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Years ago (decades, actually), I was part of a Christian alternative music band called Now eye See Why. We performed mostly original music at coffeehouses, music festivals, and in bars in the Richmond Virginia Fan district. We made a couple recordings and were signed to a small label for a time. I sang backup (mostly) …
Continue reading Sometimes, You Need to Tune Your Guitar Differently

Join my friend and colleague, Tim Mitchell (blog | @Tim_Mitchell) and me 27 May at 12:00 PM EDT for a Linchpin People Office Hours Webinar: Is Biml Right For You?  Business Intelligence Markup Language (Biml) is a complex topic, but well worth the time to learn. Linchpin People has been using Biml for years, and …
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SQL Saturday #392 is happening THIS SATURDAY! I’m looking forward to returning to Atlanta, where almost everyone speaks without an accent. The schedule looks awesome! I’m excited that several Linchpins were selected to present because this means we’ll get to hang out in person. I’m also excited to see so many friends from #SQLFamily, too, …
Continue reading Great Scott! Linchpin People is Going… Back to SQL Saturday Atlanta!

I am honored to deliver a full-day PASS Essential in Germany 15 Jun 2015! I’ll be sharing: Advanced SSIS Design Patterns and Automation with BIML Advanced SSIS Design Patterns for performance, support, and maintain-ability Data Flow performance patterns SSIS Catalog-integrated Execution Frameworks Connections and parameters management using Catalog Environments BIML Metadata-driven SSIS pattern selection and …
Continue reading Advanced SSIS Design Patterns and Automation with Biml PASS Essential Deutschland–15 Jun 2015!

Do you remember that time kindness backfired? Do you remember kindness letting you down? Me neither. Kindness never fails. I can hear you thinking, “Yeah, Andy? Well there was this time I was kind and…” The thing you’re going to finish that sentence with, the thing that didn’t happen? That wasn’t going to happen anyway. …
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My friend and fellow Linchpin, Tim Mitchell (blog | @Tim_Mitchell) will deliver a day-long seminar titled Real World SSIS: A Survival Guide the day before SQL Saturday – Baltimore (9 May). Attend and learn more about: Handling warnings, errors, and other bad stuff Data cleansing using SSIS, T-SQL, and DQS More than just a green …
Continue reading Real World SSIS: A Survival Guide, 8 May, Baltimore

“There are two types of developers: those who test their software and those who will.” – Andy, circa 2015 It’s April Fool’s Day in the US, but I’m going to act like it’s Halloween. Software testing is no joke, and not testing should scare you. In 1996 (yes kids, years used to begin with a …
Continue reading Software Economics and Testing

“Do we get a super suit?” was Kent Bradshaw’s first response after reading the Biml Hero announcement from Varigence. Short answer: Yes. Well, not an entire suit, “a complementary Biml Hero t-shirt, polo, and jacket.” (Sorry Kent, no capes… yet…) But cool! From Varigence’s press release: Earning the Biml Hero certification will not be easy; …
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Like my maternal grandfather, Buck Mayhew, did for his grandchildren; my friend Brian Kelley (blog | @kbriankelley) gives his children nicknames. A member of an SSIS team where I once worked was known for his tendency to rewrite SSIS packages. Any package, partially complete, assigned to him would be summarily replaced. It didn’t matter how …
Continue reading If Your Name Were a Verb

It’s Pi Day! Happy Pi Day everyone! :{>