Aaron's space: Database

You want scalable? You need a Database Professional

Thu, 29 May 2008 15:25:05 GMT

I usually try not to have blog posts that just link to other blog posts, however this one was so great I just had to. :) Andy Leonard posted this almost two years ago, but he just tweeted about it today. I'm actually having this discussion right now with some people on the development side of things. Definitely worth a look - http://vsteamsystemcentral.com/cs/blogs/applied_team_system/archive/2006/07/30/114.aspx. Thanks Andy.

LINQ Discussion

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 15:54:09 GMT

I try not to just blog links, but I've been following some LINQ discussions and have really found them interesting with regards to SQL Server and the DBA. Take a look and let me know what you think:

Bob Beauchemin

MHO: LINQ to SQL and Entity Framework: Panacea or evil incarnate? Part 1 - http://www.sqlskills.com/blogs/bobb/2008/02/14/MHOLINQToSQLAndEntityFrameworkPanaceaOrEvilIncarnatePart1.aspx
MHO: LINQ to SQL and Entity Framework: Panacea or evil incarnate? Part 2 - http://www.sqlskills.com/blogs/bobb/2008/02/14/MHOLINQToSQLAndEntityFrameworkPanaceaOrEvilIncarnatePart2.aspx
LINQ and LINQ to XML to appear in SQL Server 2008 SQLCLR approved list - http://www.sqlskills.com/blogs/bobb/2008/02/15/LINQAndLINQToXMLToAppearInSQLServer2008SQLCLRApprovedList.aspx

Andy Warren

LINQ Again! - http://blogs.sqlservercentral.com/andy_warren/archive/2008/02/22/linq-again.aspx

Database Professional - Developer, Administrator or in between?

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 16:32:07 GMT

About a month ago a developer colleague and I were discussing the database professional role and he started to list the requirements he felt were appropriate for a senior .NET developer regarding database knowledge, which include 3NF, write stored procedures, views, UDF's, etc. As a result I authored an internal paper and distributed it. Today Stephen Wynkoop from SSWUG has an editorial about the same thing here. So I thought I'd share some of my thoughts.

How does the Senior Database Professional add value? If the database is becoming the data platform then is it even required for a DBPro in new development? For new development we don't consult our IT Admin Pro's, however we do consult SharePoint and BizTalk Pro’s, all of which are platforms. The difference lies again in those expectation of a senior developer to have a certain knowledge level regarding databases, where we don't expect the same knowledge of other platforms like SharePoint, BizTalk, etc.

So these become the options for the DB professional:

Database reviews/Upgrades (Performance/Best Practices Analysis and Tuning)
Database Specialized Functionality (i.e., Replication, Database Mirroring, Log Shipping, etc)
80/20 rule, the database requirements exceed the developer expertise to the point it would be more efficient to talk with the DBPro
Business Intelligence
Expand to include development and/or other IT Admin skills

Admittedly the first 3 can be extensive work, however the question becomes is it a full time job by itself, what happens when you are finished with the database review or specialized functionality and move into the maintaining phase? Hopefully you have other databases to review. :)

On the flip side, in my experience many senior level people desire and enjoy doing project based new development. Add that to the fact that Microsoft has a SKU for Database Development as a “first class citizen” via Visual Studio for Database Professionals and in the MSF and where are we?

Tribute To Jim Gray

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 16:12:42 GMT

http://www.eecs.berkeley.edu/IPRO/JimGrayTribute/

Gray is known for his groundbreaking work as a programmer, database expert and Microsoft engineer. Gray’s work helped make possible such technologies as the cash machine, ecommerce, online ticketing, and deep databases like Google. In 1998, he received the ACM A.M. Turing Award, the most prestigious honor in computer science. He was appointed an IEEE Fellow in 1982, and also received IEEE Charles Babbage Award.

“It is important to note that this is a tribute, not a memorial,” said Mike Olson, Oracle’s vice president of embedded technologies. “Many people in our industry, including me, are deeply indebted to Jim for his intellect, his vision, and his unselfish willingness to be a teacher and a mentor.”

“Jim was a true visionary and leader in this field,” said Shankar Sastry, dean of the College of Engineering at UC Berkeley. “We are honored to host this tribute to Jim’s remarkable achievements and the impact he made on so many of us.”

Gray attended the University of California, Berkeley from 1961-1969 and earned the university’s first PhD in Computer Science. Over the course of his career, Gray worked as a researcher at Bell Labs, IBM, Tandem Computers, Digital Equipment Corporation, and finally Microsoft, where he was hired in 1995. When Gray joined Microsoft, he convinced the company to open a research center in San Francisco so that he and his wife, Donna, wouldn’t have to move to Redmond, Wash.

At Microsoft, he built a website called Terra Server, which brought high-resolution satellite imagery to the masses seven years before Google Earth, and SkyServer, the most widely used astronomical resource in the world.

Jim Gray disappeared without a trace on a sailing trip to the Farallon Islands on January 28, 2007.