SQL Saturday 85 Schedule Released!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/olvwu/4403221669/

Hello Dear Reader, the moment you’ve been waiting for has arrived the Schedule for SQL Saturday 85 is now available online!  Click Here to see our AMAZING lineup!   I have a graphic of the schedule below but trust me the one on the website is much easier to read.

Tim Ford (@sqlagentman | blog) recently did a really awesome advertisement for SQL Saturday #84 in Kalamazoo Michigan, the week before ours and with a very talented lineup as well!  As a matter of fact if you are in the Michigan area you should plan on attending!  I think of what Tim did as SQL By The Numbers.  And they were some pretty impressive numbers.  And it made me curious, as to what our numbers are as well.

There was a lot of work that went into the schedule, on the part of the Speakers.   Your career is a culmination of what you have accomplished so far.  And so far our Speakers have done some pretty darn impressive things.

“So Balls,” you say, “Stop talking and show us these numbers”

Without further ado I give you SQL Saturday 85 by the numbers.

SQL SATURDAY 85 BY THE NUMBERS

42 Sessions

21 Current & former PASS Speakers

21 Sessions presented by PASS Summit Speakers

13 Tracks at this year’s Summit

13 Tracks Presented by MVP's

9 2011 PASS Summit Speakers

9 Microsoft SQL Server MVP's

7 Tracks

2 Sessions by a Microsoft Certified Master

1 SSAS Maestros Instructor

1 Microsoft Certified Master Wow can you believe that lineup!  I'm so excited for this event I can hardly contain it.  All we need is one more very important number.

The most important number not listed Dear Reader is you!  We’ve got a wonderful line up, a FREE day of training, that would normally go for HUNDREDS if not THOUSANDS of dollars.  What are you waiting for Sign Up Today by Registering HERE. 

Over the next couple weeks we’ll be breaking this out even more.  Each of those numbers represents a significant amount of time, learning, and expertise on the part of our Speakers, and help to make SQL Saturday 85 in Orlando a Top Notch Event.  Over the next couple weeks we will be breaking down these numbers a little more.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope to see you in Orlando in September!

Thanks,

Brad

SQL Saturday 85 Shedding Some Light on the Schedule

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ajpresto714/230681875/

Hello Dear Reader, we are getting close to ending the Call for Speakers for SQL Saturday 85, the call ends July 24th.  SQL Saturday 85 is in Orlando on Saturday September 24^th 2011.  I’m about 90% done with the schedule,  I know you’ve got to be as excited about this as I am!

I wanted to share with you some of the Sessions that we were looking at including.  I’m picking three Today, and then Shawn McGehee (@SQLShawn | Blog) will be posting more details on his blog tomorrow. 

Monday we’ll have the 90% of the Schedule posted with the remainder to follow Tuesday or Wednesday.  Tuesday we will also be releasing the details of the Pre-Con selected from our Call for Pre-Con Speakers.  There is still time to Click Here and submit a Session for SQL Saturday 85, the Call will close tomorrow.

“So Balls,” you say, “You promised to some details make like a kid on a long car trip and leak already!”

You got it Dear Reader, opening away!

SPILLING THE FLOOD GATES

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thebigeazy/5745591968/sizes/l/in/photostream/

You know that Buck Woody (@BuckWoody | Blog), the well know speaker, Microsoft Guru, The CLOUD, and all around good guy is coming to do a Pre-Con for us, SQL Server Performance Tuning Using Application Path Analysis, but did you know that he will be PRESENTING at SQL Saturday as well!

Leaked Session Number 1: From Ground To Cloud for Databases

Speaker:  Buck Woody

“The cloud! Move everything to the cloud! No, wait, the cloud is awful! Don’t move anything to the cloud! Wait – what’s “the cloud”? Buck Woody, Microsoft’s “Real World DBA” will show you how to. figure out where your data should live, based on actual decision points. You’ll learn about Windows and SQL Azure, and when it makes sense to put data locally or remotely.”

And that’s not all Dear Reader how about we have a Microsoft Certified Master in the house as well!  And not just a MCM, but a Premier Field Support Engineer with a specialization on Performance Data Warehouse!  None other than Brian Mitchell (@BrianMitchell | Blog)

Leaked Session Number 2: Applying FastTrack & PDW Best Practices to your DW

Speaker: Brian Mitchell

“SQL Server 2008 R2 Fast Track Data Warehouse and SQL Server 2008 R2 Parallel Data Warehouse share many of the same design components and best practice recommendations. We will discuss what those designs are and how you can apply those to your data warehouse. Additionally, we will walk through things you can do today to improve the performance of your data warehouse. “

So how do you follow that up?  How about with a Microsoft MVP a TEACHER of the Microsoft SSAS MASTERO Course, The Man, The Myth, The Legend Adam Jorgensen (@Adam_Jorgensen | Blog)!

Leaked Session Number 3:Analysis -0 to PowerPivot

Speaker: Adam Jorgensen

“In this session, the attehdees will learn how to drive and build a PowerPivot solution and reports as they rotate through the podium as volunteers. “

All right Dear Reader, if you haven’t registered now is the time to start rolling, Click Here to register for SQL Saturday 85!  And go visit Shawn’s Blog tomorrow to get more leaked details!  

And as always Thanks for stopping by!

Thanks,

Brad

SQL Saturday 85 Call for Speakers Closing Soon!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/vegaseddie/3911082710/

Hello Dear Reader just a quick reminder that the call for speakers for SQL Saturday 85 in Orlando closes this Sunday July 24^th.  We have extended the call until then, and we got quite a few great submissions!  So what are you waiting for time is getting down to the wire, make sure to get your Abstract in before it is too late.

In my Previous Post, I WANT YOU To Present at SQL Saturday 85, I walked through how to make an abstract, and I even tossed out two that are on presentations I’ve I made up just to brain storm with you.  If you want some ideas go give it a read.  So the question is what are you waiting for?

“But Balls,” you say “I don’t want to get rejected, I don’t have a blog, nobody knows me.  To be honest the idea of presenting makes me nervous.”

Well Dear Reader let’s take these one at a time.

I DON’T WANT TO GET REJECTED

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ajs-photography/5403640388/

I hear you loud and clear.   But let me put your mind at ease, SQL Saturday is a community event.  This isn’t the Summit, this isn’t SQL Rally, this isn’t Tech-ED.  This is where new speakers come to start out, and where experienced speakers go to polish their material.

I know a guy on the inside, and he told me that we want to make sure everybody gets a shot.  Heck, I would rather sit this one out, (And I know several very experienced speakers that feel the same way), in order to give someone else a shot.  Don’t let this discourage you!

You should actually let this encourage you to submit!  We want you to get a shot Dear Reader!

I DON’T HAVE A BLOG

I’ve heard people say this before.  They don’t want to present because they are not blogging.  It isn’t a prerequisite.  You don’t have to blog. 

I do it, but that is because deep down inside I like being on stage.  I like the lime light.  I think it’s fun.  But it is also a little like shaving, once you start you have to keep going, otherwise it will just look funny.

Do not let this hold you back, if you ever want to start a blog start one.  If you don’t ever want to that is fine.  This shouldn’t even be a concern, there are a couple people I’ve met that are top people in the business, they present at SQL Saturday’s and I’ve never seen them post a blog before.

THE IDEA OF PRESENTING MAKES ME NERVOUS

I was listening to a presentation that Buck Woody (@BuckWoody | Blog) and Brent Ozar (@BrentO | Blog) did for the PASS Summit last year and they advised “That if you don’t feel nervous when you stand up to present you probably need to sit down”. 

Which made me feel great because I always feel nervous before a presentation.  The point is if something is important to you then you will probably get nervous over it.  Presenting is an art form, it takes time to perfect your style.  Heck it takes time just to realize that you have a style and what it is!

The great thing about SQL Saturday is a lot of folks are in the same boat, and will be happy to give you feedback.  If you’d like ask me to come to your presentation and I’d be happy to sit in and give you a friendly face.  All you need to do is sign up and your half way there!  CLICK HERE to submit an Abstract for SQL Saturday 85.  I hope to see you there!

Thanks,

Brad

Buck Woody, Florida, and SQL Saturday 85

What do Buck Woody (Blog|@BuckWoody) and Florida have in common?  Quite a bit actually, and on September 23^rd , at the Lake Mary Marriot, we will add to that list.  Buck Woody, Mr. “The Cloud”, will be presenting on SQL Server Performance Tuning Using Application Path Analysis and it will be AWESOME!

“So Ball’s”, you say “Who is this Buck Woody fellow?”

Buck along with this Brent Ozar (Blog | @BrentO ) fellow had the number 2 ranked session at the PASS Summit last year, You’re Not Attractive But Your Presentations Can Be.  He was a featured presenter on the Quest Virtual Training for SQL Server Series, he has published 5 different SQL Server Books, had over 400 SQL Articles published, he was the President of the Tampa Bay SQL Server User Group for 5 years, a Microsoft MVP, and if you are on Twitter you see that Buck Woody and the Cloud are often mentioned in the same breath. 

Buck has a deep knowledge that comes from being where we are in the real world as a consumer of software products.  He joined Microsoft in 2006 a year after receiving his MVP award for SQL Server.  He brings the same “Real World” DBA sensibilities with a Dash of Microsoft Gusto that you would expect in one of the top names in the industry.

And by name alone he is a candidate to join Jack Corbett (Blog | @unclebiguns) in our future law firm of Biguns & Balls as a full partner.

So now let’s talks some details.

DETAILS

SQL Server Performance Tuning Using Application Path Analysis

There are a lot of resources, products and features you can use to tune the performance of your SQL Server system. Many assume you’re familiar with 400-level concepts, others don’t consider the whole stack of the client, the network, the operating system, platform and the database server. Buck Woody, Microsoft’s real-world DBA, will explain a simple, repeatable process you can follow to tune your entire application – from the client to the server. All of the tools we’ll cover are included with Windows and SQL Server:

·         Using Windows System Monitoring Tools

·         The SQL Profiler and Server Trace

·         Database Engine Tuning Advisor

·         Management Data Warehouse / Data Collector

·         Performance and Configuration Reports

·         The new Activity Monitor

·         Dynamic Management Views and System Views

·         Query Plans

·         Extended Events

·         Resource Governor

In this pre-conference session you’ll cover not only the process, but also review a real-world evaluation. You’ll take home a system and a spreadsheet you can use to monitor and tune your applications, in a simple, easy-to-understand session.

WHAT ELSE IS INCLUDED

For this full day of training, Coffee & tea during the morning and afternoon, with lunch included as well.  All of this Dear Reader for a very Reasonable $99. 

So you may be asking how do I sign up?  Very simple go over to http://sqlsaturday85precon.eventbrite.com/ all of the information is there.  Hope to see you at the event!  ( And Buck Does Too!)

CALL FOR PRE-CON SPEAKERS

As Awesome as Buck is, there is only so much of him that can go around.  So we wanted to offer 2 Pre-cons for SQL Saturday 85 this year.  I’ll be blogging about this more soon but right now head over to my friend Shawn McGehee’s  (Blog | @SQLShawn) post Pre-Con Speaker Wanted: Apply Within to get some more details ASAP about how you can come and be a Pre-Con Speaker as well!

Thanks,

Brad

I Can Be A Presenter And So Can You!

Last year in October, I went to my first SQL Saturday.  It was my first ever live event that I had attended.  I had heard of PASS I had wanted to attend PASS, but I’d never been.  I had not been to a SSUG, SQL Server User Group for the uninitiated.  I wanted to but the nearest was 1 hour out of the way on a 2 hour one way commute when I lived in DC.  I had watched and viewed the 1^st 24 hours of PASS, which was fantastic, but no live events.  SQL Saturday 49 in Orlando was my first and it was fantastic!

I met a lot of great people that day.  Noel Mckiney (@NoelMcKinney | Blog) we had lunch on the lawn and talked for quite a while at the after event, Patrick Leblanc (@patrickdba| Blog), he was at the same table as me and Noel at the after event he was easy to talk to and we had fun just talking about food and New Orleans, and my friend, and ½ of my Future Law Firm Biguns & Balls,  Jack Corbett (@unclebiguns | Blog).

When I went to the after event I knew no one.  Everyone I had listed I had just met that day.  I walked up to Jack and started talking, I don’t know what it was about him but he just seemed like the kind of guy I would want to hang out with.  It is awkward going to a place where you know no one, but the SQL Community has a way of welcoming you in.  We all have a lot in common, once we get talking the conversations have a way of flowing.

I left that evening and I decided that come next year I wanted to present.  As the days wore on I didn’t want to wait until next year.  I looked at what all the presenters were doing and decided I wanted to get myself ready, so I started a blog, hopped on Twitter, created my Linkedin Page, and started working on abstracts for presentations. 

The first SQL Saturday would be Tampa Numero 62.  I submitted 3 abstracts and one was selected.  I was excited beyond belief!  So over the next 2 months I worked on my presentation, presented it internally to all of the DBA’s I work with, got their feedback, tweaked it and went to 62.  There I met up with Kendal Van Dyke (@SQLDBA | Blog ), Andy Warren (@SQLAndy | Blog), and Jack.  We had lunch together and they were talking about SQL Rally, user groups, and the great food they have at Tampa every year.

Kendal had just started MAGICPass, and is the President of the SSUG I now call home, and I asked if they had openings for Speakers, they did and that led to a presentation to MAGICPass in February.  I talked with Jack as well, since he was the President of OPASS, the Orlando SSUG, and that led to a March Presentation for OPASS.  Later that month a speaker had to bow out from presenting to the PASS DBA Virtual Chapter.  Jack had been approached about presenting, and he very graciously suggested me.  It was a great presentation, my first remote, and I loved it!

In April I presented at SQL Saturday 74 in Jacksonville, and had a great SQL Road Trip with Kendal, Dan Taylor (@DBABulldog | Blog), and Karen Lopez (@datachick | Blog).  It was a great SQL Road Trip, and a good chance to talk about the SQL Community and what we can do to make it better.  Also played my first game of SQL Alphabet during the road trip.

I had emailed Jack back in December about the upcoming SQL Rally and he had encouraged me to submit, I owe him a lot for that encouragement.  And in May I made it to my first ever SQL Conference, the Inaugural SQL Rally in Orlando FL.   SQL Rally was my first ever conference for multiple days.  And it was great, I got my first dose of SQL Karaoke, and met a lot of people in person that I had previously only tweeted with.

Fresh off of SQL Rally I thought, why not submit to PASS.  To be honest Dear reader I didn’t expect to get in.  I was realistic about it being the first year that I’m doing this.  And I was floored, the community voted and I got in!  And this year I will be presenting a DEEP DIVE on Compression at PASS!

One year ago today I was still 4 months away from starting a blog, getting on twitter, and attending my 1^st ever SQL Saturday.  So Dear Reader, if you are in the same spot then SUBMIT!  Work up and abstract, email me if you need help.  

There is nothing that I have done, that you cannot achieve.  The hardest part of a journey is often the first step.   So what are you waiting for?   Take the first step click Here to go to the SQL Saturday Page, find one near you and start today! Everyone that you see speaking at events started somewhere, and we would love to see you there.

Thanks,

Brad

I WANT YOU to Present at SQL Saturday 85 Orlando

I WANT YOU to Present at SQL Saturday 85 Orlando

Dear Reader today I want to make a call for action.  I am part of the orginizing team that is putting together SQL Saturday 85 in Orlando on Saturday September 24^th, along with Shawn McGehee (@SQLShawn | Blog), Karla Kay (@karlakay22 | Blog), Kendal Van Dyke (@SQLDBA | Blog), and Andy Warren (@SQLAndy | Blog).   I would like to ask you to submit to be a presenter at SQL Saturday 85 in Orlando. 

“But Balls,” you say, “I’d like to but it seems so difficult.  I don’t know what to do?”

No Worries Dear Reader, I know what to do and I’ll walk you through it!  There are a couple steps and it is easy to do.  I’ll even help you write one up with a couple examples!

WRITE AN ABSTRACT

The first step is to write an Abstract of what you want to present on. An abstract is just a description in paragraph form about the topic that you would like to present on. Let’s take a look at my abstract on  Compression and you’ll see how easy this is.

Page and Row Compression How, When, and Why

Page and Row Compression are powerful new tools. Vardecimal shipped with SQL 2005 SP2, Page & Row with SQL 2008 RTM, and Page & Row with Unicode Compression with SQL 2008 R2. Get an overview into how each version of compression works internally. Learn how your Allocation Units will determine if your data is a candidate for compression. Understand how your tables Update and Scan pattern’s affect the compression types you should consider. And what you should you take into consideration for additional overhead.

 I have seen some really cool titles for presentations out there, if this is your first time don’t feel like you have to break the bank.  You don’t need to have the most AWESOME TITLE EVER the first time you present.  Stick with what you know and start out simple.   You Start off with a Title, mine was pretty simple.  I’m presenting on Page & Row Compression, How you do it, When you would want to, and most importantly Why.  That’s all you need.

So let’s come up with three titles for a possible presentation right now.  Maybe you want to present on THE TOP 10 THINGS YOUR DEVELPERS SHOULD KNOW, SURROGATE KEYS VS. NATURAL KEYS –THE GREAT DEBATE, or PARTITIONING FROM BOUNDRY POINT’S TO SLIDING WINDOWS.        

There we go we have 3 titles to choose from, and as you can see they each lend themselves to what we are going to talk about.  Now we come up with a description.   What is it you want to present on?  I would suggest a topic that you like, enjoy, or feel strongly about.  Preferably you would have some experience with it? 

So let’s write out some descriptions

The Top 10 Things Your Developers Should Know

It’s not easy being a DBA, heck it’s not easy being a Developer.  Too often DBA’s and Developers are put at odds, are we two different species, are they from Venus and we’re from Mars, Why Isn’t Green Lantern the movie more successful?  There are a lot of questions and you want Answers!  Come and find out the top 10 things you Developers should know about SQL Server and a friendly way you can present them.

So there we go, we start off with the statement, “It’s not easy being a DBA, heck it’s not easy being a developer.”  We don’t want to alienate anybody you get just as many developers, managers, and other folks at a SQL Saturday as you do DBA’s.  And then the Question Why isn’t the Green Lantern Movie more successful Why do we have such a hard time communicating?  Then present the solution, and suggest a Take-Away-Item that people will get by attending your presentation. “There are a lot of questions and you want Answers!  Come and find out the top 10 things you Developers should know about SQL Server and a friendly way you can present them.”  

Notice I made a couple light hearted jokes in the abstract, you don’t have to do that. My Page & Row Compression Abstract doesn’t have that.  So let’s do one more that is a little more serious.

Surrogate Keys vs. Natural Keys – The Great Debate

An essential part of Database Design is looking at the keys that you’ll have in your tables, You want to make sure that you’ve got a Primary key right?  But do you want that key to be Natural or Surrogate? What is the difference between Natural and Surrogate Keys, What is the Sort order on a Page, and How can they affect performance?  Come find out as we take a step by step process that will build and compare each!

No jokes this time Dear Reader, kind of like an anti-mullet, no Party in the back and all business up front.  

THIS SPEAKER NEEDS AN INTRODUCTION!

So now we get to the second thing you will need, a speaker description.   In my opinion this is the most difficult part because you are describing yourself, that’s not always easy to do.  So let’s take a look at mine.

“Bradley Ball is a MCITP SQL 2005 & MCTS 2008 Database Administrator with over 10 years of IT experience.  Bradley spent 8 years working as a Defense contractor for clients such as the U.S. Army and The Executive Office Of the President of the United States.  He is currently a Sr. SQL Database Administrator for Publix Supermarkets.  He has presented at SQL Saturday 62 in Tampa, for the MAGICPASS and OPASS chapters in FL, and SQL Rally. Bradley can be found blogging on http://www.sqlballs.com/ “

I kept this pretty simple.  I put my name, the certifications I currently have, my job title, and the number of years I have in experience all within one sentence.  Next the I put some of the cool places I’ve worked for, and what I’m currently doing today.  You can add where you have presented, but that sentence is pretty new for me, because I’ve only been doing this 6 months.  And finally I pointed people here, in-case they want to know more about me.

OPTIONAL ITEMS

If you are on Twitter, YAY!  If not you should be, a large part of our SQL Community, MVP’s, Speakers, Authors are all on Twitter and regularly offer free advice to anyone who asks.  There will be a place in the submission form that asks for a Twitter Handle, mine is SQLBalls.

Linkedin is basically a resume/professional version of Facebook.  It is really easy to get started, and before you know it you’ll connect with some awesome people!  Here’s a quick look at my linkedin Page. And if you hop online, send me an invite.  I'll be happy to add you!

SUBMIT

Now here is the best part Dear Reader, once you have your abstraction you Submit it by CLICKING HERE!  I hope to see you in Orlando!

Thanks,

Brad

SQL Saturday 74 Round Up

This past Saturday was SQL Saturday 74 in Jacksonville.  And like most great trips it started out with a road trip.  Kendal Van Dyke (blog|@SQLDBA) and I had discussed driving up together, my buddy Dan Taylor (blogY b|@DBABulldog) had decided to join us by mid week, and Karen Lopez (blog|@DataChick) rounded out our cast on Friday.

Dan started his drive at 3:30 in the morning, making it to my house by 4:15, we left around 4:35 to go over to Orlando and pickup Kendal, and then we added Karen to our traveling road show around 6ish.  The road trip was one of the great highlights, that made for a very enjoyable day.  The conversations flowed like hot coffee, and the coffee flowed like......well hot coffee.

Before I knew it we were getting off the exit and heading over to the scenic campus of the University of North Florida.  This wasn't my first time in Jacksonville, but it was the first time I'd been on this University before, Dan had been to this SQL Saturday in the past and was quick to offer up directions of where to go, and at the parking garage, pictured above, we exited the car to make our way down to SQL Saturday! 

PLAMEN RATCHEV: T-SQL ENHANCEMENTS IN DENALI

So I know the Picture is blurry, but I swear this is really him.

DON STEVIC: FUNDAMENTALS OF DBAISM

BEST SWAG EVER!!!











KENDAL VAN DYKE: DR YOUR WANTED IN THE RECOVERY ROOM

at this point I should have taken more photos

LUNCH ON THE LAWN II

KEVIN BOLES: ADVANCED T-SQL SOLUTIONS

BRADLEY BALL: PAGE AND ROW COMPRESSION HOW WHY AND WHEN

BRIAN KNIGHT IRON CHEF JACKSONVILLE BI EDITION

SQL Saturday 74 Jacksonville

Hello Dear Reader, If you're visiting looking for SQL Saturday Slide Decks and info please go to the Resources page, all info is there!  Just Click Here, and come back on Monday for my SQL Saturday Roundup!

Thanks,

Brad

SQL Saturday 74 Jacksonville, Last Stop before SQL Rally

This Saturday is SQL Saturday #74 in Jacksonville, FL.  This will be the last time that I present on Data Compression in SQL Server, before SQL Rally in May.

This will be my first time in Jacksonville, but I’ve been told by many experienced SQL Saturday Alumni that the location is beautiful, and the event is always a good one.  We are on the University of North Florida Campus, in the College of Computing and Engineering Building, for the address Click Here. 

There is a great line up for this SQL Saturday.  You’ve got great Community Leaders & MVP’s like Kevin Boles (twitter), Andy Warren (blog|twitter), Plamen Ratchev (blog|twitter), Kendal Van Dyke (blog|twitter), Don Stevic (blog|twitter), Adam Jorgensen (twitter), Jose Chinchilla (blog|twitter), Troy Gallant (blog|twitter), Brian Knight , and many many more.  I also have it on good authority that this Balls fellow will be there.  For the full event schedule Click Here.

So far over 450 people have pre-registered to Attend, and you can be one of them the cost is A WHOLE LOTTA NOTHIN!  That’s right Dear Reader, the only cost is your time, you showing up and getting free training in SQL from the cast listed above, Click Here to Register.

This is also the last SQL Saturday in the US before SQL Rally, and I’m psyched. 

“But Balls,” you say, ”What if I’m not going to SQL Rally?”

Even more reason to attend!  Some of the presentations given today will be given at the Rally!  Not only that, but your feedback can help make the SQL Rally better.  

Every presentation I do I look for feedback to figure out if there is anything for my presentation that I’m missing or could be doing differently. 

So come out and enjoy a day of free training with your peers, discuss SQL, and if you find a place to leave feedback help influence the presenters to be better at what we do!

Thanks,

Brad

SQL Saturday 62: Row Compression

I'm really excited to be selected as a speaker for SQL Saturday 62 in Tampa on January 15th 2011, register today at http://www.sqlsaturday.com/62/register.aspx !

Just a quick blog this evening, the whole family, myself included, have been under the weather.  I wanted to get something out on this, and I’ll put more out in the coming days.

The topic I will be presenting on is Compression.  My session is titled Page and Row Compression How, When, and Why, and I’m very excited to be presenting on this topic.   There are also a lot of really great sessions but other speakers, to check out the full line up click here.

I'm going to break up the subject and talk about it in parts, we will start with a very brief introduction to the concepts in Row Compression..

Row Compression

Row Compression was introduced to us in SQL 2008, it’s predecessor was vardecimal compression introduced in SQL 2005, and subsequently deprecated in SQL 2008.  It is still available in 2008, but vardecimal compression does almost the exact same thing as Row Compression, but on variable length numeric fields.

 The premises is that you take the variable length columns from a record and you make them a fixed length field, you take the variable length array and covert it from a 4 byte field to a 4 bit field, and there is also special handling for nulls and zero values. 

In SQL 2008 R2 Row Compression was extended even further to include Unicode support.

Okay, it sounds smart but what does it mean? 

Think Vacuume Sealed.

And Tastey, Tastey meat.

But mainly Vacuume Sealed.

We are extracting every bit of extra space down to trim the size of the data stored in a record on a page.  Row compression should be synonymous to you as saving space! 

If you move from a bigger house to a smaller house then you toss some things out, re-organize, possible consolidate a little.  This is what is going on.  Now keep in mind that not all data-types are covered and this is for In Row Data, LOB and Row Overflow data will not be compressed. 

We’ll save more for later, but needless to say we next need to talk about Page Compression, what makes it up, how to tell if your tables are candidates for compression based on your record types.  Also your tables activity level, and type, can help you estimate what kind of overhead to expect from compression.