This is the ninth in a series
of interviews with speakers leading up to the 2012 PASS Summit which will be held in Seattle from November 6th -
9th. This interview is with Microsoft Certified
Master Cindy Gross.
Tell us about yourself
I have worked with SQL Server
since 1993 when we had to feed stacks of diskettes to the OS/2 machines to
install SQL Server 1.11. Since then I have worked with many different feature
sets within SQL Server and I currently focus on the SQL BI stack and Big Data,
including our new HDInsight offerings. As a member of SQL CAT I work with challenging
scenarios to remove real world implementation roadblocks and publish lessons
learned back to the community. I have spoken at SQL PASS Summits, SQL
Saturdays, and local and virtual user group meetings. One of the hardest things
I’ve done is earn the SQL Server 2008 Microsoft Certified Master certification.
I live in Boise, ID where I can enjoy outdoor activities right outside my front
door while also being only a short bicycle ride from our vibrant downtown.
Tell us your favorite thing about your PASS
session(s)
Hive is such an easy entry point for SQL
Server professionals into the world of Big Data. It makes Hadoop data look like
familiar tables with columns and rows and you can reuse your existing SQL
language skills to enter into this new Big Data World. I’m excited to introduce
Hive to whole new group of SQL Peeps and give some additional insights to those
who have already dipped their toes into Hive!
Tell us about your first time at PASS
Summit
I first attended the PASS Summit in Dallas.
I was working the local Microsoft PSS support office at the time and went to
PASS to work in the SQL Clinic. It was a great experience to meet so many
people I had previously only met virtually. The wealth of knowledge and sense
of #SQLFamily at the PASS Summit is astounding and it’s great to be part of
that experience.
What advice do you have for PASS Summit
First Timers?
Reach out to your fellow geeks and share
your experiences with them. No matter how little or how much time you have been
working with SQL Server you have valuable insights, questions, and answers. The
PASS Summit is your chance to learn from the best in the SQL world and make
some great friends along the way.
What are your can't-miss PASS sessions?
The SQL CAT team members are well known for
presenting “can’t miss” sessions based on real world scenarios. Make sure you
attend at least a couple of those. Base your decisions not just on the content
but on the speakers, there are some people like Kalen Delaney that you just have to hear speak in person.
Besides sessions, what's on your must-do
list at Summit?
Everyone should visit the SQL Clinic and
talk to the CAT and PSS folks. Ask architectural or troubleshooting questions,
get advice on something you’re thinking about or struggling with, and meet some
of the people who get to work heads down on SQL Server every day. Networking
with your peers is also very important – the connections you make at PASS can
help you solve problems, become a member of the #SQLFamily, and maybe even help
you find that perfect career move.
How can attendees become involved in the
SQL Server Community and continue their learning throughout the year?
Attend local user group and SQLSaturday
events, talk to people during breaks and at lunch. Find an active discussion
group on a forum or mailing list and start reading the posts. Find some
questions you are willing to answer and start answering. Sometimes just asking
for clarification on the question can be a great help to both the questioner
(who may find their answer while trying to add the information) and to the
other readers. Start thinking about what you’re really good at or what you
struggled to learn but figured out, whether it’s something basic or something
really complicated someone else will be interested in knowing that same thing.
Blog about it or put it together into a talk and demo and share it!
0 comments:
Post a Comment