Brad,

Today I got MCITP in BI and I finished the check list in your article: http://www.simple-talk.com/sql/database-administration/brads-sure-dba-checklist/.

Well, in the next month I want to start my first book, writing about replication. Do you have some tips on how to become a great writer like you?

Thanks for all,

Rodrigo Crespi
MCP-MCDBA-MCAD-MCSD-MCTS-MCITP
www.crespi.pro.br
www.blog.crespidb.com.br

The six nominees include:

–Kevan Riley

–Jonathan Kehayias

–John Burnette

–Tracy Hamlin

–Jorge Segarra

–Ted Krueger

To vote, and to find out more about this year’s six nominees, visit www.exceptionaldba.com. All votes must be in by July 23, 2010.

I’ll start off describing what I bring along with me on my trips. Then I’ll finish off the post with specific travel tips I find handy while I am on the road.

What I Bring

Last year I was away from home 125 days, which was just a little bit too much traveling for my tastes. This year I hope to keep it just under 100 days, which is still a lot, but its just part of the job. As you might imagine, I have gotten my packing list, and packing skills, down to a science. In fact, I can pack in less than 30 minutes because I know exactly what I am going to bring on each trip, which includes:

1) My most important piece of travel gear is my Red Oxx Air Boss carry-on travel bag. I have tried out many different kinds of luggage over the years, and this bag is the best. While expensive, it is ruggedly built, and after nearly four years of traveling with it, it still shows no signs of wear. In fact, it looks brand new. Unlike most luggage, this bag is made of fabric, is designed to be carried over the shoulder, is only 21”  x 8”  x 13”  (2,184 cu. in.) in size and weighs just under 4 pounds. The bag’s size is designed for international travel and will fit in virtually any airplane without needing to be checked. If you have ever compared other carry-on luggage sizes, you will find this one much smaller than typical, but its small size is why it’s so great. It is lightweight and I can carry it anywhere.

Now, you may be saying that this sounds like a great carry-on bag for carrying a few things you might need on the plane, but this is the only luggage I carry (other than my backpack which holds my electronics, which I will talk about next). In other words, this small bag holds everything I need to travel, including all my clothing, toiletries, and other miscellaneous items. In fact, I have used this bag for trips that have lasted 30 days, and I have found that everything I need can be carried in it, often with room to spare. I follow the packing philosophy of travel expert Doug Dyment, who runs the www.onebag.com website, which means that I pack very light. Since the topic of packing light is well-covered on his website, there is no need for me to repeat it hear. Check out the website for more information.

2) My second most important piece of travel gear is my MountainSmith Explore backpack, which I use to carry my electronics. While the exact model I own is no longer made, the current model is very similar. The bag is also tough, although it is beginning to show some wear, but that is to be expected after using it for 5 years. This small 18” x 13” x 8” (1,586 cu. in.) bag weighs just under 3 pounds and carries all of my electronics, which includes a laptop and a netbook computer (more on my electronics later). The backpack has many different sections and pouches that makes it easy to hold everything I need to bring along, and to keep it well organized.

3) I carry two computers, my primary and my backup. My primary laptop is a Dell 15” Studio XPS with dual-cores, 6GB RAM, and 256 GB SSD drives. It is relatively lightweight and powerful. My backup computer is a Toshiba NB-205 netbook. While the netbook is slow, it is lightweight and allows me to make my presentations should my primary laptop fail. I protect both computers using protective sleeves, and even with the sleeves on, they both fit comfortably in my MountainSmith backpack, along with my other gear.

In order to keep my two computers synchronized, just in case my primary fails and I need to use my secondary, I use the www.dropbox.com software. This free software (there is also a paid version), will automatically synchronize files between both laptops, in addition to making these same files available via the web. So in the worst case, and I somehow I lose both of my computers, I can still go to the web and download my presentations.

4) While I am not much of a cell phone user, I bring along my BlackBerry Bold 9000, which I mainly use for e-mail, Twitter, and for reading the news when I get bored at airports. I also use it’s built-in GPS and Google Maps to help me find my way about when I am walking. It comes with a leather case to protect it while it rides in my backpack, which is where is normally stays. I hate carrying a cell phone on my belt, unless I have no other choice.

5) Given that I have a GPS in my phone, it might seem redundant that I also carry a Garmin Nuvi 775T GPS that includes both U.S. and European maps. I use this when I am traveling by rental car, as the GPS in my phone is not really designed to be used when driving. I also subscribe to the Garmin map update service so I get updated maps every 3 months. The GPS is protected by a leather case, and the car mount and cable I carry in a plastic bag so they don’t get lost or entangled.

6) To help pass the time in airports and airplanes, and to help mask the incessant noise that pervades both, I bring along a Zune MP3 player; and my Shure SE210 Sound Isolating Earphones, which are much, much better than the standard earphones that come with MP3 players. These earphones are pricey, but worth every dollar.

7) One very important accessory I carry, that is not a common travel item, is my SureFire U2 Ultra variable-output LED flashlight (2-100 lumens). It lasts up to 175 hours in low mode (which is the mode I use most), and I use it all the time to see in the dark, such as when picking up a rental car at night and I want to check the outside of the car for damage and to check the inside to see where all the controls are. It is very small, so it takes up very little space. It also comes in very handy when a building or hotel loses power. I highly recommend every traveler to carry a good flashlight.

8 ) To record my journeys, I bring along a Canon G11 digital camera. It is very small and creates great photographs, especially low-light photos, which I commonly take at events. It is protected by a case, just as it all my electronic gear.

9) Since I never know if it will rain or not, I carry an REI Travel Umbrella, which fits handily inside my backpack, so it is always with me in case of unexpected downpours.

10) While most hotels now have wireless Internet access, a surprising amount still don’t. Because of this, I carry a portable Linksys wireless router. The model I have is no longer made, but it work allows me to work with my computer in bed at a hotel instead of being tethered to a desk when wireless Internet access is not available. In some cases, I still use the portable router, even if wireless Internet is available because using it allows me to use both my computers if I want, all for the same cost. If you use a hotel’s wireless Internet access for two different computers, you have to pay two fees (unless you have free Internet access), one daily fee for each computer. But if you use the portable router, the hotel thinks you only have one computer, and you can connect as many computers to your wireless network as you want. Of course, I encrypt my connection so another person in a different room can’t use my bandwidth.

11) Some of you may be wondering how I can get away with carrying such a small bag for my clothing. This is because I only bring along four different sets of clothing, one of which I wear, which means I only need to pack three sets of clothing. I select clothing that mixes and matches, and is easily washable and wrinkle-resistant. Because virtually all of my trips are longer than four days, I wash my clothes when traveling, which is much easier than trying to bring along clean clothing for every day of travel. I generally use the hotel’s laundry room, or sometimes I wash my clothing in the sink of my hotel bathroom using special pre-packaged laundry soap. All the clothing I bring is lightweight and air dries quickly.

To help keep my clothes from wrinkling while in my Oxx Air Boss travel bag, I also carry along two 18” Eagle Creek Pack-It Folders, one for pants and one for shirts, which fit well within the travel bag’s two outer dividers. Depending on the clothing, I still might have to iron some clothing after unpacking it.

One piece of clothing I always bring along, no matter what the weather is expected to be where I am traveling, is a Patagonia R1 Full-Zip Jacket. This lightweight, non-bulky, warm jacket is more like a sweater than a jacket, and I use it when traveling on planes (most are too cold for me), during cool days, and in cold rooms when attending conferences. When I am traveling in cold weather, I also bring along an Arcteryx Gamma Softshell Jacket. This is a wind and water resistant jacket that I can wear alone, or with my Patagonia jacket if it really cold. Also, when traveling in cold weather, I bring along lightweight gloves and ear protectors, which I store in the pockets of the Arcteryx jacket.

Depending on where I am traveling, or at which event I am speaking at, I may bring one or two pair of shoes. Most of the time, I wear a pair of New Balance walking shoes, but I also sometimes carry along hiking shoes or dress shoes.

12) In my backpack a have a smaller bag that I use to carry small miscellaneous electronic gear, such as cables, USB sticks, batteries, a Kensington Notebook Lock, a Logitech VX Nano Laser Notebook Mouse,  a Logitech Professional Presenter, and electrical adapters if I am traveling internationally.

13) Because accidents happen when traveling (I cut my finger and got a terrible infection while in Australia), I carry an Adventure Smart Travel Medical Kit that I have modified slightly to carry a few more items than what comes standard with the kit.

14) Because I spend a lot of time sleeping on airplanes, I also carry eye covers and ear plugs to help block out the world while I am trying to sleep.

The above list covers most everything that I carry when traveling, although I have left out a few things that would be boring, such as my reading glasses, glass cleaners, toiletries, and so on. In the next section, I will offer some specific travel tips.

Other Travel Tips

1) I only bring along hand-carry luggage, the Red Oxx Air Boss bag and MountainSmith backpack, as I described above. I do my absolute best to not check in luggage. Both bags meeting airline size requirements, which means I rarely (New Zealand Airlines would only allow one carry-on) have to check in my luggage. Checking in luggage is time-consuming (both when checking in at the airport and when leaving the airport after arrival), and is prone to getting lost, especially if my flight connections are tight because of delayed flights. I much prefer carrying these two bags than dragging along luggage with wheels, because there are a lot of places where luggage with wheels doesn’t work well, such as on escalators, curbs, rough sidewalks, or no sidewalks, and getting in and out of taxies, and so on. Because the luggage is so light, and I keep my gear to a minimum, the weight is not bad. In fact, I have a bad back and I have had virtually no problems carrying these bags everywhere I go.

2) When I go through security at the airport, I am fully prepared before I even get to the security checkpoint. I take all metal out of my pockets and put it in my backpack, my liquid toiletries are in a 1 quart plastic bag, and both computers (which are in protective sleeve) are ready to come out in seconds. You can leave the protective sleeves on your laptops when they go through the screen machine, which helps protect them. About one out of three times I am asked to have one or both of my pieces of luggage to be hand inspected as all the electronics I carry might look a little suspicious. I am used to this and it has never been a problem.

3) I make all my own travel plans over the Internet. I have worked at companies in the past the had their own travel department which made all the reservations. I hated that as they always made mistakes. As I book my own travel, these mistakes don’t happen.

4) After traveling many different airlines over the years, I have chosen American Airlines as my main carrier. They have a very good frequent flyer program and treat their best customers (like me who travel 100,000+ miles a year, very well). I almost always get upgraded to business or first class, which is very advantageous for long trips. I avoid, as much as possible, mixing airlines in the same trip, as if you have a problem with your ticket, you often have to deal with both airlines to resolve it. It is much easier to deal with only one airline. I also book my flights so that I have at least two hours between connecting flights. This often makes my day longer, but helps to avoid missed connections. To help minimize the discomfort at waiting at airports, I joined American Airlines Admiral’s Club, which makes waiting much more tolerable. Membership is relatively expensive, but I get a discount for being a frequent traveler, and it is money well spent. I tend to book my flights as far ahead as possible in order to get the best choice of seat. I am very picky about which seat I am on the plane, and use www.seatguru.com to help me select the best available seat, assuming I am not already familiar with the plane I will be flying in.

5) My biggest travel expense are hotels, even more than airplane tickets. I generally stay at Marriott-brand or Starwood-brand (Sheraton, Weston, etc.) hotels. I always select a hotel that is closet to the venue I am attending to minimize the need for taking taxis or renting cars. I prefer to walk to the venue if I can. In most cases, I arrive a day earlier than I need to in order to recover from overnight flights and time zone changes. I also, if affordable, try to get a room with a separate room for the bedroom, which helps to avoid the noise that so often comes from the hallways. I also request a room on the highest floor, away from elevators, ice machines, and busy streets. This helps to minimize noise, which I find distracting when I am trying to work in the hotel room.

6) I try to avoid renting cars, but often I have no choice. I only rent cars from Hertz, and I joined their #1 Club Gold so that my rental car is already ready to go when I arrive at the airport. This way, I don’t have to stay in line waiting to pick up my car. I always reserve the least expensive car available, but in most cases, Hertz will upgrade me to a bigger car.

7) As those who have traveled with me know, I don’t like to spend a lot of time eating at fancy restaurants. To save time and money, I usually eat fast food, or buy groceries at a store and bring them back to the hotel. I also avoid room service (or eating at the hotel’s restaurant), unless I am checking into a new hotel at night, and I have yet to locate any fast food places within easy walking distance, and I am too tired to leave the hotel or room.

8 ) I am a member of the AAA, which helps me to get many discounts at hotels and for rental cars, or can help out if I run out of gas or lock myself outside of a rental car (although this had not happened yet). The discounts save my company a lot of money each year, although I pay for the AAA membership myself, as I also use their services for my own cars at home when not traveling.

While many people envy all my travels, it is actually quite stressful for me. It takes a lot out of you, especially when traveling overseas or when having to take redeye flights. If the travel wasn’t part of the job, I would prefer to stay home and work out of my home office.

I hope you find some of this information useful, and if you have any travel advice you would like to offer, please do so.

It has been about five years since I took my last certification test, which was for SQL Server 2005. Unlike back in 2005, when both Prometric and VUE offered Microsoft Certification Testing, now Prometric has the monopoly on testing. So I went to the Prometric website to register for the exam.

My first problem was that the website was partially down, and it would not allow me to log in to my old account, nor would it allow me to register for a test. I called to complain, but I could only get an answering system, as Prometric has very limited office hours (apparently they think all of their customers, worldwide, only live in their time zone.)

The next day the website was still partially down, as I still could not log on to my account. Every time I tried, I would get an error message telling me to try again later. On the other hand, I was able to begin the process of registering for the test (which seems a little odd).

Any way, as I begin to register for the test, I entered my country and state, so that all of the Prometric testing centers would be listed, allowing me to pick which testing center to take the test at, except for one minor problem. Although the state of Hawaii has a population of about 1.3 million people, Prometric only offers three testing centers in the entire state, and all of them are located on the island of Oahu, which is where Honolulu is located. I live on the Big Island, the second largest populated island in Hawaii, with about 180,000 people, and I can’t take any test locally because Prometric doesn’t offer a testing center where I live.

For those living on the Big Island, or on any island but Oahu, their only choice to take a Microsoft Certification Test is to spend about $160-250 for a round-trip airline ticket to Oahu, plus cab fare to and from the airport to the testing center, which is a very expensive option, and this doesn’t even include the entire day that would be wasted traveling back and forth just to take a 1-2 hour test.

Of course, I travel a lot, and visit many cities on the mainland, and can always schedule a test when I am there, but that is inconvenient, and I won’t be doing any traveling to the mainland before the 50% off certification voucher expires. Unfortunately, there are a lot of other IT professionals who live in Hawaii who don’t travel as much as I do and don’t have this option.

Given that Prometric has a monopoly on Microsoft Certification Testing, I think it needs to offer more than just three testing centers in a state of 1.3 million people. As a comparison, the state of Alaska, which has a population of nearly 700,000 people, Prometric offers seven different testing centers. So how come Prometric discriminates against IT professionals in Hawaii? This is a rhetorical question, as the obvious answer has to do with potential revenue, costs, and profitability. Prometric apparently doesn’t consider the state of Hawaii, even with its 1.3 million population, to be a profitable market. On the other hand, if Microsoft wants to encourage Microsoft certification in Hawaii, it should strong arm Prometric into offering testing on more Hawaiian islands than just Oahu.

Well, if you know anything at all about Twitter, waiting for followers before you begin to Tweet is a path to failure. Just the opposite is true. If you want a lot of Twitter followers, you must first begin to Tweet, and if you offer interesting and useful content, then followers will find you.

If you have not joined the SQL Server Twitter community yet, but are considering doing so, the the first question you need to ask yourself is if joining the SQL Server Twitter community is right for you. While people Tweet for many different reasons, here is why I started Tweeting:

1) I wanted to keep followers, such as my friends and family, posted on my travel. As most of you know, I travel a lot, and using Twitter to let people know where I am, and what I am doing, is an efficient way to communicate this information.

2) I write a lot, and I wanted a way to share my writing with people who are interesting in reading what I have to say. So whenever I write a blog post, or release a new book, I share this using Twitter.

3) Besides wanting to share what I write, I also like to use Twitter to share information that I have learned. Often, a topic is better covered in a Tweet than it is in a blog post.

4) Over the past 10 years, I have met a lot of DBAs and other IT professionals around the world, and Twitter makes it easier for me to keep in touch with them.

5) By following many other people in the SQL Server community, I am better able to keep up with news and information that is relevant to me. In many ways, it acts as a type of RSS feed.

6) While forums are a great way to ask questions, if I have a short question, and if I want a quick and simple answer, Twitter allows me to quickly ask questions and get answers. In addition, if I see a question on Twitter I can answer, then I do so.

7) While a lot of people use Twitter to socialize, this is probably the least common reason I use Twitter. This is just a personal quirk, as I prefer to socialize in person, not virtually.

Obviously, this is not a complete list of the reasons why you might want to participate in Twitter, but these are my reasons. Your reasons may be very different.

As I have already mentioned, if you want to become a part of the SQL Server Twitter community, and gain a following, the first step is to begin Tweeting. The second step is to begin following people who you find interesting. Here are some of the ways that I find people to follow on Twitter:

1) I seek out and add people I know that are on Twitter so I can keep up with what they are doing and saying. I often do this by searching for people I know in Twitter Search. I also pay close attention to bloggers or speakers that I respect, checking out if they have a Twitter name, and following them.

2) Another way I identify people to follow is to watch the various Tweets that are being made, especially Retweets, looking for Tweeters others are talking about. Often, these are good people to follow.

3) What if you are new to the SQL Server community and you don’t know who to follow? If that is the case, check out http://wefollow.com/twitter/sqlserver. This website lists the most influential Tweeters in the SQL Server community, and adding all of these people is a great place to get started. Once you add some followers, you can use www.mrtweet.com to help you identify even more people you may want to follow. I have used both of these tools to find new people to follow.

Once you have begin Tweeting and following others, the next step, finally, is to seek out people to follow you. In most cases, people will find you on their own. For example, if you follow someone, they will get an e-mail that you are now following them, and they will often follow you back. Or, if you Tweet a lot, and you get Retweeted or mentioned in other Tweets, you can be more easily be found. I also add my Twitter name to my blog, e-mail tag-line, and even on my PowerPoint slides, so that people know that I am on Twitter.

Over time, as you continue to Tweet and follow others, more and more people will begin to follow you, assuming that you provide useful Tweets, and don’t get too annoying by Tweeting about things of little or no interest to anyone else but you. On many different occasions, I have begun to follow someone, only later to unfollow them because they produce more “noise” than useful content.

If you want to get serious about using Twitter, check out this website, www.squidoo.com/twitterapps, which provides a large list of tools you can use to better manage your Twitter presence. I also recommend that you get a free Twitter application, such as TweetDeck, which will make creating and reading Tweets much easier. There is a lot more to using Twitter than what I have mentioned in this short blog post, but if you are new to Twitter, this is enough information to get you off to a good start.

1) Take the time to become aware of all the many SQL Server resources on the web. They not only can help out when you are problem-solving, but also provide resources for your professional development. On the other hand, don’t assume everything you find on the web is accurate, or applicable to your situation. Perform your due diligence.

2) Ninety-five percent of the problems you run across in your day-to-day work has already been faced by other DBAs. Instead of reinventing the wheel, seek out answers to these problems from the web, whether it is reading blogs, articles, eBooks, videos, or forum posts; or ask another DBA you know. If you don’t know any other DBAs, join a SQL Server users group, attend a SQL Saturday or conference, or ask your questions in forums.

3) Keep in mind that no DBA knows all the answers, but good DBAs know where to find the answers.

4) Become proficient using the many tools included with SQL Server and the OS, such as Profiler, Performance Monitor, Management Studio, and the Business Intelligence Development Studio.

5) Don’t automatically assume that what someone has told you is necessarily true. Be wary, ask lots of questions, and check it out for yourself. At the same time, be wary of your own personal assumptions, as they may be leading you down a false path.

6) Continuously work on improving your people skills. As a DBA, you will constantly be working with end-users, developers, system administrators, managers, and many more. Your ability to be civil and to convey your point clearly (without blame or antagonism), is an important skill set.

7) Many issues or problems you run across in your work can be resolved in many different ways. Instead of always picking the easy and quick solution, take the time to research the problem and come up with the best solution.

8 ) The list of things you don’t know about SQL Server will always be longer than the list of things you do know. The only way to keep up is constant study and practice. Try to learn something new each day, and never stop learning.

9) Find a mentor who is willing to help you out in your career. This may be at work, or even over the web.

10) Participate in the SQL Server community by attending your local SQL Server users group, joining PASS, becoming active in SQL Server forums, participating in Twitter and LinkedIn discussions, and so on.

11) Find a few SQL Server blogs that you find useful and interesting, and read them regularly. As you have more time, increase the number of blogs you read so you continue to expand your knowledge base.

12) Don’t be afraid to admit when you make a mistake. And ask for help if you don’t know the answer.

13) Books Online is your friend. Google is your other friend.

14) Create a formal repository of scripts that you can use over and over again. Organize them to make them easy to find.

15) Create a formal test environment where you can test and experiment without worry of bringing your production system down. Always test changes in a test environment before rolling them out to production. In other words, measure twice, cut once.

16) Become familiar with any governmental regulations that affect your industry, and follow them appropriately.

17) Whenever you perform an installation of a SQL Server instance, document it so that you can rebuild the instance if necessary, and to provide useful background information when troubleshooting problems.

18) You need to become a master of your backup and recovery strategy through practice and testing. Knowing it inside and out will not only ensure a fast recovery if there is a problem, but it will also lesson any anxiety you might have about how you will face a major calamity. And since you can’t always be at work, be sure that you have trained others in back and recovery, and have fully documented the process.

19) Don’t get so comfortable in your current job that you become complacent and your career stagnates. Pursue excellence and opportunity.

20) Although it may sound cynical, always cover you backside. In other words, document everything.

21) Your attitude determines 80% of your success or failure as a DBA.

22) As a DBA, your role is to help others perform their job. Don’t become a cop enforcing arbitrary rules for the sake of “I’m the DBA, and I know what’s best.”

23) When there is a database emergency, you will be the first one with the water hose trying to put out the fire. When this happens, don’t get caught up in the anxiety. Take a deep breath, relax, think the emergency through, and only then begin to take action.

24) Learn to really listen to the people you work with, such as developers, end-users, your peers, your boss, and anyone else you work with. If you don’t fully understanding what they are saying, nicely ask them follow-up questions until you do fully understand. Don’t be the “arrogant DBA” that everyone hates, be the DBA that everyone looks up to.

25) Besides being a good listener, be sure that you clearly and accurately articulate to whomever you are communicating with, whether when speaking in person, writing a proposal, or sending an e-mail.

26) Work smart, and not just hard. Implement proven best practices and strategies from the wealth of knowledge that other DBAs have already contributed to the greater SQL Server community.

27) Automate as many routines tasks as you can, saving your time for more interesting work.

28) Whenever you identify and fix a problem, document it so that if the same problem arises later, finding the answer will be quick.

29) While ensuring a SQL Server’s data is secure is not glamorous work, it is critical that you protect data from the wrong people.

30) Be proactive, seeking out potential problems before they occur.

31) Learn to be flexible with your schedule, as your organization doesn’t revolve around you.

32) Give back to your fellow DBAs and the SQL Server community. Volunteer for events, speak at your local users group, answer forum questions, or become a mentor. There are many ways to contribute.

33) Enjoy your work, as it can be a very rewarding experience, not just a means to an end. “My favorite part of being a DBA is to be able to take a long-running query and make it exceedingly fast. The look of surprise and appreciation from the end-user is invaluable.”

34) Be nice to developers, they are really not evil. In fact, become their mentors, helping them learn how to get the most out of SQL Server.

35) Never say that “it’s not my job.” If a job needs to get done, then do it. Be a team player. On the other hand, don’t take on tasks you don’t have the skills or knowledge to successfully complete.

36) One of the best ways to build up your confidence in your career is to become excellent in what you do. While you can’t know everything about SQL Server, pick an area and specialize in it.

37) When troubleshooting or dealing with problem issues, don’t only focus on the facts, always ask “why”.

38) Create a daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly checklists to ensure that you don’t forget anything important.

39) When you are assigned a server, make it your own and take full responsibility for it.

40) An “expert” is born from a “novice” who has endured lots of trail and error.

41) If you are running behind in your part of a larger project, be sure to let your teammates know. This is not only a courtesy, but perhaps they may be able to give you a hand.

42) Think long-term. In all your work, assume that you will be at that same job for the rest of your career, and act accordingly. When you do leave, you want the new DBA to be able to takeover your servers without a single problem or question.

43) As a new DBA, don’t necessarily take the first job you are offered. For example, if you are hired as the only DBA and get the pleasure of cleaning up well-intentioned database messes from the past, you may quickly question your choice to become a DBA. Instead, consider taking a first job with a larger company with more experienced DBAs who can become your mentors.

44) As a DBA, take care that you are not a machine running on a 365×24×7 basis with a 99.995 SLA guaranteed uptime. Enjoy what you are doing, because if you are in it just for a living, you will not be able to sustain it beyond a certain point.  Life, after all, is not data, number crunching, and weary eyes staring at the monitor in the wrong hours of the night. Take these situations in stride and as part-and-parcel of your job, but also learn to look beyond these things to the liveliness of life.

45) “I originally went to school and began work as an architect, and one of the most important ideas I took from that experience is that most architects treat their careers as a personal life’s work, in the same way, I’d imagine, that a doctor might. An architect or a doctor does spend his/her life working, but at the same time refining a personal body of skills and knowledge. That set of skills and knowledge has its own life as the person’s practice, independent of any specific job. It travels with the person. You can get fired from your job, but not lose your practice.

”This is the difference between “having a practice” and “doing a job.” A practice is part of your identity; your skills are something you refine because you want to get better, not because the boss said you have to go to training. A practice is something you can be passionate about. If you do this right, the passion makes you better, and makes you happier. People notice, and it’ll advance the more mundane parts of your life, like jobs, titles, earnings, and so on.”

What advice would you offer a novice DBA in order to help them along in their career?

If you haven’t read the responses yet, please do so, as there is a lot to be learned from the advice offered.

Because all of the advice was good, I decided that the main selection criteria for the contest would be originality. From the 28 responses, I felt that three of them included some very valuable and original advice. They included:

Pam Wampler, whose advice included: “First and foremost, remember to breathe! Normally when there is a database “emergency”, you will be the first one with the water hose trying to put out the file. Breathing is a good thing.”

Merrill Aldrich, whose advice included: “I originally went to school and began work as an architect, and one of the most important ideas I took from that experience is that most architects treat their careers as a personal life’s work, in the same way, I’d imagine, that a doctor might. An architect or a doctor does spend his/her life working, but at the same time refining a personal body of skills and knowledge. That set of skills and knowledge has its own life as the person’s practice, independent of any specific job. It travels with the person. You can get fired from your job, but not lose your practice.

This is the difference between “having a practice” and “doing a job.” A practice is part of your identity; your skills are something you refine because you want to get better, not because the boss said you have to go to training. A practice is something you can be passionate about. If you do this right, the passion makes you better, and makes you happier. People notice, and it’ll advance the more mundane parts of your life, like jobs, titles, earnings, and so on.”

Rahul Singla, whose advice included: “And as a DBA, take care that you are not a machine running on a 365×24×7 basis with a 99.995 SLA guaranteed uptime. Enjoy what you are doing, because if you are in it just for a living, you would not be able to sustain it beyond a point. And take time out for your family, for the wonderful people around you, and for nature. Life, after all, is not data, number crunching and weary eyes staring at the monitor in the wrong hours of the night.”

After a lot of thought, I have selected Merrill Aldrich as the winner of the April Question of the Month. Merrill has won a US $50 Amazon.com gift certificate, plus a single license of SQL Prompt. Thanks to everyone who has participated, and don’t forgot to enter the May Question of the Month.

If you would like to nominate a DBA, or yourself, for the 2010 Exceptional DBA Award, please visit the www.exceptionaldba.com website and complete the nomination form. Nominations close on June 4, 2010, so you need to make your nomination soon.

The winner of the award will receive a trophy; a SQL Toolbelt license with 36 months support and upgrades worth $3,492; a full conference pass for the 2010 PASS Community Summit worth up to $1,795; plus four nights hotel accommodations and $300 towards travel expenses to attend the Summit. The award will be presented at the SQLServerCentral.com Party, held after the Summit’s Welcome Reception on the initial night of the Summit.

Once all of the nominations are made, a list of five finalists will be selected by a panel of judges, which include Brad McGehee, Director of DBA Education for Red Gate Software; Steve Jones, Editor of SQLServerCentral.com; Rodney Landrum, DBA and author; and Josef Richberg, the 2009 winner of the Exceptional DBA Award. Once five finalists are selected by the judges, then the winner will be selected by a combination of popular votes from members of SQLServerCentral.com, and the judges.

As a judge for the past two years, I have seen all the nominations that have been submitted. Based on these nominations, the best piece of advice I can give you if you nominate yourself, or another DBA, is to include as much detail as you can when you answer each question. I would also suggest that you first write out your answers to the questions in Word, taking the time to ensure that your responses are complete, and that your writing is up to snuff. Once you are happy with the responses, then cut and paste your answers into the nomination form. If you follow this advice, it will put you ahead of the majority of the nominees.

So take some time to visit the www.exceptionaldba.com website and check out how the nomination and award process works. Then if you feel you are an Exceptional DBA, or know of an Exceptional DBA you would like to nominate, please do so before the June 4th, 2010 deadline.