SQLServerPedia

I have decided to create a Simple Series of posts designed to explain basic SSIS functionality.  Having used SSIS in-depth, I sometimes overlook the fact that others are looking for a simple explanation on how to use some of the components.

 

Step 1: Configure an Execute SQL Task

The example ...

I'll close out 2009 with an update on the goals I set at the beginning of this year and things that I've accomplished. Call it a bit of shameless self promotion, but this is my blog after all. :-)

1. Learn…
• Powershell. Although I dropped using the command prompt in favor of a Powershell prompt, I really haven't done anything significant with Powershell this year. I fell short on this one for sure.
• More about DMVs. I've written several DMV queries that have become part of my toolbelt and gave a presentation about DMVs at SQL Saturday Orlando in October. I met this goal, but there's plenty more for me to learn.
• SQL 2008. I've deployed a handful of SQL 2008 instances to my company's production environment and picked up plenty of tidbits here and there from blogs, articles, etc.. I'd say I met this goal.
• Analysis Services. I took an online class with Brian Knight in the fall and have dabbled a little bit with SSAS, but I wouldn't say I've done anything significant enough to consider this goal met.
2. Be a better mentor. Gave presentations at OPASS and Space Coast SQL User Group, Orlando Code Camp, SQL Saturday Atlanta, Jacksonville, Orlando, and South Florida, and presented at the 2009 PASS Summit. Also published an article on SQLServerCentral.com. Looking closer to home at my coworkers, I'd like to think that those around me learned from me (though they're better suited to say if that's the case or not). I'll call this goal met.
3. Publish twice a week. I published 64 blog posts this year (65 including this one). That's a tad short of the 104 I was shooting for. I guess you could say I went for quality over quantity. I'll call this one halfway met.
4. Go to the 2009 PASS Summit. Check! I went to the Summit this year as a speaker and had a fantastic experience.
5. Run a half-marathon. I failed miserably on this one. I ran a 5K in the spring but stopped running over the summer. However, my 8 year old son has expressed an interest in running so we've started running together. Even if I fell short on this one I still come out ahead because any exercise I've done is better than no exercise.

Final count – 4.5 out of 8. Not bad but always room for improvement.

I hope that you had a great 2009 and look forward to an even better year in 2010!

I took some time off in December and I'm finally getting around to catching up on RSS feeds. Turns out I’ve been tagged by Ken Simmons to contribute to another chain post to answer the classic interview question "What is your biggest weakness?" I've been told in the past that the best way to answer this question is with something clever – like a strength that you call a weakness but you really spin into some form of self promotion to make yourself look better. But…I don't think you really want me wax poetic about how great I am (I don't want to either!) and this isn't a job interview, so I'm going to be honest because the only way we really learn how to be better is to recognize our faults and learn from them.

My biggest weakness: Letting go. Let me explain…

• Letting go of opportunities – in other words, knowing when to say no. It's especially tempting to say yes when people ask you to do something that sounds exciting, but taking on too much can be detrimental. I think it's far better to be very successful at a few things than to take on too much and fail.
• Letting go of responsibilities – in order to do new and exciting things you have to learn how to hand off responsibilities to other people. Think about it this way – at some point someone had to hand off their responsibilities for you to be in the position you're in today. This goes back to what I just said about taking on too much – if you just keep adding things on you're bound to fail at some point.
• Letting go of being right – compromise can be difficult to accept and we all like to be right. The reality is that we're not always right and it's better for our personal and professional development to learn when to hold your ground and when to admit that someone has a better answer than you.
• Letting go of things I cannot control – my friend Andy Warren recently told me "you can only control 50% of things" and it really stuck with me. There's no sense in spending time worrying about things you have no control over. The more time you spend on the things you can't control, the less time you have to focus on the things you can.

I've learned to deal with this particular weakness partly by learning from those who have "been there and done that" before me, and partly through experience (a.k.a. the school of hard knocks). It's not always easy letting go of things, but looking back at where I've been and where I am now I realize that it's something I've got a much better handle on now.

Traditionally, the time between Christmas and New Years is a bit slow.  Many people take time off from work and, for those of us still working, it’s a good time to catch up on all of those low priority projects that have been on the back burner for the last several months. If you find yourself [...]

Cover via Amazon Well looks like another chain-post, this time started by none other than the SQLRockstar Tom Larock (@SQLRockstar on Twitter). He poses the question “What are your goals and themeword for 2010?“. From there I actually got tagged by not only Colin Stasiuk but also Jeremiah Peschka so I guess I’d better reply! After reading [...]

With the next release of SQL Server, data analysis is going to go through a major change with the PowerPivot add-in for Excel and SharePoint.  If you haven’t been keeping up with these changes to Business Intelligence, SSWUG.org has an opportunity for you to get up to speed.  On January 22, 2010 there will be an online conference on PowerPivot with the following sessions:

• Getting started with PowerPivot
• Insight and oversight: the IT perspective on PowerPivot
• Power up your Pivots! Building sophisticated applications with PowerPivot
• Beyond the desktop: PowerPivot in your business infrastructure

Not only is the this a great opportunity to learn about some new features, but it is also a free event.  No excuses not to learn on this day…  hope to see you online.

With the next release of SQL Server, data analysis is going to go through a major change with the PowerPivot add-in for Excel and SharePoint.  If you haven’t been keeping up with these changes to Business Intelligence, SSWUG.org has an opportunity for you to get up to speed.  On January 22, 2010 there will be [...]

I’ve been tagged by Tom LaRock…   …to broadcast my resolutions for the next year for all to see (or at least the 6 readers of my blog to see, and the corporate attorney for my company to read should I say anything detrimental to THE HAND THAT FEEDS.)   There ...

No tech blog post today.

I just want to wish everyone a happy new year.

Denny