In case you missed it

dbatools teammates Constantine Kokkinos, Rob Sewell and I will be presenting a full-day session at PASS Summit in Seattle, WA, USA on Tuesday, October 31, 2017! Our precon will have a lab and we’re nearly at capacity — you’ll need to sign up now to ensure a spot.

Major Contributors Shawn Melton, Sander Stad and Brandon Abshire will help proctor the docker-based SQL Server lab.

Chrissy

CK

Rob

Shawn

Sander

Brandon

You may notice that Aaron Nelson is no longer a part of the precon He had a scheduling conflict and will be presenting with his coworker Paul Turley at the BI Precon, which is also the same day.

Agenda

Here is our carefully crafted agenda. It is intended to provide a solid overview of SQL Server PowerShell and leave you feeling pumped about getting ready to code in PowerShell, whether you are a SQL DBA, Developer or BI Dev.

Morning

In the morning, we open with a short session about the history of SQL PowerShell and where we are today. CK will then give an introductory session that demonstrates how PowerShell and T-SQL can be alike.

Next, I will talk about the benefits of PowerShell and give practical examples that demonstrate when to choose PowerShell and when to stick with T-SQL. Then, by request, I’ll briefly discuss PowerShell remoting, which provides a natural segue to addressing community concerns about PowerShell security.

Finally, Rob will no doubt explode onto the stage, sharing how Pester is a game changer for SQL Server DBAs and developers. He’ll also discuss how we use Pester and live SQL Server instances within our own projects to keep quality high and bugs low.

Afternoon

After lunch we will jump into dbatools where CK will lead you through a docker-based lab. The lab will include audience participation where we will perform a migration and demonstrate some of our most useful (and fun) commands in an isolated, contained environment.

Next up, Rob will share best practices about scheduling PowerShell tasks in SQL Server Agent. Then I’ll discuss SQL PowerShell development within dbatools and perform some live coding.

Finally, we’ll conclude with a roundtable of SQL PowerShell lessons learned.

Slack-integrated precon

Before and during the precon, we’re offering a private channel in the SQL Server Community Slack where you can ask questions and get answers from teammates in real time. This is offered, in addition to asking questions in person, for those that are a bit shy or need an extended explanation during the precon.

Seats are limited

Because of the hands-on lab, seats have been limited so if you want to learn PowerShell from the dbatools team, head to the PASS Summit Precon Page and sign up! We’re all looking forward to seeing you there.

For those of you who have already signed up, expect to hear from us soon about the simplified lab setup and private Slack channel.

- Chrissy

If you’re already familiar with the project and would like to bypass the intro, you can jump right to the demo.

Want to know more?

During our PASS Summit pre-con, we’re aiming to go in-depth with topics like when to use T-SQL vs. when to use PowerShell, and how you can build your own SQL PowerShell commands, complete with Pester tests, too. We’ll also touch on important topics like PowerShell Security Myths vs. Facts.

We’re excited about our agenda, but would also like to know what you’re looking to learn. Feel free to hit us up with requests or questions.

If you’re not on Slack or Twitter, you can also email me at [email protected]

- Chrissy

Rob Sewell will also be joining us as a guest presenter and it looks like teammates Sander Stad and Shawn Melton will help proctor the lab

Chrissy

CK

Rob

Sander

Shawn

Want to know more? Here’s our abstract.

Standing on the Shoulders of Giants: Community-proven PowerShell Solutions for Every Data Platform Pro
 

You’ve heard a lot about PowerShell recently because a lot has changed. Now, you don’t need to be a coder to get things done; you can lean on hundreds of community-created commands that solve many of the problems we all share.
 

In development and need a nightly refresh? Architecting and need to find duplicate indexes fast and easy? Putting on your BI hat and need quick importing and exporting of data? Join us and we’ll supply a hands-on lab for your laptop where you can experience PowerShell’s realized potential, crafted by both Microsoft and the SQL community.
 

Whether you need a prepackaged solution or the building blocks to roll your own fix, you will leave with awesome tools to manage your most annoying problems. And maybe – hopefully – you’ll even be confident enough to contribute your own solutions to share with the community.

So come hang out with us at PASS Summit! You’ll get access to a super fun lab and learn more about PowerShell through both dbatools and awesome Microsoft projects at our pre-con: sqlps.io/precon.

- Chrissy