Reprinted from my editorial in Database Weekly.

I know a lot of DBAs who make SQL Server the focus of their life. In many ways, if you want to be an exceptional DBA, and stand out from the crowd, you don’t have a lot of choice about devoting a lot of time to your career. There are many reasons for this. For example, the nature of the DBA’s job often requires working long hours, working weekends, and being on call 24/7. Then there is the need to continually increase your knowledge, especially as SQL Server continues to become more bloated with features with every new release. And if you are involved in volunteering for the SQL Server community, time commitments can be huge.

Of course, there are many careers other than being a DBA that consume a lot of time, so the question I want to pose to you applies to many different careers. And the question is: "Are you focusing too much time on your career to the exclusion of doing other important things in your life?" For example, is it more important to attend a SQL Saturday, or go to the park with your family? Is it more important to keep up reading the latest blog posts, or to relax and watch a good movie? Is it more important to download SQL Server 2012 on your home computer and learn it than working on a hobby that you enjoy? These are all difficult questions that DBAs make on a daily basis.

In the SQL Server community, I know of a handful of DBAs who seem to be able to do it all. They are exceptional DBAs who excel at whatever they do, and at the same time, they also seem to have a non-SQL Server-related life that they enjoy. They have the best of both worlds. In other cases, I have seen DBAs who work very hard, devoting virtually all their time to their career, shining brightly, but only briefly, before burning out, and you never hear from them again.

Of course, most of us fall between these two extremes, and we are constantly trying to figure out how to best balance our career with our life. But this is not an easy task, Because of this, I thought it would be interesting to ask for advice on how you balance your career and your life. Share with us the problems you have faced with this balancing act, and how you have successfully resolved them. Or, perhaps if you are still figuring out how to balance everything, and you haven’t figured it out, feel free to share your problems so that perhaps others may offer advice. I know that I still have a lot to learn about this topic, and I am eager to learn from you.

2012 is already upon us and I have been busy working on my travel schedule for this year. It is still incomplete, but I have many events scheduled, and I am leaving room for some additional events as they are announced.

So how about you, have your scheduled the training events you want to attend this year? In a recent poll of readers of my blog, it looks like the most popular SQL Server training events are SQL Saturdays (18 events already scheduled for this year), SQL PASS Summit (Seattle, November 6-9, 2012), SQL Rally (Dallas, May 10-11, 2012), SQL Bits (UK, March 29-31, 2012), and SQL in the City (Dates and locations not yet announced).

While many of you may not have a training budget, fortunately, many of the events are free, and assuming they are within easy driving distance, attending them should be a no-brainer decision for you to make.

So if you have not done so yet, begin planning out your training this year. With the launch of SQL Server 2012, it should be a very busy year.

Auditing

An emerging task of the DBA is to identify which users are accessing, inserting, updating, or deleting data, and when. Auditing might only be necessary for limited time periods, for specific users, for very specific data, or it might be required 24/7 for all data. While performing this task, DBAs often have to work with both internal and external auditors.

Application Integration

While most organizations use third-party applications, very few of these applications work in isolation. In other words, disparate applications have to be made to talk to one another, often using the database as the means to share data. DBAs often get involved in figuring out the best way to integrate applications. This may include creating custom applications, Transact-SQL scripts, or SSIS packages.

Backup and Recovery

One of the most fundamental aspects of the DBA’s job is to protect the organization’s data. This includes making periodic backups of data and keeping it safe from accidental or intentional destruction. In addition, a well-developed recovery plan needs to be implemented and tested so that when problems do arise, data can be restored quickly.

Business Intelligence/Data Warehousing

One of the fastest growing areas for the DBA is Business Intelligence (BI) and data warehousing. This is because more and more organizations are seeking to mine all the information they can, in order to make better business decisions.

Capacity Planning

In most organizations, the number and size of databases grows rapidly. It is the responsibility of the DBA to watch data growth, and plan how best to deal with it. This may include archiving it, increasing the size of current hardware, or adding new hardware.

Change Management

SQL Server configurations, database schema, Transact-SQL code, and many other facets of the application ecosystem, change over time. It is often the responsibility to the DBA to perform impact analysis before changes are made, implement changes, test changes, and document them.

Database Application Development

Many DBAs are really application developers who specialize in writing code to directly access SQL Server. While this is most commonly done using Transact-SQL and stored procedures, it can involve writing other code that is used to access SQL Server data.

Data Modeling and Database Design

The foundation of all efficient and scalable databases is good database design. DBAs often create database designs by performing needs / requirement analysis, creating a logical mode, and them implementing the physical model.

Developing and Maintaining Best Practices

DBAs should be proactive in their work, and one of the best ways to be proactive is to develop sound database best practices and to implement them. The better organized and managed the database operations, the more efficient they will be. Ideally, an organization’s best practices will be documented for all to read and follow.

High Availability

A DBA needs to ensure that their databases are available to users when they need access to data. There are many different ways to help ensure high availability, including use of log shipping, clustering, database mirroring, and other technologies.

Installing, Configuring, Patching and Upgrading SQL Server Software

One of the most time-consuming of all database tasks is installing, configuring, patching and upgrading SQL Server instances. While installing and configuring new instances is relatively straight-forward, it can be time consuming.

Installing and Configuring Hardware

In some organizations, hardware (the server and I/O subsystem) is handled by dedicated hardware technicians. In others, the DBA is responsible for building, installing, and configuring their own hardware. In addition, DBAs may also perform regular hardware troubleshooting and maintenance.

Load Balancing

Over time, the load put on individual databases changes. DBAs are responsible for monitoring workloads and figuring out how to maximize hardware resources to get the best SQL Server performance. This may involve moving a database from a busy server to a less busy server. It can also involve server consolidation or virtualization.

Maintaining Documentation

Writing and maintaining documentation is probably the most boring and loathed task that a DBA will encounter. However boring it is, it is still a critical part of the DBA’s job. If there is no documentation, then there is no easy way to rebuild the current infrastructure should major problems arise.

Managing Managers

A manager needs to be a DBA’s ally, not an enemy. It is important for a DBA to develop and maintain good relationships with their manager, and with any other managers in the organization that they work with. Getting along with managers makes it easier for DBAs to get the resources they need to succeed at their job. The same is true for getting along with other managers, as many of them may control resources that DBA’s need in order to perform their tasks successfully.

Managing People

Many DBAs find themselves in management positions, such as a senior DBA who is in charge of junior DBAs. Some DBAs at large organizations do this full time, while others combine people management with other DBA duties.

Managing SQL Server-based Applications

DBAs are often responsible not only for managing SQL Server and its databases, but also any applications that access the database. These varies by organization, but in some places the DBA ends up spending more time managing applications than SQL Server itself.

Maintaining Servers and Databases

SQL Server, and the databases running on them, need periodic maintenance in order to run efficiently. DBAs are responsible for ensuring all maintenance gets done on a timely basis.

Managing Test Environments

In most, larger organizations, DBAs manage test environments that include test SQL Servers and databases, as well as test database applications. The purpose of this is to allow databases and applications (both in-house and third-party) to be tested before new versions of SQL Server (including patches and service packs), operating systems, or applications are rolled out into production.

Monitoring

This is a wide-ranging task that includes many subtasks, such as monitoring performance, monitoring server disk space, monitoring logs, ensuring jobs have run successfully, checking for errors, and so on.

Needs/Requirements Analysis

Whether a DBA is involved in development, or just supports third-party applications, they often perform needs/requirements analysis. This can include talking to users, finding out their needs and requirements, and determining the best way to meet them.

Negotiating Service Level Agreements

In many organizations, DBAs become involved in negotiating Service Level Agreements (SLAs). A SLA is an agreement between the customer (the owner of the business application accessing SQL Server databases) and the service provider (the DBA team managing the databases). This agreement sets out the criteria that define “acceptable service”.

Performance Tuning

It is the job of the DBA to monitor performance and to determine ways to optimize database performance.

Project Management

Oftentimes, DBAs will find themselves in charge of a large project involving many other people. This could entail writing a new in-house application, or managing the migration of a data center from one location to another.

Protector of the Data

While this is not a specific job task, I am including it here because it underlies so many of the DBA’s other tasks. DBAs are responsible for protecting the integrity of an organization’s data. This not only involves such obvious areas as backup, restores, and high availability, it also includes ensuring that applications don’t corrupt data, that hardware doesn’t corrupt data, or that user’s don’t corrupt data.

Replicating Data

It is very common for data to be moved from one server to another on a regular basis. A DBA will often research various ways in which data can be replicated from server to server, decide upon the most appropriate method, implement the replication, and then manage it once it is up and running.

Report Writing

With SQL Server Reporting Services, many DBAs find themselves writing reports against databases. This might just mean writing the Transact-SQL code to extract the data, or it could include the creation and formatting of physical reports.

Running Jobs

Virtually every SQL Server has jobs that run on it periodically. These jobs might include backups, data imports or exports, or rebuilding indexes. DBAs are responsible for determining what jobs are needed, creating the jobs, and managing them.

Security

DBAs control who can access data and what they can do with it. This involves creating SQL Server login IDs, database IDs, assigning permissions, moving security between servers, and maybe even implementing data encryption.

Scripting

DBAs often write their own Transact-SQL scripts to perform a wide range of tasks, including monitoring and maintenance tasks. In addition, with the advent of PowerShell, many DBAs are writing PowerShell scripts to enhance their productivity.

SSIS/ETL

A very common task is to move data in and out of databases and at the same time perform some transformations on the data as it is moved. This is often done for BI applications, data warehouses, and application integration. SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) is a popular tool DBAs use to implement Export/Transform/Load (ETL) operations in SQL Server.

Testing

DBAS perform all sorts of testing, all the time. This can include testing servers, testing databases, testing applications, testing management tools, and so on. DBAs test because they want to ensure that what they do will work, and that data integrity and high availability, is maintained at all times.

Training Users

Oftentimes, DBAs need to share their knowledge with other DBAs, developers, or end-users.

Troubleshooting

Virtually every day, DBAs are troubleshooting one problem or another. In many cases, when a problem occurs the DBA is expected to “drop everything” and focus on resolving the problem at hand.

Vendor Relations

Many SQL Server-based applications are provided by third-parties, so the DBA often becomes involved with maintaining relationships with these third-party vendors. The DBA will generally perform the initial installation of the third-party software, troubleshoot problems, and update the application and its database when new versions are rolled out.

Working with Teammates

Rarely will a DBA work alone. In most cases, DBAs will be interacting with a very large group of people, including other DBAs, developers, end users, product-knowledge specialists, vendors, accountants, hardware experts, and networking experts.

While this may seem like a long list, it is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to describing the many tasks of the Database Administrator. If you are a DBA and would like to add to this list, please do so in the comments section below.

A DBA (Database Administrator) is a Data Professional tasked with managing an organization’s data using some sort of database software, such as Microsoft SQL Server. They are concerned with gathering, storing and presenting data to data consumers, which includes virtually anyone in the modern world. For example, managers use data to plan for the future, employees use data to make daily decisions, and Internet users (virtually anyone who uses a computer or smartphone) use data they find to comparison shop, learn new skills, listen to music, and keep up with the news. No matter where you look, virtually all the data that exists anywhere is managed by Data Professionals.

Here’s a quick break down of the various jobs that fall under the umbrella of Data Professional. While exact job titles will vary from organization to organization, most Data Professionals fall into one of the following disciplines.

Database Administration

The classic definition for a DBA is the person responsible for the day-to-day tasks of directly managing data using database software. This is the foundation of data management, and includes many specific tasks. Some of these tasks include backing up data so that it doesn’t get lost or corrupted, ensuring that there is adequate storage space for the ever increasing amount of data that is collected, and performing a variety of maintenance tasks to ensure the databases are running smoothly, quickly, and running all the time. In addition, DBAs will frequently deploy new databases, new data structures new code, and are responsible for applying updates to the software as they are released. It is highly likely that these Data Professionals will have to be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in the event there is a problem with the databases or server hardware.

Database Development

Many Data Professionals work directly with software development teams and organization stakeholders to create new databases. They are experts in writing queries in a special computer language, called SQL, to quickly store and retrieve information from databases. Their responsibilities can include reviewing the performance of the database, the server, and the software in order to ensure that they run optimally. In some cases, they may know a lot more than the Database Administrator because they’re expected to design and build all of the things that Database Administrator use in their position. On the other hand, they may know less than the typical Database Administrator because they chose to focus on writing SQL code, to the exclusion of day-to-day database management.

Report Development

Data Professionals filling this role may be very good at writing SQL queries that are used to return the data from a database for reports or other forms of data presentation to end users. On the other hand, they may focus exclusively on creating reports, and rely on Database Developers to help them write the correct SQL queries. In general they will be very knowledgeable about the technical and business aspects of data retrieval and display. They will build simple or complex reports as the needs of the organization dictate. They will be able to combine these into interactive dashboards that business users are coming to expect for viewing management information.

Data Mining

This is a highly specialized discipline requiring a great deal of knowledge of the Analysis Services tool in SQL Server. Data mining is the task of identifying new correlations and relationships among existing data so organizations can make better decisions. For example, Wal-Mart uses data mining to determine which products are to be located on what shelves in their stores in order to generate the greatest amount of profit. Generally, this area of work is only undertaken by people who have specialized training. It’s a very complex subject, but because the tools for data mining are easily accessed through SQL Server, more and more people are getting involved in data mining so they can help businesses put information together in ways that unlock previously unknown relationships.

Data Loading

Data tends to stick around forever, especially in larger organizations. Because there are so many ways to access data and so many sources of data to be accessed, there is a requirement to move these massive amounts of data from one storage location to another as it continues to grow. A specialty has arisen around Data Professionals who are experts with Integrations Services, which is a part of SQL Server. This tool is practically its own development language, and as such, requires a great deal of knowledge to make it work well.

Data Architect

Larger organizations may come to rely on a person who knows all the above disciplines, and more. This person would also have a very good understanding of the business for which the data is being collected and maintained. These data professionals are going to be able to make decisions regarding all of the disciplines, software, and design you’ve read about so far. This is frequently a very senior position within most organizations and there is seldom more than one individual filling the position.

The above are just some of the types of tasks that Data Professionals perform in organizations around the world.

Tomorrow, DBA Brad McGehee will talk about the many different tasks that DBAs typically perform on a routine basis.

A DBA (Database Administrator) is someone who takes care of your data. When you place an order on Amazon.com, it’s the DBA who ensures the order is permanently recorded in the database. If one of the computers at Amazon fails, and they regularly do, the DBA can recover the data. The DBA should be the person that prevents part of your order from getting lost because it’s incorrectly recorded, and it’s the person that makes sure that if you update your address, the change is recorded so your purchases reach the right destination.

A DBA makes sure that the transfers between your bank account and other accounts are completed in full, without allowing the deduction from your account to occur without the credit arriving in the destination account. DBAs try to ensure the data that appears on your bill is correct, and that if you change the name on your account, the change is reflected in your statement.

DBAs are like the local librarians, keeping track of all the various words and numbers in their library and knowing where everything is. They are the custodians of information in databases, trying to keep it all organized, intact, and available for access. DBAs are not perfect and they can make mistakes which result in the mistakes we occasionally find on bills or statements.

However, DBAs don’t act alone, and in many cases their job is directly affected by other people. The websites you use, or the applications on your computer or mobile phone, are written by developers that decide how you enter or read the information, and how the data moves into or out of the database. These developers sometimes do not have the proper training on how to store data to prevent mistakes, or how to clean data to fix incorrect entries, resulting in bad data outside of the control of the DBA.

In addition, the connections to databases are often managed by system administrators or network professionals who also deal with failures. When you cannot access your account on a website, it’s entirely possible the database is running and working fine; the problem is in the connection between the website computer and the database computer.

The DBA’s role is often taken for granted. If everything works as expected, it appears the DBA is not doing any work, or adding any value to their company. This may be why so many companies forgo hiring a DBA and expect their developers and system administrators to manage the databases. That’s not usually the case as the work a DBA does is designed to prevent problems, and be available to fix the inevitable issues that will arise.

The DBA is a preventative mechanic, working on your car every day and night when you aren’t using it, ensuring that it is working when you do need it. They’re the behind the scenes staffers that coordinate and organize the concert or play you enjoy, unaware of just how much work goes into providing you with an enjoyable experience. The DBA is the glue that binds so much of our technological world together, helping to ensure that all parts of the system know what should be built, sent to who, and when it should arrive.

Find out how DBA Grant Fritchey describes what a DBA is and does.

Red Gate Software will be providing a free, full-day SQL Server event called SQL in the City in Los Angeles, CA on October 28, 2011. It will be held at the Skirball Cultural Centre in the Santa Monica Mountains, just outside of Los Angeles.

The event will provide six hours of free SQL Server training, with a focus on how Red Gate tools can be used to help make SQL Server DBAs and Developers more productive.Speakers will include Steve Jones, Grant Fritchey, Brad McGehee, Denny Cherry, Kalen Delaney, Aaron Nelson, and Ike Ellis, all SQL Server MVPs.

To find out more about this free event, and how to register, visit www.sqlinthecity.com.

Tim Mitchell will be speaking at the SQLServerCentral.com track at SQL Server Connections, October 31-November 3, 2011, in Las Vegas, NV.

Tell us about yourself.

I’m a practitioner of business intelligence, primarily focusing on SQL Server. I’ve been in the IT field for over a decade, and have worked with SQL Server in various capacities for about 8 years. By day, I work as a BI consultant. I’m proud to be a part of Artis Consulting in Dallas, where I help deliver BI solutions across the entire SQL Server stack. During my spare time, I serve on the board of directors for the North Texas SQL Server User Group in Dallas (Irving), and I blog and speak at community events as much as I am able.

What have you had published?

I occasionally write articles and editorial pieces for SQLServerCentral.com. I have also recorded a number of training videos over at SQLShare.com. I am also contributing to a couple of SQL Server-related books that will be published later this year or early next year.

Where do you blog?

My blog can be found at www.timmitchell.net, which is also mirrored at SQLServerCentral.com. My blog is a mix of SQL Server and career-related information.

What advice can you give to DBAs about writing?

Very simply, writing will help your career, period. I can’t say enough about the benefits of writing as a career development platform. Writing helps to hone your writing skills, which are essential to the long-term success of any database professional. By publishing what you write, you also help to boost your street cred among peers as well as creating a highly visible body of work for review by potential employers or clients. You also get the opportunity to share your ideas and open them up for scrutiny by others. Yes, this is a little scary at times, and sometimes requires thick skin. However, by sharing your insights with others, you can help to identify any flaws or potential improvements that you can make in your methods. There’s also good feedback, too. If you do something well and blog about it, the SQL Server community is very gracious in acknowledging good content.

Tell us a little about your speaking experience?

As professional speakers go, I’m a relative newcomer. Until about three years ago, I had never spoken professionally to a group of any significant size, apart from a few training sessions I’d hosted for internal employees at companies where I’d worked. I took a chance and submitted a session for one of the very first SQL Saturday events (#3, in Jacksonville) and to my surprise I was selected to speak. I was hooked from that very first presentation, and since then I’ve been very active on the speaking circuit.

These days, I frequently speak at events such as SQL Saturday, tech fest events, and local user groups. I recently spoke at the first ever SQL Rally event in Orlando, and this fall I’ll be presenting at two upcoming national events: SQL Server Connections and the SQL PASS Summit.

What advice do you have for DBAs who want to begin making public presentations?

Speaking in public is problematic for some people. I can say that with authority because I used to be one of those people.

Admittedly, it’s much more difficult to deliver presentations than it is to sit down and write an article, a blog post, or answer a question on a forum. Presenting is usually done in real-time, and doesn’t have a lot of room to pause or reset if things go wrong. Still, there’s something incredibly satisfying about delivering a presentation to your peers and leaving with the realization that they learned something from you. Much like writing, developing presentation skills can bring career rewards that surpass the personal satisfaction you receive.

My advice would be to try it out once or twice to see if you like it. Schedule a presentation for a local user group (most user groups I know of are starved for speakers, so you probably won’t have a hard time finding an audience). If it’s something you enjoy, there are countless resources to help you refine your technique, and the rewards are many.

How do you keep up with your SQL Server continuing education?

Two key things: I learn from the mistakes of others, and I learn from my own mistakes.

I enjoy reading blogs. Sometimes blog posts offer instruction on how to do something, but the really interesting ones start like, “Let me tell you how I screwed up, and how I fixed it.” On my own, I like to try things. Maybe it works, maybe it doesn’t. If it does, I have a new method I might be able to use in the future. If it doesn’t work, I’ve learned a way NOT to do it – and it’s often those lessons that stick the best.

What are your favorite SQL Server events to attend, and why?

I really like the big national events like SQL Server Connections and the SQL PASS Summit. I know a lot of people at those events, and it’s always great to hang out and learn with folks you know. But I’d say that my favorite events are still the smaller, regional events – SQL Saturday, code camps, local tech fests, and the like. These venues typically offer more of an opportunity to talk to people, and to really get to know them.

Why should DBAs consider taking part in the SQL Server community?

A better question would be, why wouldn’t you? Being a part of any community, and especially such a welcoming and friendly group like the SQL Server community, is an investment that pays back many times more than you put into it. By getting involved, you get to know people – people who may someday be clients, bosses, or even friends. If you’re looking for a job, would it be easier to send out resumes to 100 companies that have never heard of you, or to reach out to a dozen people who know you well and are interested in your professional development? If your company needs a rock star consultant, wouldn’t it be easier to reach out to someone you’ve personally met than calling names in a phone book?

Community is about people. Being a part of a community is simply getting to know people, and letting them know you. Sharing, collaboration, business relationships, and mentorship can all result from these relationships. Everybody wins.

What are some of the key characteristics that you feel differentiate between “good” and “exceptional” DBAs?

Good DBAs know their stuff. They show up for work every day and do what is required, and their systems are almost always running well.

Exceptional DBAs make investments. They invest in themselves to stay at the top of their game through education and peer collaboration. They invest extra effort to make sure that not only is the job done, but that it is done as well as possible. They invest in the community by contributing to the body of work at large, and perhaps even serve as mentors for individuals within their circles.

What are some of the biggest challenges for DBAs in the immediate future?

I think the cloud will present some changes to the role of the DBA. While I don’t agree with the popular opinion that the cloud will spell the end of the job of the DBA as we know it, I think smart DBAs are already looking ahead for ways to adapt what they do to fit into the cloud computing model.

What advice would you give to a person who is considering becoming a DBA?

SQL Server is a great place to be right now, but it’s also a very big field. For anyone considering getting in to this field, I would say that you need to find an area in which to focus. Explore the roles of DBA, database developer, BI practitioner, etc., to see which fits you best, but make it a goal to specialize in just one area.

What you are not working, what do you do for fun?

When I’m not working or writing, I enjoy spending time with friends and family, reading, and photography. I enjoy snow skiing, but given the absence of mountains here in Texas, this is a rare treat for me.

If you were not a DBA, and could choose the perfect job, what would it be?

I think I’d want to fly something. If the Army ever decides that Apache helicopter pilots must also have business intelligence skills, I’m in.

Briefly describe the sessions that you will be presenting at the SQLServerCentral.com Track at SQL Server Connections.

I’ll be delivering two sessions at this event. In the first session, I’ll talk about the Top 10 (ish) Best Practices for SSIS, during which we’ll identify a handful of quick wins that will help you improve the performance, reliability, and maintainability of your SSIS packages. The second session is entitled Defensive ETL, where we will assume that all data is bad, and handle it accordingly.

Grant Fritchey will be speaking at the SQLServerCentral.com track at SQL Server Connections, October 31-November 3, 2011, in Las Vegas, NV.

Tell us about yourself.

I have twenty plus years’ experience in IT, in the areas of technical support, development, and database administration. Currently, I work for Red Gate Software as a Product Evangelist, where I spend a lot of time speaking, and writing articles for SQLServerCentral.com and Simple-Talk.com. I’m one of the founding officers of the Southern New England SQL Server Users Group and I am its current president. I’ve been involved with the SQL Server community since the 2005 PASS Summit when I saw people having a good time while they were learning. I’ve also been a Microsoft SQL Server MVP since 2009.

What have you had published?

I’ve authored two books of my own: SQL Server Execution Plans and SQL Server 2008 Query Performance Tuning Distilled. I’ve also written chapters for a couple of other books, including Beginning SQL Server 2008 Administration and SQL Server Team-Based Development.

Where do you blog?

I maintain two blogs. The first, at Scary DBA, is a general technical and SQL Community blog. I basically blog about whatever technical issues I’m working on or community comments or links I’m interested in. The second, at Scarlet & Scary, is similar, but I also blog about Red Gate products there.

What advice can you give to DBAs about writing?

First, be sure that you enjoy writing, not just writing about SQL Server. Writing is a process and it’s not always a fun one. You need to have a good time with the process, or writing is just too tough. Second, don’t worry about what everyone else has written. Maybe you want to write about a new way to identify a missing index and you know someone has already written about that…so what? Go for it anyway. You may tell a better story or provide more detail, or reach people that other author couldn’t reach. Don’t hold back.

Tell us a little about your speaking experience?

Prior to officially speaking in public, there were only two things that I had done that might have helped me to prepare for it: teach private classes in a corporate setting and lead a pack of Cub Scouts. Of the two, being the Cubmaster to a bunch of young boys was the better experience for public speaking. You learn very quickly that not everything you say will be heard or is even worth hearing. It’s a good lesson when you start speaking

What advice do you have for DBAs who want to begin making public presentations?

Be passionate about the topic, whatever the topic is. If you’re passionate about what you’re presenting, you communicate that passion to the audience, and it’s much more likely that they’ll take whatever it is you are teaching them and try it out back in their office.

How do you keep up with your SQL Server continuing education?

As new books get published, I pick them up and read them. A book is still one of the most information rich areas to learn from. I also subscribe to Database Weekly. It shows me areas that I might need to spend more time on, and it links to the best blog posts out there. Finally, I try to answer questions on the forums at SQLServerCentral.com and at ASK.SQLServerCentral.com. I find that teaching others forces me to get a better understanding of a topic.

What are your favorite SQL Server events to attend, and why?

That’s tough. I like them all. SQL Server Connections is wonderful because you can cross disciplines so easily, spending time talking to SharePoint guys and developers, as well as database professionals. The PASS Summit has become like a family reunion that also presents great technical information. SQL Saturday events are wonderful because of the intimacy of the networking that you can do there. They’re all pretty good.

What is your favorite SQL Server book?

Without doubt it’s Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Internals by Kalen Delaney. She has had a book on my shelf since, at least, SQL Server 7.0. The latest one is not only a must own, but more than that, it’s a must read, a lot.

Why should DBAs consider taking part in the SQL Server community?

It’s very simple. Do you know everything? If not, you probably should take part in the SQL Server community. You’re going to have a better chance at answering questions if you can hook into the extensive body of knowledge available in the community. Plus, they’re great people, good friends, the kind of people you want to hang around with.

What suggestions do you have for DBAs on how to become a more involved in the SQL Server community?

That’s easy. Don’t lurk. Step up, get involved, volunteer, talk to people. If you hang back, you’re less likely to get involved. If you step up, you will get involved. It’s really that easy.

What are some of the key characteristics that you feel differentiate between “good” and “exceptional” DBAs?

Principally, I think it’s a willingness to stretch a little and try new things. You can be great at tuning script deployments, but if you completely dig in your heels at something like Entity Framework, rather than seeking to understand it and figure out how it can be incorporated successfully into your systems; and, just as importantly, the places where it shouldn’t be used at all; you’re far too likely to be merely good forever. Embrace change, try to get in front of it, and lead it where it needs to go. It’s not always possible, but trying is more likely to move you up to being exceptional than not trying at all.

What are some of the biggest challenges for DBAs in the immediate future?

I think the biggest challenge is figuring out to correctly incorporate the cloud and SQL Azure into their systems. The cloud is not going away, and simply ignoring it, as far too many people are doing now, is likely to make it a worse problem than it should be for those people.

What advice would you give to a person who is considering becoming a DBA?

Plastic…. That’s tough. Personally, I think that it hurts DBAs who don’t have a good understanding of how development works. I’d suggest at least spending time with developers and trying to see the difficulties of building business solutions from their point of view. It’s more likely to make you into a helpful DBA, and not one that just says no to everything proposed to them.

What do you consider one of the most useful, but underrated features of SQL Server?

I don’t think it’s under-rated, but not nearly enough people use it, and it’s Dynamic Management Objects. There is just so much excellent information available at your fingertips if you just reach out and take it.

What feature do you think is missing from SQL Server and you would like to see in a future version?

Some way to really know, forever, and for sure; that an object, such as a table or a stored procedure; has never been accessed over some period of time. It would be so great to be able to clean out the junk from the system sometimes.

What you are not working, what do you do for fun?

I help lead a Troop of Boy Scouts (the Cub Scouts grew) which gets me out doing the things I enjoy, such as hiking, backpacking, kayaking, paddling and just being outside.

If you were not a DBA, and could choose the perfect job, what would it be?

I think I’d like to teach history at the Junior High School level. You can still get kids when they might get excited about history rather than spending too much time looking cool. History is a very important topic that just doesn’t get enough attention these days. It’s this lack of attention to history that is probably why it feels like so many people haven’t learned history’s lessons.

Briefly describe the sessions that you will be presenting at the SQLServerCentral.com track at SQL Server Connections this fall in Las Vegas?

My Performance Checklist session is going to try to give you information you can use immediately to prevent poor performance on your systems. I want you to avoid the easy mistakes that can chew on you over time. My Parameter Sniffing session is going to explain what parameter sniffing is and why it’s an excellent thing…until it isn’t. When it isn’t, I’ll show you seven different ways to fix it.