Countdown Stops / The Big Switch

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 wholeheartedly no matter what he decides to do. Next, to all of you who have been praying for my job search and have been willing to circulate my resume within your network. Lastly to Comforce Technologies for finding my profile on Dice.com and to NTSP for extending the offer to join their team.

This blog is about to see some action of a different kind. Bookmark it and/or subscribe; I hope my contributions will be worth your while.

T minus 7 days: Last Free Lunch

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 method of performing operation rather than real-world scenarios, but for brand new and Junior DBAs this is a ready, available and effective resource. The only thing it does require is a Windows workstation with IE8, RDP 7 and .NET 3.5 - Windows 7 is probably preferred.

Happy Friday Everybody! I'll talk to you later.

T minus 8 days: No Particular Update

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 reading and Google Reader is reminding me of the backlog every time I log in. I'll begin to tackle that in the morning and post comments. There's a lot of you out there in SQL Server Land that I'd like to get to know and participate in your conversations.

That's about it. Blogging is coming easier to me now that I've committed myself to the daily exercise. I figure it is just a log of my ramblings on the web, so I'm coming to you just as I am - warts and all. Have a good Thursday and I'll catch up with you tomorrow.

Oh if you're interested, below are the links to the MSSQLTips I read today.

Stored Procedures Tutorial

SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) Tutorial

SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) Tutorial

T minus 9 days: Justifying the Enterprise License

(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 working with the same number of processors. Now hang in with me here; Microsoft offers a SQL Server Developer Edition which is Enterprise Edition (bells, whistles and features) with "special licensing" (around $50?). Couldn't you use the Developer Edition server licenses in all of the non-production servers and Enterprise Edition server license for production?

Two factors that I can think of might burst this thought bubble. First, Microsoft may call "foul play" and state that the Developer Edition is purely for development; not testing and not staging. Second, Developer Edition may not entirely be congruent with Enterprise Edition and if that's the case, all of your development, testing and staging could be really risky to migrate if it deviates even slightly with Enterprise Edition in production. Otherwise, this theory could be a way to truly justify working with the fully featured version of SQL Server... right??

As always, comments, rants, corrections, rebukes, and attaboys are welcome.

T minus 10 days: I Am Validated!

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 and turning those into structured storage. It requires me to cover a lot more territory and understand a lot more about the business, software development, database development, systems and so on, than other IT jobs. We straddle the fence between pure systems work and pure development. It really keeps things interesting. Plus, there is so much to learn about how the SQL Engine stores and retrieves data, the best way to get or send data to the applications, all the management tools, and so on. It makes the job a challenge every dat, and almost every day you have to learn something new. "

"I especially love query tuning - getting an execution plan and the I/O and CPU costs of the query so that you can figure out which are the costly operations, which tables need new or better indexes, and which queries are badly written or just need a bit of tweaking. It keeps you on your toes mentally, and you get immediate feedback on how well you're doing your job. You can take a query that runs in 45 seconds but is called several times a minute and make it run in 45 milliseconds, and you know that you just helped the company's bottom line and really earned your salary."

Finally, I realize I am not alone in warped enthusiasm for this career. I'd love to hear what makes other DBA's love their work.

New DBA Gig: 2 Week Preparation

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 with new features in R2 and Denali, and develop an appropriate routine for the environment I can anticipate to be in. The focus here is to be prepared for anything my new employer wants to throw at me. I was told during my interview that the company is growing rapidly and they have specific initiatives to upgrade to SQL Server 2008 (R2), Data Warehousing and introduce Business Intelligence.

Lastly, I'd like to get in shape: physically. I know that when I exercise regularly, my energy levels increase and my mental ability is more focused. Also, I haven't worn business casual attire in over 4 years and I would like to lose an inch or two in the waist so I can fit in my Dockers again (I just don't have the resources right now to invest in a whole new wardrobe).

Oh I almost forgot about blogging. As my peers in the #sqlserver community aptly demonstrate, I need to develop a routine for regular or daily blogging. This helps me to stay encouraged in my career, share my daily adventures for others to learn from experiences and to contribute to the community in general. I look forward to the future and hope you will join in my journey.

Re-entry into the Database Administration Sphere

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:

1. My most recent database experience is with SQL Server.
2. SQL Server has gained exponential credibility in the Enterprise than it used to.
3. The #sqlserver and #sqlpass communities appears to be strong and genuine source of support, learning and encouragement.

I'm studying the self-paced MCTS certification track for SQL Server 2008, reading blogs by the many SQL Server professionals out there, participating in discussions on Twitter and attending SQL PASS meetings here in North Texas.

My goal is not just to be a Database Administrator, but to really master this technology so that I can share my experiences and give back to the community that's helping me get back in. For now, however, I can regularly share my daily experiences in learning and in practicing these database concepts.