Aaron serves as one of the Sales Engineers at SIOS Technology Corp. With more than 20 years in the IT industry and more than 10 years working specifically in the field of high availability and load balancing, he offers a substantial wealth of knowledge to enterprises aiming to establish unbreakable systems. His consultancy and implementation efforts have spanned diverse industry verticals including healthcare, finance, government, and others, allowing him to represent specialised vendors proficient in high availability, disaster recovery, and fault-tolerant computing methodologies.

• Building a Faster, Cheaper, and More Resilient SQL Server in the Cloud

  Running SQL Server in the cloud brings both opportunities and challenges. This session explores how to build high-performing, highly available SQL Server environments optimized for cloud platforms. We will cover proven strategies for performance tuning, cost control, and licensing optimization across both Microsoft Windows and Linux. Attendees will gain a clear understanding of how licensing impacts costs on each platform and how choosing Linux in certain scenarios can deliver meaningful savings. We will introduce SIOS Technology as a powerful solution for achieving true OS-agnostic high availability in the cloud. You will see how SIOS enables robust failover protection for both Windows and Linux while helping you reduce licensing expenses by using SQL Server Standard Edition instead of the Enterprise Edition often required by native solutions like Always On Availability Groups. We will also address the often-overlooked challenge of patching SQL Server and its underlying operating systems in the cloud. Learn best practices and automation techniques that strengthen security, ensure stability, and streamline administration.

I’m a Data Engineer and data analytics enthusiast experienced in working with the Azure data platform and Microsoft Fabric. With multiple Azure and Fabric certifications, I’m passionate about sharing knowledge and love presenting on topics like Kusto, Fabric and how they work with the wider Azure ecosystem. I'm also a part of Redgate's Community Ambassadors programme, helping Redgate to support data community events around the world through speaking and content creation. Outside of data, I’m an avid fan of football and Formula 1, and I enjoy cooking, whisky, and making plans to travel the world.

• Getting Started with Real-Time Intelligence in Microsoft Fabric

  Real-Time Intelligence in Fabric is designed to enable organisations to bring their streaming, high-granularity, time-sensitive event data into Fabric and build various analytical, visual and action-oriented data applications and experiences. In this session, you will learn about the various components of Fabric Real-Time Intelligence through a full end-to-end solution which will show you how to ingest, analyze and visualize real-time streaming data in Fabric. We will discuss the various streaming sources (and clouds) that you can connect to with the Real-Time Hub, and explore best practice when it comes to cleaning and preparing this data for superior query times. You’ll be introduced to the Kusto Query Language, with live demonstrations of queries on sample real-time data, covering syntax, built-in functions, and operators, and all the key features of KQL that make it a game-changer for analysis of data in motion. We’ll also explore Real-Time Dashboards by building powerful live visuals, as well as covering how to connect Power BI to our streaming data in Fabric and best optimise our reports. Lastly, we’ll demonstrate how you can take your visuals from your reports and dashboards to the next level by building alerts and rules with Activator to efficiently and pro-actively manage your data and Fabric estate. You will leave this session equipped with practical examples and best practices for real-time data analysis to deliver instant value on your streaming data.

Alain Hunkins is a globally recognized leadership strategist, bestselling author of Cracking the Leadership Code: Three Secrets to Building Strong Leaders, and a regular Forbes columnist on leadership strategy. With over 25 years of experience, Alain empowers professionals and organizations to cultivate stronger leaders, sharper teams, and smarter workplaces. He has delivered impactful keynotes and leadership development workshops for a diverse range of clients, including Fortune 500 companies like Pfizer, Microsoft, GE, Lockheed Martin, and Walmart, impacting over 3,000 groups across 30 countries. Alain's approach is distinctly practical and research-backed, helping organizations tackle today’s most pressing people challenges. Whether it's navigating the complexities of leading hybrid teams, fostering a robust culture of accountability, or closing the critical gap between strategic vision and flawless execution, Alain provides tangible solutions. As both a dynamic keynote speaker and a hands-on facilitator, he brings energy, insight, and humor to every session. He consistently delivers actionable tools that enable leaders to drive greater alignment, boost engagement, and build thriving cultures where both people and performance excel.

• Cracking the Communication Code: How Teams can Collaborate & Work Smarter

  Communication is the most undertrained skill in tech—and yet, it’s the one that determines whether your ideas get heard, your team stays aligned, and your influence grows. In this dynamic and experiential workshop, attendees will work through the most common communication challenges facing tech teams—from difficult conversations and feedback delivery to stakeholder buy-in and executive updates. Participants will leave with proven communication tools they can apply immediately. plus scripts, structures, and practice opportunities that bring the tools to life.

Alain Hunkins is a globally recognized leadership strategist, bestselling author of Cracking the Leadership Code: Three Secrets to Building Strong Leaders, and a regular Forbes columnist on leadership strategy. With over 25 years of experience, Alain empowers professionals and organizations to cultivate stronger leaders, sharper teams, and smarter workplaces. He has delivered impactful keynotes and leadership development workshops for a diverse range of clients, including Fortune 500 companies like Pfizer, Microsoft, GE, Lockheed Martin, and Walmart, impacting over 3,000 groups across 30 countries. Alain's approach is distinctly practical and research-backed, helping organizations tackle today’s most pressing people challenges. Whether it's navigating the complexities of leading hybrid teams, fostering a robust culture of accountability, or closing the critical gap between strategic vision and flawless execution, Alain provides tangible solutions. As both a dynamic keynote speaker and a hands-on facilitator, he brings energy, insight, and humor to every session. He consistently delivers actionable tools that enable leaders to drive greater alignment, boost engagement, and build thriving cultures where both people and performance excel.

• Crack the Leadership Code: Lead with Clarity, Connection, and Confidence

  At the heart of every successful organization is a leader who knows how to inspire trust, drive clarity, and foster collaboration. But in today’s rapidly changing, post-pandemic workplace, the old leadership playbook no longer works—and many leaders are left struggling to keep up. This highly interactive workshop offers a practical, research-backed framework to help you become the kind of leader people want to follow. Built around three essential pillars—Connection, Communication, and Collaboration—this session will help you shorten your leadership learning curve and thrive in complexity. You’ll explore the hidden reasons why leading today is more difficult than ever and learn how to overcome the most common challenges leaders face: unclear expectations, poor team dynamics, and low engagement. Whether you’re managing a team, leading cross-functional projects, or aspiring to step into leadership, you’ll leave with tools you can apply immediately. Through hands-on exercises and guided reflection, you’ll gain new insight into your leadership strengths and growth areas—and build a roadmap to lead with more confidence, empathy, and impact.

Alexander is the chief technology officer at Analytics Masterminds where he spends his days helping clients of all shapes and sizes to take better care of – and make more sense of – their data. He has spent the last 25 years poking around with data, databases and related infrastructure services such as storage, networking and virtualization, occasionally emerging from the technical darkness to attend a Star Wars convention somewhere in the world. He is a long time Data Platform MVP, frequent international speaker, podcaster, Pluralsight author, blogger and a Microsoft Certified Trainer, focusing on the Microsoft data platform stack.

• Fabric FinOps – Cost Optimization for Microsoft Fabric

  A software-as-a-service offering such as Microsoft Fabric offers a fixed cost per month, making budgeting much easier. That should be the end of the conversation, but it's actually only the beginning – how do you make the most of the capacity units you get with the fixed price? How can you ensure that you are getting the most out of your monthly investment? The different Fabric workloads all have different ways of using capacity units – some are cost CUs per minute of runtime, some cost per query, some are straight forward to calculate, some are not. Take dataflows gen 2 an an example – by far the most expensive way of doing data integration compared to pipelines or copy jobs, but what does "expensive" mean in the grand scheme of things? Depending on your organization's previous experience and skill level, dataflows might instead end up being the cheapest option! There is much more to optimizing the bang for your buck with Fabric than only looking at the relative costs of capacity units, as it is easy to get lost in the technology instead of looking at the big picture. This session will look at capacity units as a concept, compare how the different workloads drive capacity unit usage, explore ways to optimize workload usage to decrease compute costs, and discuss other factors that impact the overall cost conversation around Fabric.

Alpa Buddhabhatti is a Microsoft MVP, Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT), and a Lead Data Engineer and Data Architect, passionate about building modern data platforms using Azure technologies. She leverages services like Data Factory, Azure SQL, Microsoft Fabric, Azure AI, Logic Apps, and serverless tools to deliver scalable, automated solutions. Alpa uses Generative AI and Azure OpenAI to unlock insights and drive innovation. Alpa is a frequent international speaker at events like SQLBits, Microsoft Ignite, PASS Summit, and more—known for translating complex data and AI concepts into practical value and empowering others to grow their skills.

• Real-World End-to-End ETL with Microsoft Fabric

  In this session, we'll walk through the process of designing and building a real-world end-to-end ETL pipeline using Microsoft Fabric. From data ingestion to transformation and loading into a Lakehouse, you'll learn how to orchestrate the entire flow using Fabric Data Pipelines, Lakehouse tables, and SQL-based transformations. We’ll also explore how to visualize processed data in Power BI and extend the pipeline by integrating insights into Azure AI Foundry for intelligent applications. Along the way, we’ll cover best practices for structuring ETL stages, monitoring pipeline execution, and optimizing performance. The live demo will cover: • Microsoft Fabric • OneLake • Azure SQL • Power BI • Azure AI Foundry You'll see how to connect to data sources, transform data at scale, visualize results, and enrich outcomes using AI — all within the Fabric ecosystem.

• Multi-Modal Azure AI with Microsoft Fabric and Azure AI Foundry

  In this session, discover how to build intelligent, multi-modal AI solutions by combining the data orchestration power of Microsoft Fabric with the model-building capabilities of Azure AI Foundry. Learn how to prepare and manage structured and unstructured data using Lakehouses, then connect that data to vision, text, and tabular AI models for rich, context-aware outcomes. We’ll walk through real-world use cases and show how Fabric pipelines feed into multi-modal AI workflows—enabling solutions like document summarization, image classification, and chat-based analytics. Live demo will cover: • Data preparation with Microsoft Fabric and OneLake • Connecting structured and unstructured data • Training and deploying multi-modal models in Azure AI Foundry • Using outputs in business applications or Power BI

Andreas Wolter is a former Program Manager for Access Control in Azure SQL and SQL Server at Microsoft. In this role, he spearheaded the revamp of SQL Server's permission system and the design of the external authorization system used by Purview policies and Azure database and data warehouse in Fabric. He has over 20 years of experience with SQL Server, is one of only 7 Microsoft Certified Solutions Master for Data Platform (MCSM) and has been a regular speaker at conferences worldwide for over a decade. Andreas is the founder of Sarpedon Quality Lab LLC, a consulting company specializing in SQL Server performance, high availability, and security, which he manages in cooperation with Sarpedon Quality Lab Germany.

• Quickstart into Performance Monitoring & Troubleshooting for SQL

  A consistent performance-experience is crucial for a successful business. If you are developing and testing SQL databases you need to understand where to look and what to look for. Depending on whether your SQL database is hosted on-prem, in Azure SQL or Fabric, there are some differences in what tools are available. This session will give you an overview over the available tools, explain where they overlap and where limitations require a different approach using built-in SQL functionalities. Among the things you will be introduced to will be the database watcher, extended events, wait stats and DMVs. So next time someone asks you to take a look at a badly performing database application, you know where to look.

Andy is a database administrator, PowerShell fan, former developer, Open Source contributor, RVer, and connoisseur of dad jokes (not in that order). He’s worn a number of IT hats since 1999 before landing in database administration, including web server administration and development, systems integration, and database development. When he isn’t picking queries apart and wrangling unruly herds of databases, he can be found planning next summer's family camping trips or mentoring the TAN[X] FIRST Robotics Competition team.

• Answering the Auditor's Call with Automation

  As DBAs, we're called on regularly to produce documentation for security & compliance audits. Being able to show who has what level of access to an instance is the minimum, but we're often asked for more. Collecting this information and compiling it into something usable by auditors could take you hours or even days. But with automation, you can pull it all together in a matter of minutes while you're getting that second cup of coffee from the kitchen. Through the PowerShell demos presented in this session, you'll learn how to build documentation of your backup regimen, who has access to your databases, and show that you're staying current with SQL Server patches from Microsoft. Whether you have one SQL Server instance or one hundred, you'll be able to create a script to automatically format this data so that it's usable for your auditors – and hopefully be so complete that you don't receive follow-up questions.

Andy Yun is a Consulting Field Solutions Architect at Pure Storage, who has been with SQL Server for over 20 years as both a Database Developer and Administrator. He focuses on performance tuning, with expertise in T-SQL, storage engine internals, and monitoring. Andy strongly believes in passing knowledge onto others, regularly speaking at conferences and user groups, and mentoring industry colleagues. Andy is a former Microsoft MVP, co-founder of the Chicago SQL Association, former co-leader of the Chicago Suburban User Group and Chicago SQL Saturday Organizing Committee.

• A Practical Introduction to Vector Search in SQL Server 2025

  Are you uncertain if SQL Server 2025 Vector Search has useful applications? Concerned that it is just more AI hype? Then join me in this session, where I’ll break down how Vector Search works, where it fits into the AI landscape, and how you can use it today—on-prem and without changing your core architecture. We’ll cover: * The foundations of vector embeddings and similarity search * How SQL Server implements Vector Search, including indexing and querying * Code demos and practical use case exploration You’ll leave armed with the knowledge to look beyond the hype and understand how Vector Search can work for you.

• Deep-Dive Workshop: Accelerating AI, Performance and Resilience with SQL Server 2025

  SQL Server 2025 delivers powerful new capabilities for AI, developer productivity, and performance all ready to run at scale on modern infrastructure. In this 1/2 day deep dive workshop, you'll get a first look at what's new and how to put it to work immediately. Learn directly from Microsoft and Pure Storage experts how to harness SQL Server’s vector capabilities and walk through real-world demos covering semantic search, change event streaming, and using external tables to manage vector embeddings. You'll also see how new REST APIs securely expose SQL Server's internals for automation and observability including snapshots, performance monitoring, and backup management. The workshop wraps up with insights into core engine enhancements: optimized locking, faster backups using ZSTD compression all running on a modern Pure Storage foundation that brings scale and resilience to your data platform. Whether you're a DBA, developer, or architect, this session will equip you with practical strategies for harnessing Microsoft SQL Server 2025 and Pure Storage to accelerate your organization's AI and data goals.

Anthony is a Senior Principal Field Solutions Architect at Pure Storage as well as a Pluralsight Author, and a Microsoft Data Platform MVP. Anthony designs solutions, deploys the technology, and provides expertise on business system performance, architecture, and security. Anthony has a Bachelors and Masters in Computer Science with research publications in high performance/low latency data access algorithms and spatial database systems.

• Building an LLM Chatbot on Your Laptop – No Cloud Required!

  Want to build a chatbot that can answer questions using your own data? This session shows you how, and no cloud is required! In this session, you will learn how to build a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) chatbot using open-source tools combined with SQL Server for vector storage – all from your laptop. We will cover topics such as LLM fundamentals, embeddings, similarity search, and how to integrate LLMs with your own data. By the end of the session, you will have a working chatbot and practical knowledge of how AI can enhance your data platform and a new way to elevate your SQL Server skills with AI.

• Deep-Dive Workshop: Accelerating AI, Performance and Resilience with SQL Server 2025

  SQL Server 2025 delivers powerful new capabilities for AI, developer productivity, and performance all ready to run at scale on modern infrastructure. In this 1/2 day deep dive workshop, you'll get a first look at what's new and how to put it to work immediately. Learn directly from Microsoft and Pure Storage experts how to harness SQL Server’s vector capabilities and walk through real-world demos covering semantic search, change event streaming, and using external tables to manage vector embeddings. You'll also see how new REST APIs securely expose SQL Server's internals for automation and observability including snapshots, performance monitoring, and backup management. The workshop wraps up with insights into core engine enhancements: optimized locking, faster backups using ZSTD compression all running on a modern Pure Storage foundation that brings scale and resilience to your data platform. Whether you're a DBA, developer, or architect, this session will equip you with practical strategies for harnessing Microsoft SQL Server 2025 and Pure Storage to accelerate your organization's AI and data goals.

I am a Cloud, Data and AI Consultant with 25+ years of experience working in design and development of Data Warehouse, Business Intelligence, AI enabled applications and SaaS integrated solutions. I am a Microsoft MVP (Most Valuable Professional) for Data Platform and Artificial Intelligence, MCT (Microsoft Certified Trainer) and really passionate in sharing knowledge. I enjoy solving complex business problems with innovative solutions using Microsoft technologies and use that experience in my trainings. I do speak at conferences (PASS Summit, SQL Saturdays, Data Platform Summit, Difinity) and organise local user group meetups and SQLSaturday Organiser in Wellington, New Zealand.

• Break the ETL Chains: Mirroring for Snowflake Databases in Microsoft Fabric

  With the General Availability (GA) of Mirroring for Snowflake Databases in Microsoft Fabric, the wait is over for real-time, no-copy access to Snowflake data — directly within your Fabric workspace. This session explores how organizations can eliminate data duplication, streamline analytics, and unlock insights without ever moving data out of Snowflake. Join us for an in-depth session that walks through the architecture, setup, and use cases of Snowflake Mirroring in Fabric. We’ll demonstrate how Microsoft Fabric now allows you to connect and query Snowflake data using Direct Lake mode, enabling low-latency insights, Power BI integration, and data governance — all while keeping your data within its original platform. Through live demos and practical scenarios, you'll learn how to: Set up mirroring for your Snowflake databases in just a few steps Ensure secure, governed access via OneLake and Fabric permissions Use Power BI to visualize mirrored Snowflake data without impacting performance Understand scenarios where mirroring adds value (e.g., cross-cloud insights, cost efficiency, and regulatory compliance) Whether you're a Fabric enthusiast, a Snowflake pro, or simply looking to simplify your data estate, this session is your launchpad to take full advantage of the new mirroring capabilities.

Arun Vijayraghavan is a Product Manager in the Microsoft Azure SQL Database product group, focusing on the Cloud, Data, and AI space. With over 25 years of experience, Arun started his career as a developer and architect before transitioning into product management. Still a developer at heart, Arun is passionate about solving developer problems, which has led him to specialize in developer platforms and new product launches within the Data and AI domain. Arun has an established track record providing strategic guidance for companies and is recognized for innovative work in the AI and Data space, holding a pending patent in the field. An avid blogger, Arun is also a passionate teacher and mentor, having guided numerous students. He volunteers his time teaching youth how to use AI and serves as an AI usage Policy advisor for non-profit organizations. You can follow him at https://www.linkedin.com/in/avijayraghavan/

• AI Ready Apps with SQL Database in Microsoft Fabric

  Explore how to build enterprise-grade Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) systems by harnessing the power of SQL AI features, vector-based search, and Microsoft Fabric. This session delves into modern architectures that integrate structured data with large language model (LLM) capabilities to enable real-time, intelligent, and secure applications. Participants will learn how to optimize performance, enhance data security, and manage complex enterprise deployments while advancing the boundaries of data-driven decision-making. Attendees will leave with a practical playbook for deploying robust, secure, and scalable RAG pipelines ready for real-world applications.

Bachar Rifai is a Partner Solution Architect at AWS with over 20 years of experience in database technologies and data management. During his 4+ years at AWS, he has developed specialized expertise in helping automotive and manufacturing organizations implement and scale generative AI solutions that drive operational transformation. With deep technical knowledge spanning traditional database systems and modern AI architectures, Bachar excels at translating complex GenAI concepts into practical, actionable strategies for automotive and manufacturing executives. He has successfully guided numerous manufacturers through their AWS cloud journey, enabling them to deploy cutting-edge AI-driven solutions that deliver measurable business impact. Bachar's unique approach combines technical depth with real-world application, making him a trusted advisor for both engineering teams and business leaders. His work focuses on helping automotive and manufacturing companies leverage generative AI to gain competitive advantage in an increasingly data-driven industry landscape. Known for his ability to bridge the gap between technical complexity and business value, Bachar continues to help organizations unlock the transformative potential of AI while building scalable, enterprise-ready solutions on AWS.

• RDS SQL Server with AI: Building Intelligent Self-Healing Database Systems

  Traditional database administration often relies on reactive approaches to performance issues, security threats, and maintenance challenges. This session reimagines RDS SQL Server management through the lens of generative AI to create truly intelligent, self-healing database environments. Unlike current solutions that use GenAI merely for optimization or monitoring, we'll explore building a comprehensive autonomous database ecosystem that learns, adapts, and proactively resolves issues. Attendees will learn how to integrate Amazon Bedrock, SageMaker, and custom LLMs with RDS SQL Server to enable advanced capabilities: predictive index recommendations based on query patterns, automatic schema evolution suggestions, anomaly detection with root cause analysis, and intelligent backup strategies tailored to application workloads. Through practical demonstrations, you'll see how to implement a feedback loop where your RDS environment continuously improves through learning from operational data. We'll cover architecting the GenAI integration pipeline, training custom models on SQL Server-specific patterns, implementing secure API gateways between RDS and AI services, and building dashboards that provide explainable AI insights for your database operations team. Real-world case studies will demonstrate how these techniques have reduced administration overhead by 70% while improving performance and security posture.

Barney Lawrence has over a decade's experience helping people make the most of their data on the Microsoft data platform. Having moved from the guy who knows Excel, to Data Analyst, to Accidental BI Developer and finally to Actual BI Developer, he currently works as a Senior Consultant for Simpson Associates focusing on local government and health data.

• (Almost) Everything You Wanted to Know About Purview Data Governance

  Microsoft's Purview Data Governance delivers a broad set of tools to allow an organisation to ensure its data assets are discoverable, well understood, and trusted. This session will take anyone looking to understand or to get started using Purview Data Governance. This session will take a tour of Purview's Data Map and Unified Catalog visiting all the key features and providing lessons learned from real world projects. We will also look at how to successfully deliver Purview within your organisation, how to sequence your roll out, how to effectively deliver a pilot project and how much it will cost you. Finally, we'll take a peek at the Purview road map focusing on future features you need to be aware of and prepare for. By the end of the session, you will be ready to take what you have learned and begin preparing for a successful rollout of Purview within your organisation.

Ben DeBow is a business leader, author, and innovator on a mission to move the technology industry from the era of abundance to the era of efficiency. As the founder and CEO of Fortified, a next-generation database consultancy twice named to the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies, Ben has been implementing mission-critical data platforms around the globe for the past two decades.

• Legacy Meets AI: Sustainable Data Strategies for the Modern Enterprise

  As companies rush to adopt AI and other modern technologies, they often overlook the financial and operational inefficiencies of their existing systems. This session explores how businesses can reduce costs by modernizing inefficient processes, optimizing data workflows, and refactoring outdated code. Attendees will learn to strike a balance between supporting legacy systems and driving innovation with Microsoft technologies, focusing on strategies to manage technical debt while enabling efficient AI and application development. Join CIO advisor and author Ben DeBow along with business communication expert Blythe Morrow to learn how you can navigate the tension between legacy system costs and AI/cloud sustainability goals while working cross-functionally to align your business around new technologies and processes.

Ben is a data architect from Iowa and has been working with SQL Server since version 6.5 in the late 90's. Ben focuses on performance tuning, warehouse implementations and optimizations, database security, and system integrations.

• Unmasking SQL Server Masking and RLS – Side Channel Attacks

  Expanded data access and data democratization has introduced the need for advanced security mechanisms. Row level security (RLS) and dynamic data masking (Masking) are both available in SQL Server to allow enterprises and architects to manage data security at a more granular level. While these patterns are helpful in some situations, they are vulnerable to side-channel attacks. These are mentioned briefly in the Microsoft documentation, but without extensive examples. This session is a demonstration of implementing data masking, row level security, along with a discussion of use cases for each and how they work together. After showing how they work, this will be an active demonstration of each pattern getting broken using various methods, primarily side-channel attacks. Finally, mitigations to these attacks will be discussed and demonstrated. This will end with an assessment of how each strategy fits into a project and suitability for various types of projects.

Ben Miller, aka @dbaduck, is a seasoned database professional with over 25 years of experience in SQL Server, PowerShell, and automation. As a passionate advocate for efficiency and innovation, Ben specializes in empowering IT professionals and DBAs to harness the power of PowerShell for database and server management. A Microsoft Data Platform and PowerShell MVP, speaker, and community contributor, Ben has a knack for breaking down complex topics into practical, actionable insights. When he’s not automating workflows or sharing his knowledge, you’ll find him engaging with the #SQLFamily or exploring new tech to help others work smarter. Follow Ben on all Social Media (@dbaduck) and dive into the world of automation and database magic with him!

• Database Migrations Made Easy with PowerShell and dbatools

  Database migrations can be complex, time-consuming, and risky—unless you have the right tools. Enter dbatools, a community-driven PowerShell module designed to make SQL Server migrations easy, reliable, and repeatable. In this session, you'll learn how to use PowerShell and dbatools to handle migrations of databases, logins, jobs, credentials, and more—with just a few lines of code. We'll walk through real-world scenarios, highlight key commands, and demonstrate how to validate and monitor your migrations for success. Whether you're moving a single database or an entire instance, dbatools takes the pain out of the process and replaces it with automation, consistency, and confidence. Perfect for DBAs, developers, and sysadmins alike—if you manage SQL Server environments, this is a session you don’t want to miss.

Ben Miller, aka @dbaduck, is a seasoned database professional with over 25 years of experience in SQL Server, PowerShell, and automation. As a passionate advocate for efficiency and innovation, Ben specializes in empowering IT professionals and DBAs to harness the power of PowerShell for database and server management. A Microsoft Data Platform and PowerShell MVP, speaker, and community contributor, Ben has a knack for breaking down complex topics into practical, actionable insights. When he’s not automating workflows or sharing his knowledge, you’ll find him engaging with the #SQLFamily or exploring new tech to help others work smarter. Follow Ben on all Social Media (@dbaduck) and dive into the world of automation and database magic with him!

• Getting Started as a PowerShell DBA

  New to PowerShell and wondering how it fits into the world of database administration? This session is for you! Getting Started as a PowerShell DBA is designed to help SQL Server DBAs take their first steps with PowerShell — no scripting experience required. We'll cover what PowerShell is, why it's useful for DBAs, and how you can start using it right away to save time and reduce manual effort. You'll see simple, real-world examples like checking server status, running SQL queries, and automating backups — all done through easy-to-understand PowerShell scripts. By the end, you'll have the confidence to start exploring PowerShell on your own and a set of starter scripts to take back to the office.

• SQL Development through Behavior Analysis

  T-SQL isn’t just about writing code that works — it’s about writing code that behaves well. In this session, we’ll explore how understanding the behavior of your SQL code can lead to better performance, reliability, and maintainability. It is important to understand how SQL behaves behind the scenes. Features and statements are easy to use, but it is easy to misuse them as well. This session takes a practical look at developing T-SQL with intention: how the optimizer interprets your logic, and how small changes in syntax can lead to big differences in execution. We’ll walk through real examples of “working” queries that don’t behave optimally, and uncover what’s really going on under the hood. Whether you’re tuning stored procedures, writing reports, or building new logic, this session will help you think like the engine — and write better SQL because of it.

Blythe is a product expert focused on SQL Server and database product development. She has more than two decades of success delivering multi million-dollar revenue growth through innovative marketing, product positioning, messaging, and competitive differentiation. She spends her days developing products that Data Pros use every day. She has a background in Microsoft SQL Server, PowerBI and Data Warehousing. She speaks at many conferences and events around the world, helping improve the work lives of DBAs everywhere.

• Legacy Meets AI: Sustainable Data Strategies for the Modern Enterprise

  As companies rush to adopt AI and other modern technologies, they often overlook the financial and operational inefficiencies of their existing systems. This session explores how businesses can reduce costs by modernizing inefficient processes, optimizing data workflows, and refactoring outdated code. Attendees will learn to strike a balance between supporting legacy systems and driving innovation with Microsoft technologies, focusing on strategies to manage technical debt while enabling efficient AI and application development. Join CIO advisor and author Ben DeBow along with business communication expert Blythe Morrow to learn how you can navigate the tension between legacy system costs and AI/cloud sustainability goals while working cross-functionally to align your business around new technologies and processes.

• Critical Communication – Managing Yourself and Others

  Want to manage people? Lead teams? Influence business decision-making? Senior professionals should know how to communicate with clarity, frame conversations, and influence the decisions of others. And your ability to have difficult conversations and engage people affects your chances of moving into a team leadership role. We often attempt or avoid difficult conversations every day-whether dealing with an under-performing employee, disagreeing with a spouse, or negotiating with a client. There are a few key frameworks that can help us see a situation from many sides, control our reactions, and communicate more persuasively. Join Blythe in a session where we tackle the art of communication and what it really means to manage others.

Bob Ward is a Principal Architect for the Microsoft Azure Data team, which owns the development for Microsoft SQL ground to cloud to fabric. Bob has worked for Microsoft for 31+ years on every version of SQL Server shipped from OS/2 1.1 to SQL Server 2025 including Azure SQL and SQL database in Fabric. Bob is a well-known speaker on SQL Server, Azure SQL, AI, and Microsoft Fabric often presenting talks on new releases, internals, and specialized topics at events such as SQLBits, Microsoft Build, Microsoft Ignite, PASS Summit, Fabric Community Conference, and Redgate Summit. You can also learn Azure SQL from him on the popular series https://aka.ms/azuresql4beginners. You can follow him at @bobwardms or linkedin.com/in/bobwardms. Bob is the author of the books Pro SQL Server on Linux, SQL Server 2019 Revealed, Azure SQL Revealed, SQL Server 2022 Revealed, and Azure SQL Revealed 2nd Edition available from Apress Media.

• Secure, Scalable AI Solutions with Microsoft SQL, Ground to Cloud to Fabric

  In an age where data drives innovation and artificial intelligence reshapes industries, organizations find themselves navigating the complexities of scalability, security, and advanced analytics. This keynote explores how Microsoft SQL empowers developers, IT Professionals, and administrators to leverage AI to unlock actionable insights while ensuring data security and seamless scalability across diverse environments—from SQL Server 2025 to Azure SQL to Microsoft Fabric. In our closing keynote you will hear about all the latest innovations for using AI with your data powered by the industry proven SQL Server platform that is trusted by organizations all over the world. You will hear about how developers can build intelligent AI agent applications with their data using a secure and scalable platform with familiar languages and AI-assisted tools such as GitHub Copilot. The advanced vector capabilities available in SQL Server 2025, Azure SQL, and SQL Database in Fabric will significantly provide smarter searching techniques for your data connected to AI models in a secure, isolated fashion, letting you pick the model of your choice, ground or cloud. You will also see how Copilot experiences in tools like SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) can improve the productivity for developers, users, and administrators of SQL Server. Whether you are managing data on-premises, migrating to the cloud, or operating within hybrid models, this keynote will provide a comprehensive roadmap to scale your use of AI while safeguarding data integrity at every stage. Join us to explore how Microsoft SQL connects ground, cloud, and fabric into a cohesive and secure AI-powered data platform.

• Experience SQL Server 2025: The AI-Ready Enterprise Database

  Come learn about the latest information about SQL Server 2025. You will learn how to bring AI to your data with AI applications using built-in vector capabilities ground or cloud. In addition, you will learn the most significant SQL Server in a decade for developers including features like JSON, RegEx, REST API, GraphQL, and Change Streaming. You will also learn about all the new engine features for security, performance, and availability. All of this can be cloud connected to Azure and Fabric. This is your best session to learn about everything you need to know about the latest release of SQL Server.

• Deep-Dive Workshop: Accelerating AI, Performance and Resilience with SQL Server 2025

  SQL Server 2025 delivers powerful new capabilities for AI, developer productivity, and performance all ready to run at scale on modern infrastructure. In this 1/2 day deep dive workshop, you'll get a first look at what's new and how to put it to work immediately. Learn directly from Microsoft and Pure Storage experts how to harness SQL Server’s vector capabilities and walk through real-world demos covering semantic search, change event streaming, and using external tables to manage vector embeddings. You'll also see how new REST APIs securely expose SQL Server's internals for automation and observability including snapshots, performance monitoring, and backup management. The workshop wraps up with insights into core engine enhancements: optimized locking, faster backups using ZSTD compression all running on a modern Pure Storage foundation that brings scale and resilience to your data platform. Whether you're a DBA, developer, or architect, this session will equip you with practical strategies for harnessing Microsoft SQL Server 2025 and Pure Storage to accelerate your organization's AI and data goals.

Bob Ward is a Principal Architect for the Microsoft Azure Data team, which owns the development for Microsoft SQL ground to cloud to fabric. Bob has worked for Microsoft for 31+ years on every version of SQL Server shipped from OS/2 1.1 to SQL Server 2025 including Azure SQL and SQL database in Fabric. Bob is a well-known speaker on SQL Server, Azure SQL, AI, and Microsoft Fabric often presenting talks on new releases, internals, and specialized topics at events such as SQLBits, Microsoft Build, Microsoft Ignite, PASS Summit, Fabric Community Conference, and Redgate Summit. You can also learn Azure SQL from him on the popular series https://aka.ms/azuresql4beginners. You can follow him at @bobwardms or linkedin.com/in/bobwardms. Bob is the author of the books Pro SQL Server on Linux, SQL Server 2019 Revealed, Azure SQL Revealed, SQL Server 2022 Revealed, and Azure SQL Revealed 2nd Edition available from Apress Media.

• Secure, Scalable AI Solutions with Microsoft SQL, Ground to Cloud to Fabric

  In an age where data drives innovation and artificial intelligence reshapes industries, organizations find themselves navigating the complexities of scalability, security, and advanced analytics. This keynote explores how Microsoft SQL empowers developers, IT Professionals, and administrators to leverage AI to unlock actionable insights while ensuring data security and seamless scalability across diverse environments—from SQL Server 2025 to Azure SQL to Microsoft Fabric. In our closing keynote you will hear about all the latest innovations for using AI with your data powered by the industry proven SQL Server platform that is trusted by organizations all over the world. You will hear about how developers can build intelligent AI agent applications with their data using a secure and scalable platform with familiar languages and AI-assisted tools such as GitHub Copilot. The advanced vector capabilities available in SQL Server 2025, Azure SQL, and SQL Database in Fabric will significantly provide smarter searching techniques for your data connected to AI models in a secure, isolated fashion, letting you pick the model of your choice, ground or cloud. You will also see how Copilot experiences in tools like SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) can improve the productivity for developers, users, and administrators of SQL Server. Whether you are managing data on-premises, migrating to the cloud, or operating within hybrid models, this keynote will provide a comprehensive roadmap to scale your use of AI while safeguarding data integrity at every stage. Join us to explore how Microsoft SQL connects ground, cloud, and fabric into a cohesive and secure AI-powered data platform.

• Experience SQL Server 2025: The AI-Ready Enterprise Database

  Come learn about the latest information about SQL Server 2025. You will learn how to bring AI to your data with AI applications using built-in vector capabilities ground or cloud. In addition, you will learn the most significant SQL Server in a decade for developers including features like JSON, RegEx, REST API, GraphQL, and Change Streaming. You will also learn about all the new engine features for security, performance, and availability. All of this can be cloud connected to Azure and Fabric. This is your best session to learn about everything you need to know about the latest release of SQL Server.

Camilo Leon is a Principal Solutions Architect at AWS specialized on databases and based off San Francisco, California. He works with AWS customers to provide architectural guidance and technical support for the design, deployment and management of their AWS relational database workloads and business applications. In his spare time, he enjoys mountain biking, photography, and movies.

• SageMaker Lakehouse and RDS SQL Server, a Gen-AI Data Integration Use Case

  Generative AI solutions continue to rapidly gain traction worldwide, capturing the imagination of users and customers across various industries. It has now become paramount for businesses to integrate Generative AI capabilities into their customer-facing services and applications. The challenge they often face is the need to leverage massive amounts of relational data hosted on on-premises SQL Server databases to contextualize these new Generative AI solutions. This session showcases how Amazon Relational Database Service (Amazon RDS) for SQL Server and Amazon SageMaker Lakehouse can work together to address this challenge. By leveraging the native integration points between these managed services, you can develop integrated solutions that use Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) to contextualize responses generated by generic foundation models and add more relevant, accurate, Generative AI capabilities to existing services and applications.

• Effortless Data Transformation with Microsoft Fabric

  The ability to transform and analyze data as it arrives is a game-changer for businesses seeking timely and actionable insights. This session will introduce you to some of the strengths of Real Time Intelligence in Microsoft Fabric, focusing on its capabilities for effortlessly transforming data. Say goodbye to complex orchestration paths and brittle pipelines, and let the database automatically handle the transformation for you. We'll delve into the core concepts, practical applications, and best practices that make KQL an essential tool for modern data analytics. Join us to learn how you can unlock the potential of event driven architectures and revolutionize the way you approach data transformation and analytics.

Conor has worked at Microsoft for 27 years building database engines including Jet Red (the original engine inside of Microsoft Access), SQL Server, Azure SQL Database, Synapse Data Warehouse, and Fabric Data Warehouse. He is the author of several peer-reviewed papers, numerous patents, and a co-author of SQL Server 2008/2012 Internals where he wrote the chapter on how the query optimizer in SQL works. Conor led the releases of SQL Server 2016, 2017, and 2019, and more recently he has been building and running an engineering team in Austin, Texas. His research interests include query optimization, scalability, distributed systems, query execution performance on modern hardware architectures, and designing future architectures for databases and data processing. Conor has a B.S. Computer Science from The University of Texas at Austin and a M.S. Computer Science from the University of Washington, Seattle.

• An Inside Look at Building SQL Server/Azure and Fabric Data Warehouse

  Have you ever wondered how Microsoft builds and releases its database engines (SQL Server, SQL Azure, Fabric Data Warehouse)? This talk goes through some of the behind-the-scenes details about how the engineering team works, how features come together, and how the engineers learn how to build the software you use to manage your data. Having the Regional Summit in Dallas gives us a unique opportunity to talk about our engineering office in Austin and how it contributed features and enhancements to recent releases. Come and learn about which SQL features are built right here in Texas!

Damir Bulic is the CEO of Spectral Core, an ISV with customers in more than 100 countries. With over 30 years of professional experience, Damir has deep and broad expertise in multiple software fields. He is the original author and architect of Spectral Core’s software but now leaves (most of) development to the highly capable Spectral Core team. Some of his work: – Emparsen: a state-of-the-art parser generator built from the ground up. It produces strongly typed SQL parsers that run up to 500x faster than those generated by ANTLR. – Full Convert: a data migration tool capable of seamlessly migrating tables and data between approximately 50 database engines. On the market since 2004, it has thousands of happy customers in over 100 countries. It supports both creating the target from scratch and comparison/on-demand replication. – Omni Loader: a sophisticated data migration tool for the largest databases, capable of migrating over 50 TB per day on a single machine. Comes with full CDC support. – SQL Tran: a SQL code translator with unparalleled accuracy and capabilities. It runs 1000x faster than other tools on the market, includes static analysis (name binding, broken reference tracking), data lineage, target database creation, synthetic data generation, and a sophisticated correctness and performance testing framework. SQL Tran can fully translate SQL codebases with multiple million lines of code in under a minute, on a single machine. – SQL App: a database management tool. – SQL Format: an autocomplete and refactoring plugin for SSMS. – Documenter: a database schema documentation tool. – Luceed: co-author of a highly successful ERP system on the market for over 25 years. Luceed is used by thousands of businesses in 10+ countries. – Wrote a Windows system loader from scratch by reverse-engineering the PE file format, enabling software renting long before SaaS was a thing. – Embryo: co-author of a 3D game for Amiga written in MC680x0 assembler. Also wrote both the 3D and 2D modelers for it.

• Super-fast migration to Fabric

  Lightning-Fast Migrations to Fabric by Damir Bulić, CEO of Spectral Core, explores the technical and strategic challenges of migrating databases to Microsoft Fabric and how Spectral Core’s tools address them. Spectral Core, an independent software vendor with over 20 years in business and customers in 100+ countries, specializes in fully self-tuning database migration solutions. As an official Microsoft partner for Fabric migrations, the company handles both data and code migration. Fabric, a rapidly evolving and massively distributed platform, differs fundamentally from SQL Server and Azure Synapse. Its Parquet-based storage engine impacts all aspects of migration, creating challenges in data types, ingestion, and code compatibility. These include collation and UTF-8 differences, size mismatches in NCHAR/NVARCHAR, BLOB size limits, and lack of CLR/XML support. Optimal data ingestion requires Parquet conversion, but extraction methods often yield suboptimal files. Code migration hurdles include case sensitivity, unsupported statements, and missing features like computed columns, default values, and identity columns. Spectral Core’s approach involves building emulations to bridge feature gaps—covering aspects such as casing, cursor handling, default values from ALTER TABLE, named parameters, sequence handling, merge operations, identity inserts, SET ROWCOUNT, table variables, sys view access, and user-defined types. Two flagship products power these migrations: Omni Loader, which supports over 30 database engines, achieves up to 70 TB/day migration on a single machine, and provides schema creation, replication, and change data capture; and SQL Tran, a bespoke SQL code translation IDE capable of translating millions of lines of SQL in seconds, building full data lineage models, catching errors, and auto-generating tests for correctness and performance.

Damu Venkatesan is a seasoned Data Consultant in the IT industry. Specializing in architecting and implementing data solutions, he has extensive expertise with Microsoft Fabric, SQL Server, Excel, and SharePoint. Throughout his career, Damu has successfully delivered numerous Business Intelligence (BI) and Data Warehouse (DW) solutions, as well as managed complex data migrations, for clients across diverse sectors including healthcare, financial services, and government. Damu is an active leader in the data community, serving as the co-leader of the Microsoft Fabric User Group in Atlanta and as a board member of the DAMA Georgia chapter. He is also a certified Data Management Professional (CDMP), Fabric Analytics Engineer, and Power BI Data Analyst. His passion for leveraging cutting-edge technologies to solve real-world challenges makes him a sought-after expert and speaker at industry events.

• Data Modeling for Analytics

  Do you want to improve your ability to model data for analytics and reporting? Join this session to learn the foundational techniques for building data models that will meet your organization’s needs—regardless of industry. In this beginner-friendly session, you will gain a solid understanding of why good data modeling is crucial, how to create and maintain effective data models, and the key principles to follow in the process. We’ll start by exploring how to identify essential data domains and elements and organize them in a way that sets the foundation for accurate modeling. From there, we’ll dive into dimensional modeling techniques, specifically focusing on the star schema. This type of model is highly effective for enabling easy and insightful reporting, dashboard creation, and data visualization across your organization. By the end of the session, you’ll walk away with a clear understanding of core data modeling concepts and techniques that you can apply immediately when working with tools like Power BI in Fabric or Microsoft Excel for data analysis. Whether you're just starting out or looking to refresh your skills, this session will equip you with the knowledge to model data that powers insightful decisions.

Danny has been working in IT for nearly 20 years in various roles. With over 15 years of experience with SQL Server, he has always placed a strong emphasis on Security, Risk Management, and Compliance for the SQL Server Data Platform. Ensuring industry best practices and regulatory requirements are followed from an infrastructural point of view. While speaking at (public) events, Danny also works as a Solution Engineer for Redgate Software, helping customers on their Database DevOps journey.

• Securing the SQL Server Data Platform: Defining a Security Strategy

  In today’s world of escalating cyber threats, securing your SQL Server environment has become a critical priority. The phrase, "It's not a matter of if, but when you're going to be hacked", has never been more true. With external attacks becoming more sophisticated, organizations must prepare for the inevitable and safeguard their SQL Server data platform against data breaches, unauthorized access, and data loss. This talk will focus on the essential steps to secure SQL Server environments against external threats and prevent the loss of critical data. We'll explore how to design a security strategy that reduces the attack surface and ensures your data is protected – even when facing advanced, targeted attacks. From securing network connections and enforcing strong authentication mechanisms to implementing encryption, we'll discuss a range of practical, actionable measures that will help you safeguard your SQL Server Platform from malicious external actors. How to monitor and audit these settings, not only for yourself, but also for compliancy purposes.

• Future-Proofing Your Database Estate: Smarter Monitoring for Strategic Growth

  As database environments evolve spanning hybrid infrastructures, diverse platforms, and growing performance demands, it's no longer enough to monitor what's happening now. Strategic estate planning requires a forward-looking approach. In this session, you'll discover how you can use Redgate Monitor to plan for the future with confidence. Learn how to leverage historical performance data, disk usage trends, and alert patterns to inform decisions around patching, capacity planning, and workload optimization. We'll explore how to identify risks before they become issues, and how to adapt your monitoring strategy to support long-term goals. You’ll also get a first look at new deployment options designed for scalability and cost-efficiency, including running Redgate Monitor’s data repository on PostgreSQL with TimescaleDB. Whether you're managing SQL Server, exploring PostgreSQL, or preparing for a cloud-first future, this session will equip you with practical insights and tools to evolve your monitoring strategy, and manage your estate with agility and foresight.

Danny Kruge is a Microsoft Data Plaform MVP with a robust background in SQL Server and over a decade of experience in the field. Originally from Leicester, England, and now residing in the Netherlands, he has dedicated years to honing his skills and expanding his expertise into areas like Azure and Windows Engineering. Danny is particularly passionate about Azure Data Factory, where he leverages his deep knowledge to design efficient data workflows. As an active community leader, he organizes the Azure Heroes Netherlands Community Day and the Azure user group NL, helping to foster knowledge-sharing and collaboration among tech enthusiasts. Committed to continuous learning and community support, Danny enjoys sharing his insights to help others navigate data challenges and avoid common mistakes.

• Cross-Tenant Azure SQL Migrations

  Discover how to perform seamless, no-downtime migrations of Azure SQL databases across tenants using geo-replication and the Microsoft backbone. This session will delve into the technical steps to set up secure cross-tenant geo-replication without exposing public endpoints. Learn how to maintain read-only replicas in the current tenant to keep applications running during the migration process, ensuring business continuity. Whether you’re planning a tenant-to-tenant migration or exploring strategies for hybrid operational setups, this session will equip you with practical insights and best practices to achieve secure, efficient, and downtime-free transitions.

Danny has been working in IT for nearly 20 years in various roles. With over 15 years of experience with SQL Server, he has always placed a strong emphasis on Security, Risk Management, and Compliance for the SQL Server Data Platform. Ensuring industry best practices and regulatory requirements are followed from an infrastructural point of view. While speaking at (public) events, Danny also works as a Solutions Engineer for Redgate Software, helping customers on their Database DevOps journey.

• Kerberos: A Dive into Delegation & SQL Server

  In this session, we will explore the inner workings of Kerberos authentication in Active Directory and its critical role in modern network security, with a special focus on delegation and its application to SQL Server environments. Kerberos is the gold standard for secure authentication in distributed systems, but its complexities – particularly around delegation – can be challenging to navigate. This talk will break down the key concepts of Kerberos, explaining what it is, how it works, from the login process up to the use of services like SQL Server. We'll be looking into delegation, the technical aspects of it, how the various delegation types work, including their weaknesses and how this relates to our SQL Data Platform. Last but not least we'll also take a look at attack scenario's hackers use and what you can do to prevent certain attacks.

• Securing the SQL Server Data Platform: Defining a Security Strategy

  In today’s world of escalating cyber threats, securing your SQL Server environment has become a critical priority. The phrase "It's not a matter of if, but when you're going to be hacked" has never been more true. With external attacks becoming more sophisticated, organizations must prepare for the inevitable and safeguard their SQL Server data platform against data breaches, unauthorized access, and data loss. This talk will focus on the essential steps to secure SQL Server environments against external threats and prevent the loss of critical data. We'll explore how to design a security strategy that reduces the attack surface and ensures your data is protected – even when facing advanced, targeted attacks. From securing network connections and enforcing strong authentication mechanisms to implementing encryption, we'll discuss a range of practical, actionable measures that will help you safeguard your SQL Server Platform from malicious external actors. How to monitor and audit these settings, not only for yourself, but also for compliancy purposes.

Deborah Melkin has been working as a database professional with SQL Server for over 20 years. She spends her days helping programmers with all aspects of database design, queries, performance, and deployment. In 2016, she began her blog, Deb the DBA. Soon after that, she began speaking at SQL Saturdays and user groups. Deborah is a co-leader of the Data Platform Women in Tech (WIT) Virtual User Group and co-founder of WITspiration, a WIT mentorship circle. She is a former board member of the New England SQL Server User Group. She was named as One to Watch as part of the #Redgate 100 in 2022 and won Speaker Idol at PASS Summit 2019. Deborah is also a Microsoft MVP for the Data Platform (2020- ). In her spare time, Deborah can usually be found doing something musical or something geeky with her husband, Andy, and their dog, Sebastian.

• Optimized Locking: Improving SQL Server Transaction Concurrency

  Some aspects of the SQL Server engine have not seen much change for a long time – locking is one such component. Until now. Optimized locking is here and it affects not just the locking mechanisms but the way concurrency is handled. This session is designed to help us understand how optimized locking works. First we will cover the foundation on which it was built, the version store. Then we’ll dig deep into the two components of optimized locking: Transaction ID (TID) and lock after qualification (LAQ). Finally, we’ll review some best practices when enabled. By the end of this session, you should have a clear understanding of how it works and why we want to take advantage of this new functionality.

Duan Uys is a seasoned data professional with over a decade of experience architecting and implementing data warehouses and software solutions for clients in diverse sectors, including finance, healthcare, and retail. He has dedicated his career to streamlining manual processes, empowering teams to navigate operational challenges, and accelerating the delivery of high-impact results. Through these efforts, Duan has gained invaluable expertise in the best practices, and common pitfalls, of developing solid data foundations.

• The Need for Speed: Agile Prototyping in Microsoft Fabric

  In this session, discover how agile principles can revolutionize data warehouse development through rapid prototyping. We'll examine automated modeling techniques, iterative schema design, and efficient workflows that dramatically shorten cycles from concept to deployment. Attendees will gain real-world insights into integrating varied data sources, validating prototypes early to minimize risks, and scaling solutions to production, all supported by practical examples and best practices for adapting to changing business requirements.

Edward Pollack has over 20 years of experience in database and systems administration, architecture, and development, becoming an advocate for designing efficient data structures that can withstand the test of time. He has spoken at many events, such as SQL Saturdays, PASS Community Summit, Dativerse, and at many user groups and is the organizer of SQL Saturday Albany. Edward has authored many articles, as well as the book "Dynamic SQL: Applications, Performance, and Security", and a chapter in "Expert T-SQL Window Functions in SQL Server". His first patent was issued in 2021, focused on the compression of geographical data for use by analytic systems. In his free time, Ed enjoys video games, sci-fi & fantasy, traveling and baking. He lives in the sometimes-frozen icescape of Albany, NY, with his wife Theresa and sons Nolan and Oliver, and a mountain of (his) video game plushies that help break the fall when tripping on (their) toys.

• Advanced Optimization with Columnstore Indexes

  Columnstore indexes provide an excellent solution to storing large analytic data in SQL Server. They can tame tables with millions or billions of rows with ease. Understanding their architecture, compression, and best practices can allow for significantly faster workloads while saving computing resources. This session dives into the details of how columnstore indexes work. Topics discussed will include: Columnstore encoding, optimization, and compression algorithms Segment and rowgroup elimination Optimization of secondary indexes Ordered columnstore indexes Best practices for data load processes This is an advanced dive into columnstore indexes that will allow data professionals interested in this technology to make the most of its features in SQL Server 2022+ Learn the biggest secrets and details of how analytic data is stored in SQL Server – no whitepapers required!

Edwin M Sarmiento is the Managing Director of 15C, a consulting and training company that specializes in designing, implementing and supporting SQL Server infrastructures. He is a 12-year former Microsoft Data Platform MVP and Microsoft Certified Master from Ottawa, Canada (but he’s originally from the Philippines) specializing in high availability, disaster recovery and system infrastructures running on the Microsoft server technology stack. He is very passionate about technology but has interests in music, neuroscience, social psychology, professional and organizational development, leadership and management matters when not working with databases. Edwin lives up to his primary mission statement: "To help people and organizations grow and develop their full potential."

• Always On Availability Groups and Failover Clustering Internals

  Windows Server Failover Clustering (WSFC) is the platform that makes SQL Server Always On Availability Groups highly available. There are external interactions between WSFC and SQL Server that you as a DBA cannot monitor from within SQL Server. You need to know the different components that make up the WSFC and how they work to properly deploy and manage Always On Availability Groups for high availability. In this session, you will dive into the internals of the WSFC, the SQL Server cluster resource DLL, and how they work together to make your SQL Server databases highly available. You will analyze the cluster error log for identifying the root cause of an unexpected or planned failover. Finally, you will learn administrative tasks that you're not supposed to do outside of SQL Server.

Erik has been working with SQL Server just about forever – Really challenging DBA/Developer/Architect roles – Started consulting for Brent Ozar Unlimited in 2015 Started Darling Data in 2019 – Worked with over 600 very happy clients – Lots of free community activity like blogging, training, open-source projects – Speaking about SQL Server at conferences all over the world

• SQL Server Performance Engineering: Techniques that Actually Work

  Every SQL Server professional needs to understand not just what makes queries fast, but what makes them slow. This knowledge is essential whether you're aiming to become a performance wizard or just trying to make those problematic queries stop holding up the business. As a consultant who resolves complex SQL Server performance headaches for clients worldwide, I'll share the exact analysis and troubleshooting techniques that deliver real results. No theoretical fluff—this comprehensive session reveals my battle-tested approach to identifying problematic queries, designing indexes that actually help, and implementing changes that make a measurable difference. You'll gain practical insights into hardware considerations, query rewrites that actually fix problems, indexing patterns that survive in production, and more. I focus on techniques that work in the real world, not just in perfect lab conditions. By the end of this session, you'll have the tools and confidence to diagnose and resolve SQL Server performance issues without resorting to guesswork or prayer.

• For a Few Rows More: Mastering Row Goals in SQL Server

  In this performance tuning deep dive, Erik Darling exposes the strange and often overlooked impact of row goals on SQL Server execution plans. Through practical demonstrations, you'll see how these optimizer shortcuts, designed to retrieve just enough rows to satisfy a query, can silently steer execution plans in ways that drastically affect performance —sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. You'll walk away with immediately applicable techniques for recognizing, troubleshooting, and strategically implementing row goals in your environment. Learn how to finesse these mechanisms to your advantage, using them deliberately to push SQL Server toward faster, more efficient plans. If you want to understand why SQL Server sometimes makes bewildering decisions, and how to take back control of your queries, saddle up — it's time to go looking for a few rows more. These essential techniques are vital for anyone serious about advanced SQL Server performance optimization.

Erik has been working with SQL Server just about forever – Really challenging DBA/Developer/Architect roles – Started consulting for Brent Ozar Unlimited in 2015 Started Darling Data in 2019 – Worked with over 600 very happy clients – Lots of free community activity like blogging, training, open-source projects – Speaking about SQL Server at conferences all over the world

• SQL Server Performance Engineering: Techniques That Actually Work

  Every SQL Server professional needs to understand not just what makes queries fast, but what makes them slow. This knowledge is essential whether you're aiming to become a performance wizard or just trying to make those problematic queries stop holding up the business. As a consultant who resolves complex SQL Server performance headaches for clients worldwide, I'll share the exact analysis and troubleshooting techniques that deliver real results. No theoretical fluff—this comprehensive session reveals my battle-tested approach to identifying problematic queries, designing indexes that actually help, and implementing changes that make a measurable difference. You'll gain practical insights into hardware considerations, query rewrites that actually fix problems, indexing patterns that survive in production, and more. I focus on techniques that work in the real world, not just in perfect lab conditions. By the end of this session, you'll have the tools and confidence to diagnose and resolve SQL Server performance issues without resorting to guesswork or prayer.

• For a Few Rows More: Mastering Row Goals in SQL Server

  In this performance tuning deep dive, Erik Darling exposes the strange and often overlooked impact of row goals on SQL Server execution plans. Through practical demonstrations, you'll see how these optimizer shortcuts, designed to retrieve just enough rows to satisfy a query, can silently steer execution plans in ways that drastically affect performance —sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. You'll walk away with immediately applicable techniques for recognizing, troubleshooting, and strategically implementing row goals in your environment. Learn how to finesse these mechanisms to your advantage, using them deliberately to push SQL Server toward faster, more efficient plans. If you want to understand why SQL Server sometimes makes bewildering decisions, and how to take back control of your queries, saddle up — it's time to go looking for a few rows more. These essential techniques are vital for anyone serious about advanced SQL Server performance optimization.

Erik has been working with SQL Server just about forever – Really challenging DBA/Developer/Architect roles – Started consulting for Brent Ozar Unlimited in 2015 Started Darling Data in 2019 – Worked with over 600 very happy clients – Lots of free community activity like blogging, training, open-source projects – Speaking about SQL Server at conferences all over the world

• SQL Server Performance Engineering: Techniques that Actually Work

  Every SQL Server professional needs to understand not just what makes queries fast, but what makes them slow. This knowledge is essential whether you're aiming to become a performance wizard or just trying to make those problematic queries stop holding up the business. As a consultant who resolves complex SQL Server performance headaches for clients worldwide, I'll share the exact analysis and troubleshooting techniques that deliver real results. No theoretical fluff—this comprehensive session reveals my battle-tested approach to identifying problematic queries, designing indexes that actually help, and implementing changes that make a measurable difference. You'll gain practical insights into hardware considerations, query rewrites that actually fix problems, indexing patterns that survive in production, and more. I focus on techniques that work in the real world, not just in perfect lab conditions. By the end of this session, you'll have the tools and confidence to diagnose and resolve SQL Server performance issues without resorting to guesswork or prayer.

• For a Few Rows More: Mastering Row Goals in SQL Server

  In this performance tuning deep dive, Erik Darling exposes the strange and often overlooked impact of row goals on SQL Server execution plans. Through practical demonstrations, you'll see how these optimizer shortcuts, designed to retrieve just enough rows to satisfy a query, can silently steer execution plans in ways that drastically affect performance —sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. You'll walk away with immediately applicable techniques for recognizing, troubleshooting, and strategically implementing row goals in your environment. Learn how to finesse these mechanisms to your advantage, using them deliberately to push SQL Server toward faster, more efficient plans. If you want to understand why SQL Server sometimes makes bewildering decisions, and how to take back control of your queries, saddle up — it's time to go looking for a few rows more. These essential techniques are vital for anyone serious about advanced SQL Server performance optimization.

Ginger Grant is a distinguished Microsoft Data Platform MVP and Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT), renowned for her deep expertise in advanced analytics, machine learning, AI, data warehousing, and the evolving landscape of Microsoft Fabric. As a sought-after consultant, Ginger empowers organizations to harness the full potential of their data ecosystems. Beyond consulting, Ginger is a prolific thought leader and speaker for both keynotes and technical training. She contributes regularly as a columnist for Pure AI, authors insightful books, and shares practical knowledge on her blog, DesertIsleSQL.com. Her educational impact spans a wide range of technologies, including Azure Synapse Analytics, Python, and Azure Machine Learning, making her a trusted voice in the data community. Whether on stage, in print, or in the classroom, Ginger’s passion for data and commitment to knowledge-sharing make her a standout figure in the world of data and AI.

• Incorporating AI in Data Analysis

  Jump start your understanding of AI with this crash course in everything you need to know to start using AI every day for many different purposes. Microsoft and many other companies are working on incorporating AI for many different scenarios. Data professionals need this information and this session was designed for you, not for an app developer. Here you will receive explanations of the important parts of AI in order to implement AI in many different aspects of your job from writing emails, to developing pySpark, T-SQL, ETL or Power BI reports. You will learn all about generative AI, prompt engineering, Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) and Vector Databases. The demonstrations and hands on exercises will show you how to implement the skills so you will leave knowing how to use AI. Be sure to bring your laptop to do these exercises as you will learn these skills . As we are targeting skills for the data professional, this course will focus on the Copilot and AI Agent in Fabric and the copilot usage in Power BI. After attending this session you will have some practical experience on how to make AI work for you. You will leave with techniques for how to implement AI without coding or spending money to be able to take advantage of this advanced technology.

• Optimizing SQL Database Management in Microsoft Fabric

  Cloud Architects face critical decisions about where to create and manage SQL databases as you have the choice now to create one in Azure or in Microsoft Fabric . This session will delve into the differences and similarities between Azure SQL DB and SQL DB within Microsoft Fabric. You'll learn how these databases are managed and monitored, uncovering the benefits and potential drawbacks of using Fabric including the ability to easily incorporate AI. We will compare the costs of Azure SQL DB with Fabric's SQL DB, exploring various cost models to demonstrate how Fabric can minimize expenses and reduce management efforts through automated maintenance and centralized resource monitoring. Practical use cases will illustrate when and why SQL DB in Fabric can enhance your data environment.

Grant Fritchey is a Data Platform MVP with over 30 years' experience in IT, including time spent in support and development. He has worked with SQL Server since 6.0 back in 1995. He has also developed in VB, VB.NET, C#, and Java. Grant has written books for Apress and Simple-Talk.

• Future-Proofing Your Database Estate: Smarter Monitoring for Strategic Growth

  As database environments evolve spanning hybrid infrastructures, diverse platforms, and growing performance demands, it's no longer enough to monitor what's happening now. Strategic estate planning requires a forward-looking approach. In this session, you'll discover how you can use Redgate Monitor to plan for the future with confidence. Learn how to leverage historical performance data, disk usage trends, and alert patterns to inform decisions around patching, capacity planning, and workload optimization. We'll explore how to identify risks before they become issues, and how to adapt your monitoring strategy to support long-term goals. You’ll also get a first look at new deployment options designed for scalability and cost-efficiency, including running Redgate Monitor’s data repository on PostgreSQL with TimescaleDB. Whether you're managing SQL Server, exploring PostgreSQL, or preparing for a cloud-first future, this session will equip you with practical insights and tools to evolve your monitoring strategy, and manage your estate with agility and foresight.

Grant Fritchey is a Data Platform MVP with over 30 years' experience in IT, including time spent in support and development. He has worked with SQL Server since 6.0 back in 1995. He has also developed in VB, VB.NET, C#, and Java. Grant has written books for Apress and Simple-Talk.

• Future-Proofing Your Database Estate: Smarter Monitoring for Strategic Growth

  As database environments evolve spanning hybrid infrastructures, diverse platforms, and growing performance demands, it's no longer enough to monitor what's happening now. Strategic estate planning requires a forward-looking approach. In this session, you'll discover how you can use Redgate Monitor to plan for the future with confidence. Learn how to leverage historical performance data, disk usage trends, and alert patterns to inform decisions around patching, capacity planning, and workload optimization. We'll explore how to identify risks before they become issues, and how to adapt your monitoring strategy to support long-term goals. You’ll also get a first look at new deployment options designed for scalability and cost-efficiency, including running Redgate Monitor’s data repository on PostgreSQL with TimescaleDB. Whether you're managing SQL Server, exploring PostgreSQL, or preparing for a cloud-first future, this session will equip you with practical insights and tools to evolve your monitoring strategy, and manage your estate with agility and foresight.

• Expanding Your SQL Server Expertise with PostgreSQL

  As PostgreSQL continues to gain traction across modern tech stacks, professionals are increasingly expected to navigate both SQL Server and PostgreSQL environments. Rather than replacing existing systems, organizations are integrating PostgreSQL alongside their current solutions – creating a growing need for dual expertise. This session is crafted specifically for SQL Server practitioners looking to broaden their capabilities. We'll explore the common ground between the two platforms, dive into the key differences that often trip up newcomers, and provide practical guidance for mastering PostgreSQL. From tooling and documentation to cloud integration and community resources, this deep-dive session will equip you with the knowledge and confidence to expand your database skill set effectively.

Haider is a Data and AI leader with over 25 years of experience in data architecture, analytics, artificial and enterprise intelligence. He has led the design and delivery of greenfield business intelligence platforms, data lakes, and data warehouses across diverse industries and global markets. Currently at Microsoft, Haider advises organizations on modernizing their data ecosystems using cloud-native, open-source, and PaaS technologies. He is a frequent speaker at industry events, sharing insights on data strategy, governance, architecture, and modernization. His work bridges technical depth with strategic vision, helping enterprises unlock value from data at scale.

• Mastering Azure SQL PaaS: From Novice to Expert

  Welcome to a comprehensive deep dive into the world of Azure SQL Platform as a Service (PaaS). In this session tailored for beginners to intermediate SQL Server professionals, we will embark on a transformative journey, transitioning you from a novice to a hero in Azure SQL. Whether you have limited understanding or are new to Azure SQL, this session is your gateway to mastering key concepts, deployment options, and advanced techniques in a condensed, informative, and engaging format. Session Highlights: 1. Introduction to Azure SQL 2. High Availability and Business Continuity 3. Migration of SQL Server to Azure SQL 4. Admin Tasks and Performance Optimization 5. Security and Compliance

Heini is a math teacher turned Azure expert. With her background in mathematics and teaching, she has a great passion for problem solving, simplifying complex things and a unique approach to architectures. She is a Co-founder at Bruvo and a Data Platform MVP, specializing in Azure infrastructure and the data platform. She has been working with customers large and small for the past several years to help them sort out their path to the cloud and make sense of their architecture – both hybrid and cloud. She has worked extensively with both Azure infrastructure and analytics solutions, and makes the most of this skillset in her projects, as well as while speaking. On her free time Heini spends time in the nature, either snowboarding or mountain biking, depending on the season.

• Streaming Head-to-Head: Microsoft Fabric vs. Databricks

  Databricks is widely used in lakehouse solutions, which ever cloud platform you are on. It has developed to a mature product that has steady capabilities that enable the creation of modern data platform solutions for both batching and streaming scenarios. With Microsoft Fabric out with Real Time Intelligence, is Fabric leagues behind or is it able to challenge Databricks neck to neck, especially when it comes to streaming? In this session we will begin by looking into what kind of challenges streaming brings into the picture and what kind of capabilities are needed. We'll then go into what kind of options Microsoft Fabric and Databricks provide for streaming; highlighting both the similarities and differences. We will then dive deeper to look at how does the streaming capabilities differ, as well as how streaming can be part of a full lakehouse solution. After this session you'll be able to understand the strengths and weaknesses of both of these services for streaming, as well as how they rank up head to head!

Hugo Kornelis is an established SQL Server community expert who spends a lot of time at various conferences. He is also a blogger, technical editor of a variety of books, and Pluralsight author. He was awarded SQL Server MVP and Data Platform MVP 18 times (2006 – 2016 / 2019 – now). When not working for the community, he is busy at his day job: freelance database developer/consultant. Hugo has over 25 years of SQL Server experience in various roles. Starting from a strong database design background, he has spent the last ten years specializing in execution plans and query performance tuning.

• Here’s The Execution Plan … Now What?

  You have learned the relevance of execution plans. You know where to find them, and you’ve been taught the basics of how to read them. You’ve looked at some of the clean, simple execution plans that presenters used in classroom training, or at conferences, and you feel confident that you can work with them. And then you get your first problem query at your workplace, you look at its execution plan, and you just want to crawl under a rock and cry. Real code is much more complicated than demo code. Real code translates to large, complex, and often messy execution plans. The principles of reading execution plans still apply, but the plan is large and messy and you struggle where to even begin. If your query uses a lot of I/O, then which operators are to blame? If your query uses a lot of memory, then what area is responsible? What are some things you should always look at? Knowing the root cause of a problem can help find a cure. Knowing where to look in a large execution plan can help you find that root cause faster!

With over 20 years of experience in the IT industry, I’m a database enthusiast with deep expertise across multi-database and multi-cloud platforms. I’ve worked with global enterprises like Microsoft, Wells Fargo, and UHG, and currently, I’m at AWS in Hyderabad INDIA, helping enterprise customers migrate and modernize their database workloads on the cloud, playing a key role in their digital transformation journeys.

• Mastering Database Migration: A DBA’s Roadmap from SQL Server to PostgreSQL

  As organizations move from SQL Server to PostgreSQL to reduce costs and embrace open-source databases, a well-planned migration is crucial. This session covers different migrtaion pathways, schema conversion, stored procedure translation, performance tuning, and workload optimization while highlighting key differences in indexing, partitioning, and concurrency control. Attendees will explore migration tools like AWS DMS, Babelfish, pgLoader etc, learn best practices for high availability and disaster recovery, and tackle challenges like T-SQL to pgSQL conversion. Through real-world case studies, DBAs will gain a clear roadmap for a seamless transition and maximizing PostgreSQL’s capabilities.

JP Chen is the Senior Director of SQL at Datavail, where he leads a high-performing team of DBAs across the U.S., India, Canada, and Colombia. With over 20 years of experience in IT, JP specializes in managing and optimizing SQL Server environments across on-premises, AWS, and Azure platforms. He is recognized for his strengths in customer support, problem-solving, team leadership, and technical writing. JP is the author of Delivering Technical Presentations: A Quick-Start Guide for Effective Technical Communication and Migrating to Azure SQL: A Practical Hands-On Guide for Cloud Migration Success, as well as several whitepapers including SQL on Linux, Keeping Pace with Change, and The 5 Hats Worn By Database Administrators, available at www.datavail.com. He has presented at major industry events such as SQL PASS, SQL Saturday, RMOUG, and the AWS Workshop Series. JP holds multiple certifications, including Project Management Professional (PMP®), AMA Certified Professional in Management (AMA-CPM®), FinOps Certified Professional, and AWS Certified Database – Specialty. Outside of work, he enjoys traveling and discovering diverse culinary traditions around the world.

• Migrating to Azure SQL – A Practical Guide for Cloud Migration Success

  As cloud adoption accelerates, data professionals are increasingly called upon to support or lead database migrations—often with limited cloud experience. This session provides a clear, practical roadmap for migrating SQL Server workloads to Azure SQL, tailored for those new to the platform.

Over the past few years, I've focused on two things: delivering cutting-edge technical training and designing practical, high-value solutions for customers. My unique background—combining engineering, sales, and marketing—gives me a holistic view of the entire IT and Infrastructure value chain. My mission is to share this perspective and help you connect the dots. ​Join me for one of the first deep dives into how you can finally bring powerful AI directly to your data using the combined strength of Dell AI infrastructure and the groundbreaking capabilities of SQL Server 2025.

• Bring AI to your Data with Dell Technologies

  As organizations accelerate their AI journeys, the convergence of data, infrastructure, and intelligent automation becomes critical. In this session, Dell Technologies explores how SQL Server 2025 and the Dell AI Factory are transforming the way enterprises bring AI to their data—securely, efficiently, and at scale. Building on our 4 decades of joint innovation, we will revisit the shared SQL 2025 REST API capabilities and highlight how they enable modern, agentic AI workflows and seamless integration with enterprise applications. Using the Dell AI Factory architecture, we will showcase how on-premises deployments can leverage expert AI services, open ecosystems, and AI-optimized infrastructure to drive real-world outcomes. We examine the shift from traditional 3-tier architectures to disaggregated models—combining the flexibility of HCI with the simplicity of legacy systems—to meet the demands of AI-driven workloads. Attendees will gain insight into the latest announcements from Dell Technologies World, including the Dell Private Cloud and Dell Automation Platform. These innovations enable fully transferrable infrastructure, lifecycle automation, and streamlined support. Finally, we explore the future of SQL 2025 on these disaggregated Dell architectures, referencing Microsoft’s Arun Vijayraghavan’s recent blog on agentic AI and showcasing blueprints for deploying intelligent, scalable solutions. This session is ideal for technical leaders seeking to modernize their data platforms and unlock the full potential of AI—on their terms, in their environment.

Jason Romans is a Business Intelligence engineer in Nashville, TN working with the Microsoft Business Intelligence stack. Jason started his career as a DBA and over the years moved to working in his passion of Business Intelligence and data modeling. As a Microsoft MVP he is always learning and eager to share what he has learned. His first computer was a Commodore 64 and he's been hooked ever since.

• Unlocking the Power of TMDL: Enhancing Power BI Development

  Tabular Model Definition Language (TMDL) is a game-changer for efficient Power BI development using code. With the new TMDL view in Power BI Desktop, developers can quickly create and modify semantic model objects, surpassing the capabilities of the Power BI Desktop UI. This allows for the generation and modification of semantic objects that previously required third-party tools, enabling standardized reusable scripts that benefit individual developers and their teams. This presentation will begin with an introduction to TMDL, highlighting its unique features and differences from other scripting languages. Attendees will learn the syntax and common pitfalls to avoid. We will explore how the TMDL view integrates with Power BI projects and provide guidance on when to use it. Additionally, we will examine the support for TMDL in other tools such as Tabular Editor and Visual Studio Code. One of the key advantages of TMDL is its text-based nature, allowing developers to use their preferred editors to develop and apply changes. We will also touch on source control and how it can be utilized to detect changes between models efficiently. Finally, we will discuss common use cases and demonstrate how to leverage TMDL to become more effective and sought-after Power BI developers.

Jason Romans is a Business Intelligence engineer in Nashville, TN working with the Microsoft Business Intelligence stack. Jason started his career as a DBA and over the years moved to working in his passion of Business Intelligence and data modeling. As a Microsoft MVP he is always learning and eager to share what he has learned. His first computer was a Commodore 64 and he's been hooked ever since.

• Unlocking the Power of TMDL: Enhancing Power BI Development

  Tabular Model Definition Language (TMDL) is a game-changer for efficient Power BI development using code. With the new TMDL view in Power BI Desktop, developers can quickly create and modify semantic model objects, surpassing the capabilities of the Power BI Desktop UI. This allows for the generation and modification of semantic objects that previously required third-party tools, enabling standardized reusable scripts that benefit individual developers and their teams. This presentation will begin with an introduction to TMDL, highlighting its unique features and differences from other scripting languages. Attendees will learn the syntax and common pitfalls to avoid. We will explore how the TMDL view integrates with Power BI projects and provide guidance on when to use it. Additionally, we will examine the support for TMDL in other tools such as Tabular Editor and Visual Studio Code. One of the key advantages of TMDL is its text-based nature, allowing developers to use their preferred editors to develop and apply changes. We will also touch on source control and how it can be utilized to detect changes between models efficiently. Finally, we will discuss common use cases and demonstrate how to leverage TMDL to become more effective and sought-after Power BI developers.

Jeff Foushee has blurred the line between developer and DBA since 1996. He collects knowledge in different programming languages, collects attractions on RoadsideAmerica.com , and volunteers as a Blackjack dealer for Louisville area church picnics.

• The T-SQL JSON Operators

  Officer Reese, someone got semi-structured data in my relational database! No worries; let's look at all the various T-SQL functions we can use to query and create JSON data within SQL Server!

Jeff Iannucci is a Senior Consultant with Straight Path Solutions and the author of "Learn SQL in a Month of Lunches." For over 20 years, he has worked extensively with databases and SQL development in sectors such as healthcare, finance, retail sales, and government. He appreciates any opportunity to share his knowledge, including blogging, creating video content, and presenting at user groups and conferences.

• Revealing Hidden Performance Issues with Extended Events

  Extended Events may be the most underutilized SQL Server tool for query performance tuning. Did you know there are now Extended Events that can tell you about spills to tempdb, aborted queries, and even queries that execute with common antipatterns? It’s true! With newer Extended Events released in SQL Server 2022, you can now diagnose these query problems and more. You can even measure the impact of these Extended Events with other Extended Events. In this demo-filled session you will see how you can create these powerful Extended Events, how to review the collected data to determine which queries you can improve, and even how to rewrite the captured queries for improved performance. You’ll leave this session with a new set of tools to find and fix hidden performance issues in your SQL Server queries.

Jeff Iannucci is a Senior Consultant with Straight Path Solutions and the author of "Learn SQL in a Month of Lunches." For over 20 years, he has worked extensively with databases and SQL development in sectors such as healthcare, finance, retail sales, and government. He appreciates any opportunity to share his knowledge, including blogging, creating video content, and presenting at user groups and conferences.

• Revealing Hidden Performance Issues with Extended Events

  Extended Events may be the most underutilized SQL Server tool for query performance tuning. Did you know there are now Extended Events that can tell you about spills to tempdb, aborted queries, and even queries that execute with common antipatterns? It’s true! With newer Extended Events released in SQL Server 2022, you can now diagnose these query problems and more. You can even measure the impact of these Extended Events with other Extended Events. In this demo-filled session you will see how you can create these powerful Extended Events, how to review the collected data to determine which queries you can improve, and even how to rewrite the captured queries for improved performance. You’ll leave this session with a new set of tools to find and fix hidden performance issues in your SQL Server queries.

Jeff Taylor is a Principal Data Consultant, Microsoft MVP, Redgate Community Ambassador, and Octopus Insider with over 27 years of experience specializing in performance tuning and critical data issues. He currently organizes the Jax Data and SQL Saturday Jacksonville and is the Jacksonville Development Users Group co-organizer.

• Azure Data Factory (ADF) – Your New SSIS

  As data volumes grow, so does the complexity of managing them. With every increase in data, there's more to extract, transform, and load. This often requires connectors for both extraction and import, yet legacy tools like SSIS may fall short, lacking the modern connectivity and scalability that today’s data demands. Azure Data Factory (ADF) offers a powerful, cloud-native alternative. With over 120 built-in connectors, ADF enables seamless data integration from virtually any source, while scaling effortlessly to handle large datasets. In this session, we’ll explore how ADF modernizes ETL/ELT workflows, replacing SSIS with a flexible and scalable platform. We’ll dive into its core components—pipelines, activities, datasets, linked services, data flows, and integration runtimes—and discuss best practices for deployment, monitoring, scheduling, and cost optimization. To bring it all together, we’ll walk through a live demo of a real-world pipeline originally built for SQL Saturday Jacksonville, showcasing how ADF can tackle practical data integration challenges with minimal coding. A live demo and walkthrough of a real-world pipeline—originally designed for SQL Saturday Jacksonville—will illustrate how ADF can be used to solve practical data integration challenges with minimal code.

Jess Pomfret is a Data Platform Engineer and a dual Microsoft MVP. She started working with SQL Server in 2011, and enjoys problem-solving and automating processes with PowerShell. She also enjoys contributing to dbatools and dbachecks, two open source PowerShell modules that aid DBAs with automating the management of SQL Server instances. She has also contributed to the SqlServerDsc module, adding several new resources to use when configuring your SQL Servers. She grew up in the South West of England and outside of her DBA life enjoys Crossfit, cycling and watching proper football.

• Automating SQL Server Management with GitHub Actions and PowerShell

  This talk demonstrates how GitHub Actions can be leveraged with PowerShell and SQL Server to streamline database operations and implement DevOps practices for your database environment. What you'll learn: • GitHub Actions – This powerful CI/CD platform enables automation triggered by code commits, issue creation and more. • PowerShell and dbatools – We'll then add PowerShell and dbatools into the mix to extend the automation to managing SQL Server automation. • Demos and Ideas – I'll show multiple demos, including adding articles to SQL Server replication and deploying database change with sqlpackage. This session aims to give you a practical understanding of how to combine these technologies to reduce manual effort, minimize human error, and build more reliable and repeatable processes for your SQL Server environments.

Jitendra Kumar is a Senior Delivery Consultant at AWS with over two decades of enterprise database expertise, specializing in large-scale distributed Data Warehouse systems using MPP architecture. A 5X AWS Certified Professional and passionate knowledge sharer, he has authored numerous technical publications and regularly speaks at conferences, bringing practical insights from his experience managing complex database migrations and modernization projects. At AWS, Jitendra helps enterprise customers transform their self-managed database infrastructure to managed services, ensuring cost-effectiveness, scalability, and resilience across on-premises, AWS, and Azure environments. Jitendra holds a Master of Computer Application (MCA) and Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree. You can connect with him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jitendrkumar/

• Cross-Engine Query Optimization: Systematic Approach to Database Migration

  *Abstract:* As organizations modernize their data infrastructure, migrating between database engines has become increasingly common. However, the varying optimization strategies across different database engines present significant challenges for maintaining query performance. This session presents a comprehensive framework for understanding and translating query optimization techniques across Oracle, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server. *Key Topics:* – Query Optimizer Architecture: A comparative analysis – Execution Plan Migration Patterns – Cross-Engine Optimizer Hint Mapping – Performance Validation Methodology – Automated Hint Translation Tools *Target Audience:* Database architects, performance engineers, and technical leaders involved in large-scale database migrations.

Joey D'Antoni is a Principal Cloud Architect, and a Microsoft Data Platform MVP and VMware vExpert with over 20 years of experience working in both Fortune 500 and smaller firms. He is a frequent speaker at major tech events like Microsoft Ignite, PASS Summit and Enterprise Data World. He blogs about all topics technology at joeydantoni.com. He believes that no single platform is the answer to all technology problems. He lives in Malvern, PA and holds a BS in Computer Information Systems from Louisiana Tech University and an MBA from North Carolina State University, and is the co-author of the Microsoft book "Introducing SQL Server 2016"

• Cloud Strategy in a Turbulent World

  Between regulatory, geo-political, and capacity concerns, having an exit strategy from a cloud provider is a decision many organizations face. While having an exit strategy from the cloud isn’t a pleasant thought, in this session, you will learn how to plan, the tradeoffs of choosing various services, and your options for where to relocate. You’ll learn about co-location facilities, national clouds, and the challenges of moving back to an on-premises data center. We will discuss the complex services to move, like email or chat, and those that move more quickly. You will learn about how sticky various cloud services are, and how you best plan for a turbulent future.

• Fabric Security: Everything you Need to Know!

  Microsoft Fabric is an all-in-one analytics solution for enterprises that covers everything from data movement to data science, Real-Time Analytics, and business intelligence. It offers a comprehensive suite of services, including data lake, data engineering, and data integration, all in one place. Microsoft Fabric is a SaaS (Software as a Service) platform which works differently than a PaaS (Platform as a Service) like Azure. With the Fabric SaaS service, you are getting a lot of security features out of the box that you might not be aware of to allow you to secure your data estate. In this session we will look at how Fabric secures your data, we will look at all the aspects of security of the Fabric platform: – Understand how users authenticate, – Understand inbound security options , – How can you access your secure data, – Where and how is your data stored and where does it go when used, – How to make sure your data is only accessible for certain users. – Finally, how to govern your data with Purview integration. This will make sure you understand what you get out of the box with Fabric and have the discussion with your security team!

Lead Technology Advocate. Originally from the UK and now living in the Netherlands. Microsoft Certified Trainer and Data Platform MVP. Many years experience in the IT sector, including supporting companies in the top 10 of the fortune 500 list. In addition to a lot of experience with the Microsoft Data Platform, also various Microsoft Certifications. Real life experience with various Microsoft Data Platform offerings and Azure DevOps. Held various roles; including Team Leader, SQL Server Product Owner, certification coach and Solution Architect. In addition, involved with Data Platform Community in various ways. Including blogs, MVP videos, Dutch Fabric user group organizer and sharing various repositories in GitHub.

• Deep Dive into CI/CD Options for Microsoft Fabric

  When looking to implement CI/CD within Microsoft Fabric one of the biggest questions is where to start, due to the various options available. In this session I will explore the various CI/CD (Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment) options available in Microsoft Fabric. Participants will gain insights into different CI/CD workflow options, including: – Deployment Pipelines – Git-based deployments – Azure Pipeline deployments – Alternative options for Data Warehouses and SQL Databases in Fabric In addition, I will cover Microsoft Fabric's Variable libraries to manage and reuse variables across different stages. Plus, testing options for some Microsoft Fabric items. By the end of the session, participants will have a comprehensive understanding of the various CI/CD options available so that they can decide on the best option(s) for themselves.

I’m Kranthi Kiran Burada, and I've been serving as a Database Migration Specialist at AWS for the past 8 years, accumulating a total of 12 years of experience in the field. My primary focus lies in assisting customers with migrating from commercial databases to open-source databases like PostgreSQL. Over the last 9 years, I've been deeply involved with PostgreSQL, aiding clients in performance optimization, database design, troubleshooting, and offering best practices during migrations from Oracle/SQL Server to PostgreSQL. I had the privilege of being a speaker at both SwissPGDay 2024, PGConf Belgium 2024,SQLBits 2025.Additionally, I have the privilege of being an AWS Certification Subject Matter Expert (SME), contributing to the development of all AWS associate certifications and the AWS Database Specialty Certification. Beyond my professional endeavours, I'm passionate about exploring new destinations and indulging in games like badminton and cricket during my leisure time.

• The Role of PostgreSQL in the AI World

  As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to revolutionize industries, the need for robust, scalable, and efficient data management solutions has never been greater. PostgreSQL, with its extensibility, performance, and advanced data capabilities, plays a crucial role in enabling AI-driven applications. This talk explores how PostgreSQL supports AI workloads, from managing vast datasets and integrating with machine learning frameworks to leveraging extensions like PostgreSQL ML, TimescaleDB, and JSONB for AI-ready storage and querying. .

Manish Kumar is a seasoned Senior Cloud Solution Architect at Microsoft with over 24 years of diverse experience in the IT industry, specializing in modern data platforms and cloud-native solutions. He is a recognized expert in architecting end-to-end data solutions leveraging core Azure services, including Azure SQL, Microsoft Fabric, Azure Synapse Analytics, Microsoft Purview, and a broad range of PaaS and hybrid data technologies. His work focuses on delivering scalable, secure, and performance-optimized architectures across structured, unstructured, and streaming data workloads. Throughout his career, Manish has held a variety of roles—Software Developer, SQL Server DBA, Data Architect, and now Senior Cloud Solution Architect—which give him a unique, full-spectrum perspective on enterprise data challenges. Manish is also a passionate advocate for knowledge sharing. He frequently presents at industry conferences and community events, bringing deep technical insight, practical experience, and thought leadership to global audiences.

• Mastering Azure SQL PaaS: From Novice to Expert

  Welcome to a comprehensive deep dive into the world of Azure SQL Platform as a Service (PaaS). In this session tailored for beginners to intermediate SQL Server professionals, we will embark on a transformative journey, transitioning you from a novice to a hero in Azure SQL. Whether you have limited understanding or are new to Azure SQL, this session is your gateway to mastering key concepts, deployment options, and advanced techniques in a condensed, informative, and engaging format. Session Highlights: 1. Introduction to Azure SQL 2. High Availability and Business Continuity 3. Migration of SQL Server to Azure SQL 4. Admin Tasks and Performance Optimization 5. Security and Compliance

Martynas is a BI professional specializing in UX design and visual communication of data. His quest is to make data-human interaction a thing data humans care about by raising awareness and promoting best practices. He is doing Visual Storytelling trainings for clients worldwide, co-runs Data Visualization and Fabric User Group meetups in Lithuania, and occasionally shares his knowledge in conferences, meetups and on his blog.

• Getting More Efficient with Time Planning – It's Not About Time

  Developers use many planning techniques for working on one project, including Scrum and Kanban. But what about a broader landscape – juggling multiple projects, managerial work and even personal life? Lack of time for everything and conflicting priorities introduce a lot of stress, which isn't helpful. In this session, I will share several ways you could efficiently organize your work and life using some of the best time-planning techniques I discovered as a Business Analyst and Power BI developer. Also, I will explain a few counter-intuitive principles that will change the way you approach planning forever. First, time planning is never about time, second, you will never have completed all the tasks for today and it's not even the goal, third – come and hear yourself! At the end of this session, you will have a planning system to try or at least a collection of tips on boosting your efficiency at work and in life.

Matt is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP and has worked with SQL Server since 2000. He is the leader of the Lexington, KY Data Technology Group and a frequent domestic and international community speaker. He's an IDERA ACE alumnus and Redgate Ambassador. His original data professional role was in database development, which quickly evolved into query tuning work that further evolved into being a DBA in the healthcare realm. He has supported several critical systems utilizing SQL Server and Azure SQL and managed dozens of 24/7/365 SQL Server implementations. As a consultant, he works with customers large, medium, and small to migrate to the cloud, make their data estate operate efficiently, and find the right tools and solutions within the Microsoft Data Platform.

• Azure-ish SQL and Azure AI 101

  You've heard way too much about AI – but you're not sure what you need it to do or what you want it to do. You're used to working with Azure SQL or SQL Server in some form or fashion but you don't know how to make them work with AI. Or, you're brand new to data and AI and want to know what you need to know so you can take that next step in your career. If any of this resonates with you, join me for this one hour session that takes you through what you can do with Azure AI and Azure-ish SQL, whether it's for fun or for work. You'll walk out conversant in AI in the Microsoft data world and able to have that next conversation about data and AI and what you can do with it – either with your current boss or your next one.

Michael McKinley is a data analytics consultant, instructor, and Power BI evangelist with a passion for turning complexity into clarity. At AllianceBernstein, he leads data intelligence efforts that empower senior leaders with actionable insights. Outside the office, Michael runs the Nashville Power BI User Group, teaches live training courses, and speaks at conferences to help others harness the full potential of Power BI, the Power Platform, and Microsoft Fabric.

• AI in Action: Supercharging Power BI Development and Troubleshooting

  Unlock the power of AI to streamline your Power BI workflows, from design to delivery. This session explores how tools like ChatGPT, Copilot, and other AI assistants can support every stage of Power BI development: designing reports, optimizing data models, troubleshooting issues, and even analyzing insights. Discover how AI tools like ChatGPT, Copilot, and others can: • Simplify DAX creation and debugging, offering tailored solutions for complex calculations. • Clarify data modeling challenges, including filter context and relationship issues, to deliver accurate insights. • Provide actionable guidance for creating effective visuals that meet specific user needs. • Summarize complex reports and datasets, empowering data consumers to generate insights independently. • Streamline workflows for expert developers, reducing repetitive tasks and accelerating project delivery. This session is designed to demonstrate how AI can elevate Power BI development at all skill levels, helping you work smarter and faster while delivering impactful results.

Michael McKinley is a data analytics consultant, instructor, and Power BI evangelist with a passion for turning complexity into clarity. At AllianceBernstein, he leads data intelligence efforts that empower senior leaders with actionable insights. Outside the office, Michael runs the Nashville Power BI User Group, teaches live training courses, and speaks at conferences to help others harness the full potential of Power BI, the Power Platform, and Microsoft Fabric.

• Application Lifecycle Management for Business Intelligence: ALM for BI

  Managing Power BI development in a team setting can be challenging—avoiding code conflicts, ensuring seamless collaboration, and deploying updates effectively require a strategic approach. In this session, I’ll share how principles from application development can be applied to Power BI, introducing the state-of-the-art practices for managing the BI development lifecycle. You’ll learn how to: • Enable multiple developers to work on the same dataset simultaneously. • Store your Power BI models as code in your source repository. • Use Git for version control, change tracking, and collaboration. • Integrate with ticketing systems and implement deployment pipelines for continuous integration and delivery. Whether you manage a team of BI developers or work on one, this session will equip you with tools and strategies to tackle some of the most pressing challenges in BI development and scale your Power BI projects effectively.

Mike has been working with SQL Server since 1999. In 2011, he founded Straight Path Solutions as a side project. He eventually hired his first full-time employee, and fast-forward to today: Straight Path is a 17-employee SQL Server consultancy that performs SQL Server tuning, cloud migrations, and managed DBA services for small and large businesses. When he's not working with his team, he's keeping busy with his family of 6, listening to music, trying to slow down and enjoy each day as it happens.

• Becoming a SQL Consultant: Lessons for Every Stage of the Journey

  Whether you're dreaming of going out on your own, just signed your first client, or are thinking about building a team—you’re on a journey I know well. Fifteen years ago, I negotiated with my employer for them to become my first anchor client. From there, I started networking, doing side gigs, and slowly growing—with all the trial and error that comes with it. This session is a candid look at the stages of building a consulting practice in the data world. We'll cover lessons for: -The aspiring freelancer—how to prep while still employed -The brand-new solo consultant—how to protect your time and build trust -The solo-to-team leap—how to delegate, hire, and preserve your culture I’ll share what worked (and what didn’t): navigating partnerships, choosing a business structure, setting pricing, and managing client relationships. We'll touch on contracts, taxes, and the real-life decisions that can make or break your momentum. Along the way, I’ve leaned on books, mentors, coaches, and a lot of late-night second-guessing. I’m still learning—but I’ll give you a head start on the "straight path" I took. This isn’t a business school lecture or MBA program – it’s a real-world field guide. If you're considering the leap—or want to be more intentional about the path you're already on, this session will offer insights you can use Monday morning to start down the road.

I am a Senior Database Specialist Solutions Architect at AWS, focused on helping customers across diverse industries optimize their database solutions. I specialize in designing, migrating, and enhancing SQL Server workloads on managed database platforms such as Amazon RDS, Amazon RDS Custom, and Babelfish for Aurora PostgreSQL.

• Mastering Database Migration: A DBA’s Roadmap from SQL Server to PostgreSQL

  As organizations move from SQL Server to PostgreSQL to reduce costs and embrace open-source databases, a well-planned migration is crucial. This session covers different migrtaion pathways, schema conversion, stored procedure translation, performance tuning, and workload optimization while highlighting key differences in indexing, partitioning, and concurrency control. Attendees will explore migration tools like AWS DMS, Babelfish, pgLoader etc, learn best practices for high availability and disaster recovery, and tackle challenges like T-SQL to pgSQL conversion. Through real-world case studies, DBAs will gain a clear roadmap for a seamless transition and maximizing PostgreSQL’s capabilities.

Senior IT professional with broad experience in IT leadership, solution architecture and development, infrastructure design and optimization with deep skills in the Microsoft Data Platform, both on-prem and on the cloud. Currently working with customers migrate from competitive data platforms (Oracle, Exadata, Teradata, Netezza, DB2, PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB etc.) to Azure.

• Deep-Dive Workshop: Accelerating AI, Performance and Resilience with SQL Server 2025

  SQL Server 2025 delivers powerful new capabilities for AI, developer productivity, and performance all ready to run at scale on modern infrastructure. In this 1/2 day deep dive workshop, you'll get a first look at what's new and how to put it to work immediately. Learn directly from Microsoft and Pure Storage experts how to harness SQL Server’s vector capabilities and walk through real-world demos covering semantic search, change event streaming, and using external tables to manage vector embeddings. You'll also see how new REST APIs securely expose SQL Server's internals for automation and observability including snapshots, performance monitoring, and backup management. The workshop wraps up with insights into core engine enhancements: optimized locking, faster backups using ZSTD compression all running on a modern Pure Storage foundation that brings scale and resilience to your data platform. Whether you're a DBA, developer, or architect, this session will equip you with practical strategies for harnessing Microsoft SQL Server 2025 and Pure Storage to accelerate your organization's AI and data goals.

Results-driven professional with over 7 years of experience in project and product management, business analysis, data analytics, and technology-driven solutions. Proven track record in leading strategy, optimizing identity and access management (IAM) processes, and delivering impactful analytics to enhance business performance.

• Secure, Compliant, and Insightful: Data Governance for AI-Driven Analytics

  As organizations increasingly integrate AI and machine learning into their analytics pipelines, the need for robust data governance has never been greater. But how can you innovate with AI while ensuring your data practices remain secure, compliant, and trustworthy? In this session, we will explore the intersection of advanced analytics and governance, offering practical guidance on building governance frameworks that support—not stifle—AI initiatives. You will learn how to structure policies that protect sensitive data, ensure regulatory compliance (GDPR, HIPAA, etc.), and promote transparency in AI/ML models. We'll discuss key components such as data lineage, access controls, ethical AI practices, and auditability. We'll examine how modern tools like Microsoft Purview, Power BI, and Azure ML can enable governance at scale. Whether you are a data professional, analyst, or AI practitioner, this session will equip you with strategies to drive insights from your data while upholding the principles of security, compliance, and accountability.

Nitish Reddy Kotha is an Engineering Architect in Microsoft’s SQL Engineering group, where he focuses on database transformation into Azure Database offerings. After completing his master’s in Computer Science at Ball State University, Indiana, his journey in last 15 years as a developer and Database consultant took him through Cisco, where he worked on enterprise-scale database technologies such as RAC, high availability, Unix Scripting, and replication features. He later managed Exadata migrations, Data consolidation to SQL databases in various roles before joining Oracle’s Information Integration team, where he worked alongside peers who later became part of the founding team at Striim, gaining deep expertise in cross database heterogeneous replication, CDC, ETL, and critical systems. Today at Microsoft, he applies his multi-database knowledge to bridge modernization gaps and build IP’s that supports future-ready architectures. Nitish believes that learning from peers and mentors has been key to his success, driving his commitment to constant improvement. You can connect with Nitish at https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitish-reddy-kotha-2225b5bb/

• Architecting Database Transformation: From Migration to Modernization and Beyond

  Database transformation can take many forms depending on stakeholder needs. We’ll begin with Migration patterns that minimize app refactoring while ensuring reliability. We’ll then dive into modernization techniques, where refactoring becomes essential. When employing this strategy, Post-migration, database and application stack performance tuning takes center stage, covering indexing and partitioning strategies, engine-specific optimizations, and other targeted changes that drive efficiency and scalability at enterprise scale. Finally, we’ll look ahead to transformation patterns that enable new capabilities, including vector indexes, AI copilots. Throughout the session, we’ll connect each phase with real-world tools and platforms (Ora2Pg, ADF, SSMA, Copilot integrations, monitoring solutions), sharing practical lessons learned from enterprise workloads. Attendees will leave with a clear framework and actionable approaches for guiding their organizations from legacy systems to future-ready, cloud-native architectures.

Ola Hallengren is a Data Platform MVP and the creator of the "SQL Server Maintenance Solution".

• The Latest Performance Improvements in Azure SQL DB, MI and SQL Server 2025

  In this cutting-edge session, we will explore the latest performance improvements in Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Managed Instance, and SQL Server 2025. We’ll dive into advancements in the optimizer (including intelligent query processing), locking, storage engine, availability groups, and more. I will share my experiences of the features from early preview testing and demonstrate these features in action. Finally, we’ll address the questions: What problems do these features solve, how do they work, and in which scenarios will you benefit from upgrading?

Patrick O’Halloran has had a long career in technical and customer-facing roles. He is a self-described ‘math nerd’ who began his programming career at age 13. He’s been involved in large-scale software development throughout his career, and is currently at WhereScape where he has filled a variety of roles and is currently a Principal Solutions Architect.

• The Need for Speed: Agile Prototyping in Microsoft Fabric

  In this session, discover how agile principles can revolutionize data warehouse development through rapid prototyping. We'll examine automated modeling techniques, iterative schema design, and efficient workflows that dramatically shorten cycles from concept to deployment. Attendees will gain real-world insights into integrating varied data sources, validating prototypes early to minimize risks, and scaling solutions to production, all supported by practical examples and best practices for adapting to changing business requirements.

Peter is a SQL Consultant at Monin-IT who enjoys working across the full spectrum of SQL Server since 2010, though he likes the performance tuning the most. Since stepping into the speaker scene in 2023, he has shared his knowledge at events like SQLBits and SQL/Data Saturday. Peter’s sessions are known for being informative, demo-filled and delivered with an approachable style that is very suitable for newcomers and accidental DBA's. Whether it’s diving into wait stats, tackling tricky query plans, or just having a laugh while learning something new; Peter is always up for making SQL a little more fun.

• Query Store Basics: A DBA’s Best Friend

  Ever wondered why your queries are running differently today than they did last week? Query Store in SQL Server can help you figure that out! In this session, we’ll break down the basics of Query Store, designed especially for junior or accidental DBAs. We’ll talk about what Query Store does, how it works and how it evolved over time, and why it’s such a great tool for keeping track of query performance over time. With explanations and demos, you’ll learn how to use Query Store to spot performance issues, dig into query execution plans, and even prevent bad plans from ruining your day. If you’re new to SQL Server or just looking for a practical way to optimize query performance, this session will help you to get started.

Rafet Ducic is a Senior Solutions Architect at Amazon Web Services (AWS). He applies his more than 20 years of technical experience to help Global Industrial and Automotive customers transition their workloads to the cloud cost-efficiently and with optimal performance. With domain expertise in Database Technologies and Microsoft licensing, Rafet is adept at guiding companies of all sizes toward reduced operational costs and top performance standards.

• Mastering Database Migration: A DBA’s Roadmap from SQL Server to PostgreSQL

  As organizations move from SQL Server to PostgreSQL to reduce costs and embrace open-source databases, a well-planned migration is crucial. This session covers different migrtaion pathways, schema conversion, stored procedure translation, performance tuning, and workload optimization while highlighting key differences in indexing, partitioning, and concurrency control. Attendees will explore migration tools like AWS DMS, Babelfish, pgLoader etc, learn best practices for high availability and disaster recovery, and tackle challenges like T-SQL to pgSQL conversion. Through real-world case studies, DBAs will gain a clear roadmap for a seamless transition and maximizing PostgreSQL’s capabilities.

Ray is an advocate for documentation and technical communication. He is a co-founder of the Albany, NY SQL group (CASSUG) and a member of the Society for Technical Communication (STC). He has spoken at PASS Summit and STC Summit, as well as numerous SQL Saturdays and other events. He has worked various positions in technology, including as a developer, webmaster, analyst, technical writer, and instructor. He holds an MS in technical communication from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a BS in computer science from Syracuse University. He currently works as a technical writer and trainer for The Professional Development Program at The Research Foundation for SUNY. A musician in his spare time, Ray plays four different instruments (piano, clarinet, mallet percussion, saxophone). He also enjoys going to ball games and doing CrossFit, and is a two-time SQLServerCentral.com fantasy football champion. He lives in Troy, NY with his wife, Lianne, and their tuxedo cat, Bernard.

• Networking 101: Building Professional Relationships

  Networking. You keep hearing that word throughout your career development, but you don’t know much about it, much less, how to do it. You want to connect with technical and data professionals, so you attend events such as Data Saturday and your local user group. But what about your book club, your gym, your church group, or your kid’s soccer game? Those are prime — and overlooked — opportunities to network! In this interactive session, we will discuss networking — what it is, why it’s important, and where opportunities exist. You will even have an opportunity to practice networking within the confines of our room. You might even leave this session with new networking contacts that you didn’t previously have! Bring business cards if you have them!

Reitse began his computer days with GW Basic and quickly followed with Windows 3.11. After that many computers followed and, interrupted by human resource and psychology studies, he got into the IT work field around 2007. There he met Oracle 9. With a command line from 1980. At his current job he met SQL Server. And loved it. Now he’s working with SQL 2008 to SQL 2019 on-premises and a number of Azure SQL Databases, supporting customers and tuning databases. New projects focus more on the Azure data platform as an architect, security advisor and data engineer.

• SQL Copilot, What the Query is This!?

  At Microsoft Build 2024, there was the announcement of Copilot for Azure Sql going to public preview. Now the question arises, what can this type of Copilot do for me as a DBA, Developer or any other role where I'm working with Azure Sql. To help you get started, this session will introduce Copilot for Sql to you. Let's try some different experiences, find this Copilot and let it work a bit for us. Let's dig into general questions, data related questions but also database management! Don't expect deep dives into the inner workings, but I will get a bit into the security as this is paramount in any data resource. Buck Woody once (often) said: "don't type in demos". Join this session to see me break that rule! And even better, send in your own questions and see what happens! After this session, you'll have a better understanding of how SQL Copilot can assist you in your daily work and even improve efficiency.

• Data Literacy: Navigating Your Way to Data-Driven Success!

  Data literacy is for everyone—from data enthusiasts to business leaders. It’s about ensuring everyone understands data and has access to the information they need. When everyone’s on board, the whole company benefits from diverse insights and better decisions. Join us to explore: – What data literacy really means and why it’s crucial. – How to make it work for your organization. – Engaging all skill levels in the data journey. – Key reasons why data literacy is essential. This session will be interactive with Menti meter polls and plenty of Q&A. Come ready to participate and learn together! Are you in our target audience? Absolutely! Will there be stroopwafels? You bet!

Ryan Adams is a Senior Cloud Solution Architect for Microsoft. His focus on Data & AI allows him to work with many technologies like SQL, Azure SQL IaaS and PaaS, Databricks, Synapse Analytics, and Fabric. Previously, Ryan worked on the Fabric CAT team with our Synapse and Fabric product offerings.

• Fabric Tour

  Fabric has so many options that it's overwhelming to understand if it is something you should even use. Even if you know it's something you will use, it becomes very complicated to know which facets you need and how to architect them. This session will help you understand all the options so you can decide what applies to your business. We'll also talk about how it fits into various architectures and things you can do to conserve costs.

Sakshi Naik is an AI Consultant at Walgreens Boots Alliance, where she leads the development of ethical and impactful AI solutions in healthcare. With a Master’s in Computer Science from Stevens Institute of Technology and a Bachelor’s in IT Engineering from Mumbai University, she brings deep technical expertise across data science, machine learning, and AI infrastructure. Sakshi is also a recognized voice in AI policy. She has advised U.S. Senators and Members of the House of Representatives on the future of responsible AI and serves as Secretary of the IEEE Connecticut Section. As a member of the IEEE AI Policy Committee (AIPC), she actively contributes to shaping national and global frameworks for trustworthy AI.

• Building Trustworthy AI With Techniques To Reduce Bias In Real-World Use

  Traditionally, AI functioned as a data extraction tool. Over time, it evolved into intelligent systems capable of decision-making and predictions, sometimes surpassing human intelligence. However, these systems remain prone to malfunctions, with AI bias emerging as a significant challenge in decision-making applications. In the South Africa credit card case, the AI system was biased against Black individuals; in the Dutch childcare case, it discriminated against parents with dual nationality; and in the LinkedIn hiring process, it favoured male candidates. Various techniques have been applied to reduce these biases and create fairer AI systems. These include the Algorithmic Fairness framework (demographic parity, counterfactual fairness), improved training data (data audits and augmentation), compliance with privacy standards, keeping a human in the loop, and using multiple AI models to cross-validate outcomes. These efforts reduced bias and also built trust. In the LinkedIn case, fairness algorithms led to a threefold rise in search queries with representative results, enhancing gender diversity. In the South Africa case, racial disparities in approval rates dropped by 40%. While progress has been made, full bias mitigation remains ongoing. The industry must adopt standardized best practices to ensure trust in AI systems. This presentation discusses the threat of AI bias, explores how to build ethical AI, and proposes best practices for creating fair-compliant applications.

I am a computer scientist and database enthusiast. I started my career as a software developer, but pretty early on, I found my passion in databases. I've been working as a DBA for the past 13 years, and for the last 4 years, I’ve been leading the database team. It’s been a great journey balancing hands-on technical work with team leadership. Outside of work, I’m passionate about travel and language learning. I’ve visited 54 countries, speak three languages fluently, and have beginner-level proficiency in three more. I can also read four different alphabets, reflecting my deep interest in global cultures and communication.

• Login Detective: Tracking Database Access Without Breaking a Sweat

  Have you ever needed to determine the last time a specific login accessed your SQL Server or identify which application servers historically used a particular login? Or perhaps you want to detect if an application account is being misused to connect via SQL Server Management Studio? Unfortunately, SQL Server doesn’t provide these insights out of the box, making audits, security monitoring, and database migrations more challenging. In this session, we will explore how to effectively utilize SQL Server Extended Events to track login activity. You’ll learn how to capture essential details—such as account names, host connections, application usage, and last successful login timestamps—and store this data in a table to build a comprehensive inventory. By the end of the session, you’ll have the tools and techniques to implement a robust login monitoring solution using SQL Server Extended Events. This will not only simplify database migrations but also strengthen security, detect unauthorized access, and support compliance efforts.

Shayon Sanyal is a Principal WW Specialist Solutions Architect for Data and AI and a Subject Matter Expert for Amazon’s flagship relational database, Amazon Aurora. He has over 15 years of experience managing relational databases and analytics workloads. Shayon’s relentless dedication to customer success allows him to help customers design scalable, secure, and robust cloud-based architectures. Shayon also helps service teams with design and delivery of pioneering features, such as generative AI.

• Best Practices for Building Generative AI Applications with PostgreSQL

  PostgreSQL makes it easier to store and query vector data for artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) use cases with the pgvector extension. Learning best practices for vector search will help you deliver a high-performance experience to your customers. In this session, learn how to store data from Amazon Bedrock in an Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL-Compatible Edition database and learn SQL queries and tuning parameters to optimize the performance of your application when working with AI/ML data, vector data types, exact and approximate nearest neighbor search algorithms, and vector-optimized indexing.

Dynamic and results-oriented professional with a deep experience in global sales and business development within the IT industry and Dell Technologies specifically. Recognized for pioneering innovative data solutions and establishing strategic partnerships that significantly contribute to revenue growth. Adept at leading cross-functional teams, fostering key relationships with global clients and partners, and driving strategic initiatives in alignment with corporate goals. • Superbly successful in creating and implementing innovative data solutions feeding the AI machine in a highly strategic nature. • Highly qualified and successful in building complex hybrid cloud enterprise solutions for multiple design variations and customer needs. • Global thought leader with customer facing engagements in countries around the world. • Expert in sophisticated workload sales models and vast knowledge of both the software and hardware marketplace and the capabilities and complexities of products. • Outstanding success in building and maintaining relationships with key corporate decision-makers, establishing large-volume, high-revenue accounts with excellent levels of retention and loyalty. • 26 years of Dell knowledge and internal networking around solutioning of where the market is going for our customers. • Exceptionally well organized with a track record that demonstrates self-motivation, creativity, and initiative to achieve both personal and corporate goals.

• Bring AI to your Data with Dell Technologies

  As organizations accelerate their AI journeys, the convergence of data, infrastructure, and intelligent automation becomes critical. In this session, Dell Technologies explores how SQL Server 2025 and the Dell AI Factory are transforming the way enterprises bring AI to their data—securely, efficiently, and at scale. Building on our 4 decades of joint innovation, we will revisit the shared SQL 2025 REST API capabilities and highlight how they enable modern, agentic AI workflows and seamless integration with enterprise applications. Using the Dell AI Factory architecture, we will showcase how on-premises deployments can leverage expert AI services, open ecosystems, and AI-optimized infrastructure to drive real-world outcomes. We examine the shift from traditional 3-tier architectures to disaggregated models—combining the flexibility of HCI with the simplicity of legacy systems—to meet the demands of AI-driven workloads. Attendees will gain insight into the latest announcements from Dell Technologies World, including the Dell Private Cloud and Dell Automation Platform. These innovations enable fully transferrable infrastructure, lifecycle automation, and streamlined support. Finally, we explore the future of SQL 2025 on these disaggregated Dell architectures, referencing Microsoft’s Arun Vijayraghavan’s recent blog on agentic AI and showcasing blueprints for deploying intelligent, scalable solutions. This session is ideal for technical leaders seeking to modernize their data platforms and unlock the full potential of AI—on their terms, in their environment.

Sudhir Amin is a Database Specialist Solutions Architect at Amazon Web Services. In his role based out of New York, he provides architectural guidance and technical assistance to enterprise customers across different industry verticals, accelerating their cloud adoption.

• Migrate SQL Server to AWS: From Strategy to Success

  When migrating SQL Server workloads to AWS, businesses need migration approaches that maximize reliability while keeping systems running smoothly. Join this session to explore proven strategies for migrating SQL Server databases to AWS. Learn to leverage AWS services including Migration Hub, Database Migration Service (DMS), alongside native SQL Server features for migration. Discover real-world migration insights and best practices drawn from successful customer implementations.

Microsoft Data Platform MVP | Global Data Solutions Leader | Cloud & AI AdvocateTaiob Taiob Ali is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP with over 19 years of experience designing and implementing data solutions across finance, e-commerce, and healthcare. My expertise includes the Microsoft Data Platform, MongoDB, Azure AI, and Python for data-driven innovation. As a dedicated community advocate, I've presented at over 100 events worldwide, including SQL Saturdays, Data Saturdays, and international conferences. I founded the Database Professionals Virtual Meetup Group, serve on the New England SQL Server User Group and SQL Saturday boards, and contribute regularly to Microsoft Learn, where my work is featured in the Contributor Stories.

• Magnificent Seven & Beyond: Intelligent Query Processing in SQL Server

  Can we enhance query performance without any code changes? Modifying applications can be an expensive endeavor or completely beyond your control. Therefore, developers and DBAs prefer that the query processor adapts to their workload requirements rather than relying on options and trace flags to improve performance. Adaptation is the foundational concept behind Intelligent Query Processing (IQP) in the latest versions of SQL Server. This demo-intensive presentation will explore the fifteen intelligent query processing features introduced in SQL Server 2022, 2019, and 2017. For each of these fifteen features, we will examine the issue it aims to resolve and the algorithm it uses to tackle the problem. We will evaluate the pros and cons of using these features. You will learn how to deploy them at various scopes tailored to your specific needs, such as server, database, session, or query levels. You will also be able to identify the features built on the Query Store. Attending this session will allow you to learn about the new capabilities of intelligent query processing and gain powerful tools to persuade your peers to upgrade SQL Server and databases to the latest build, both on-premises and in the cloud.

• PostgreSQL vs. SQL Server: Security Model Differences

  Security is paramount in database management. If you are an SQL Server expert looking to learn PostgreSQL, it is essential to understand how PostgreSQL's security model differs from that of SQL Server. This talk will compare the security models of both database systems. Aimed at database administrators and developers, the presentation will highlight the key differences in how these systems handle user authentication, roles, and permissions. For example, did you know that: -SQL Server distinguishes between logins and users, whereas PostgreSQL uses a unified role-based system for authentication and authorization. -SQL Server offers predefined server and database roles, such as sysadmin, which provides a range of out-of-the-box permissions. Conversely, PostgreSQL includes default roles like pg_read_all_data, designed to simplify standard permission sets. -SQL Server allows the creation of custom roles with flexible permission assignments. PostgreSQL's roles enable inheriting permissions from other roles and support complex role hierarchies. Understanding these differences and others discussed during the session will enhance your grasp of the security model distinctions between SQL Server and PostgreSQL, enabling you to implement security best practices effectively in either environment.

With over two decades of experience in the dynamic world of SQL Server, I have honed my skills to become a Production DBA specializing in high-performance database solutions. My journey began as a full stack developer in 1999, but it was my fascination with SQL Server that shaped my career path. Over the years, I transitioned from software development to focus exclusively on database administration/development, where I found my true passion. As a Production DBA, I am dedicated to ensuring that SQL Server databases operate at peak efficiency. My expertise lies in query and index tuning, database architecture, and comprehensive administration practices. In an industry where milliseconds are not fast enough and microseconds matter, I employ advanced techniques to achieve unparalleled performance. One of my key areas of specialization is the implementation of in-memory technology in production systems. This has enabled me to manage and optimize environments that handle dozens of thousands of concurrent transactions per second. My daily responsibilities include managing clusters, availability groups, listeners, failovers, and continuous tuning to maintain optimal performance and reliability. I am driven by the challenge of pushing SQL Server to its limits and beyond, ensuring seamless and swift data processing. My goal is to leverage my extensive experience and deep knowledge of SQL Server to contribute to innovative and high-performing database solutions.

• Revolutionizing Database Performance: Deep Dive into SQL InMemory Technology

  Are your queries fully optimized yet your application still suffers from high latency under heavy load? Do you struggle to meet SLAs despite tuning indexes and procedures? You might be hitting the architectural limits of disk-based storage. It's time to go beyond traditional optimization. In this advanced session, we’ll dive deep into the internals of SQL Server’s In-Memory OLTP engine (Hekaton) and reveal how you can achieve microsecond-level response times and dozens of thousands of transactions per second on a modern multi-core server. We’ll break down the components that make this possible—from memory-optimized tables and hash indexes to natively compiled stored procedures. Through real-world demos and performance comparisons, you’ll learn how to: Identify workloads that benefit most from In-Memory OLTP Design efficient memory-optimized schemas Avoid common performance pitfalls (e.g., bad bucket count, latch contention) Monitor and troubleshoot In-Memory internals like row versions, checkpoint files, and garbage collection By the end of the session, you’ll walk away with practical strategies to modernize your data architecture, boost concurrency, and eliminate I/O bottlenecks—without rewriting your entire application. If you're ready to go beyond “making things faster” and engineer for extreme throughput, this session is for you.

Lead Architect – Data Management – Datavail Proficient Cloud & Data Analytics Lead Cloud, Big Data, & Traditional Data Warehouse expertise Cross-functional project leader using advanced data modeling and analysis techniques Improving organizational performance by evaluating best practices for DB servers and data quality issues for ETL and Analytics systems

• Microsoft Fabric Modernization Pathways in Action

  Microsoft Fabric has many organizations reconsidering their current data estates. Understanding how to modernize your existing data platforms into Microsoft Fabric's all-in-one platform is essential for getting the most out of your data and analytics investment. Learn about your modernization pathways and get real-world examples of organizations preparing for a Fabric future.

Tonie Huizer is a Software, Data, and DevOps Consultant who believes good tech starts with understanding your people. A regular on international stages and a Microsoft Certified Azure Developer, Tonie loves helping teams simplify complex challenges; whether that’s modernizing database deployments, designing scalable systems, or just getting Dev and Ops to finally talk to each other. Tonie is known for his clear, energetic presentation style and ability to make complex topics accessible and engaging. As a Redgate Community Ambassador, he advocates for database DevOps and contributes to open knowledge sharing through blogs, talks, and events across the globe. He also co-leads SeaQL Saturday, a community-driven event that blends education, networking, and Sammie, his Kooikerhondje mascot. (Because yes, even events are better with a dog.) Whether he's discussing Azure DevOps workflows, database release automation, or the cultural shifts required to implement DevOps successfully, Tonie brings real-world experience, humor, and actionable insights. His goal is to inspire professionals not just to adopt new technologies, but to transform how teams collaborate and innovate. And when he’s not speaking about tech, he might just be speaking about whisky. Tonie is a passionate whisky enthusiast who loves sharing stories, flavors, and the occasional tasting session with his fellow connoisseur of TasteWhisky. If you're into DevOps, data, and a well-aged dram on the side, Tonie’s your man!

• Code First, Review Later: Making EF Core Work for DBAs

  Developers love EF Core for its speed and automation. DBAs fear it for the exact same reason. Automatic generated migrations can bypass crucial checks, leading to friction, surprises—and sometimes, outages. Database teams need transparency and control. Changes should be reviewable, testable, and deployable through trusted pipelines. EF Core’s migrations often feel like black boxes—and the confidence of the database team begins to slip. But what if you didn’t have to choose? With the right approach, you can let developers work in EF Core and give DBAs the control they need—by transforming EF migrations into Flyway-compatible scripts. In this session, you’ll see how EF Core and Flyway can work together. The result? Shorter deployment cycles, fewer surprises, and better collaboration between teams that traditionally don’t speak the same language. Join this session to explore real-world examples, automation with PowerShell and YAML, and the recipe for getting devs and DBAs on the same page.

• Learn How to Build Workflow-Driven Database Provisioning in Azure DevOps

  You’ve convinced your team to use version control. You’re provisioning dedicated databases. But the process still feels clunky. It’s manual, script-heavy, and often tied to specific developer machines. Sure, PowerShell helps, but it’s not consistent across the team. And when it breaks, not everyone can fix it (or wants to). In this deep dive, you’ll explore a more scalable approach: self-service database provisioning that happens automatically when someone starts new work. By integrating this process into Azure DevOps, you’ll see how to make database environments part of your team’s natural workflow. We’ll cover how to stash and resume work-in-progress environments, manage long-lived branches, and clean up unused resources. Throughout the session, we’ll look at how these ideas fit into the bigger picture of building an Internal Developer Platform (IDP) specifically for database development. Expect a few slides, but mostly hands-on demos using real-world PowerShell and YAML. You'll leave with patterns, scripts, and a practical plan to make database delivery faster, easier, and fully self-served.

Tonie Huizer is a Software, Data, and DevOps Consultant who believes good tech starts with understanding your people. A regular on international stages and a Microsoft Certified Azure Developer, Tonie loves helping teams simplify complex challenges; whether that’s modernizing database deployments, designing scalable systems, or just getting Dev and Ops to finally talk to each other. Tonie is known for his clear, energetic presentation style and ability to make complex topics accessible and engaging. As a Redgate Community Ambassador, he advocates for database DevOps and contributes to open knowledge sharing through blogs, talks, and events across the globe. He also co-leads SeaQL Saturday, a community-driven event that blends education, networking, and Sammie, his Kooikerhondje mascot. (Because yes, even events are better with a dog.) Whether he's discussing Azure DevOps workflows, database release automation, or the cultural shifts required to implement DevOps successfully, Tonie brings real-world experience, humor, and actionable insights. His goal is to inspire professionals not just to adopt new technologies, but to transform how teams collaborate and innovate. And when he’s not speaking about tech, he might just be speaking about whisky. Tonie is a passionate whisky enthusiast who loves sharing stories, flavors, and the occasional tasting session with his fellow connoisseur of TasteWhisky. If you're into DevOps, data, and a well-aged dram on the side, Tonie’s your man!

• Code First, Review Later: Making EF Core Work for DBAs

  Developers love EF Core for its speed and automation. DBAs fear it for the exact same reason. Automatic generated migrations can bypass crucial checks, leading to friction, surprises—and sometimes, outages. Database teams need transparency and control. Changes should be reviewable, testable, and deployable through trusted pipelines. EF Core’s migrations often feel like black boxes—and the confidence of the database team begins to slip. But what if you didn’t have to choose? With the right approach, you can let developers work in EF Core and give DBAs the control they need—by transforming EF migrations into Flyway-compatible scripts. In this session, you’ll see how EF Core and Flyway can work together. The result? Shorter deployment cycles, fewer surprises, and better collaboration between teams that traditionally don’t speak the same language. Join this session to explore real-world examples, automation with PowerShell and YAML, and the recipe for getting devs and DBAs on the same page.

• Learn How to Build Workflow-Driven Database Provisioning in Azure DevOps

  You’ve convinced your team to use version control. You’re provisioning dedicated databases. But the process still feels clunky. It’s manual, script-heavy, and often tied to specific developer machines. Sure, PowerShell helps, but it’s not consistent across the team. And when it breaks, not everyone can fix it (or wants to). In this deep dive, you’ll explore a more scalable approach: self-service database provisioning that happens automatically when someone starts new work. By integrating this process into Azure DevOps, you’ll see how to make database environments part of your team’s natural workflow. We’ll cover how to stash and resume work-in-progress environments, manage long-lived branches, and clean up unused resources. Throughout the session, we’ll look at how these ideas fit into the bigger picture of building an Internal Developer Platform (IDP) specifically for database development. Expect a few slides, but mostly hands-on demos using real-world PowerShell and YAML. You'll leave with patterns, scripts, and a practical plan to make database delivery faster, easier, and fully self-served.

Hi there. I am Valerie Junk. I am passionate about creating insights from data and designing dashboards using Power BI. With my expertise in data analytics and visualization, I support companies in developing effective data-driven strategies that yield results and take the business to the next level. With my background in cognitive psychology, I bring a unique perspective to the table. I balance my technical and visualization expertise with a keen focus on the human aspect of data.

• Get Creative with Power BI: Make these Core Visuals Shine!

  Creating reports with Power BI may seem easy at first. However, many people eventually discover that their reports are not being viewed, end-users are confused about navigating, and the process is more complicated than anticipated. This session will address these challenges and provide you with the skills to create visually appealing, intuitive, and actionable data visualizations that serve a clear purpose and effectively guide end-users. The techniques you will learn are practical and can be immediately applied to your work. You will learn how to: – Use DAX to Enhance Visuals: Learn how to modify your visuals using DAX, such as changing colors and highlighting important information, to make critical insights stand out. – Focus on Key Information: Learn techniques to refine your visuals so they display the most critical data, ensuring users can quickly grasp what matters most. – Facilitate User Navigation: Explore different methods to enable smooth user navigation, allowing end-users to interact easily with your reports and find the necessary information. Join me as we explore how to create purposeful, user-friendly visualizations using only Power BI's core features, no SVGs or external tools required. Let’s make your reports not just seen but truly understood!

• Data Literacy: Navigating Your Way to Data-Driven Success!

  Data literacy is for everyone—from data enthusiasts to business leaders. It’s about ensuring everyone understands data and has access to the information they need. When everyone’s on board, the whole company benefits from diverse insights and better decisions. Join us to explore: – What data literacy really means and why it’s crucial. – How to make it work for your organization. – Engaging all skill levels in the data journey. – Key reasons why data literacy is essential. This session will be interactive with Menti meter polls and plenty of Q&A. Come ready to participate and learn together! Are you in our target audience? Absolutely! Will there be stroopwafels? You bet!

Vikas Babu Gali is a Senior Specialist Solutions Architect, focusing on Microsoft Workloads at Amazon Web Services. Vikas provides architectural guidance and technical assistance to customers across different industry verticals accelerating their cloud adoption.

• Migrate SQL Server to AWS: From Strategy to Success

  When migrating SQL Server workloads to AWS, businesses need migration approaches that maximize reliability while keeping systems running smoothly. Join this session to explore proven strategies for migrating SQL Server databases to AWS. Learn to leverage AWS services including Migration Hub, Database Migration Service (DMS), alongside native SQL Server features for migration. Discover real-world migration insights and best practices drawn from successful customer implementations.

Yvonne is an accomplished technology leader with over a decade of experience, currently driving innovation at a top financial services firm. She is instrumental in delivering cutting-edge tech solutions that improve efficiency and impact. A recognized thought leader and public speaker, Yvonne has shared her expertise on national stages, including TEDx St. Louis, where she discussed career relaunches and the value of second chances in tech. Yvonne is passionate about mentorship, dedicating time to guide emerging professionals in a fast-paced industry. She is a committed advocate for diversity, focused on building an inclusive environment within technology. Her strong commitment to representation and empowering communities earned her the Unsung Hero Award at the 2022 OCA National Convention. Known for her authenticity, Yvonne uses her platform to inspire action, elevate underrepresented voices, and champion meaningful changes in the tech sector. Her compelling voice inspires others to embrace inclusivity and foster an environment where everyone's voices are heard and celebrated.

• From Pause to Play: Navigating Career Comebacks

  Imagine life threw you a curve ball and you stepped off the career ladder, but you returned with fresh insights and valuable experiences – only to face a hesitant job market. Life often takes us on unexpected detours, and career breaks can be both daunting and rejuvenating. My talk highlights “returnships”: structured programs designed to help individuals relaunch their careers. By offering training, mentorship, and support, returnships close skill gaps and rebuild confidence, empowering participants to thrive in demanding sectors like cybersecurity. Drawing from my personal journey, I’ll showcase how these programs successfully facilitate career reentry and growth. We’ll also explore how employment gaps impact our careers, the untapped potential they represent, and why companies should adopt returnships to enhance diversity and spur innovation. Attendees will gain actionable strategies to leverage returnship programs effectively, maximizing their benefits and unlocking the capabilities of seasoned professionals ready to bring resilience and fresh insights. This session will challenge the stigma around career breaks and demonstrate that, with the right support, returnees can excel and make transformative contributions, especially in securing our digital world.