events

Thursday, Novemeber 13th, 2008, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

2008-10-15T11:47:00Z

When: Thursday, November 13th, 2008, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Social Time starts at 6:00 AM!

Who:

Jessica Moss

What: Building Reports in SQL Server Reporting Services 2008

Overview of Presentation:

Using SQL Server Reporting Services can simplify designing reports, but how do you handle complex report requirements? This session will discuss how to handle these complex scenarios by using the new features of SSRS 2008. We will walk through building reports to showcase these situations. This session will be friendly to people who have experience in either SSRS 2005 or SSRS 2008.

About Jessica:

Jessica Moss is a Microsoft SQL Server MVP, a business intelligence mentor with Solid Quality Mentors, and an MCDBA and MCTS: SQL Server 2005 Business Intelligence. She has been working with SQL Server 2005 since its release and has participated in many warehousing and reporting solutions. Jessica enjoys working with the local community and is a regular speaker at user groups, code camps, and conferences. You can read about her work on her blog, http://jessicammoss.blogspot.com.

Where: Location: Markel Plaza
4600 Cox Road
Glen Allen, VA 23060 [map]
Register: Click here to register!

Thanks to our Sponsors

Thursday, October 9th 2008, 6:30PM -8:00PM

2008-10-15T11:46:00Z

When: Thursday, October 9th, 2008, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Social Time starts at 6:00 AM!

Who:

Michael Coles

What: SQL 2008 Full-Text Search, Filestream Storage, and Fuzzy Searching

Overview of Presentation:

* New Integrated Full-Text Search (iFTS) in SQL Server 2008 - full-text search is highly integrated with the SQL Server query engine in SQL Server 2008. This makes administration easier, improves performance significantly, and increases scalability.

* The new filestream data type attribute in SQL Server 2008 - takes advantage of Windows NTFS transactions and streaming to improve performance and provide greater manageability for binary large object (BLOB) data.

* SQL Server 2008 provides several new dynamic management views and functions, and new catalog views, to make full-text search processing fully transparent to developers.

* I'll also give a survey of alternative fuzzy-search techniques including Soundex, NYSIIS, n-grams, ternary search trees, and regular expressions.

* Also we'll talk about how to quickly and easily create a Google-style search interface for your SQL Server 2008 iFTS-enabled databases.

About Michael:

Michael Coles is a Microsoft MVP (SQL) with over 15 years' experience designing and administering SQL Server databases. A prolific writer on all aspects of SQL Server, particularly on the expert use of T-SQL, Michael has written dozens of published articles and several books including Pro SQL Server 2008 XML, Pro T-SQL 2008 Programmer's Guide, and Accelerated SQL Server 2008. Currently he is contributing chapters to a Microsoft MVP charity book project and working on a project to detail SQL Server 2008 encryption technology.

Where: Location: Markel Plaza
4600 Cox Road
Glen Allen, VA 23060 [map]
Register: Click here to register!

Thanks to our Sponsors

Thursday September 11th 2008 6:30PM to 8:00PM

2008-08-19T16:18:00Z

August's Presentation: An Introduction to Analysis Services 2005

Registration - Please register!

This Months Sponsor-Fahrenheit Technology

Abstract:

Microsoft’s Analysis Services 2005 is best known for its ability to build and manage OLAP data cubes. In addition to that core functionality, SSAS enables users to define key performance indicators (KPIs), profile data, mine data and predict future activities using the results of that mining. Perhaps best of all, SSAS is included as part of SQL Server 2005 Standard and Enterprise Editions. This session introduces the audience to the capabilities of SSAS, businesses uses for those tools and ways to integrate SSAS with Integration Services and Reporting Services.

About Mark:

Mark Hudson has more than 10 years experience in business intelligence and data analysis. He has developed data warehouses and data presentation layers using numerous tools including both SQL Server 2000 and SQL Server 2005. He currently serves as an architect and developer with CapTech Ventures, Inc. (mhudson@captechventures.com, www.captechventures.com).

Thursday August 14th 2008 6:30PM to 8:00PM

2008-08-05T11:59:00Z

August's Presentation: SSIS FrameWorks!

Registration - Please register!

This Months Sponsor-McClain Group II

Abstract:

SSIS Frameworks focuses on Object Oriented programming techniques applied to SSIS Development. We will explore the concepts of encapsulation and modularity from an Object Oriented Programming perspective and how this can be applied to developing SSIS packages. SSIS Frameworks will look into building both a metadata structure and the SSIS package design, to support breaking units of work into small reusable SSIS packages and how to structure those packages for re-use. Real world examples from a Data Warehouse to Master Data Management Systems will be referenced to show how this type of SSIS development can cut development time and allow for coding work to be spread across a team. We will also get into the nitty gritty of some SSIS configurations/event handlers/variable passing.

About Steve:

Steve Fibich currently works in Richmond VA at PFGC as the Systems Architect on a Master Data Management project utilizing SQL Server 2005 and SSIS 2005 pulling data from iSeries, Unix, VAX, and SAP for a massive system integration effort. He has been working with SQL Server since 6.5 building Data Warehouses, building integration systems for third party product integration, creating Master Data Management systems , and doing general DBA work for the past 10 years.

Saturday August 16th 2008 10:00AM to 2:00PM

2008-07-29T14:21:00Z

SQL Server 2008 Community Event

What:

SQL Server 2008 Community Event

Featuring SQL Server 2008 with W2k8 and VS2k8. There will be 3 to 4 presentations focusing on SQL Server 2008, but also covering Windows 2008 and Visual Studio 2008. Lunch will be provided. Details are being ironed out but we wanted to get some information out to you (the community) as soon as possible! Please Register

Sponsors (More to come)

MaconIT

Microsoft

Where:

Location: Markel Plaza
4600 Cox Road
Glen Allen, VA 23060 [map]

Thursday July 17th 2008 6:30PM to 8:00PM

2008-06-25T20:23:00Z

June's Presentation: Colonial Williamsburg’s Foundation Data Warehouse overview with Rick Todd!

Registration - Coming Soon!

This Months Sponsor

Abstract:

Colonial Williamsburg’s Foundation Data Warehouse, where the 18th century meets the 21st century. Rick Todd from the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation IT Department will be sharing some of their insights into handling the ever-tricky Customer Dimension while building their Data Warehouse. Colonial Williamsburg is a perfect fit for a Data Warehouse, having lines of business as diverse as Ticketing, Hotel, Food and Beverage, Retail (online, on location, and catalog), Spa, and Golf. Rick will be discussing some of the successes and failures his team (of 2) has had will attempting to import, conform, merge, household, and report on customers across all these systems (which currently include SQL 2000, SQL 2005, and AS400). The first 3/4ths of the presentation will be a fairly fast moving, high level discussion covering modeling the Customer dimension, an ETL framework for conformed dimensions, merging, purging, and householding Customers through fuzzy logic, and handling the conformed dimension in Analysis Services. The last 1/4th of the meeting time will be left for a more in-depth discussion of any areas that people find interesting. Please come to help Rick further Colonial Williamsburg’s mission: That the Future May Learn From the Past. In this case, their Rick’s teams’ past mistakes and successes, as opposed to the founding of our country.

About Rick:

Rick Todd has been a database developer for 9 years. Initially as a private consultant in Chicago for the health care industry, the Federal Reserve Bank, and various smaller customers. From there he went on to be a Database Architect for Resort Technology Partners, LLC of Vail then Avon Colorado. At RTP Rick was responsible for design and development of various OLTP systems for the #1 ski resort software developer in North America. After 7 years at RTP, Rick visited the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation after they purchased RTP’s software and flew him out for training on the database. Rick moved to Williamsburg and started the Data Warehouse project for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation last year in May.

Thursday June 12th 2008 6:30PM to 8:00PM

2008-06-03T16:46:00Z

June's Presentation: RSSUG Round table!

Registration - Coming Soon!

This Months Sponsor

Abstract

This is going to be round table discussion facilitated by Andy Leonard, Ron Deskins, and Mark Hudson. The topic is SQL Server, but other than that it is wide open. Please post your comments to the board so we can get a lively discussion going at the meeting!

About Everyone:

Andy Leonard is a Solid Quality Mentor, SQL Server database and Integration Services developer, SQL Server MVP, and engineer. He is a co-author of Professional SQL Server 2005 Integration Services , Professional Software Testing with Visual Studio 2005 Team System: Tools for Software Developers and Test Engineers , MCITP Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-441): Designing Database Solutions by Using Microsoft SQL Server 2005 , and the upcoming e-book Mastering Visual Studio Team System Database Edition . Andy founded and manages VSTeamSystemCentral.com and maintains two blogs there: Applied Team System and Applied Business Intelligence . He also blogs for SQLBlog.com. Andy's background includes web application architecture and development, VB.Net, ASP, and ASP.Net; SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS); data warehouse development using SQL Server 2000 and 2005; and test-driven database development.

Mark Hudson has more than 10 years experience in business intelligence and data analysis. He has developed data warehouses and report presentation layers using both SQL Server 2000 and SQL Server 2005. He currently serves the Richmond area as a data architect and developer with CapTech Ventures.

Ron Deskins - Richmond SQL Server User Group President. (No picture on file)

Thursday, May 8th, 2008 6:30PM to 8:00PM

2008-04-27T15:06:00Z

May's Presentation: Optimizing Language Integrated Queries with SQL Server Profiler
by Kevin Hazzard

Registration is not required for this event but if you plan to attend, please register so we'll know how many developers and database professionals to expect (feed). Thanks!

This Months Sponsor

Abstract

Language Integrated Query (LINQ) marks the beginning of a massive shift in Microsoft’s data access philosophy. For those of us who grew up in the era when Microsoft touted the benefits of stored procedures as a necessary and sufficient abstraction of business logic, Object/Relational Mapping (O/RM) tools like LINQ to SQL can present a somewhat rude awakening. Because of our upbringing, we’ve learned to spend much of our time optimizing our stored procedures as a throttle for managing database performance in general. But what happens when the stored procedures simply disappear? Are you ready for that?

While moving business logic away from the database and into the middle tier is exciting for plenty of reasons, the specter of losing some control over database performance is very unsettling to most DBAs. Likewise, C# and VB developers need to get ready for the changes that LINQ to SQL will bring to them, too. When database performance suffers while using an O/RM tool, software developers will be called on to participate in the triage and tuning of queries in ways for which they may not be fully prepared. No more finger pointing at the database people when the database is slow. So this presentation should be as useful to software developers as it will be for the traditional DBAs and database developers in the audience. Come learn how to use the SQL Profiler to find and fix bottlenecks in your LINQ to SQL queries. The discussion will be fast-paced, informative and highly interactive.

About Kevin

Kevin is currently the Software Architect for SnagAJob.com in Richmond, Virginia. He has served on the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and as an advisor to Virginia’s Joint Commission on Technology and Science (JCOTS). Kevin currently serves as the Chairman of the Information Systems and Technology Advisory Board for J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College. He’s also served the College as an adjunct instructor since the year 2000. As a Senior Engineer in the Intel Architecture Labs, Kevin successfully authored patents and designed ciphers, networking protocols and peer-to-peer components used by millions of users worldwide. Kevin has been designing and writing software for 25 years. He loves the art and the science of his job as much today as he did in the very beginning. Kevin is a father to five, a husband to one and a servant to many others. He speaks a bit of Portuguese, a bit of German and enjoys doing missionary work in South America. For fun, he enjoys motorcycling, hiking, etymology, bird-watching and friendly yet passionate discussions about politics and history.

Saturday, April 26, 2008, 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM

2008-04-12T15:45:00Z

Some of you have been asking if RSSUG new anything about the Richmond Code Camp Schedule. Well here it is:

http://richmondcodecamp.org/Lists/20081Sked/calendar.aspx?CalendarDate=4/26/2008&CalendarPeriod=Day

Thursday, April 11, 2008 - Presentation Downloads Available

2008-04-11T11:59:00Z

Adam Machanic's demo from last nights meeting are available from the download area:

Presentation->AdamMachanic

You must be a registered Richmond SQL Server Group Site user to download the files.

Thursday, April 10, 2008, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

2008-03-19T12:28:00Z

March's Presentation: Designing Highly Concurrent SQL Server Database Applications
by Adam Machanic, SQL Server MVP

Registration is not required for this event but if you plan to attend, please register so we'll know how many developers and database professionals to expect (feed). Thanks!

This months sponsor is:

Abstract

Isn’t it amazing how well applications would scale with zero concurrent users? Fortunately for our careers, we often deal with the opposite problem: Lots of users, all working with the same data at the same time. This session starts with a discussion of the types of concurrency issues you might encounter, and then moves on to an analysis of techniques for solving the problems that concurrency brings to the table. We will look at both the tools SQL Server provides natively, as well as database and application design strategies that can help to maximize the user experience in highly concurrent applications.

About Adam Machanic

Adam Machanic is an independent database software consultant, writer, and speaker based in Boston, Massachusetts. He has implemented SQL Server solutions for a variety of high-availability OLTP and large-scale data warehouse applications, and also specializes in .NET data access layer performance optimization. Adam has written numerous articles and has contributed to several books on SQL Server, including Expert SQL Server 2005 Development (Apress, 2007). He regularly speaks at user groups, community events, and conferences on a variety of SQL Server and .NET-related topics. He is a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) for SQL Server and a Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP).

Wednesday, March 12, 2008, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

2008-03-12T12:15:00Z

Kevin Viers, Microsoft
presents What's New In SQL Server 2008

Wednesday, March 12, 2008, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Social Time starts at 6:00 PM!
Location: Markel Plaza
4600 Cox Road
Glen Allen, VA 23060 [map]

Sponsor:

Registration is not required for this event but if you plan to attend, please register so we'll know how many developers and database professionals to expect (feed). Thanks!

Abstract
Come see a preview of what is coming in SQL Server 2008. This session will be demo heavy and we will be able to get a preview of some of the exciting new features of 2008 including Policy Management Framework, Performance Data Collection, Resource Governor, Encryption, Backup Compression, Change Data Capture, New Report Designer, and more. If, like most, you have been too busy with your day job to take 2008 for a test drive then this is a great opportunity to get a firsthand look at the continued investment Microsoft is making to ensure that SQL Server 2008 is the first choice for enterprise class, mission critical database workloads.

Wednesday, February 27, 2008, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

2008-02-02T20:09:00Z

February's Presentation: Introduction to Data Mining
by Brian Knight, MVP

Abstract

We’ve all seen Amazon’s cool feature where they recommend a set of books based on other books that you have bought. Now this feature can be yours! In this session SQL Server MVP, Brian Knight demonstrates the power of using SQL Server Analysis Services data mining in your projects for predictive analysis. Brian will start with the process to create a data mining process with your data and how to integrate it into your application. Lastly, he’ll show you some shortcuts on how to use data mining by using the Data Mining add-in for Excel 2007.

About Brian Knight

Brian Knight, SQL Server MVP, MCSE, MCDBA, is the co-founder of SQLServerCentral.com and JumpstartTV.com. He runs the local SQL Server users group in Jacksonville (JSSUG) and was on the Board of Directors of the Professional Association for SQL Server (PASS). Brian is a contributing columnist for SQL Server Standard and also maintains a regular column for the database website SQLServerCentral.com and does regular webcasts at Jumpstart TV. He has co-authored and authored more than 9 SQL Server books including Admin911: SQL Server (Osborne/McGraw-Hill Publishing), Professional SQL Server DTS, Expert SSIS, Professional SQL Server 2005 Administration and Professional SQL Server 2005 SSIS (Wrox Press). Brian has spoken at conferences like PASS, SQL Connections and TechEd and many Code Camps. Brian spends most of his time trying to think about how to use the word onomatopoeia in every day sentences.

January 17th 2008, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

2008-01-18T00:37:00Z

When: Thursday, January 17th, 2008, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Social Time starts at 6:00 PM!

Who: Andy Leonard, SQL Server MVP

What: Introducing Change Data Capture, SSIS and SQL Server 2008

Where:

Location: Markel Plaza
4600 Cox Road
Glen Allen, VA 23060 [map]
Register: Registration is not required for this event but if you plan to attend, please register so we'll know how many developers and database professionals to expect (feed). Thanks!

Sponsor:

Presentation Link: http://www.solidq.com/na/TechArticleDetail.aspx?Id=19

events

Thursday, Novemeber 13th, 2008, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

Thursday, October 9th 2008, 6:30PM -8:00PM

Thursday September 11th 2008 6:30PM to 8:00PM

Thursday August 14th 2008 6:30PM to 8:00PM

Saturday August 16th 2008 10:00AM to 2:00PM

Thursday July 17th 2008 6:30PM to 8:00PM

Thursday June 12th 2008 6:30PM to 8:00PM

Thursday, May 8th, 2008 6:30PM to 8:00PM

Saturday, April 26, 2008, 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM

Thursday, April 11, 2008 - Presentation Downloads Available

Thursday, April 10, 2008, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

Wednesday, March 12, 2008, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

Kevin Viers, Microsoft presents What's New In SQL Server 2008

Wednesday, February 27, 2008, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

January 17th 2008, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

Kevin Viers, Microsoft
presents What's New In SQL Server 2008