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LEARNING DVD'S

SSWUG Free Expo: The Ins and Outs of Sharepoint
In this SSWUG.ORG virtual expo, you will learn the ins and outs of Sharepoint from the perspectives of renowned speakers Ayad Shammout, Daniel Galant, Josh Jones, and Sean McDonough. In their skilled hands, you’ll be guided through PowerPivot, Code-free Development, limiting modification for users, and how to fully understand caching-in for SharePoint. By the end of these sessions, you’ll be well on your way to being a SharePoint master!


 We hope to see you there!


Free SSWUG Webcast: Overcoming Barriers and Avoiding Mistakes with BI
A Dynamic Dialog session: Whether you’re considering implementing business intelligence for the first time, have completed projects in the past (and are perhaps looking at later phases), or are somewhere in between, an investment in this session will likely pay dividends.

Business Intelligence Architect and Microsoft MVP Bill Pearson leads a dialog about common pitfalls or traps that we can encounter in designing and implementing BI. We’ll discuss, as a group, environmental and other challenges we have experienced, and share ways to avoid or minimize them, in our ongoing efforts with BI.


SharePoint 2010 Administration
Great SharePoint Administrators must hold unique traits to set themselves and their work apart from others. This class is designed to take you to the next level in your understanding of SharePoint. We use a variety of lab exercises to ensure lecture sessions are backed up by hands on experience. With the instruction in the course, you will learn how to install & configure all major areas of the SharePoint farm. This course will cover all the advanced topics of the farm like scaled-out deployment, Service Applications setup and best practices.
 


Mastering SQL Azure
When SQL Azure first came on the scene there was a huge misconception that it was just another NoSQL type of database. Scott Klein, an Microsoft SQL Azure MVP, will provide you with an introductory look at the overall architecture of SQL Azure and many of the great features and benefits that SQL Azure provides. With sessions on Administration, Data Sync Services, and Application Connectivity, you'll be sure to appreciate this great, comprehensive look at SQL Azure.


Free SSWUG Webcast: The Big Deal about Big Data
Big Data can mean a lot of things to a lot of people; but one thing we're sure of, it's the hottest thing to hit the IT landscape. In this chat you'll get a comprehensive introduction to Big Data. You'll learn how to spot Big Data, it's characteristics, and what the opportunities are. (Hint, be prepared to get shocked on Volume and more). You'll get a taste of Hadoop, but realize Big Data is so much more. The speaker will also share top things to consider in the Big Data world that's often overlooked (governance, integration, search, and more). Consider this: if you Google search 'What is Big Data', you will get almost 1 billion hits!!! If you attend this session, you'll never have to Google search this phrase again.


Free SSWUG Expo: Databases, BI, and Sharepoint: What You Need to Know
In this SSWUG.ORG virtual expo, you will learn how to consolidate your SQL Server database, how to use SQL Azure, what the important features of Sharpoint 2010 BI are, and what’s new with Sharepoint 2010 Designer. Renowned speakers Denny Cherry, Glenn Alan Berry, Ted Malone, and Daniel Galant bring you in-depth sessions that are up-to-date and informative. By the end, you’ll be surprised by how much they pack into their sessions!


We hope to see you there!


Introduction to Windows Azure
SSWUG.ORG's virtual class will provide you with the knowledge of Window Azure's components and aspects to run applications without the expense needed to maintain the hardware and save money on licensing costs.


SharePoint 2010 for Business Intelligence
In a partnership agreement with Pragmatic Works, SSWUG.ORG’s virtual class is designed to help you use SharePoint 2010 to bring Business Intelligence to the forefront for your users and customers.

Mark Stacey, course instructor and founder of Pragmatic Works’ South Africa office, will start by showing how to configure SharePoint 2010 and explaining the parts all interconnect. Then, Mark will dive into PerformancePoint, explaining how to deliver actionable scorecards for your executives and management team. He will also describe how Reporting Services can deliver beautiful reports and dashboards for your users in a SharePoint environment. Finally, Mark will demonstrate how to use PowerPivot to give your users self-service BI for their departments and how to use Excel Services for visualization.

The target of this class is developers, architects or IT professionals who have basic experience with Reporting Services and SSAS cube-browsing already. Very little time is spent in the class on the basics of Reporting Services and general cube concepts. No previous knowledge of SharePoint is required for this class.


Introduction to MDX
In a partnership agreement with Pragmatic Works, SSWUG.ORG’s virtual class will provide you with the skills to use MDX with SQL Server Analysis Services in your enterprise.

Stacia Misner, course instructor and SQL Server MVP, will start by explaining the basic concepts related to multidimensional expressions and how they are used to enhance cubes with calculations, as well as to query cubes to retrieve data for reports. Then, she will continue by explaining how to write MDX queries to retrieve data from an Analysis Services cube.

Stacia will also cover the following topics:


Advanced SQL Server Integration Services
As we build larger and more powerful data centric applications, the need to bring all this information together will become more and more important. Building efficient and intelligent ETL processes will be both a requirement and a skill that will be found to be in high demand. SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) is one such ETL tool, and because it comes with Microsoft SQL Server, it will also continue to rise in popularity.

This Virtual Class, delivered by Eric Johnson, will guide you to the next level of SQL Server Integration Services development. The class will follow the development of a single project from start to finish. Along the way we will re-visit some of the basics and look at new and advanced features of SSIS. The goal of the course is to give you practical examples of development that will take your abilities to the next level.

Eric has worked with SSIS since its release with SQL Server 2005 and before that he spent a lot of time wading around in DTS packages. He is bringing his experiences and frustrations to you so that you can learn SSIS quickly and correctly.
 


Leadership Skills for the IT Professional
In a partnership agreement with Kevin Kline, SSWUG.ORG’s virtual class will provide you with the skills you need to be an effective leader.


PowerPivot for Techies
In a partnership agreement with Pragmatic Works, SSWUG.ORG’s virtual class, PowerPivot for Techies is an intensive course that is designed to get you up to speed using PowerPivot quickly and productively. You will start from basic concepts and move to complex data models and DAX formulas. In addition, this course covers creating and deploying tabular data models using SQL Server Data Tools. Once deployed, tabular data models can be used by data analysts, decision makers, and information workers for ad-hoc reporting and data exploration. By the end of this course, you will feel confident using this powerful toolset to analyze and gain insight from your business data. It includes plenty of demos designed to give you practical experience using PowerPivot and creating tabular data models.

Prerequisites: The target audience of this class is the developer or power user who is tasked with providing a self-service BI environment to the rest of the business. This class assumes that you have no previous knowledge of PowerPivot, DAX or SQL Data Tools. Some experience with pivot tables and formulas in Excel may be helpful. .
 


SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) Made Simple
In a partnership agreement with Pragmatic Works, SSWUG.ORG’s virtual class is designed to help you understand all aspects of SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services (SSRS), the reporting tool of choice for SQL Server developers.

Sherri McDonald, course instructor and support manager for Pragmatic Works, will use a variety of lab exercises and small projects to ensure familiarity in how the design and execution environments work and to help build real-world applications using this SQL Server subsystem. By the end of the course, you will have a firm understanding of all the key concepts of Reporting Services, including basic reporting, parameters, deploying and scheduling.

The target audience of this class is developers, architects or IT professionals who have basic SQL skills already, such as being able to run a query inside of SQL Server 2008. This class assumes that you have no previous knowledge of SSRS. In some of the coding modules, it is useful to have some basic Visual Basic experience.


Online Class: Introduction to SQL Server Analysis Services
In a partnership agreement with Pragmatic Works, SSWUG.ORG’s virtual class will provide you with the skills to properly use SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) 2008 in your enterprise.

Brian Knight, course instructor and SQL Server MVP, will take you from the ground-up, teaching you the fundamental skills you need to develop and deploy SSAS solutions and present this new data to your end users. This class is presented in SQL Server 2008, but is appropriate for those using SQL 2005 as well.

 


Online Class: T-SQL Querying Fundamentals
In a partnership agreement with SolidQ, SSWUG.ORG's virtual class will provide you with the skills to work with SQL Server and write queries using Transact-SQL (T-SQL) — SQL Server’s dialect of the standard SQL language.


Introduction to SQL Server Integration Services
As we build larger and more powerful data centric applications, the need to bring all this information together will become more and more important. Building efficient and intelligent ETL processes will be both a requirement and a skill that will be found to be in high demand. SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) is one such ETL tool, and because it comes with Microsoft SQL Server, it will also continue to rise in popularity.

This Virtual Class, delivered by Eric Johnson, will guide you into the world of SQL Server Integration Services. The class will start at the very basics of making a new package, and will progress towards advanced topics such as debugging and deployment. The entire goal of the course is to take you from never having used SSIS to being a competent SSIS developer in eleven sessions.

You'll learn what SSIS is and how SSIS packages can be used to create rich and robust ETL packages. We will cover all aspects of SSIS including Control Flow and Data Flow elements. You will understand how tasks, transformations, sources, and destinations all work in concert to manipulate and move data.

The class will also explore more advanced aspects of SSIS such as scripts, expressions, debugging, deployment, and much more. By the end of the class you should be able to build, automate, and deploy packages that do what you want and run efficiently.

Eric has worked with SSIS since its release with SQL Server 2005 and before that he spent a lot of time wading around in DTS packages. He is bringing his experiences and frustrations to you so that you can learn SSIS quickly and correctly.
 


Introduction to SQL Server High Availability
In a partnership agreement with SolidQ, SSWUG.ORG's virtual class will provide you with the advanced knowledge and experience necessary to design, implement and administer SQL Server High Availability solutions in SQL Server 2005, 2008 or 2012.


Care and Feeding of the SQL Server Transaction Log
In SSWUG.ORG’s virtual class, you will learn how to manage and maintain your SQL Server transaction log, as the log is critical to optimizing operability and functionality. By the end of the six sessions, you will know why the transaction log is considered to be one of the most important components of a database, as it records all changes to your database, to allow recovery of transactions in the event of a crash.

Kalen Delaney, course instructor and celebrated author of SQL Server 2008 Internals, will start by examining how SQL Server manages the transaction log internally and looking at some undocumented commands for examining log usage and low growth. Then, Kalen will discuss what happens as the log grows and shrinks, exploring best practices for physical placement of your log file(s). She will also review various SQL Server operations to explore what gets written to the log when various operations are performed. Finally, Kalen will demonstrate how the log is processed during BACKUP and RESTORE commands, and how that processing changes in different recovery models.

The target of this class for administrators, developers or IT professionals who have basic experience with database administration tasks, such as backups and recovery processes. This is not a “DBA 101” course for the non-formally trained, “accidental” DBA.


Introduction to SQL Server Query Processing and Optimization
In SSWUG.ORG’s virtual class, conducted by Microsoft SQL Server MVP Kalen Delaney, you will be able to explore needed information about query plans, basic index structures and plan cache management.

As Kalen is a foremost authority on SQL Server query processing and optimization, this comprehensive class offering will bring you key information to apply to any work with SQL Server.


SQL Server 2012 Delta for the DBA

In a partnership agreement with Pragmatic Works, SSWUG.ORG’s virtual class is designed to introduce SQL Server DBA’s to the new and exciting features available in SQL Server 2012 . We use a variety of lab exercises to ensure lecture sessions are backed up by hands-on experience.  With the hands-on labs, you will experience how the new features can be utilized in your everyday DBA work. This course will cover topics such as AlwaysOn, ColumnStore indexes, SQL Server Data Tools, the FileTable feature, Azure and administering the BI platform within the context of SQL Server 2012.
 


Online Class: Advanced SQL Server Analysis Services
In a partnership agreement with Pragmatic Works, SSWUG.ORG’s virtual class will provide you with the skills to properly use SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) 2008 in your enterprise.


Storage and Virtualization for the Database Administrator
SSWUG.ORG's virtual class will provide database administrators (DBAs) with the skills to properly design storage and virtualization solutions.

Denny Cherry, course instructor and SQL Server MVP, will explain why storage can be one of the largest bottlenecks when it comes to database performance.

He will also explain why it can be one of the hardest places to troubleshoot performance issues because storage engineers and database administrators often do not get along. Finally, he will dig into LUNs, HBAs, the fabric, as well as the storage itself.

In the second half of the course, Denny will review the pros and cons of moving SQL Servers into a virtual environment. He will also explain how to tie virtual platforms to the storage array, so that DBAs can maximize the storage performance for their SQL Servers and the virtual environment.


Online Class: SQL Server Locking, Blocking and Row Versions
In SSWUG.ORG’s virtual class, you will learn about locking, blocking and row versions, which are some of the most important topics to understanding SQL Server’s internal behavior. By the end of the five sessions, you will know how these technologies are used to manage SQL Server concurrency - the ability of multiple users to access data at the same time.

Kalen Delaney, course instructor and celebrated author of SQL Server 2008 Internals, will start by discussing what consistency might mean to one’s applications, and describe the details of how each of the concurrency models works internally. She will examine the costs and trade-offs between the two concurrency models that SQL Server 2008 supports through different transaction isolation levels.

The target audience of this class is administrators, developers or IT professionals who have some experience with SQL Server Management Studio and TSQL queries, as well as an understanding of basic transactional work processing. Most importantly, students should want to learn more about the way SQL Server works internally and how to take advantage of the inner working to create the best performing system and applications possible.


The Accidental DBA: Understanding the Core Necessities with SQL Server
Have you found yourself in a situation where you’re managing SQL Server systems, but need some help determining what’s important and what you need to know?

In SSWUG.ORG’s virtual class, conducted by Microsoft SQL Server MVP Stephen Wynkoop, you will be able to receive the information needed in the real world for working with SQL Server. For the non-formally trained “Accidental DBA”, Stephen will center on learning experiences, how-to information and specific demonstrations and labs that will let you explore the topics covered. By the end of the course, you will be ready to support and manage production databases when they are working well and when they are misbehaving.

This is the perfect workshop for many types of IT professionals, including SharePoint administrators, departmental database managers or simply those who have been asked to watch over systems while performing other duties.


Online Class: Introduction to SQL Server Replication
When working with SQL Server, as with any relational database, data is king. But data becomes less useful if you can’t gain access to it in a timely fashion. With so much data, being able to spread information across multiple servers allows for backup and quicker access. Replication is a technology available in SQL Server that facilitates the copying of data from one database to another in order to spread out load or provide redundant copies of data for high availability solutions.

This Virtual Class, delivered by Microsoft SQL Server MVP Eric Johnson, will guide you into the world of SQL Server Replication. The class will start at the very basics of what replication is and the different types and topologies of replication that are common in today’s environments. It will then progress to more advanced topics such as Merge Replication and using Transactional Replication as a High Availability solution. The goal of the course is to take you from never having used Replication to being competent with the technology, and provide you with a solid base of knowledge on which to implement these solutions.

You'll learn what Replication is and how Replication can be used to create reporting and highly available environments. We will cover all types of replication and ensure that you know when each type is appropriate to implement.

The class will also explore more advanced aspects of Replication such as peer-to-peer and updating subscriber replications. We will also look at troubleshooting and optimizing replication. By the end of the class you should be able to select, build, and maintain a replication environment and have a solid foundation of knowledge to draw on when things don’t go as planned.

Eric has worked with all types of Replication since SQL Server 6.5. He is bringing his experiences and frustrations to you so that you can learn Replication quickly and correctly.


Online Class: Leadership Skills for the IT Professional
There comes a point in the career of most IT Professionals that advancement means taking on at least some degree of leadership in their organization. The only problem is that most IT pros built their career and earned all of their accolades on a set of technology skills that aren’t transferrable into leading people and managing resources.
 


Advanced SQL Server Analysis Services
In a partnership agreement with Pragmatic Works, SSWUG.ORG’s virtual class will provide you with the skills to properly use SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) 2008 in your enterprise.


SQL Server Locking, Blocking and Row Versions
In SSWUG.ORG’s virtual class, you will learn about locking, blocking and row versions, which are some of the most important topics to understanding SQL Server’s internal behavior. By the end of the five sessions, you will know how these technologies are used to manage SQL Server concurrency - the ability of multiple users to access data at the same time.

Kalen Delaney, course instructor and celebrated author of SQL Server 2008 Internals, will start by discussing what consistency might mean to one’s applications, and describe the details of how each of the concurrency models works internally. She will examine the costs and trade-offs between the two concurrency models that SQL Server 2008 supports through different transaction isolation levels.

The target audience of this class is administrators, developers or IT professionals who have some experience with SQL Server Management Studio and TSQL queries, as well as an understanding of basic transactional work processing. Most importantly, students should want to learn more about the way SQL Server works internally and how to take advantage of the inner working to create the best performing system and applications possible.


SSWUG Free Expo: Basic and Complex SSIS Features
SSIS is nothing short of critical when it comes to working with data in your systems. SSIS is the core tool you'll use for import, export, data cleansing and even automation of different tasks. As you build out your systems to support the requirements of your users, you'll find that SSIS is a very important tool in providing that information.

These sessions have been assembled to provide you with critical information you need to optimize your time working with SSIS. Learn about administration of different tasks and capabilities, find out about tips and tricks with SSIS that can make your life a bit easier. What's more, you'll be able to find out how to troubleshoot issues with packages, and how you can apply the various capabilities of SSIS to the business challenges you're facing with your solutions.

Find out about what types of things you can do with SSIS, how to do them, what types of things not to do and more. This expo will help get you moving with your SSIS projects.
 


Free Webcast: Taking SSIS To the Next Level
This session will show you some of the more complex feature available in SSIS. These features can help your packages run more smoothly and handle problem areas better. You will see how to enable features like checkpoints and transactions on your packages, as well as learn how to use the native logging features to track package executions.


Free Webcast: Getting Started in ETL with Powershell
ETL is a core requirement of many systems. Being able to share, transform and incorporate data into your systems from many other sources is key to getting the most out of different sources of information. In this webcast, you'll learn important approaches to working with information and importing, modifying and generally working with that information as you bring it online.


Webcast: Extranets Unleashed: Planning & Configuring External User Authentication in SharePoint 2010
SharePoint 2010 has revolutionized how organizations use extranets to connect to their people, while at the same time it has provided companies with the ability to collaborate and communicate with their client and partners. This session will concentrate on how to unleash the SharePoint 2010 capabilities to open your organization to all types of users. We will review the privacy and security considerations when planning and implementing Forms Bases Authentication, Claims Based Authentication and SAML, as well as Business Connectivity Services. This session is targeted to administrators who need to have solid knowledge on how to configure extranet environments in SharePoint 2010.
 


SSWUG Free Expo: Storage and Virtualization
SSWUG.ORG's free virtual expo will review different technologies and considerations required for your systems pertaining to storage and virtualization. We'll be exploring different tools, approaches and tips to help make your systems run effectively and efficiently.

Through in-depth sessions from leading hands-on professionals, you'll see examples, case studies, demonstrations and more. By end of our free event, you will have the tools and understanding you need to better support and approach virtualized environments.


Webcast: 7 Habits of Highly Effective Project Managers
As a project manager, we find ourselves responsible for many things but not necessarily authorized to fully manage or control those events. In this presentation, I take Steven Covey's 7 Habits and translate them into a project management environment. This presentation details how the 7 Habits can be used directly into the project management arena to gather consensus, accountability and loyalty within your work team. Using the 7 Habits in the way this presentation conveys create a high-performing and inspired project team.

Audience will not only gain the essence of the 7 Habits, but also how to use them to make an impact in their project management role.


T-SQL Querying Fundamentals
In a partnership agreement with SolidQ, SSWUG.ORG's virtual class will provide you with the skills to work with SQL Server and write queries using Transact-SQL (T-SQL) — SQL Server’s dialect of the standard SQL language.


Introduction to SQL Server Replication
When working with SQL Server, as with any relational database, data is king. But data becomes less useful if you can’t gain access to it in a timely fashion. With so much data, being able to spread information across multiple servers allows for backup and quicker access. Replication is a technology available in SQL Server that facilitates the copying of data from one database to another in order to spread out load or provide redundant copies of data for high availability solutions.

This Virtual Class, delivered by Microsoft SQL Server MVP Eric Johnson, will guide you into the world of SQL Server Replication. The class will start at the very basics of what replication is and the different types and topologies of replication that are common in today’s environments. It will then progress to more advanced topics such as Merge Replication and using Transactional Replication as a High Availability solution. The goal of the course is to take you from never having used Replication to being competent with the technology, and provide you with a solid base of knowledge on which to implement these solutions.

You'll learn what Replication is and how Replication can be used to create reporting and highly available environments. We will cover all types of replication and ensure that you know when each type is appropriate to implement.

The class will also explore more advanced aspects of Replication such as peer-to-peer and updating subscriber replications. We will also look at troubleshooting and optimizing replication. By the end of the class you should be able to select, build, and maintain a replication environment and have a solid foundation of knowledge to draw on when things don’t go as planned.

Eric has worked with all types of Replication since SQL Server 6.5. He is bringing his experiences and frustrations to you so that you can learn Replication quickly and correctly.


Webcast: Relational Productivity Applications - SharePoint 2010 and Dynamics CRM 2011
Have you heard the term xRM? With the introduction of extensible application frameworks today’s xRM does not look like yesterday’s CRM.

This session is for SharePoint architects and developers interested in building relational productivity applications (RPAs) with SharePoint 2010 and Dynamics CRM 2011 on premise and in the cloud. Michelle will look at the convergence between collaborative, unstructured work and structured, relational data and how to architect solutions that take the “best of both worlds” to leverage the strengths that both SharePoint and CRM bring to customized and custom developed solutions utilizing both and BCS. She will also look at current case studies on how to approach each example from SharePoint-only, xRM-only and RPA (combined) standpoint to look at the pros and cons of each.


Webcast: Introduction to Data Mining Management with PowerPivot
Excel 2010 provides a world-class platform for enterprise decision making. This presentation introduces the decision-making ability possible with the free Excel add-ins for PowerPivot and SQL Server Data Mining.

The data mining is a services hosted in Microsoft's Analysis Services, but the Excel add-in exposes the enterprise-strength server technology to analysts and executives. This talk introduces some functions from the "Data Mining" tab, including data cleaning and data mining model management. Having seen this presentation, some had thought it was all Excel since the functions seem so seamless. The Excel interface provides a familiar way for professionals to make actionable decisions.


SSWUG Free Expo: Understanding Database Security Threats and Countermeasures
SSWUG.ORG’s free virtual expo will review ways for information technology (IT) professionals who work with enterprise environments to design and monitor security for database systems.

Through our in-depth sessions with some of the leading functional specialists in the IT field, you will see many examples and case studies on understanding database forensics, encrypting data, preventing SQL injection hacks and more.

By the end of our free event, you should have the tools and understanding needed to develop database security solutions for protecting business-critical databases.


Webcast: The Four-Hour DBA - Automate, Audit and Relax
Do you feel that you are overworked, always fighting fires and never can get ahead?

Sarah Barela, Manager of Database Services for Cbeyond Cloud Services, will help you identify what is important to your job and how to find the time to address those critical tasks. She will share scripts to automate those tasks that are central to all DBAs and discuss how to establish a methodology to quickly automate daily database chores.

The flip side of automation is auditing. Routinely auditing your server is essential to avoid nasty surprises that can lead to a loss of control. Sarah will show you how to create an auditing system using features within SQL Server, including Policy Based Management and scripts that will provide you peace of mind to enjoy your work and maybe even life beyond the office.


Webcast: Building Your First SQL Server Cluster
This session will focus on the hardware and software involved in building a SQL Server cluster on Windows Server 2008 R2.

Joey D'Antoni, who is a senior database administrator with Comcast and author for SSWUG.ORG, will go through the architecture, discuss potential pitfalls and talk about considerations that need to be made for clustered environments. Lastly, he will discuss briefly some of the big changes that are coming to this space with SQL Server 2012/"Denali".


Webcast: SSRS Data-driven Subscription using SSIS
SQL Server Reporting Services provides a powerful tool to render report based on information in a database table. However, you are required to purchase an Enterprise license of SQL Server in order to use this feature.

In this session, Russel Loski, who is a Microsoft Certified Trainer and an independent software developer, will create an SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) package that renders reports to the file system based on values stored in the database.


Webcast: Enterprise Business Intelligence with SharePoint 2010 and Dynamics GP 2010 R2
This session will provide an introduction to SharePoint 2010 features available in Microsoft Dynamics GP for SharePoint developers and architects.

Based on best practices presented at Microsoft Convergence 2011, instructor Marie-Michelle Strah will walk through document management, workflow and lists in Dynamics GP Business Portal to help you increase client satisfaction when deploying the Microsoft technology stack. She will look at enterprise architecture, licensing and development considerations when working across these platforms and how to plan top of the line solutions that incorporate best of both environments.


SSWUG Free Expo: Career Development and Guidance for IT Professionals
SSWUG.ORG’s free virtual expo will review ways for information technology (IT) professionals to enhance their professional life in 2012.

Through our in-depth sessions with some of the leading functional specialists in the IT field, you will see many examples and case studies on ways to improve communication between administrators and managers, develop a consulting business, learn from on-the-job mistakes and more.

By the end of our free event, you should have the tools and understanding needed to be a more productive and marketable IT professional who is ready for upward mobility.


Webcast: Is Work/Life Balance for DBAs Just a Myth?
Many database administrators started their careers in the exact same way: 80-hour work weeks, routine overnight gigs, no life outside the office—this was simply what was considered “normal.” Today, with careers underway, how do DBAs build a life outside of their data?

Meredith Ryan-Smith, who is a frequent SQL Saturday presenter and a senior production database administrator for The Bell Group, will share the tips, tricks and tools she has discovered and used to create a work/life balance to feel fulfilled and refreshed outside the office. These tips she will provide will help attendees maintain his or her effectiveness as a successful data professional.


Webcast: Creating Dynamic Reports in Excel 2010 using PowerPivot
This introductory session explores PowerPivot's ability to create dynamic reports in Excel 2010.

Javier Guillén, who is a Business Intelligence consultant for Mariner, will explore PowerPivot technology through concrete examples that explain how to create dynamic reports by importing data from multiple sources, re-shaping the inherent data model and creating powerful calculations using Data Analysis Expressions (DAX).


Webcast: Why Networking and Career Management is Important to IT Professionals
At one time, it was sufficient for the database administrators and other functional specialists in the information technology (IT) field to stay behind their computers and technology.  Personality, social and networking skills were not an important trait to advance in the IT world.  That is no longer the case.

Laura Rose, who has been a business coach and corporate exit strategist for software companies for more than 20 years, will cover why it's important to network and how to use networking effectively for career management and advancement. She will also highlight what steps are needed to start integrating her tips into your lifestyle to stay successful.


SSWUG Free Expo: Working with SharePoint Designer 2010
SSWUG.ORG’s free virtual expo will review ways to rapidly develop SharePoint solutions without code using SharePoint Designer 2010.

Through our in-depth sessions with some of the leading SharePoint experts in the IT field, you will see many demonstrations and examples on easily connecting with external data, deploying safe customizations with confidence and leveraging the building blocks available in SharePoint in an easy to use environment.

By the end of our free event, you should have the tools and understanding needed to compose no-code solutions with SharePoint Designer 2010 that encompass a variety of common scenarios.


Webcast: Oh No! SQL Server Disaster Strikes!
No matter how much we prepare, we all feel a moment of panic when disaster strikes. For some, that panic quickly passes as he or she gets down to work to fix the problem. For others, the panic continues to grow as he or she searches for a solution.

Sarah Barela, Manager of Database Services for Cbeyond Cloud Services, provides useful, real-world best practices that will show how to recover from disaster and how to prepare for the inevitable. By the end of the session, you will know how to recover from common disaster scenarios, such as a corrupt master database, a drive array failure, a hardware failure and a SQL injection attack.


Webcast: Incorporating jQuery into SharePoint 2010
jQuery is now a part of Visual Studio 2010 and is the single most powerful cross-browser tool for client-side scripting for SharePoint 2010 applications.

With the decline of the document object model (DOM) in SharePoint 2010, Fernando Leitzelar with mindSHIFT Technologies will provide invaluable insight on how to incorporate jQuery into SharePoint 2010 to increase dynamic content display and add interface enhancements, as well as new functionality without access to the server. He will show client-side script development improvements over MOSS 2007, using jQuery and the new ECMA scripting on SharePoint 2010.

This talk is targeted to SharePoint developers who seek to increase their skill set in the least amount of time.


Webcast: Help Desk to DBA in 60 Minutes
Most “accidental” DBAs start their foray into database administration in a similar way. They start with little knowledge of SQL Server and, possibly, little knowledge of system administration basics.


Database Administration and Management 101
Have you found yourself in a situation where you’re managing SQL Server systems, but need some help determining what’s important and what you need to know?

In SSWUG.ORG’s virtual class, conducted by Microsoft SQL Server MVP Stephen Wynkoop, you will be able to receive the information need in the real world for working with SQL Server. For the non-formally trained “Accidental DBA”, Stephen will center on learning experiences, how-to information and specific demonstrations and labs that will let you explore the topics covered. By the end of the course, you will be ready to support and manage production databases when they are working well and when they are misbehaving.

This is the perfect workshop for many types of IT professionals, including SharePoint administrators, departmental database managers or simply those who have been asked to watch over systems while performing other duties.


SSWUG Expo Event: Building and Developing with SQL Server Integration Services
SSWUG.ORG’s virtual expo will review ways to build dynamic packages and develop data integration solutions with SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS), which is an ETL (extraction, transformation and load) tool that continues to grow in popularity.

Through our in-depth sessions with some of the leading SQL Server and Business Intelligence experts in the IT field, you will see many demonstrations and examples on building your own real world applications using this SQL Server subsystem.

By the end of our event, you should have the tools and understanding needed to develop high performance data integration solutions using SSIS.


Webcast: SOLID Development Patterns for Mere Mortals
Software development patterns have been around long before the MVC Framework gained momentum. 


Webcast: Developing on SQL Azure
SQL Azure is a fully functional SQL Server in the cloud, which is meant to bridge the gap between on-premise and cloud facilities. This platform helps developers build, host and scale applications through Microsoft datacenters.

Ike Ellis, consultant and instructor for DevelopMentor, will explain what SQL Azure means to the developer and the DBA. He will discuss key differences, gotchas and performance tuning methods. He will also cover SQL Reporting Services in the cloud and SQL Azure Data Sync Services.


Webcast: Understanding the SharePoint 2010 Content Query Web Part (CQWP)
One useful tool in SharePoint to display content aggregations to users is the Content Query Web Part. In SharePoint 2010, there were several new features that leverage context driven queries and codeless ways to configure how content is displayed. For those who didn't enjoy XSLT coding to show specific fields and setting up unnecessarily duplicate web parts, this update has been valuable.

Peter Serzo, who is a Senior SharePoint Architect for High Monkey Consulting and author of the "SharePoint 2010 Administration Cookbook" will delve into the web part and look at how to use it in totality, not just the 30% that is typically used. The Content Query Web Part's limitations will also be shown, as Peter will provide tips on how to get around some of the roadblocks.


Webcast: Build Your Own SQL Server Cloud
While cloud computing is a popular term right now, however, exactly what this term means is a mystery to many. Some may understand and see the benefits of the cloud, but are not comfortable trusting sensitive data to this nebulous cloud.

Sarah Barela, Manager of Database Services for Cbeyond Cloud Services, will begin by defining what cloud computing is and the benefits the technology offers the DBA. She will provide a blueprint to design and build a SQL Server cloud, where you can control the server availability and performance reliability, yet still take advantage of the resource elasticity and hardware flexibility of the cloud. Sarah will also review features such as Resource Governor, dynamic management views, Policy-Based Management and others.


SSWUG Expo Event: SharePoint Integration
SSWUG.ORG’s virtual expo will review ways to integrate certain software systems with SharePoint to add dimensions of functionality to your collaboration efforts.

Through our in-depth sessions with some of the leading SharePoint experts in the IT field, you will see many demonstrations and examples on enhancing workflow processes, accessing relevant results in real time and increasing productivity.

By the end of our event, you should have the tools and understanding needed to combining outside platforms with SharePoint for desired results.


Webcast: SQL Server 2008 Auditing
Have you ever asked yourself one or more of these questions?


Webcast: Using PowerPivot to Prototype Business Intelligence Projects
PowerPivot is a tool developed for Self Service Business Intelligence (SSBI). It allows for quickly loading data in-memory, establishing relationships and creating calculations. However, Business Intelligence (BI) professionals can use this tool as well in order to prototype traditional BI project artifacts, allowing them to test the accuracy of assumptions about the data model as well as validate calculations prior to building them into the cube.

Javier Guillén, who is a Business Intelligence consultant for Mariner, will explore how PowerPivot can be leveraged to enhance the design phase of traditional BI implementations in Microsoft SQL Server.


Webcast: Empowering the User with Report Builder 3.0
Through Report Builder 3.0, which was released with Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 and supports the full capabilities of SQL Server 2008 R2 Reporting Services, teams can explore data without having to understand the underlying structures. Giving power users the ability to create and maintain their own reports can take pressure off the development team and empower the user base.

Rob Schafer, who is a consultant for RevGen Partners, will provide information about the advantages Report Builder provides over traditional Reporting Services reports. He will also emphasize the new enhancements provided by Report Builder 3.0, such as additional visualizations to help produce new insights that go beyond what can be achieved with standard tables and charts.


Webcast: Enterprise Architecture Planning - Optimizing SharePoint as a Platform
The decision to adopt SharePoint 2010 as a development platform by executive leaders can present significant cost savings for the enterprise in terms of reduced technology stack, lower O&M costs and streamlined application lifecycle management, whether this is an on premise, cloud or hybrid instance. However, organizations that are upgrading from SharePoint 2003 or 2007 instances used as point solutions or document management solutions may have challenges in planning for governance, information architecture, LOB integration and resource management when adopting “SharePoint as a Platform.”

Marie-Michelle Strah, who is a SharePoint Solutions Architect and Practice Lead for BroadPoint Technologies, will explain how to optimize SharePoint as a platform across the organization from strategic, operational and tactical perspectives using best practices in Enterprise Architecture.

This presentation is designed for CIOs, IT Managers and those who work with C-suite executives and presents best practices in planning for, and most importantly, optimizing SharePoint as a platform from a resource management, master data management and ALM standpoint.


Webcast: Storage Area Networks 101 for Database Administrators
Have you heard your storage admin talk about logical unit numbers (LUNs) and RAID levels? Have you had I/O problems with your databases on your new storage area network (SAN)? If so, this is the webcast for you.

Joey D’Antoni, Senior DBA at Comcast, will explain SAN basics through topics such as multipathing, RAID levels and caching. Additionally, he will discuss some advanced topics, such as solid state storage and SAN replication for high availability.


Free Webcast: New Business Intelligence Features in SQL Denali
SQL Server “Denali” is the next version of Microsoft’s information platform and boasts of improved Business Intelligence capabilities. This includes the new Business Intelligence Semantic Model (BISM) that unifies both the Multidimensional (OLAP) and Tabular or Relational (in-memory) models. BISM Analysis Services Tabular mode will not replace Analysis Services Multidimensional (OLAP) mode, but will be complementary technology in the future.

Jen Underwood, Data Platform Technology Specialist for Microsoft, will cover Microsoft's new Enterprise Information Management features including SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS), Data Quality Services, SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS), Analysis Services (SSAS), PowerPivot, BISM and Crescent. She will walk through high-level overviews of new features and take a deeper look at improvements for ad-hoc reporting.


Free Webcast: Manage Your Shop with CMS and Policy Based Management
Companies and organizations with more than one database administrator might want to configure a Central Management Server – a main repository that holds a list of managed servers. As the server list is stored on the central SQL Server, it allows multiple users to access the list and helps with policy-based management deployment efforts.

Ryan J. Adams, a Microsoft Certified Database Administrator and Professional, will talk about Central Management Server and how it can help you manage a disperse environment. He will also cover what Policy Based Management (PBM) is and how to leverage its power to better manage your environment. With PBM, Ryan will explain what it can and cannot do to help enforce standards in the enterprise. He will review and demonstrate PBM for the beginner, showing how to create and evaluate policies, as well as aspects on receiving policy violation alerts.


SQL Server Integration Services
As we build larger and more powerful data centric applications, the need to bring information together will become more important. Building efficient and intelligent ETL processes will be both a requirement and a skill that will be found to be in high demand. SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) is one such ETL tool, and because it comes with Microsoft SQL Server, it will also continue to rise in popularity.

This virtual, online course, delivered by Microsoft SQL Server MVP Eric Johnson, will guide you into the world of SSIS. The class will start at the very basics of making a new package, and will progress towards advanced topics such as debugging and deployment. The entire goal of the course is to take a course attendee from never having used SSIS to being a competent SSIS developer in twelve sessions delivered over four weeks.


SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS)
As we build larger and more powerful data centric applications, the need to bring information together will become more important. Building efficient and intelligent ETL processes will be both a requirement and a skill that will be found to be in high demand. SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) is one such ETL tool, and because it comes with Microsoft SQL Server, it will also continue to rise in popularity.

This virtual, online course, delivered by Microsoft SQL Server MVP Eric Johnson, will guide you into the world of SSIS. The class will start at the very basics of making a new package, and will progress towards advanced topics such as debugging and deployment. The entire goal of the course is to take a course attendee from never having used SSIS to being a competent SSIS developer in twelve sessions delivered over four weeks.


Free Webcast Series: Writing T-SQL Queries and Code
In SSWUG.ORG’s “Writing T-SQL Queries and Code” webcast series, you will be able to learn how to write aggregate and crosstab queries, as well as how to use common table expressions to write recursive queries. In three, in-depth sessions, Kathi Kellenberger, SQL Server Technology Specialist for Microsoft and author of Beginning T-SQL 2008, will teach beginning and experienced T-SQL programmers about writing code to ensure their applications are highly performing. By the end of the series, you will be more familiar with T-SQL queries and know how to simplify your work through new and advanced features.


Free Webcast Series: SharePoint 2010 Basics
SharePoint beginners and experts can benefit from attending SSWUG.ORG’s “SharePoint 2010 Basics” webcast series, which will delve into what you can do with the newest version of SharePoint and how the platform can benefit your business.

In four, in-depth sessions, Rebecca Isserman, SharePoint Server MVP and Consultant for Planet Technologies, will explain how to use the platform’s key features, create sample applications in the development environment, blend Silverlight applications with SharePoint and more. By the end of the series, you will know about the various and available environments and tools you can use to develop a functional and optimized SharePoint project.


SSWUG Free Expo Event: Understanding SQL Server Analysis Services
SSWUG.ORG’s virtual expo will review various aspects of SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS), which enables the server to be used for analytical processing and data mining. Through our in-depth sessions with four of the leading experts in the information technology (IT) and business intelligence (BI) fields, you will see many demonstrations and examples on designing, creating and managing data from multiple sources. By the end of our event, you should have the tools and understanding needed to bring added functionality, automation and insight into your data.

With registration, you will also receive a complimentary month of full membership to SSWUG.ORG, where you can learn even more about SSAS and database-related topics through in-depth articles, podcasts, how-to videos and more. All the content will also be able for seven calendar days after May 20, allowing you to revisit key portions of information at a convenience. For thorough examination of the topics in the comfort of your home and office, DVDs of the sessions are also priced at $99.

Please register now to learn from four acclaimed SSAS experts for free on Friday, May 20!


Free Webcast Series: Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) with C#
In SSWUG.ORG’s back-to-basics webcast series, you will be able to explore the fundamentals of Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) with C#. In two, in-depth sessions, C# MVP and software developer Ben Hoelting will define some of the core principles of OOP and proceed into concepts such as abstraction, encapsulation, inheritance and polymorphism. Beginners looking to get a jumpstart on OOP and developers looking for a refresher course will benefit from the information given. By the end of the series, you will be more familiar with OOP concepts and know how to use the language to solve some common software application problems.


Free Webcast Series: Introduction to MDX
Explore the basic functions of MDX and view many practical examples on using the query language in SSWUG.ORG’s "Introduction to MDX" webcast series. In three, in-depth sessions, Business Intelligence architect and MDX expert Bill Pearson will focus on the basic components of MDX, as well as provide information on crafting simple MDX expressions and queries that generate result sets. By the end of our three-part series, you should have the information needed to meet many real-world business needs.


Free Webcast Series: Patterns and Practices in Database Administration
SSWUG.ORG’s virtual webcasts will prepare the “Accidental DBA” for patterns and practices they will experience in their role as a database administrator. SQL Server MVP Kevin Kline will provide easy-to-understand insights and realistic examples for professionals who have not had any formal DBA training. By the end of our four-part series, you should have the information needed to get up to speed on database planning, administration and performance tuning basics.


DBTechCon - April 20-22, 2011
From April 20-22, SSWUG.ORG will be hosting the Spring 2011 edition of DBTechCon – the largest virtual conference in the information technology industry.

Attend more than 70 HD sessions taught by Microsoft MVPs, as well as acclaimed authors, bloggers and experts, which are focused on databases and database technologies such as SQL Server, SharePoint, .NET, Business Intelligence, and many others.

Our surveys reveal that 94% of attendees gained knowledge they could immediately use and 99.5% recommend attending SSWUG.ORG’s virtual conferences.


SSWUG Free Expo Event: Data Mining and Analysis
SSWUG.org’s virtual expo will delve deep into data mining platforms, tools and techniques to help attendees learn how to analyze large volumes of data and look for patterns that accurately predict behaviors. New and veteran database and IT professionals will be able to gain new insights on using Excel plugins, ASP.NET, SQL Server 2008, APIs and other options to derive knowledge from data and support analyst teams in their company or organization.

With registration, all attendees will also receive a complimentary month of full membership to SSWUG.org, where they can learn even more about data mining and database-related techniques through in-depth articles, podcasts, how-to videos and more. All the content will also be able for seven calendar days after March 18, allowing attendees to revisit key portions of information at a convenience.

If you register for the Data Mining and Analysis expo, we will e-mail you a special VIP Code to save $15 on the upcoming DBTechCon, which is the largest virtual conference in the information technology industry and will be held April 20-22. This discount can be combined with any discounts for full SSWUG members and DBTechCon alumni. Discount codes will be mailed to attendees on Monday, March 21. Click here to learn more about the Spring 2011 edition of DBTechCon.

Please register now to learn from three skilled data mining experts for free on Friday, March 18, 2011!


Workshop: Query Plan Caching and Recompiling
This workshop, conducted by Microsoft SQL Server MVP Kalen Delaney, will provide information on basic plan cache management. Kalen will provide all attendees with an in-depth look at how to use specific tools for exploring the plans in cache and detecting when they are reused, as well as query design considerations to provide the optimal caching behavior and best practice guidelines.

If you're working with SQL Server and want to learn more about it caches your query plans and how the choice between plan reuse and plan recompilation can significantly impact query and system performance, this is the workshop for you. With multiple demonstrations and specific how-to examples, you'll learn what you really need to know about plan caching and indexing.


Free Webcast: Using the MMC to Manage and Learn TSQL and Source Code
SQL Server has many tools available for learning how to work with your database server. From setting up complex operations to performing updates on your table structures and databases, the SQL Server tools are powerful and provide excellent educational solutions.

In this free virtual webcast, SQL Server MVP Stephen Wynkoop will explore the options for generating the underlying TSQL statements used by the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) in working with your servers. We'll also explore how to create batches of updates and how to use the information to create jobs, document your servers and the structures they support and provide another piece of your recovery picture.

Stephen will also present information on how you can use native tools to manage your source code repository, as well as explain how using a third party tool to control and document your system can be a signficant leverage point in managing your servers.


Workshop: SQL Server 2008 Indexes - Internals and Best Practices
This workshop, conducted by Microsoft SQL Server MVP Kalen Delaney, will provide information on basic index structures. Kalen will provide all attendees with an in-depth look at how to use specific tools for exploring those structures, as well as index design considerations and best practice guidelines.

If you're working with SQL Server 2008 and want to learn more about how indexes work and how they can significantly impact the performance of your queries and your systems, this is the workshop for you. With multiple demonstrations and specific how-to examples, you'll learn what you really need to know for working with SQL indexes.


SSWUG Free Expo Event: Basic and Complex SSIS Features
SSWUG.org’s virtual expo will provide basic and advanced information on SQL Server Integration Services for experienced and new database and IT professionals. Regardless of one’s skill level, our expert panel of presenters will provide insightful information in their sessions and in interactive chat sessions that can be used immediately afterwards on the job.

With registration, all attendees will also receive a complimentary month of full membership to SSWUG.org, where they can learn even more about SSIS and other database-related tools through in-depth articles, podcasts, how-to videos and more. All the content will also be able for seven calendar days after Feb. 18, allowing attendees to revisit key portions of information at a convenience.

Please register now to learn from four skilled SSIS experts for free on Friday, Feb. 18, 2011!


Workshop: Query Plans and Processing
This workshop, conducted by Microsoft SQL Server MVP Kalen Delaney, will explore needed information about query plans, tools, best practices and much more. Kalen will provide all attendees with an in-depth look at how to use the information provided in the query plan and become ready to start the query tuning process.

If you're working with SQL Server and want to learn as much as possible about query plans, as well as processing options and techniques, this is the workshop for you. With multiple demonstrations and specific how-to examples, you'll learn what you really need to know for working with SQL query plans.


SSWUG Free Expo Event: SQL Server Performance Monitoring and Tuning
SSWUG.ORG’s January 2011 virtual expo will provide attendees with tips, tools and information to dramatically tune and monitor performance of SQL Server 2005 and 2008.

Our expert panel of presenters will be investigating tuning and monitoring techniques involving indexing strategies, SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS), Dynamic Management Views (DMVs) and Resource Governor. In-depth video explanations of the material will be given and presenters will also be available for question-and-answer sessions in our interactive chat rooms.

Through our four sessions, attendees should be able to better identify, address and tune SQL Server to perform at its full capabilities.

With registration, all attendees will also receive a complimentary month of full membership to SSWUG.org, where they can learn even more about SQL Server and other databases and database technologies through in-depth articles, podcasts, how-to videos and more. All the content will also be able for seven calendar days after Jan. 14, allowing attendees to revisit key portions of information at a convenience.

Please register now to save your place for this information-packed expo!  


Your Information Technology Answers are Here on SSWUG.ORG

SSWUG.ORG is the one of the largest community-driven sites that focuses on enterprise technology, as more than 570,000 members regularly visit our site for answers to their questions on data management, collaboration software, development tools and cloud computing.

Our staff works to issue relevant and in-depth articles, podcasts, webcasts, expos and classes to members and non-members alike.