WIT Wednesday

On the fourth Wednesday of each month, the Women in Technology Virtual Chapter of PASS has its monthly conference call to discuss and plan upcoming WIT activities, be it SQL Saturday WIT panels or the WIT luncheon at the annual PASS Summit. To help promote women in technology, I’m declaring the fourth Wednesday of each month “WIT Wednesday” here at the Cleveland DBA.

WIT Spotlight: Erin Stellato

This month we’re talking to the newest member of SQLSkills.com: Erin Stellato (b | t).  Erin and I are members of the same local PASS chapter, and her advice and support has been invaluable as I’ve worked to establish myself in the SQL Community.  She’s a stellar example of what #sqlfamily means.

There’s a lot of talk these days about getting girls and young women to enter – and stay – in technology careers.  As parents, what can we do to encourage more girls to enter STEM fields?

This question generates two thoughts…  First, I think it’s incredibly important to encourage females to enter STEM fields, but I think it’s also important to recognize that not every female will be interested in said fields.  As someone who loves technology, it’s naïve of me to think that my daughter will as well, just because I do.  I don’t mean to say that we shouldn’t be supportive and encouraging, but realize that 100% of young women will not want a technology career.

That said, for those that are interested, or haven’t made up their mind, I think the most important thing adults can do is engage in technology with young girls.  It reminds me of what Kevin Kline said at the Women in Technology lunch at the PASS Summit earlier this month.  “Come in and sit next to me, for I have known goodness.”  If young women see what we are excited and passionate about, because we sit down and show them, and help them, it carries tremendous weight.  In those moments we are not just teaching girls about technology, we are also showing them what we think of it, how it inspires us, and how it’s not something of which to be ashamed.   It’s not enough to buy my daughter a LeapPad or an InnoTab, Legos or some Tinker Toys, I need to sit down with her and build and play.

How has the transition been to working from home?  What advice can you share with someone looking to make that switch?

It’s hard to separate out the transition to working from home from the transition to the new job because they’re so intertwined!  I gave working from home a lot of thought.  I knew that I would need a dedicated space, that I would need to be disciplined about my time, and that I would be spending a lot of time alone.  Initially I did not have dedicated space and that was a struggle.  But once I got my desk set up, it completely fell into place.  For anyone who works from home, you absolutely need your own area – ideally one where you can close a door.

I am still sorting out my work time.  When my kids are at school the hours fly by, and I am very focused during that time.  At first I would work after my kids got home from school, but then I realized that I wasn’t spending time with them.  Now when they’re home, they are my focus.  When they go to bed, then I can work again.  But it took a while for me to reconcile no longer working the “normal” hours of 9-5.  However, I think I’m a lot more effective working in smaller chunks of time.

As for so much time alone…I really like it.  It is nice to have time in my house, by myself, even if I’m working.  Some days I don’t turn on the radio, it’s just complete silence.  For anyone who is looking to switch to working from home, I recommend thinking about the phrase, “working remotely.”  It has a different meaning, to me, than working from home.

Working remotely means that I don’t go into an office (ever) and I rarely see my co-workers.  I thought about this a little bit beforehand, but I underestimated how important it was to me to talk to my colleagues on a regular basis.  It’s great to see people face-to-face, but the real value is the conversation and dialog.  Once I realized this, it was easy to remedy.  I set up regular calls and WebEx sessions with different people on the team, I know that I can call if I ever need to, and now I’m in a much better place.  I value my time working alone, and I feel like I am extremely productive, but I still need to interact with people over more than just email.

So far, what’s been the best part of working at SQLSkills.com?  The toughest?

Do I have to pick one best thing?  :-)   I work with an amazing group of individuals.  That is the best thing about my job.  They are the best at what they do.  I appreciate that I can reach out to them as needed, asking for a review of an article or blog post, or an opinion on a client problem.  And they are people that I would like even if I didn’t work with them, which is even better.  Our team has a lot of fun, and I don’t take that for granted.  I think it’s a gift to work with people that you like as much as you much respect.

As for the toughest part…I would have to say it’s been the transition to working remotely, which I mentioned before and balancing my time.  When your office is in your house, it’s easy to spend many hours in front of a computer.  I’m still sorting out that balance.

You’ve come a long way since attending your first SQL Server conference in 2007. What do you hope to accomplish in the next 5 years?

I would like to present internationally.  I’ve presented at the PASS Summit the past two years and hope to present there again, but I would like to take it to the next level.

I’ve talked about getting my MCM before, and although that certification is changing slightly, it’s still a goal for me.

I haven’t defined any other goals yet, and I’m ok with that.  The last half of 2012 has brought great change for me, and I’m letting myself settle into where I am now before I decide what’s next.  I am very happy with where I am today.  It doesn’t mean I’m resting, or that I’m not always striving to improve, but deciding what’s next is big. I’m not quite there yet.

In the movie of your life, who would be cast in the title role?

This question makes me laugh :-)   When I was in college I lived with seven friends in a huge house on Arbor street, and we often joked about “when they make a movie of our lives.”  So I’m sticking with who I picked back then, many years ago: Elizabeth Shue.

Must-see WIT TV

Some of you (hopefully most of you) just attended the PASS Summit and I’m sure you returned home inspired and full of ideas of how to do your job more effectively.  I know conferences have that effect on me; they recharge my battery and get me fired up again, like a SQL Server B-12 shot.  Hopefully the Summit inspired you to do something else, too: get up there and present.  There are some awesome speakers at the Summit, and they certainly know their stuff, don’t they?  But you know what?  They’re just like you.  Once upon a time they were brand new speakers and probably full of the same uncertainties you’re feeling.  It’s not easy to stand in front of a room of strangers and teach them.  They’ll ask questions you’re not prepared for.  They’ll challenge your knowledge of the topic.  That’s ok; it will help you learn.  And the next time you present, you’ll be better prepared.

So this month, in addition to a video, I’m featuring some sites to help you prospective speakers, you women especially, to get out there and start speaking.

The video is from Women Who Tech‘s 2010 Telesummit (skip forward to about 2:30).

Interested in supporting women in technology?

  • Go to the WIT website and check out all the resources, blogs and coming events
  • Follow @PASS_WIT and #passwit on twitter
  • Email wit@sqlpass.org to be added to the WIT mailing list; you’ll also receive invitations to the monthly call
  • Participate in the monthly call
  • Attend WIT panels at SQLSaturday events
  • Attend the WIT luncheon at the PASS Summit

November 28, 2012  Tags: , ,   Posted in: Professional Development  No Comments

WIT Wednesday

On the fourth Wednesday of each month, the Women in Technology Virtual Chapter of PASS has its monthly conference call to discuss and plan upcoming WIT activities, be it SQL Saturday WIT panels or the WIT luncheon at the annual PASS Summit. To help promote women in technology, I’m declaring the fourth Wednesday of each month “WIT Wednesday” here at the Cleveland DBA.

WIT Spotlight: Christina Leo

This month’s PASS woman in the spotlight is Idera Ace Christina Leo (b | t).  Christina is a database developer/administrator, prolific speaker, intrepid traveler, fellow whisky-lover, and kettlebell-swinger from Nashville, TN Boston, MA.

You work for a large company now, but you began at a small software start-up. What did you learn from that experience?

I think the most important lesson that I learned is that there is no such thing as “comfort zone”. When there are only a handful of you, you must be willing to wear whatever hat needs wearing to get the job done and move forward. Having the courage and drive to try things that seem uncomfortable at first will open a lot of doors. I’m often asked how a special education teacher ended up as a SQL Server developer. The short answer is that I kept trying on hats until I found the one that fit.

How has being an Idera ACE impacted your career?

Community is the first word that comes to mind when considering how to answer this question. The ACE program was put together to help Idera connect with the SQL Server community, and I think that benefit goes both ways. Having the funds to speak at more events has allowed me to meet and connect with many more SQL folks. Having a bigger grapevine, so to speak, means I hear about job opportunities that others might not. Additionally, giving presentations is a bit like having a walking resume. It lets you get your foot a bit farther in the door when pursuing new challenges, simply because folks already know something about your skills. Want to move up to bigger and better things? Get out there and start connecting with the people who can make that happen. Start by volunteering with your local user group. Opportunities will abound from there.

What’s your next challenge?

In late August, an opportunity presented itself to do some contract work for a large investment fund management group in Boston. I was ready for a change, so I jumped at the chance. I absolutely loved the area when I flew up for my final interviews, so I decided to pick up stakes and relocate altogether. I started my first week on October 15th, and I’m thrilled with the decision to go this route. I’m getting to work with some super sharp folks, and the development work is well beyond what I had been getting to do before. The database and its usage requirements are very specialized. All sorts of tricks have been implemented to make things work efficiently. I’ve got a whole new industry to learn, along with bringing my T-SQL ninja skills up to par. We often talk about “drinking from the fire hose” when we describe some of the 500-level sessions at the PASS Summit. Working at this new gig feels very much like that. The next several months will be spent absorbing every bit that I can as fast as I can.

You travel quite a bit, can you share with us a memorable experience?

This is a tough one. I do love travelling to new places and have been blessed with the opportunity to go all over the U.S. as well as many places overseas. Two summers ago, I went on SQL Cruise Alaska. Besides getting to spend the week with some awfully smart SQL folks, I got to see some pretty amazing scenery. Glacier Bay was absolutely breathtaking; however, the highlight excursion for me was snorkeling in Ketchikan. While swimming through the middle of a kelp field, I suddenly remembered my teenage self, eagerly reading through dive magazines and hoping I would have a chance to visit some of the amazing places I was reading about. I instantly realized I was seeing a daydream come to life. That, combined with the sheer wealth of sea life to observe, then surfacing to see an enormous bald eagle sitting on a rock just feet away from me, definitely ranks high on the memorable experience list.

Whisky of choice?

BenRiach Authenticus 21YO – I first had this particular whisky when several of us SQLFoodies got together for an amazing meal at WD-50 after SQL Saturday #158 NYC. After that first sip, I knew I’d found my favorite. I tend to gravitate toward heavily peated whiskies, and this one has enough smokiness to keep my attention, but what I think makes it amazing is its balance. Not too smoky, not too sweet . . . but just right. Goldilocks would most definitely approve.

Must-see WIT TV

This month’s featured video is from NASA’s Aspire To Inspire program, aimed at encouraging and empowering young women and girls to enter STEM fields.

Interested in supporting women in technology?

  • Go to the WIT website and check out all the resources, blogs and coming events
  • Follow @PASS_WIT and #passwit on twitter
  • Email wit@sqlpass.org to be added to the WIT mailing list; you’ll also receive invitations to the monthly call
  • Participate in the monthly call
  • Attend WIT panels at SQLSaturday events
  • Attend the WIT luncheon at the PASS Summit

October 24, 2012  Tags: , ,   Posted in: Professional Development  No Comments

SQL Audit – User-defined Audit Events

One thing I failed to touch on during my series on SQL Audit was the use of user-defined events in audits. This was brought to my attention in a comment by one of my readers. He was trying to make use of user-defined events and was having a problem getting the output to actually write to the audit file. Since I was writing some code to recreate the problem on my system anyway, I decided to post it here.

Why might you want to create a user-defined event audit in the first place? Well, we already know that we can use SQL Audit to audit access to certain objects. So let’s say we have a table with salary data. We can use the SCHEMA_OBJECT_ACCESS_GROUP to audit access to any object in that schema. We can also use SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE actions to audit those actions on specific objects. But let’s say even getting that granular will produce more audit output than we’d like. Suppose we only want to know when an employee’s salary is increased by more than 10%. We can’t do that with any of the canned actions. But we can do that with a custom event.

Configure the audit

The first step is to configure the audit object. Once we’ve got that configured we create the audit specification. This can be either a server audit spec or a database audit spec, depending on your needs. Just make sure to add the USER_DEFINED_AUDIT_GROUP action. And don’t forget to enable both the server audit and the audit spec.

 USE [master]
GO

CREATE SERVER AUDIT [TestingUserDefinedEvents]
TO FILE
(	FILEPATH = N'D:\SQL2012\Audits'
	,MAXSIZE = 5 MB
	,MAX_ROLLOVER_FILES = 5
	,RESERVE_DISK_SPACE = OFF
)
WITH
(	QUEUE_DELAY = 1000
	,ON_FAILURE = CONTINUE
)
GO
ALTER SERVER AUDIT [TestingUserDefinedEvents] WITH (STATE = ON);
GO

USE [AdventureWorks2012]
GO

CREATE DATABASE AUDIT SPECIFICATION [UserDefinedEvents]
FOR SERVER AUDIT [TestingUserDefinedEvents]
ADD (USER_DEFINED_AUDIT_GROUP)
WITH (STATE = ON)
GO

 

Writing to the audit

To write to the audit log, we’ll use the sp_audit_write stored procedure. This built-in stored procedure accepts 3 parameters:

  • @user_defined_event_id is a smallint used to identify the event
  • @succeeded is a binary flag used to specify whether the action was successful or not
  • @user_defined_information is an nvarchar string describing the event

So, to test our audit, let’s run the following:

 USE [AdventureWorks2012]
GO
EXEC sp_audit_write @user_defined_event_id =  27 ,
              @succeeded =  0
            , @user_defined_information = N'Testing a user defined event.' ;

If we check the audit log, we should see the event.

 

Putting it into practice

Back to our original purpose, we wanted to know whenever an employee’s salary was increased more than 10%. To do this, we can create a trigger. (As I’ve mentioned many times in the past, I’m not a developer, so no fair picking on my trigger code.)

 USE AdventureWorks2012
GO

CREATE TRIGGER [humanresources].[SalaryMonitor] ON [humanresources].[employeepayhistory]
AFTER UPDATE
AS
declare   @oldrate money
		, @newrate money
		, @empid integer
		, @msg nvarchar(4000)

select	@oldrate = d.rate
from deleted d

select @newrate = i.rate, @empid = i.BusinessEntityID
from inserted i

IF @oldrate*1.10 < @newrate
BEGIN
	SET @msg = 'Employee '+CAST(@empid as varchar(50))+' pay rate increased more than 10%'
	EXEC sp_audit_write @user_defined_event_id =  27 ,
              @succeeded =  1
            , @user_defined_information = @msg;
END
GO

Now if we test the trigger by virtually doubling employee 4′s rate and only increasing employee 8′s rate by a small amount.

 select * from HumanResources.EmployeePayHistory where BusinessEntityID= 4

Update HumanResources.EmployeePayHistory set rate = 59.8462
where BusinessEntityID=4 and RateChangeDate = '2006-01-15 00:00:00.000'

select * from HumanResources.EmployeePayHistory where BusinessEntityID= 8

Update HumanResources.EmployeePayHistory set rate = 41.8654
where BusinessEntityID=8 and RateChangeDate = '2003-01-30 00:00:00.000'

We should see an audit record for employee 4 in the output, and we do.

 

You might be wondering if you can configure an audit to only capture specific user-defined event IDs.  Great question, and you can by filtering on the user_defined_event_id field in the server audit.

So there you have it, another way to tailor SQL Audit a bit more to your specific needs. Happy auditing!

October 18, 2012  Tags: , ,   Posted in: Features  No Comments

SQLSaturday #171 Pittsburgh recap

SQLSaturday 171 This past weekend I made the drive from Cleveland to Pittsburgh to attend SQLSaturday #171.  They picked the perfect time of year to host this event, the leaves changing color made for a really pretty drive.

The Event

The weekend started with the speaker dinner, held inside the Rivers Casino.  It was an evening of good food and good conversation.  I met some folks I’d previously only “met” online, and got to see some now familiar faces again.  The drive back to the hotel was quite interesting.  This was my first visit to Pittsburgh and, based on this experience, I can say it’s full of winding, hilly streets, one way roads, and divided roads.  There was a moment when I was sure my phone’s GPS was just messing with me.

The next morning it was off to the event itself, held at La Roche College.  Let me just say now that Gina, Madhu, Matt and everyone else involved in the hours of planning that went into this event did a fantastic job.  Truly.  You would never have guessed that this was Pittsburgh’s first SQLSaturday.  Everything was laid out very well for good traffic flow.  Volunteers were always on hand to ensure that attendees and speakers had everything they needed.  Room proctors handled the distribution and collection of session evaluations and there was an interesting twist on the whole eval/raffle thing. Rather than lug books for each session to each room for raffle prizes, the raffle winners were given a ticket to redeem for the book of their choice back in the main hall.  I thought this was a smart time saver.

As will happen, there were a few last-minute schedule changes due to speaker cancellations, but Gina and Matt handled it well, finding speakers, including me, who were willing to fill in with an extra session.

My sessions

Because it’s all about me, isn’t it?  (I keed, I keed.)  I had originally planned to just give my talk on DDL auditing, but due to a speaker cancellation, I also gave my talk on getting started in blogging.  I had a small group of attendees for the blogging session, but they were a interactive bunch, which I’ll take over a large stoney-faced group any day.  This session isn’t really technical at all, it’s about getting past your hangups and just doing it, so I like it to have some energy.  And it’s just better when the energy isn’t all coming from me.

Right after that, it was on to my DDL auditing session.  Can I just say that talking for 2 hours straight is hard.  I’m not used to talking that much at a stretch, I don’t know how other speakers do full-day precons.  But the session went well, with the exception of a ZoomIt malfunction (someone in the room said other speakers had had problems with ZoomIt also), and I know I got at least one person thinking about what she could implement at work.  So… yay!

That’s all folks!

This event was my last SQL Saturday of the year.  With the holidays looming and other changes happening, life is just going to be too hectic for a while.  So I plan to spend the next few months developing new sessions and revamping my blogging session to make it more advanced.  Next year I hope to have all new material to talk about.

October 9, 2012  Tags: ,   Posted in: Professional Development  2 Comments

WIT Wednesday

On the fourth Wednesday of each month, the Women in Technology Virtual Chapter of PASS has its monthly conference call to discuss and plan upcoming WIT activities, be it SQL Saturday WIT panels or the WIT luncheon at the annual PASS Summit.  To help promote women in technology, I’m declaring the fourth Wednesday of each month “WIT Wednesday” here at the Cleveland DBA.

WIT Spotlight: Meredith Ryan

I think it’s only fitting to kick off this series with the current chair of the PASS WIT chapter, Meredith Ryan (b | t).  Meredith is a Senior DBA at Bell Group in Albuquerque, NM.  And in case you hadn’t already heard, she’s this year’s Exceptional DBA.

Tell us a little about your road to SQL Server.

I started out at the Help Desk and within 6 months was administrating systems.  In fact, one of my first systems was the VMS cluster that ran our primary business systems.  In 2002 we migrated from that VMS system to what was then Great Plains, now Dynamics GP.  GP runs on SQL Server and our DBA needed a backup person.  I stepped up to be his jr DBA, and when he left I took over as the primary DBA.  I’ve been in that position since 2006.

You’ve been working for the same company for more than 13 years.  With so many IT people “job-hopping”, what can you recommend about sticking with an organization?

Wow!  This is a tough question.  What I can tell you is that I like stability (no big surprise here – I am a production DBA after all) and I was fortunate enough back in 1998 to land a job with a very stable company that offers me a culture I thrive in, a decent salary, the opportunity to grow both professionally and personally, flexibility when I need it, and a decent salary for the work I do.  If I felt that any one of those things were missing I would most likely be looking for my next opportunity.

I think it’s a very personal thing to decide to job hop, or to stay in one place, and I think it all comes down to what is important to you in your professional life.  Each of us needs to make that list of what things we value in our jobs, and how our current employer stands up against that list.  If it’s not a good fit you should try to change that – either by addressing the concern or finding a new opportunity.  I am fortunate enough to have a great employer that is able to fill each of my needs pretty well.

What’s been your biggest challenge as chairperson of the WIT VC?

Not really my biggest challenge, but my biggest fear with taking over as chair of the WIT VC is that I wouldn’t be able to fill the shoes left for me by Denise McInerney.  Denise built a great chapter that puts on a great luncheon at Summit every year.  When I took over the chair position from her we had great momentum building around SQL Saturday events and we were tossing around the idea of hosting webinars on a periodic basis.  I was very worried that the change in leadership would have a negative impact on the work the chapter did.

Fortunately, we’ve not lost any momentum around SQL Saturdays, and have had WIT sessions at most of the events held in the US.  We’ve not gotten our webinars off the ground yet, but I’m certain we will find the right volunteer to drive that effort when the time is right.

The topic of this year’s WIT luncheon is “Where have we been and where are we going?”  Where would you like to see the WIT VC go in the next 1-3 years?

I would like to see the WIT VC holding periodic webinars either on our own, or in concert with some of the other VC’s, and I would like to see our process for reaching out to SQL Saturday planners more formalized.  That process is very informal right now, and as a result we don’t get much feedback on the sessions we do have.  It’s hard to continue improving without that feedback cycle.

 The perfect Saturday morning?

It depends!  It really does.  If the weather is nice my perfect Saturday morning includes a cup of coffee and a good book on my back porch.  If it’s not such a nice day I’m thrilled to have that same cup of coffee in front of Saturday morning cartoons with my kiddo.

Must-see WIT TV

This month’s featured video is a TED talk by Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook’s Chief Operating Officer since 2008, discussing why we have too few women in leadership roles.

Interested in supporting women in technology?

  • Go to the WIT website and check out all the resources, blogs and coming events
  • Follow @PASS_WIT and #passwit on twitter
  • Email wit@sqlpass.org to be added to the WIT mailing list; you’ll also receive invitations to the monthly call
  • Participate in the monthly call
  • Attend WIT panels at SQLSaturday events
  • Attend the WIT luncheon at the PASS Summit

September 26, 2012  Tags: , , ,   Posted in: Professional Development  No Comments