I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but we’re quickly gaining on having information that we can use to help address some of the issues going on in the world. Almost predictively. You can tell because so many time we’re able to look back on an incident and see the information bits that we known and draw conclusions about whatever is […]
Author: Stephen Wynkoop
Spring (er, Fall) Cleaning For Your System
Recently, we’ve been going through our systems in anticipation of a move to a new SQL Server environment. Partly because of the version upgrade, partly because it seemed originally like the right thing to do. Now, after we’ve been starting to investigate further the process of figuring out the unused items, and the breadth of the issue, it seems even […]
Shadow Analytics – A Risky Reality
Shadow Analytics – where end-users are extracting data, doing calculations on and relying on that data, and storing and using it in ways that don’t necessarily tie back to the data origins very well – came from the need to move more quickly than their IT teams can move in allowing access to data and information. Here’s some more information […]
Of Databases and Backwards Compatibility
Caught this post about a presentation by Simon Sabin (@simon_sabin) talking about treating your databases and the integration with them like you would an API. It’s an apt comparison – and the ideas are really interesting in the post. Of particular interest was the concept that, as you roll through updates and changes going forward, you can maintain some great […]
We’re Just Getting Started with AI…
Remember, we’re dipping our toes in the proverbial pool at this point with AI. There are incredible things going on, and things we’re learning can be applied and learned from yet again. What strikes me is that we expect all of this to be perfect at such a “young” time in the technologies. Yesterday, the editorial was about AI and […]
Chain of Ownership, Data, and AI
Interesting points about the whole artificial intelligence thought process. It’s come up before that assuring the chain of ownership and who did what to information is critical when it comes to the trust of information. If you don’t know how numbers were derived, or who modified them since they were calculated, how can you trust them? I’ve felt this uneasiness […]
Machine Learning, AI, Automation in SQL Server, Oh My!
There has been quite a bit done on the intelligence front with SQL Server – as in built-in functionality and changes that will help you bring these tools not only to the environment, but also to your own applications. As one example, In-database Machine Learning in SQL Server 2017 – “You can start using Python-based in-database Machine Learning Services for production […]
Vendor Lock-In Challenges
I have to admit, I approached the whole question yesterday quite differently that everyone else. I was worried more about new standards, development trajectories, compatibility and so-on. When I wrote about the vendor-specific database flavors… I missed what could certainly be the larger issue. John Shadows wrote: 100% cloud also means you have to play by the cloud rules all […]
Would You Use a Provider DB Engine?
Perhaps one of the odder questions I’ve asked. For example, would you use a Microsoft-branded tweaked database platform? Would you use an Amazon-branded, or Google-branded of the same? The major players seem to see these as the way forward, and I have to admit it has me both intrigued and baffled. A strange combination for sure. With Microsoft, it’s Cosmos […]
Backup and Restore… No, Really.
I cannot tell you how many webcasts, articles, sessions and such have been done about backup and restore. But here we are again. Saying similar things, with different icing on the cake I suppose. Essentially – make sure they work, make sure you know how to use them, and test your “assuredness.” This applies whether you’re on-premise or in the […]