SQLHA Archives

March 12, 2019

April Webinar Announcement: The Only Constant Is Change

As we first announced in our inaugral issue of our newsletter, Mission Critical Update, we will be holding free 30 minute webinars every other month starting in April. The first one will be on Wednesday, April 24 at 11AM Eastern/8AM Pacific/3PM GMT. We will send out details on how to join as the webinar gets closer.

Here is the information about the webinar:

The Only Constant Is Change

Whether you are at the top of the corporate ladder or an administrator, everyone has to manage change. That change comes in many forms including:

Applying patches to resolve issues and improve reliability as well as security updates to keep your systems and business data safe
Upgrading/migrating to new major versions of Windows Server, Linux, and SQL Server
Taking advantage of evolving hardware-based options such as hyperconverged solutions on premises and zones in the public cloud as well as new features to improve your systems and applications
Planning and deploying an updated architecture for the solution to make everything work in harmony

Each of these areas is a moving target. Strong organizations embrace change with well thought out plans and make the most of it with the support of management. With all of that in place, the disruptions to the business are minimized. Want to be that type of organization? Sign up for this free 30 minute webinar from SQLHA® to hear mission critical experts Allan Hirt and Max Myrick talk about the effect of change and how to stay on top of it. You will also get a sample high level plan to see how all of this can be achieved.

Want to get notified of upcoming webinars? Don’t want to miss an issue of Mission Critical Update? Looking for the latest on training and need to know when a Mission Critical Moment is published? Subscribe today and choose what you would like to hear from us. Mission Critical Update #2 is going out later this week – don’t miss out!

September 27, 2017

Off to dataMinds Connect, A Peek into PASS Summit 2017, and Other Updates

Can you believe it’s nearly October? I blinked and realized I hadn’t written a blog post since June. Max and I have been super busy with customer work here at the cozy confines of SQLHA. Some of that you’ll see publicly – like the documentation I’ve been writing for Microsoft on the availability features for SQL Server 2017 on Linux. Fun fact: it was announced that it will be generally available (GA) next Monday, October 2! It’s been a fun few months and what I’m working on will be out soon.

I’m heading to Europe to speak at dataMinds Connect next week. I’m looking forward to it – I’ve heard great things about the conference and it’l be my first time in Belgium. I’ll be delivering both a full day precon and a brand new session “Top Troubleshooting Tips for Clustered Implementations of SQL Server“. It would have been nice to also go to SQL Saturday Copenhagen (lovely town – I’ve been there a few times for conferences), but too much going on here to extend the trip.

I’ve also got three other major speaking things coming up (one of which will get its own section below): PASS Summit, SQL Server Live! in Orlando in November, and for the only time this year, the 4-day Mission Critical SQL Server class with labs. The class will be just outside of Philadelphia. There are still a few seats left. Use the code SEPBLOG for 25% off.

For SQL Server Live! I’ll be doing something new a full day of a bit of hybrid lab/instructional on November 12. It’s not a traditional precon, and it should be fun. If you plan on attending, use the code LSPK36 to get $500 off the standard price of $2,395 – you’ll only pay $1,895, or use one of the links I’ve provided. This link goes directly to the registration page.

If you’re in Minneapolis, go see Max at SQL Saturday next weekend, October 7, and definitely come up and say hi to both of us at PASS Summit since we’ll have a booth again with Denny Cherry and Associates.

RunAs Radio #51

I recorded a RunAs Radio session with my old friend Richard Campbell a few weeks ago. It had been way too long, and we had a blast catching up and talking about SQL Server, availability, and a bunch of stuff inbetween. It was just posted today – listen to it here.

PASS Summit and My Upcoming Precon

I want to talk for a moment about PASS as an organization as well as PASS Summit and my upcoming precon. I have only missed two or three Summits since its inception (Chicago, Orlando, and I think one of the Seattle ones early on). Sure, people can complain about the change of the meaning of the letters, etc., but under any guise, PASS – both Summit and the organization – has been a building block in my career. I could have never guessed that attending Summit in 2000 in San Francisco would be the start of a long journey for me from attendee to speaker to precon speaker to having a booth with SQLHA as a vendor.

Years ago the conference landscape 20 years ago was more stuff like Tech Ed than anything else. It’s funny to see now how many options we have now to speak and attend. Some of those events are downright fantastic. However, just because Summit is one of the biggest events in the Microsoft data platform world and one I still love going every year. Let me be clear: by no means do I think Summit is a perfect conference. I have my gripes, and always will, but for me, it is one of the “must do” data platform events even if I was not a speaker. Just the networking alone is fantastic. No, PASS is not paying me to say any of this, but it’s easy to get cynical about PASS as an organization and Summit as an event because it’s always just been there for most of us along with many other events including SQL Saturday. Many folks you know and love today in our small corner of the world got their “big breaks” at PASS Summit. Not all of them still attend Summit, which I understand, but reality is that Summit, and maybe PASS as an organization, worked for them at one point but they grew beyond it. There’s nothing wrong with that, but Summit still does a lot right for many folks. I mean it when I say I’m honored to be picked to speak at Summit and any event like dataMinds Connect, SQL Bits, SQL Saturday … you get the picture; I never assume, nor do not take an opportunity for granted. I’m not a DYKWIA (Do You Know Who I Am?) type. I’ve said no, but it’s for reasons like I have scehedule conflicts, etc.

As for my journey as a speaker, PASS Summit was integral for me. I remember my first speaking slot all those years ago, and then finally getting a nod for a precon. Could I fill a whole day’s worth of content? Seems silly now to think I couldn’t, and for those who really know me at this point, you are probably laughing your tuchus off because at this point, I can talk with no slides, no demo, and not even a whiteboard for as long as I need to do it.If you saw my SQL Server on Linux talk at SQL Saturday Boston this year, you know what I mean.

Getting opportunities like a precon challenged me. It made me better. Sometimes I failed. Most times, I succeed. Last year was phenomenal – the most people I’ve had doing labs simultaneously to date. When I introduced a lab component a few years ago into some of my precons, I started way before I did it at a big conference like PASS Summit in smaller doses as a proof of concept. No one else had tried to attempt 100 people doing labs at the same time where there is often crap connectivity. Crazy talk! I had no idea if it would be great or terrible, but I knew I wanted to do more. PASS put their faith in me and I’ve been lucky to be given a chance to do labs ever since, this year included.

I’m putting the finishing touches on the lab for the Summit precon in the next few days . This year’s precon is “Advanced SQL Server Availability and Storage Solutions”. Designing lab content and the instructional design around labs is one of the hardest things I do, and it’s even harder finding that balance in a one day event like a precon where you have a lot to talk about and demo, too. In one of my multi-day classes, it’s much easier. I do enjoy the challenge, and I urge you to reserve your spot because the last few years have completely sold out (and we’re nearly there already). I do cap the number of students who can attend since there’s only one of me and I can only have so many proctors. I hope to see you there.

Other Updates

I hit a big milestone. In August, I celebrated 10 years of going independent. I remember when I did it I thought let me give this a go for a year and see how it goes. One became two and the rest is history. Thanks to everyone who has supported me over the years and done business with me. I look forward to many more years doing this.
I was re-awarded my dual Microsoft MVP. I can’t believe I’m coming up on nearly 10 years as a Microsoft MVP. Time flies!
I did three sessions at VMworld in Las Vegas. Hope to be back next year.

October 30, 2014

SQLHA Has Given Birth

Successful companies grow in different ways. Last year, we brought Max into the SQLHA fold. That allowed us to develop much broader customer outreach, work on some of the world’s biggest and most complex architectures, and at the same time, expand our network of partnerships. This past year has been one of our best to date, and we have seen lots of opportunities out there. To fill this gap in the marketplace, we are spinning off a separate, independent company named Fortified Data that Ben will be leading. Ben is really excited about this opportunity to provide a wide range of higher end consulting services using an array of different resources. SQLHA may still do some of this work, but it is Fortified Data’s complete focus.

While both Max and I will miss working with Ben day-to-day as a partner, and I’m sure we’ll do joint opportunities from time to time, we will continue with SQLHA’s core mission and are as strong as ever. We will be delivering mission critical consulting and all that it encompasses (including the usual suspects – service monitoring, availability, architecture, private cloud, virtualization, etc.). We work with some of the best companies in the world to make sure that their SQL Server environments are the best they can be, and we’ve already got a busy year shaping up for 2015. SQLHA University will also grow in 2015 (stay tuned), and I’ll even even finish that mission critical book before 2015!

While spinning off Fortified Data was not planned when Ben and I started SQLHA three years ago, I am proud of everything that we have accomplished together. The best is yet to come for SQLHA and Max and I are excited to see what Ben does with Fortified Data. I know Ben and Fortified will be a success if the past three years are any indication.

You can also drop by the “Consultant’s Corner” booth at PASS Summit next week to find out more, where SQLHA and Fortified Data will be sharing space with our friends Heraflux Technologies and Denny Cherry & Associates .

August 12, 2014

Happy Anniversary (To Me), Training and Book Updates, and Other Thoughts

It is hard to believe that in August of 2007 I made the leap and went independent. Seven years (now starting number eight) later, I’m still doing my thing. It’s hard to imagine how scary it was leaving the confines of regular paychecks to the unknown. I’ve said it many times, but if you don’t have the stomach (or money to pay someone you trust) to run a business, don’t go independent. Having skills to do the job is not enough to make it. When I make the leap of faith and invested in myself, I said I’d see where I was after a year. Then two … and now, I can’t imagine doing anything else. Have I had my share of problems in this tenure? You bet, but as they say, adversity makes us stronger. Life isn’t all sunshine and roses, kids.

SQLBits XII was great and there’s not much to say that hasn’t been said by others. It’s one of, if not the, favorite conference of mine. And I do like PASS Summit, but Bits is just always spectacular. If you ever get the chance to attend or speak, and can – do it!

I am cannot wait to deliver my availability groups precon at PASS Summit in November, and am excited to have everyone do the labs. Let’s see if the Washington State Convention Center’s WiFi holds up 🙂 Have you registered? If not, what are you waiting for?

My plans for delivering my 4-day Mission Critical SQL Server class are coming along. I’ve got dates in Boston in October (before Summit), March 2015 in Philadelphia, and September 2015 in London (with Technitrain again). I am close to solidifying dates in Dallas in early 2015 as well as some other stuff. Stay tuned!

The book is finally coming along nicely. I’ve made great progress over the past few weeks and you guys will see a lot of content soon. I also think I may have found the right editor which is key to making things look pretty for you guys.

Unless you have been living under a rock, you may have seen that Robin Williams tragically passed away today (this was written on August 11th). I loved Robin Williams – he was one of the few people that could consistently make me laugh. He was a very talented individual, and I agree with the cries that if it truly was suicide due to depression (at the time of writing, that has not been officially stated), this will hopefully shed light on true issues that people have both apparent and hidden. Robin certainly had other demons which took him to places I cannot fathom. My thoughts are with his family at this time.

Looking at this from an outside point of view, it is hard to imagine what it would be like to be Robin Williams. People expect you to be the Genie or some manic character improvising all the time. There is no way you could lead anything approximating a normal life if the expectation – even if unrealistic – is to be “on” 24 x 7. Don’t get me wrong – he was a comedic genius. I don’t use that word lightly; he truly was. But that has to weigh on you; how can it not? Money and fame do not buy happiness. I didn’t know Robin, and I could be totally off base here, but knowing what I experience even on a small level, I’m not sure I’m not.

A good case in point – see my post about presenting at Summit after my friend Mike died shortly before the conference. August 28th of this month will mark the third anniversary of his passing which makes this post more poignant. In hindsight, there is no way I should have been presenting that pre-con or spotlight session; hell, I probably should not have even been at Summit. I will freely say that now. But I felt an obligation to everyone who paid for that pre-con. So I tried to put my best face on and brave it. I’m sure people would have understood but it would have been hard for everyone involved – including myself – since there would not have been a lot of time for PASS to do something. It was not about the money; I would have gladly traded whatever I was paid to have Mike back. I thought I was doing the right thing for all involved but I wasn’t – at least for me. I needed to grieve.

And let’s face it, in our social media-conscious age, if you have a negative interaction with someone, in minutes – if not seconds – it would be blasted to Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, Instagram – you name it. I know when I am at conferences I realize that I need to be “on” regardless of the type of day or week I was having. The last thing I need is to have someone call me this, that, or the other because you know if it’s on the ‘net, it must be true! As an independent consultant any ding is not a good one if it persists. We all have our bad moments, except this time it can leave a lasting impression. This is why when you see me at a conference, during a training class, etc., I am “on”, but when I’m not there, I’m not. That is not to say I am a different person – I am not. But even I need some time not to be answering questions about clusters. I’m not writing my book because I hate the topic! My brain needs to do other things from time to time. I know, shocker.

I lead a life currently filled with first world problems. I am very, very lucky to be fortunate to have a roof over my head, food in my mouth, and clothes on my back. Anything else – including material possessions – is a blessing (and I would be lying if I said I hated some things … like laptops …). I count my blessings every day to have good friends and family and an excellent support system where I can reach out to for advice of all kinds, or just to chat. With that, I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to my colleagues and customers, along with my family and friends, who have made these past seven years great. Looking forward to many more.

December 16, 2013

Announcing SQLHA University

SQLHA is proud to announce the opening of SQLHA University. SQLHAU is going to be the training wing of SQLHA which will be delivering not only in-person classes such as Allan’s Mission Critical SQL Server one, but online classes and seminars both on-demand and live. Most of our classes, including the online ones, will even have labs that may be available to you not only during the class, but after, too! It’s not just Allan, Ben, and Max – we’ve lined up some of the people you all know and love to work with us under the SQLHA University banner. Both Denny Cherry (blog | Twitter) and Grant Fritchey (blog | Twitter) are already on board and we are already talking with others, too. SQLHAU will be your one-stop shop for some of the best SQL Server training around. Look for online courses starting to roll out during Q1 of 2014.

SQLHA University logo

For more information, see Allan’s blog post which has his thoughts and the back story of how all of this came to be and why this is so different than a lot of other stuff out there (which is all pretty good, too).

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