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Problem
We break this month from our normal format of Problems::Solutions::Next Steps and instead review some of the highlights from the Professional Association for SQL Server (PASS) Summit held in Seattle, Washington November 17 - 21.  This year's Summit brought with it a great focus on the new developments forthcoming in 2009 and 2010 based upon the framework of SQL Server 2008:  SQL Server "Kilimanjaro" and SQL Server "Madison".  These pending enhancements bring with them still greater enhancements within the Business Intelligence sphere of usage for Microsoft SQL Server.

Solution
The 2008 Summit was the largest yet for PASS.  We saw an estimated 70% growth in attendance over the 2007 Summit in Denver, Colorado.  This is unprecedented in this time of global economic difficulties.  I spoke to many individuals who even paid their own way just to be a part of the Summit; attendees from as far away as South Africa and Brisbane, Australia.  The growth in attendance also allowed for the PASS Program Committee to scale out the breakout training to a full 12 concurrent sessions.  The proximity to the Microsoft Campus (who a local friend of mine referred to as the "Mother Ship") allowed for upwards of 400 Microsoft Programmers and Managers from the Teams focused specifically on SQL Server, including the SQL Server Customer Advisory Team (CAT) and Premier Service Support (PSS) Team.  These individuals used their experience and depth of knowledge with their product to lead 57 general sessions for the PASS attendees.  Highlights worth checking out from these Microsoft sessions included:

• Donald Farmer - BI Power Hour:  Back by popular demand, the Microsoft BI team again presents a fast-paced session devoted entirely to demos, bad jokes, and cheap SWAG. As usual, these demos will be entertaining as well as educational. Have fun and learn some tricks and techniques that will help you in your BI endeavors. Donald Farmer was the Rock Star of the Summit. He even could rock a pair of fairy wings for a great keynote session on the opening day.
• Dan Jones and Shawn Bice - Data Tier Application Management Futures, Beyond SQL Server 2008:  SQL Server 2008 delivers tremendous value in the area of manageability. This session provides insight into the future direction, beyond SQL Server 2008, of SQL Server Data-tier Application Management and what the SQL Server team is doing to build on and extend the manageability foundation laid in SQL Server 2008. Senior members of the Microsoft SQL Server Manageability team will walk through the current set of pain points with managing multiple SQL Server instances and data-tier application and describe and demo the key concepts which are shaping the future direction of SQL Server data-tier application management.
• Jimmy May - Disk Partitioning Alignment.  Now that SQL Server wait stats are formally documented & DMVs are available, disk partition alignment may be the best-kept secret related to database performance optimization. In combination with allocation unit size, learn how you can increase I/O throughput by 10%, 30%, or more!   Jimmy May (please disregard this pun) just have led the funniest general session ever held at the PASS Summit - this was it.
• Bob Ward - Debugging the Memory of SQL Server 2008:  One of the biggest requests I receive each year I've spoken at PASS is to talk more about the internals of memory for the SQL Server Engine and how it affects an application. So this year I will be presenting a very deep technical look at how the SQL Server Engine manages memory. I'll present this topic though from a "practical" approach talking about these internals in a manner that you can apply as an administrator or developer of SQL Server. In other words, I'll show you "How it Works" as a means to help you solve possible problems you may encounter involving memory with the SQL Server Engine. Because that is what "debugging" is all about....
• Sunil Agarwal - Reducing Storage Cost in SQL 2008:  Are increasing storage costs hurting your bottom line as data sizes keep growing throughout your organization? In this session, we explore how SQL Server can help you lower your storage costs. We start with Microsoft SQL Server 2005 partitioning to transparently migrate older data to lower-cost storage tiers over time. We then discuss new storage cost-saving functionality in Microsoft SQL Server 2008 such as data compression, backup compression, and sparse columns, filtered indexes, file stream which can get you to 50% or more reduction in storage requirements for typical applications. Throughout the session, we share experiences, insights, and best practices from SQL Server customers and Microsoft-internal deployments. Learn how to make good use of these technologies in combination.

In addition to the Microsoft-generated sessions, there were 84 others presented by and for PASS members.  You see, unlike other conferences such as Tech-Ed and Connections, PASS is not a conference.  It is a professional organization that presents two annual Summits: one in the United States, and one abroad.  We also present multiple regional events and sponsor over 130 local PASS chapters.  Our members span the entire range of SQL Server Professional experience and the great thing, perhaps the core component, about PASS is the drive to educate our members and advance the cumulative knowledge base for our profession.  The Programming Committee releases a call for speakers in the spring and receives and reviews approximately twelve abstracts for each one approved as a session. Each year we say that it is difficult to pare down the submitted abstracts, but this year was particularly tough.  Highlights of these member-generated sessions are listed below.  Descriptions (in italics) are courtesy of the Professional Association for SQL Server website.

• Greg Low - Avoiding Stored Procedure Recompilations:  In this session, Greg describes the process by which SQL Server executes stored procedures and how it decides whether or not recompilations are necessary. He discusses how to monitor recompilations and explains in detail the specific triggers that cause recompilation. Greg then discusses techniques to be used when writing database code to help avoid the need for recompilations and to help keep systems performing well.
• Brian Knight and Devin Knight - Performance Tuning SSIS 2005 and 2008:  In this demo-rich presentation, Brian and Devin show you some of the common and not so common ways to tune SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS). Learn how to tune the data flow using some of the advanced SSIS options and how to avoid common SSIS mistakes. See how to measure performance and how to keep SSIS from monopolizing your server's resourcing. Lastly, discover SQL Server 2008 features that will make SSIS more efficient.
• Itzik Ben-Gan - Introduction to T-SQL Enhancements in Microsoft SQL Server 2008:  This session provides an introduction to T-SQL Enhancements in Microsoft SQL Server 2008. Among the features that will be covered in this session: T-SQL Delighters, MERGE Statement, Composable DML, Grouping Sets, Date and Time Datatypes and Functions, the HIERARCHYID Datatype, Table Types and Table-Valued Parameters, and more. The session will incorporate many demos and code samples to demonstrate the new features.
• Erland Sommarskog, Chuck Heinzelman, Hugo Kornelis, Allen White, James Luetkehoelter, Michael Coles - Much Ado: A Panel Discussion About "Nothing":  What is NULL? How do you use it? And should it in fact be used at all? These questions are always good for hefty debate, even among specialists. Attend this session to see and hear some of the sharpest SQL Server experts battle it out over the seemingly inconsequential issue of nothingness.
• Brad McGehee - DBA 101 - Best Practices for All DBAs to Follow:  As the popularity of SQL Server continues to grow, so is the demand for new SQL Server DBAs. Unfortunately, you can't go to school to learn how to become a DBA. Most DBAs learn from books, seminars, short classes, and trial and error. This session is designed for novice DBAs who want to learn what it takes to become a DBA. It includes best practices for what DBAs need to do on a day-to-day basis. This is the kind of information you won't find in most books. It is the kind of information that can only be learned on the job, and shared directly by an experienced DBA with novice DBAs. Brad was quite surprised at the turnout at this session.  When I spoke with him he had expected this session to attract entry-level DBAs.  The session was packed with all levels of experienced Database Administrators when the doors closed.
• Jeremy Kadlec - Capitalizing on the SQL Server 2005 System Information:  All of the rules have changed when it comes to accessing SQL Server 2005 system information. System tables are out and the new Dynamic Management Views and Functions are here to stay. Come learn how to incorporate the SQL Server system and database information properly via T-SQL under this new paradigm. Whether it is the traditional server, database, object or security related information you are looking for or accessing to new performance counters, the CLR or Service Broker, this session will deliver the information you need.
• Joe Webb - Identifying Performance Bottlenecks:  When a SQL Server application is under performing, how can you isolate where the actual problem is? Would more memory help? What about adding additional processors? Or maybe some indexes are missing? In this session, we will explore how SQL Profiler and Performance Monitor can be used to uncover your SQL Server's bottleneck.
• Paul Randal and Kimberly Tripp - Corruption Survival Techniques:  Your database is corrupt - what do you do? Well, it depends! How critical is the data? Do you know what's really wrong with the database? What does all that DBCC CHECKDB output mean? Should you restore or repair? It's all about limiting downtime and data-loss when a corruption occurs - from knowing the tools to understanding the implications of choices you make. In this demo-heavy session Paul and Kimberly will give you insight into how to recover from corruption without making things worse. Most importantly you'll get step-by-step instructions for dealing with the more common scenarios.
• Kalen Delaney - Guiding Your Query Plans:  Changing your production code to add query hints can be problematic for any number of reasons. You might be using a vendor application that doesn't allow changes, or you might have a long approval process in your organization that must be strictly adhered to. And until (or unless) these hints can be added, your users will suffer the consequences of poorly performing queries. SQL Server 2005 introduced the ability to create Plan Guides which provide SQL Server's execution engine with guidelines for processing your queries, without having to change the actual code. In this session we'll look at the uses and best practicing for Plan Guides, and the details of how to set them up and how they work. We'll also look at the enhancements to plan caching, query hints and Plan Guides in SQL Server 2008.
• Andy Leonard and Jessica Moss - SSIS Scripting:  Can't find an SSIS Task that does what you need? Script it! The Script Task and Script Component in SSIS are extremely powerful and flexible. In this session you will learn how to customize SSIS functionality using Script objects, best practices for script development, script troubleshooting techniques, and script lifecycle management. The description for this session failed to mention that it would make use of Twitter streams for both incoming and outgoing information.  Interfacing to Twitter made this session a huge draw.
• Peter DeBetta - [Anti]Patterns and [Mal]Practices: Learning to do Things Right by Evaluating How Others Have Done Them Wrong:  Time and again you hear people talk about how you should implement software using established patterns and best practices. Online forums, books, and conferences about .NET and SQL Server are filled with advice about how to do things correctly. But rarely do people focus on the other side of the equation: What are the potential pitfalls that exist, and how will you know when you've fallen into them? Software developers need to know more than just what they should do; knowing what not to do is half the battle. In this session you will learn how to make your SQL server prone to SQL Injection, how to use SQLCLR for all data access, how to use cursors instead of DML, exploit the Tumbling Data pattern, and so on. Come and learn what not to do -- and how to fix it -- from the masters of [anti]patterns and [mal]practices!

The one thing I hate about calling out sessions as highlights is that I leave so many out of the list.  These were simply the ones that came to mind upon reviewing my notes and from word-of-mouth from fellow attendees. I have so many other favorites from this year's summit (Tom LaRock, Grant Fritchey, Gail Shaw, Louis Davidson, Brent Ozar I'm talking about you!)  Thankfully, the recordings of these sessions will soon be available on DVD for $99.00.  It is my understanding that registered attendees will be able to review the 2008 sessions on the PASS website.  The 2005, 2006 and 2007 Summit session recordings are available for all PASS members on the website under the Summit On Demand section.  The slide decks for all sessions presented at the 2008 Summit are also available on the Summit website.

Speaking of the PASS Website, the PASS Portal was announced at the Summit.  This tool is quite similar to many other social networking tools such as Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter in that it allows for individuals to connect with one another, view personal and professional metadata, as well as observe their community activity and make/review recommendations for SQL-centric articles, websites, or blogs.  PASS Portal is part of the newly redesigned website that went live as of the start of the Summit and can be accessed here.

Of course this is the PASS Summit.  Work during the day, play at night.  This year all the rules were broken.  On the final night of the Summit, Microsoft sponsored a "SQL Heroes Unite" event that included casino-style gaming, food, drinks, 15 mini stages with large-screen televisions loaded with Rock band and Guitar Hero.  Add to that Harley Davidson motorcycles, rock star look-alikes, and a live band (Microsoft's own A Flock of SQLs) you have one heck of a party to send us back to our corners of the world to build on all we learned over the last week.  If you will excuse me, I'll be getting back to my post-Summit SQL PASS high.  Should be back to normal once I've had a chance to implement and test some of these new concepts I've learned over the past week.  That should carry me through to mid-May I believe.

Next Steps

• Check out the online session content at the PASS website.
• Use your test or development environments to implement key concepts learned that may be pertinent to your organization.
• Enroll in PASS.  Membership is free.
• Submit an abstract if you are interested in speaking.
• Locate a local PASS chapter near you.
• Complete your PASS Portal profile.

• News on SQL Server Kilimanjaro, Project Madison and Gemini
• Preparing for SQL PASS 2008
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• Tech-Ed 2008
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• More...

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