Even a week later, I'm still trying to recover. Folks, I just can't begin to tell you how much this class rocks. If you're serious about SQL Server 2005, this is the one must-do training you just have to take. Why? I think there's major reasons:
- Both lecture and labs: I'm of the mind set that it's fine to hear or read about something, but if you're really going to learn it, you need to get your hands on the bits and read the code. That's a key part of this course work.
- All stuff, no fluff: I've done plenty of presentations about the features of Yukon, but in those short formats, you really can't drill into the topics in much depth. When you have 60+ hours to work with, you can really drill deep. I thought I understood SQLCLR pretty well. About 20 minutes into that content, I started to realize just how little I knew. That's how deep they go.
- Bob, Niels and Dan: The fact that Microsoft picks them to training their developers is probably all I need to say. The fact they have the best reviewed and best selling SQL Server 2005 book out is all I need to say. But its not. What's really amazing to me about each of them is how willing they are to spend time on generating the best content and working with students until they really understand the topic. Kudos to them for keeping the class interesting, lively and on-pace.
Now of course having the class at Microsoft was killer. We actually had product team members like Srink Raghavan, Michael Rys, Sara Tahir, Ramachandran Venkatesh, Brian Welcker and Roger Wolters come talk to us and field questions. And big shout outs to Irwin Dolobowsky for helping us with an XML Bulkload question and Brian Hartman from the Reporting Services team for helping me with a SOAP service question.
I just don't think you can wrong by investing of yourself in this class wherever you might take it!
Just one more photo to share from the event:
Left to Right: Tegels, Dybing, Sullivan, Berglund and Beauchemin.
That's the Hawaiian way to say Merry Christmas to you!
Here's wishing you and yours the safest, warmest and merriest of Holidays. We'll be going over the river and through the woods to Janell's parents for the holiday in a couple of hours. It'll be nice to have a day or so to wind down a bit -- 12 hour working days, a lot of travel and the insanity of holiday shoping has worn me out!
And just how do I plan to “relax?“ Well, my reading list is pretty long right now. In priority order...
- Hilary Cotter's SQL Server 2000 Replication Book
- Teo Lachev's Reporting Services Book
- and just to save what's left of my sanity, Edd Dumbill's Mono Developers Notebook.
Xmas Eve dinner is traditionally my responsibility and this year we're having Cioppino again. I tend to make a pretty basic one, based on Rachael Ray's. We'll probably have Garlic Bread, salad and a nice Pinot Noir.