blog.stuco.me

"I regret to announce — this is The End. I am going now. I bid you all a very fond farewell." - Bilbo Baggins Soon, I'll nuking this blog I've (barely) maintained for the past 6+ years. Time for something 2.0-ish.

I'm at the end of a very long day which started last night, because I got very little sleep at last night at scout camp. All in all the camp was very successful and the boys had an absolute blast. My discomfort was well worth it for their sakes ;) Coming home is always nice; air conditioning, own bed and home cooking. I'm also glad I took the extra hour on arrival to air out everything before packing it away until the next camp. Tired and sleepy...

It rained for most of the evening, but I was able to catch a brief period of light sprinkling enough for me to pitch my tent. The boys are tenting with other scouts in their patrols, so their accommodations were ready when they arrived. The rain also made it possible for us to light a fire, something we thought might not happen since drought conditions has caused a burn ban for most of the summer. As long as there is moisture on the ground, "light 'em up boys!" Going to bed it was very humid, but by 2:00a or 3:00a temps dipped into the upper 60's and I was chilled enough to crawl into my bag. That felt good. I was woken up at 7:00a by my boys rapping on the fabric of my tent asking for keys to the van so they could get the food out. They seemed to be in very high spirits and that makes a Father's heart happy. The day ahead involves a hike, water activities at the nearby lake and other scouting skills. For now, I sit in my tent listening to the sounds of kids p...

Going camping my boy scouts in a few hours. It's the first campout since the Spring and the first real opportunity for me to unplug from work for a couple of days since the job change. We'll be cooking, hiking and kayaking in temperatures not in the 100's. Look for tweets, status updates and picture blogging.

Being away from a technology as vast as SQL Server for a few years is like reacquainting with an old friend you haven't seen since childhood. Your friend has matured and added a lot of sweet features to his/her list of mad skillz. Getting back into the SQL groove in the middle of 2008 R2's lifecycle and now almost Denali isn't exactly like riding a bike, but the core passion and love for this line of work is fueling my learning and resolve to take the product serious this time. I feel like I've been given a second chance with Database Administration and I aim to invest the time to truly master it. Speaking of Master, Kendra Little ( blog | twitter ) received her Microsoft Certified Master designation in SQL Server today . A very big CONGRATULATIONS to her, because it really is a big accomplishment . :) Fellow Dallas/Fort Worth resident Sean McCown ( blog | twitter ) has posted couple of great articles recently from his daily experiences and highly animated conversation...

Second full day as a bonafide Database Administrator has been completed and I am mentally stretched and swimming in an ocean of question marks that are beginning to form coherent questions, soon to be addressed with my new team members. The mental stretching actually feels good (at the end of the day) and is making me realize that I haven't been really exercising my brain for the past few years. I may have been extremely busy supporting many IT infrastructures at a basic level, but focusing on database technologies for one customer (my employer) at a much deeper level is causing me to really think (Like). Through conversations with the Data Team Leader, I know that she expects me to ask questions without actually telling me that she wants me to ask questions. I only asked a few questions today which were at a very high level. At the time, my meager interrogation felt inadequate given the mountain of infrastructure, process and history I have to learn. But after thinking about it t...

I knew it was ambitious to attempt a 10-day blog-a-thon after a couple years of very infrequent posting, but even though I stopped 4 days into it the countdown still continued (funny how time does that). So now I am at the eve of "T minus 1 day", my time has been served with 2X Software and a new adventure begins in the morning. Being a Database Administrator isn't new, but after a 4 year absence it sure might seem like it. I'm sure 10, 15 and 20-year DBA veterans experience something new every day. My short term focus is clear: settle in, get to know the people, assess the environment, learn the objectives and be a SQL DBA. This new opportunity would not have been possible without the help and support of the following people. First, God deserves all the credit for causing "everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." ( Rom. 8:28 NLT ). Second, my family for supporting their Daddy wholehear...

Somehow I've slipped into blogging in the morning, but since this launch countdown is for working days, dear readers, we're still on track. The title of this post isn't metaphorical, because today is my last free lunch provided by my current employer, 2X Software. Coffee, soft drinks, snacks and free lunch on Fridays are the perks I am leaving behind, but sometimes a better opportunity requires such bold sacrifices ;) Yesterday, I was reminded that Microsoft has Virtual Lab environments specifically tailored to particular scenarios for nearly all of their products including (surprise) SQL Server 2008 & R2. There is absolutely no sign-up required and a single or set of Hyper-V virtual machines are prepared for you VDI-style. There are on-screen instructions for the scenario which can be downloaded to PDF file and the servers are completely controllable by you just like a real server... because they are real servers! Granted, Microsoft is guiding you in the textbook met...

Today was a hodgepodge of ramping up activities for the new SQL Server gig which starts on July 1st now (that's news, right?). I installed Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 5.5, but didn't get to do anything with it. I also read a few great tutorials on MSSQLTips covering Stored Procedures, SQL Server Reporting Services and SQL Server Integration Services. My last professional exposure was SQL Server 2005, so I have some "refreshing" ahead of me. :) I am also amassing a list of books that I want to purchase (someday), but I'm still going back and forth on the "real bound book vs. eBook on an iPad" debate. eBooks are much less expensive and not as cumbersome, but will I miss the tactile quality of a bound book? Will eInk be as efficient for me as a few dead trees? Seriously though, I should stop moaning about it and just go the eBook route and become a proper member of the 2010 generation. There, debate over... I think. I'm behind on blog rea...

(Great, now I have to blog every day...) At the last North Texas SQL Server User Group Meeting (NTTSUG) , it was mentioned that Enterprise Edition IS SQL Server while Standard Edition is merely a stripped-down version of it. So why would you not employ SQL Server Enterprise in your environment? Cost. A Standard license is roughly one-fourth the cost of Enterprise Edition and could be worth the savings if your applications don't require the Enterprise features (you can find a "Features Supported by the Editions of SQL Server 2008 R2 article at http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc645993.aspx ). But let's consider a tiered environment where you have four SQL Servers for development, testing or user acceptance, staging and production. If my reasoning is correct (and please set me straight if I'm off base), a Standard Edition tiered installation would require four Standard server licenses. That cost should equal one Enterprise Edition server license provided you are ...

Not only in job interviews, but with people whom I engage in general database conversations, the question inevitably is asked "So what do you like about being a DBA?". I'm a geek - standard nerd - and when I answer this question, I feel the need to validate the geekiness of my response with a statement to the effect of "Yeah, I know, it's a sickness I have.". The fact is I LOVE DATABASES. I could perform a Steve Balmer-esque rant hopping on a stage and chanting "databases, databases, databases, databases". To my delight, I found in the first chapter of "Beginning SQL Server 2008 Administration" published by Apress an interview by the author, Robert E. Walters, with contributor, Grant Fritchey, about Grant's DBA career. A question from Robert was "What do you like about the job?". Following is Grant's response. "I work mainly as a development DBA, so my work entails understanding business processes and definitions...

As mentioned in tweets, Facebook updates and LinkedIn status, I was able to land (finally) employment in Fort Worth as a Database Administrator. Late on Friday, I gave my current employer the customary two week notice which sets my official start date to Tuesday, July 5. My family and I couldn't be more excited for this opportunity to re-ignite my career in the Database world. I have a fortnight to transition from my "old job" and ramp up for the "new gig" and naturally, I developed a few goals that need accomplishing during this time. The first goal is not to be dismissed prematurely, at least not without a full 2 weeks of pay. It's easy to succumb to "short termers disease" and slack off while biding time before the new job starts, but I need to strike a healthy balance between transitioning out and preparing for new responsibilities. The next set of goals are to holistically study the roles of a SQL Server Database Administrator, acquaint myself...

Four years ago, I left behind a 10-year career as a Database Administrator (Oracle and SQL Server) to join a cloud services startup in what promised to be the last job I would ever have. Yes, those words do look ridiculous, but it was a risk I had to take because it really had potential to be the next big thing. In early May of this year, I made the decision to return to my "DBA roots", refresh my knowledge of database concepts and drum up some interest among my contact base and IT-specific job boards. So here's the situation; I love relational database technology. Frankly, I love computer technology in general and wish I could master everything about it, but since life is short and if I must choose a specialization, then databases it is. Next, to which brand of database do I give my attention (my experience is equally split between Oracle and MS SQL Server)? Currently, I'm leaning (and learning) toward SQL Server for the following reasons: My most recent database exp...

Part 2 of this train of thought will be completed... someday. A fresh wind of purpose has awakened within me recently and I must go and harness it's potential. More on that soon (very soon).

A few years ago, I was at a client's office in a creative tech meeting and I found myself hearing the same phrases over and over. "That's a great story.", my client would say whenever the team brainstormed new opportunities. Since then, I've come to realize that every decision we make in life and in business forms a "story"; more specifically, your story.

Tomorrow, I start my unofficial first day at my new employer 2x Software . My official first day is Monday, but my new colleagues are hosting a training session for a client in the morning and they thought it would be a good idea for me to "sit in" for a half day. I am very excited to start working again. A huge amount of thanks goes out to our friends, people in my new network, and folks I don't even know who have been praying with us, encouraging me and circulating my resume within their network. You have buoyed my spirits and I am thankful for you all. The past 45 days have been very interesting and sometimes stressful, but in the end the break was good for me to clear my head and earnestly seek God's direction for this new stage in my career. For 15 years, I have held a position where I have been on-call in some fashion in the evenings and weekends. Now, aside from the odd consulting assignment, my nights and weekends will be free for me to spend more time with th...

Surprising, that's the word. When we do anything, we have an expectation of how that thing will turn out and what the process might be like. We may understand before starting that the journey and end-result may actually be completely different, but still we can't help but have at preconception. Starting my career search, I had two expectations. Either I was going to find a replacement job quickly or I would encounter a long and harsh path filled with rejection or worse... no feedback. I realize these are extreme thoughts that seem ridiculous on both sides, but what is surprising is my actual and opposite experience. Almost 1 month into the search, employment is still elusive yet the road is marked with activity, opportunity and hope. Daily, I am fighting to keep up with the demands pouring in to send my resume to a potential employer and to apply for a specific positions (activity). I have talked to 3 people now (possibly 4) who are interested in having me involved in the techn...

Although there's nothing signed in ink yet, here's a quick look at what's happening in my career search so far. Most of this, by the way, is a direct result of prayer and networking (who and Who you know, y'know?). One plan coming together to launch my own technology services business. Two opportunities to be part of new technology-related ventures. Three appointments booked for tomorrow and next week for potential employment. 15 or so people circulating my resume within their networks. Prayers and encouragement of countless others which keep me going every day.

For the past few months, I have been in daily prayer for the work that God has called me to do whether that be improving my diligence, taking the company that employs me in new and innovative directions, changing my idea of work as it relates to providing for my family or seeking a new direction for my career. Since becoming a full-time job seeker, my prayers have become even more focused with laser-intensity (as you can imagine). Following are a few things I pray for with regard to this thing called "work". I hope it inspires and helps others along their journey. God, you are Supreme, Majestic and Sovereign. Everything I am and ever will be is a direct result of Your blessing and leading. You have and can make unexpected and supernatural things happen. Please don't limit my expectations based on my humanity, rather fulfill Your plan through me. Change my concept of work as a means to provide for my family. Create new and exciting opportunities for income. You have alread...

Well, it's been quite a long time since I have written a real blog post and the first one under the renamed 'blog.stuco.me'. It's still the old 'CastingMyNet' with my old content (or digitized history), but I've dusted it off and given it a new moniker. A complete update and possible redesign is being contemplated too. Did you have a good Christmas - get everything you wanted? How about New Year's? Were you glad to say goodbye or good riddance to 2010? I, for one, am glad to start this New Year fresh, mainly because I found myself out of work for the first time in 15 years at a completely different station in life. Don't get me wrong, for the most part, 2010 was a good year and the month of December gave us the most memorable blessing of our family's life, but the sudden loss of income at the end compelled us to sharply shift our focus, purpose and intentionality. Two weeks leading up to the year's end, I was busy harvesting the rich supply o...