI features as well all of the Standard Edition features.
Rick: What about the other editions that currently available in SQL Server 2008 R2?
Lara: Good question Rick. With the release of SQL Server 2012, we will be retiring:
• Datacenter – its features will now be available in Enterprise Edition
• Workgroup – Standard will become our edition for basic database needs
• Standard for Small Business – Standard becomes our sole edition for basic database needs
Your readers should also note that SQL Server 2012 will continue to be available in Developer, Express, and Compact editions without licensing or pricing changes. The Web edition will be offered only to hosters via a Services Provider License Agreement (SPLA).
Rick: What are the key licensing changes with SQL Server 2012?
Lara: SQL Server 2012 will continue to offer two licensing options: one based on computing power, and one based on users or devices. In the computing power-based license model, however, the way we measure power will shift from processors to cores. Core-based licensing provides a more precise measure of computing power given high core-density server hardware. It also provides a more consistent licensing metric regardless of where the solution is deployed across on-premises to cloud.
Rick: When will these changes go into effect, and how can our readers learn more?
Lara: Licensing changes will go into effect with the general availability of SQL Server 2012, which is expected to be released in the first half of 2012. For more information about editions, licensing, and planning for SQL Server 2012, you can check out the Microsoft SQL Server 2012 website.
For customers who would like to understand how to transition to the new license model, Microsoft has a great resource here.
By Damu Venkatesan
The PASS Healthcare SQL Virtual Chapter was recently formed to bring together SQL Server and healthcare IT professionals. Members of this virtual chapter share and learn from one another, as well as support and address the unique challenges faced in the healthcare / life sciences field.
How did this all come to be? I attended PASS Summit in 2010 and 2011 where I met so many SQL users from various healthcare organizations and gained so much from our conversations. I realized that if we came together as an online community, we could share SQL Server / healthcare IT knowledge and solve many common issues we face in this industry, all year round! I approached PASS HQ to start a Healthcare SQL Virtual Chapter and - with their encouragement support - a new virtual chapter was born.
Our mission is to learn and share SQL Server knowledge to make healthcare IT more effective and productive. Throughout the year we will be hosting online presentations and meetings on a regular basis with presenters from around the globe. We will also have an online forum where members can share ideas, tips and techniques, as well as get answers to those burning SQL Server questions.
If you are interested in learning and sharing SQL Server/healthcare IT knowledge please join us at healthcare.sqlpass.org and become a member of the PASS Healthcare Virtual Chapter. If you would like to present at an upcoming session, please contact me, Damu Venkatesan, at healthcare@sqlpass.org.
Find out more at healthcare.sqlpass.org and follow us on Twitter @HealthcareSQLVC
The PASS Board of Directors elections season is ramping up, with the following six applicants chosen to move on to the next stage of the process – interviews with the NomCom:
Rob Farley
Geoff Hiten
Adam Jorgensen
Denise McInerney
Sri Sridharan
Kendal Van Dyke
Over the next 2 weeks, the applicants will participate in interviews that dive deeper into the qualifications they listed on their application form and that will help the NomCom determine the slate of candidates to put forward for the upcoming election. Campaigning and voting will begin December 6 after the final slate of candidates is approved.
The PASS Board has three slots open for election for the 2012/2013 term and one mid-term appointment to be made by the Board President. For more information about the elections process, see the 2011 PASS Elections website. And if you have questions of your own for the applicants or the NomCom, head to the Election Forums and twitter (#passvotes).
Thank you and good luck to all the applicants, and get ready to rock the vote!
Vision? Passion? Drive? Sounds like you’re ready for the PASS Board of Directors. Applications for the 2011 Board elections are now open, along with the interactive elections forums for community members to have their say... or start their campaigns.
The PASS Board has three seats up for election for the 2012/2013 term. A fourth seat – being vacated mid-term by Douglas McDowell, who is taking on the role of Executive Vice President, Finance – will be appointed for a 1-year term by the Board president, according to the PASS bylaws.
You can download the PASS Board application form at the PASS 2011 Elections site, and all applications must be submitted to PASS HQ no later than Oct. 19. To qualify as a candidate, at a minimum you must have direct volunteer experience with PASS, such as serving on a committee or as a Regional Mentor or Chapter leader, leading a SQLSaturday or other event, or volunteering in another capacity. Candidates must also currently work with SQL Server to some degree. For more about candidate requirements and to see what characteristics and abilities would make an ideal Board candidate, see the Candidates page.
Make sure you take advantage of the elections forums to ask about the elections process, get information about running for the Board, pose questions to the candidates, and discuss platforms and issues with fellow community members. Just log in with your PASS user information and post away! The PASS HQ team will also be providing links to community blog posts on the Discussion page to keep you up-to-date with all the elections news and commentary.
Good luck to everyone considering applying for this important role to help lead the world’s largest association dedicated to serving the SQL Server community. Apply today!
Grab your soap boxes and questions - the PASS Board of Directors election season kicks off tomorrow with the opening of the Election Forums.
The PASS Board has three seats up for election for the 2012/2013 term. A fourth seat – being vacated mid-term by Douglas McDowell, who will take on the role of Executive Vice President, Finance – will be appointed for a 1-year term by the Board president, according to the PASS Bylaws. You can learn more about your Board of Directors here.
The Elections Forums provide a great opportunity for members of the PASS Community to ask about the elections process, get information about running for the Board, pose questions to the candidates, and discuss platforms and issues with the community. To participate, all you have to do is log in with your PASS user information and post away! We will also be providing links to community blog posts about the elections on the Discussion page to keep you up-to-date with all the news and commentary.
And of course, if you are interested in running for the PASS Board, keep in mind that applications open in just 6 days on Wednesday, Oct. 5, and must be submitted to PASS HQ by Oct. 19. You can start reviewing the PASS 2011 Elections site today for basic candidate qualifications and a full elections time line.
With your participation, it’s going to be an exciting, valuable elections season – let the conversations begin!
This weekend marked the 20th SQL Saturday that I have attended, SQLSaturday 84 in a place until now I had never heard of, Kalamazoo, Michigan. Well, I can tell you, that this one broke into my top 3, as this small town, “home like” feeling event, literally warmed my heart! It was admittedly very reminiscent of the first event I hosted in Pensacola in 2009.
When I arrived, with Tommy LaRock who happened to be on the same flight, volunteer Shelly Noll picked us up, the first sign of hometown hospitality. After checking into the hotel, Shelly swung us by the event venue where we met up with the other volunteers. Their event was held at the Kalamazoo Valley Community College, and let me tell you, one of the very nicest community colleges I’ve ever seen. This large venue was gorgeous, with trees growing on the inside, beautiful gardens and courtyards, and amazingly donated for FREE for this event. NICE WIN!
There were at least 8 volunteers, likely more just didn’t count, all working diligently on preparing things for the big day. Right off the bat, you could tell this group was super organized as they were nearly done, and it was only about 3:00 in the afternoon. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such calmness the day before a SQLSaturday.
Things kicked off that evening with the speaker party, a get together at Tim Ford’s beautiful home and was sponsored by SQLSentry. In attendance were so many top notch notables of the SQL world that I am not even going to begin listing them all, as I will surely miss someone. Tim and his lovely wife Amy prepared quite a spread of delectables, from homemade guacamole to apple cobbler (and one cobbler wasn’t enough, there was a peach one as well!), assorted chips and dips and cheeses I’ve never even heard of that were to die for! Plenty of delicious food and then the doorbell rings, as if we needed more, gourmet pizzas show up. A cooler full of frothy beverages out on the deck, again, many I have never heard of, with a wonderfully warm fire roaring in the pit (which was MUCH appreciated by THIS Florida girl, as it was like 50 degrees there!). As chilly as it was (okay maybe not for the others), most everyone ended up gathering out on the deck, surrounding the fire like we were at camp, telling tales of SQL. It was so relaxing, lots of good humor and stories. This by far is now my top Friday evening party for these events. It was like being home. The evening ended, at least for me, of an announcement that someone had eaten all the bacon off all the remaining pizza. One guess!
Early the next morning, once again, Shelly was kind enough to pick me up from the hotel and head on over to the venue to get things set-up. Others were there and much of what was needed done was well on its way to completion. I cannot say enough, what a super, efficient crew of volunteers! I was there on behalf of PASS, so I went to work setting up our table in the sponsor’s area. This I would say would be the only thing that I would recommend they look at changing up at next year’s event, the placement of sponsors. Unfortunately it was the only place with outlets all the way around the walls, hence why they chose this spot, but it was pretty far from the registration check-in, and tucked off to one side. It was at least near the doors to where three of the sessions were being held, so Tim the quick thinker, placed a big billboard they had with the rooms and sessions posted directly by those doors, so we could sway folks over to our area as they stopped to find their way. This worked out, as I do think many attendees managed to get their raffle tickets into the drawings all the sponsors had. Maybe next year they can find some other way to get the registration and the sponsors closer together.
The day went by very quickly, probably because I spent most of the day working and in discussions with Alison MacDonald from PASS Marketing, oh, and that other person who seems to never stop talking, no, not Rob Farley, Tom! (I hear Rob out talks Tom, I find that really hard to believe after this weekend). Throughout the day many attendees, as usual at these events, were commenting on how great the event was and how happy they were that it came to Kalamazoo. The turnout was very close to the numbered registered, I think they ended up with only about a 12% drop-off, even though there did seem to be a lot of food leftover, but I think that is typical when you do food trays with sandwiches. I think sandwich shops under state really just how many people one tray will feed. This was the first event that I attended that we had the new SQLSaturday laptop stickers and patches, and those went over big time, everyone wanted those. Looking forward to seeing how many of these make their way to the Summit next month. For their event, they had a WIT Panel during lunch led by Shelly, which unfortunately I missed due to talking too much myself! The WIT Panel was a great line-up of Kendra Little, Wendy Pastrick, Yanni Robel, and Erin Stellato. Since I missed it, I can’t do it justice, but Sarah Strate did a full detailed blog about it, that you can read up on here: http://sarahsjolander.wordpress.com/2011/09/17/3-questions-for-the-wit/
As the day was winding up, Tim needed someone to head over early to the after party venue to let them know we were coming, as they did not allow reservations ahead of time. So Amy, Austin and Trevor (they ever so entertaining boys) and I all headed over, which meant I wasn’t there for the raffle drawings, which was fine, but I did miss out on a very special moment for Tim. Josh Fennessy, who was that day announced as the new chapter leader for the West Michigan SQL User Group, presented Tim with a plaque of recognition for all his years of contributions to the SQL community. Check it out http://lockerz.com/s/139887810
The after party was at a very cool restaurant/bar in downtown called Kalamazoo Beer Exchange . Great food, but the absolutely coolest thing about this place was the Beer Market. At 6:00pm, on various big screens throughout the three story facility, the Beer Market would open. Think Stock Market. You watch the price of beers go up or down based on consumption. I had never seen this anywhere, and it was so cool! When the price of the beer changed, it stayed at that price for 12 minutes. There were arrows, just like the stock market, that showed if the price was going up or down. At one point the beer market crashed, and all the beers were 2 bucks! Drink, drink, drink!
After a while we all made our way to a nearby piano bar, something we do for the after party at Pensacola each year, and in my opinion, great entertainment and fun for all no matter where you live. I had hoped to make my way to a third place that had bull riding, as I am determined to do this someday, but was just too tired and had an early flight out. I was smart and booked my ride with Joe Fleming earlier in the evening, stating “make me go with you no matter how much I insist I want to stay longer”, so thank you Joe, I made it to the airport on time that next morning. Which by the way another hospitable thing happened, my cab driver, Cliff, insisted on not charging me for the lift to the airport.
In closing, I want to say to the SQLSaturday Kazoo team, GREAT JOB! Thank you so much to all of you for bringing this event to your community. On a personal note, thank you to Amy and Tim for making me feel so welcome and having us all over to your home. You are such good people, and I hope to spend time again with you some day. I feel like I not only had a great opportunity to network, but made connections with some folks that I would consider good friends now. And special shout out to Josh, don’t forget our date in Seattle, your christening of the Hurricane Café. Rodney and I are both looking forward to it!
Interested in joining the PASS Board of Directors? Your chance is just around the corner.
The Board of Directors is the executive body of PASS, setting the organization's vision and direction to ensure that PASS achieves its mission to help community members connect, share, and learn. You can find information about the current Board here.
This year, the PASS Board will have four open seats, three of which will be up for election. The fourth seat - being vacated mid-term by Douglas McDowell, who will take on the role of Executive Vice President, Finance – will be appointed by the Board president, according to the PASS bylaws.
Applications open Wednesday, October 5, and are due two weeks later, by October 19. To qualify as a candidate, at a minimum you must have direct volunteer experience with PASS - for example, by serving on a committee or as a Regional Mentor or Chapter leader, leading a SQLSaturday or other event, or volunteering in another capacity. Candidates must also currently work with SQL Server to some degree.
For more about candidate requirements or the elections process, please see the PASS Elections 2011 website and feel free to contact PASS HQ Governance with any questions. Good luck to everyone who’s considering running for the Board, and get ready to rock the vote!
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