The AucklandSQL User Group is proud to present:  SQL Server Integration Services

Session
Ready to get started using SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS). Join Patrick LeBlanc, founder of the SQL Lunch in the session on how to use SSIS. Patrick will cover everything you need to get started with this powerful technology. You’ll learn how to utilize several key components of SSIS, while applying common business rules to your data.

Patrick LeBlanc is currently a Business Intelligence Architect for Pragmatic Works. He has worked as a SQL Server DBA for the past 9 years. His experience includes working in the Educational, Advertising, Mortgage, Medical and Financial Industries. He is also the founder of TSQLScripts.com, SQLLunch.com and the President of the Baton Rouge Area SQL Server User Group. Patrick is a regular speaker at various SQL Server community events, including SQL Saturday’s, User Groups and the SQL Lunch

Time
Tuesday, 27th April
Food & Drink from 5:30pm, Presentation starts at 6pm.

Location
Datacom Systems Ltd
210 Federal St
Auckland CBD

Registration: http://www.aucklandsql.com/Meetings/April2010.aspx

If you are unable to attend the session at Datacom, it will also be broadcast online at: https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/usergroups/join?id=FFG9R9&role=attend&pw=MzC4g%24B5n

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Hi all,

I’d like to invite you all to the Auckland SQL Saturday, being held on the North Shore of Auckland, on Saturday, April 10th.
 
This is a FREE, full day of sessions covering real world scenarios and situations along with information relevant to current as well as future projects and positions.

• 10 things you didn't know about SSMS 
• 36 to 6 SQL Servers – Consolidation from the Trenches 
• Analysis Services - Introduction to Business Intelligence with SQL 2008 
• Common Misconceptions about Clustering 
• Comparing SQL in large vs small environments 
• Database Index investigation with DMVs 
• Solving the "Running Total" & "Ordinal Rank" Problems 
• SQL Server Integration Services 2008 
• Training for SQL Server 2008 certification, and why it's worth it 
• What is LINQ – and what the heck is it doing to my database?

Plus more...  A full schedule, including session times will be available after Easter.

This event runs from 8:30am -> 5pm, includes lunch and is FREE for all attendees.

Further information and registration can be found here:  http://www.aucklandsql.com/sqlsaturday

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

In conjunction with the AucklandSQL User Group, we present:

PowerShell for Data Professionals
Tuesday, February 23rd at noon (NZ time)

In this session we will learn to perform several everyday data tasks including user database backups, scripting table objects and evaluating disk space usage with PowerShell. For each task we will explore the benefits of using PowerShell over the standard method. Only a basic understanding of PowerShell or DOS is needed. This session should serve as a good introduction to PowerShell for database users. The goal is to help everyone get their feet wet using PowerShell.

Presenter:
Aaron Nelson is a Senior SQL Server Architect, Database Developer, DBA, and Business Intelligence Developer with over 10 years experience in architecture, development, maintenance, and performance tuning of SQL Server.

He has Experience managing enterprise-wide data needs in both a transactional and data warehouse environment.  He also holds certifications for  MCITP: Business Intelligence Developer, Database Administrator, Database Developer; as well as MCTS: Windows Server Virtualization, Configuration (meaning Hyper-V). Aaron blogs at SQLvariations

LiveMeeting link:
https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/usergroups/join?id=BJ5M5D&role=attend

If you're on the North Shore and would like to get together to watch this (and have some Pizza & drinks for lunch) drop me a note and I'll sort out a suitable location here.

Brad M. McGehee is the Director of DBA Education for Red Gate Software; an accomplished Microsoft SQL Server MVP with over 14 years’ SQL Server experience, over 6 years’ training experience, and has been involved in the industry since 1982.
 
A well-respected and trusted name in SQL Server literature, Brad is the author or co-author of more than 14 technical books and over 100 published articles.
 
 
Auckland
Monday 19th
http://aucklandsql.com/Meetings/Brad-McGehee.aspx
 
DBA 101: Best Practices Every DBA Should Know
This session focuses on key fundamentals, such as: Installing & Upgrading SQL Server; SQL Server Configuration; User Data and Log File Management; Database Configuration Settings; Configuring Critical Maintenance Jobs; Setting Up Alerts for Critical Errors; Security Basics; Implementing a Backup Strategy; Creating a Disaster Recovery Plan; Testing; Monitoring; and Documentation

Wellington
Tuesday 20th
http://wellington.sqlpass.org/Home/tabid/1764/Default.aspx
 
How to Optimise tempdb Performance
DBAs often don’t spend a lot of time watching tempdb performance. They think of it as a black box that takes care of itself. What many DBAs don’t fully realize is how tempdb performance can affect SQL Server’s overall performance. In this session, we will cover how tempdb is used; tempdb internals; how to monitor tempdb; and how to optimize tempdb for best performance.

 
Christchurch
Wednesday 21st
http://www.dot.net.nz/Lists/Events%20Calendar/DispForm.aspx?ID=144
 
Want to become an exceptional DBA?
Becoming a DBA doesn’t have to be just a job; it can be a very rewarding career. While many DBAs are happy with just getting by, the Exceptional DBA is not only outstanding in their knowledge of SQL Server, they are consummate professionals who are in high demand, and command high salaries.
 

Dunedin
Thursday 22nd
http://www.dot.net.nz/Lists/Events%20Calendar/DispForm.aspx?ID=137
 
Best Practices Every SQL Server DBA Must Know 
With the continued popularity of SQL Server, more and more people are becoming SQL Server DBAs, whether they planned to or not. Many of these DBAs don’t have formal training, but are doing the best they can under the circumstances. Most of these DBAs want to do a good job, but just don’t know where to start. While Books Online is a great reference tools, it doesn’t tell someone what they need to know about commonly established best practices that experienced DBAs know by heart.
 

Whoops. It's been a month since I last updated this thing.  Better put sommit on it so I don't auto-drop off peoples feeds.  I will get back to posting more regularly, I promise, in the the mean time, I'm on twitter http://www.twitter.com/venzann

- Running Windows7 RC on all machines except 1 in the house.  loving it.  You should upgrade.

- I have totally forgotten what things I was going to post, so I am make up new ones on the spot.

- Auckland SQL Users Group user group is going really well.  Lots of members, good meetings, positive feedback, building networks, yadda yadda

PS: YUM!

• Did you know there are 3 MCITP tracks for Microsoft SQL Server 2008?  What are they, and why should I care?  
• Did you know there are 3 MCPD tracks for Microsoft Visual Studio 2008?  What are they, and what’s the difference from MCITP?    

James is a Microsoft Certified Trainer.  He has contributed lectures on Microsoft Certification, SQL Server Reporting Services and SQL Data Services to the INETA and PASS communities.

6:00pm - Thursday 30th April

Datacom Systems Ltd
210 Federal St
Auckland CBD
Map

Food and Drink will be provided from 5:30pm.  Please feel free to contact us with any specific culinary requests

Please register here:  http://www.aucklandsql.com/Meetings/Certification.aspx

Wearing multiple hats. Being a DBA and a developer.

Dave Dustin - Wolters Kluwer Health
Given the size of many New Zealand companies and their respective IT departments, many IT professionals wear multiple hats. Dave will be giving his view of coming from the development world into the DBA role, and what it means if you need to work in both areas.  Will also demonstrate aspects of VSTS 2008: DBPro.

Open Floor - "Cloud" based data systems

With the announcement of Tabular Data Systems as an aspect of the Azure platform, the option of storing data in the cloud becomes even more interesting.
A chance to talk about news, ask / answer questions, talk about things you've discovered and share.

Refreshments provided courtesy of SQL Services Ltd.
 
We've heard your feedback, so we're going to try something a little different this time. Sushi, Subway and a wider range of drink options. Please let us know your feelings on this.

6pm, Wednesday 18th of March
Datacom Systems Ltd   <---  Note the change of venue
210 Federal St
Auckland CBD

Please register here:  http://aucklandsql.com/Meetings/March-Meeting.aspx

The January 2009 Auckland SQL Server Users Group meeting is scheduled for 6pm, Wednesday 21st of January, and we'd love to see you there:

We're trying something a little different this time; a series of speakers each covering a particular area of SQL Server.

Spatial data-types 
User Defined Functions
SQL Server Managment Studio
Cursors
Merge statement
??

The venue is Microsoft (NZ) in the viaduct:

Microsoft NZ
Level 5,
22 Viaduct Harbour Ave,
Auckland
http://tinyurl.com/5z4l3o

Free Drinks and pizza will be available.

Please register here:  http://aucklandsql.com/Meetings/All-you-ever-wanted-to-know---.aspx

SQL PASS COMMUNITY CONNECTION EVENT

Dec 6th and 7th
Porirua, Wellington

SQL PASS COMMUNITY CONNECTION EVENT – 'Down Under in NZ 2008' is coming REAL SOON! I hope you are ready! This is going to be another fantastic weekend event!

With some excellent and unique sessions presented by some of New Zealand and Australia's most talented and influential experts, including Dr Greg Low, Adam Cogan & Peter Ward; 3 of the most recognised SQL experts in Australasia, I'm sure you will find many sessions to enjoy and to be enlightened on. 

And like with TechEd and PDC, you've got the networking opportunities.  What better time to look for a new job than amongst your peers ;-)

When: Saturday 6th & Sunday 7th of December, 2008
Location: Whitireia Polytechnic, Porirua, Wellington
Cost: Free!! (including lunch on both days)

Heaps of prizes to be won over the 2 days including: a ZUNE, SQL Server 2008, 2.5" Portable drives, T-Shirts, SQL training etc

FOR MORE DETAILS AND TO REGISTER - CLICK HERE: http://www.dot.net.nz/Default.aspx?tabid=120

* If you don't learn something during the weekend, I'll buy you a beer afterwards

The inaugural meeting of the Auckland SQL Server Users Group is this Wednesday, 19th of November, 2008

Where:
     Microsoft House
     Level 5, 22 Viaduct Harbour Ave, Auckland (http://tinyurl.com/5z4l3o)

When:
     6pm Wednesday, November 19th 2008

Why:
     Introduction to SQL 2008 (AKA: Why you should be excited)
     Presented by Dave Dustin (Wolters Kluwer Health)

     All you ever wanted to know about SQL Server Certification, but were afraid to ask...
     Presented by Amanda Jackson (Fronde)

     Pizza & drinks

     Door prizes (of both the software and hardware varieties)

If you want to know more, or have any other questions, please don't hesitate to contact me (dave@aucklandsql.com or 027-323-4670)

See you there...