About Me
Download My Free Twitter Book
I’m a 35-year old guy who works from home in Chicago, Illinois as a Microsoft SQL Server tuner and trainer for SQLskills.
I’m one of the authors of Professional SQL Server 2008 Internals and Troubleshooting.
I’ve got a wonderful girlfriend named Erika, a beautiful Schnauzer mix named Ernie, and a passion for travel.
What I Tweet & Blog About
Some of my more popular blog posts include:
- Microsoft SQL Server news, tips, and tricks
- How to use Twitter and how to get started blogging
- Top 10 Reasons I’m Not Following You on Twitter – if you’re following people and they’re not following you back, find out why.
- Best Books for SQL Server DBAs – my recommendations for getting trained.
- SQL Server Perfmon Counter Tips – a tutorial on how to use Performance Monitor to gather information about your database servers.
- Top 10 Questions to Ask Before Taking an IT Job – make sure you don’t get on board a sinking ship.
- SQL Server Installation Best Practices – configuring service accounts, drive config, partition alignment, and more.
- SQL Server Backup Best Practices – learn these before it’s crash time and your rear is on the line.
If you like the sound of those, you can sign up for email delivery of my new blog posts. They come out a couple of times a week, and I never send spam.
Hope you do not mind me asking…how do you have time being a production DBA, writing books, managing this site, twitt and still have a LIFE ? I was told that a production DBA is a 24 hour job, is that right ? And how can you be a production DBA working from home ?
Well, I work a heck of a lot. As I type this, I’m standing in line at the grocery store. When you love what you do, you keep finding more ways to work more hours.
DBA work is very well suited for remote work because DBAs often pass off the hands-on systems administration to the Windows guys.
BrentO, Master
I’m a newbie, and, just ‘tweaked’ my Twitter w/PowerTwitter and now, using tinyurl, i see a link to bity.ly instead of MY tinyurl (that i KNOW isn’t ‘badware’ and yet that’s what powerTwitter is showing and WORSE, on their site where you go on a redirect when you click that message, it’s RISK – DANGER Will Robinson DANGER…
WTF, over? is it just a competitor for tinyurl and peeing on them or?
ken @progressivevoip
Yep, Bit.ly is just one of dozens of URL-shortening companies.
BrentO,
It was nice to finally meet you at PASS. Though I did miss out on the bacon!
You too! I love that summit – it’s like a class reunion.
Brent:
We miss you guys and know that you’re enjoying the tropical weather in Chi town. Looks to me like you’re into a lot of new stuff which is a natural progression of everything you’ve been doing up until now–and the co-authorship, what a great thing! Hope you’ll still talk to us when you’re a famous big-wig CEO of your own company.
We got back last week from a 7 day cruise out of Galveston and had a wonderful bottle of wine on the ship, an Austrailian Wolf Blass 2006 Shiraz, cheap and ready to drink, doesn’t even need to breathe. We liked it so much so that we had it 3 nites in a row. If you pick one up pls let us know what you and Erika think of it (and Ernie too.)
What’s Erika up to these days? Is the FAA still on her radar screen?
Harold worked for a year at the CBOT trading bonds before moving on to Boston and then Stockholm. Here’s the web site for his new company that he started up from scratch, http://reztart.se/
When do we get to see you guys??
Happy Holidays, hugs and lots of love….
Hey man! We miss you and Bev too! I can’t believe how fast time is flying by. We ended up canceling the November trip for a few reasons, but I’m hoping we get back down to Houston this year for a visit.
I’ve gotten my hands into all kinds of things, that’s for sure. The book was a total shock – I was unbelievably honored that they’d even ask me to participate. It drained a lot of time, but the more time that passes since the work, the better I feel about it. The book’s about to come out in the next couple of weeks, and I’m pretty psyched.
We miss cruising! We’ve been looking at Alaskan cruises in September. My dad’s always wanted to go on one, so we’re going to surprise him with one this year. (I can say this because he doesn’t read my comments here, hahaha.)
Erika’s still looking to sign back on with the FAA, but it is one heck of a slow-moving process. Some candidates are delayed by as much as a couple/few years before they get the call back again. Erika’s going back to work in the private sector, doing interviews this week.
Happy holidays to you too! Tell Bev & Harold we said hi!
Sir
I want to study asp.net(VB,) with in 4 months for joining to a web developing job.Actually I am very weak in programing.Last three years
I don’t have any relation with programing.When I am start to learn the tutorial through net I can’t get the continuity.So please advice me
how I can continue.which parts I can study step by step.
Sorry, I’m a database guy, not a programming guy. I’d suggest starting by visiting programming blogs.
Hi Brent,
I found you when I was looking for a translation of the oft used tweet “apos”. I am trying to get started on Twitter, but feel like
a fish out of water with all the abbreviations and acronyms! I have down
loaded your free book, thank you very much!, and hope you will take a
minute to tell me what “apos” stands for. I have found several sites with
explanations, but not for that one.
I am a 70 years young band manager, and would like to use Twitter for brief updates and news sharing with Special Blendz fans, but need to know what I’m doing first!
Thanks for listening, and have a wonderful day!
Carole
BTW, I read that you visit Houston and I just got back to PA from Houston, where my oldest son lives. Beautiful country but too hot and humid for me! I am originally from Maine, and I just can’t adapt to that weather! LOL
Hi, Carole – sorry, but I don’t know what “apos” stands for. Can you point me to a tweet where I can see it in context?
Brent,
Sadly I missed the computer ship way back when I was a lad but have recently have found myself building more and more complex databases which then feed into graphical, analytical software via ODBC. The databases are solely in MSAccess but your tweets have sparked something in me. Do you think it to late to look at a career change intp SQL and if not where would one start? I’m 43.
I appreciate your a busy man but any assitance you could provide a rookie would be appreciated.
Cheers
Hi, Christopher. Unfortunately, I don’t have an easy answer – your best bet is to click on the Becoming a DBA links at the top of this page and see if the many articles I’ve written help guide you. Hope that helps!