Welcome to the 21st annual PASS Summit
PASS Summit has become an annual pilgrimage for thousands of SQL Server professionals from around the world to join together. My very first demo at PASS Summit was in 2010, and today marks the third time I’ve had the honor of being invited to deliver the day one keynote.
It has been incredible to reflect on how this event continues to support our community, providing unique opportunities for us to learn, connect, and share. The friends we make along the way, the networking and business opportunities that arise out of hallway meetings, the product announcements, and the technical deep dives are all focused on building and supporting the community. Because we are in this with you, PASS Summit provides us with the privileged opportunity to be able to listen to the community. To sit and understand your own firsthand experiences with the products and together embark on a journey of driving the industry forward to meet the expectations of an ever-changing tech landscape.
So to start off, a simple thank you to each one of you for spending the time, money, and energy to be a part of this amazing, open community of data friends and fans. It’s going to be a great four days.
Microsoft Azure ❤ the PASS community
There are over 300,000 members of the PASS community, and you’re our closest peers and best advisors. Whether we see you on-site, online, or in one of the thousands of events being hosted by local and virtual chapters, each one of you has helped shape the way the world uses data.
Over the last twenty years of PASS Summits, we’ve worked side-by-side to drive innovation and provide solutions to companies around the globe. This is a great opportunity to hear directly from the people behind the products you love, as well as for you to share your own experiences and insights to shape future product roadmaps. This open exchange drives us to come back each year to deliver the latest product news, the best technical sessions and demos, to host open door Data Clinics, and connect with each of you at the social events.
Interesting facts about Microsoft at PASS Summit:
- Over 1,000 attendees visited the Microsoft booth in 2018
- Over 100 Microsoft staffers attend across the engineering, support, and marketing organizations
- Over 15 years ago, Bob Ward and a few members of our CSS team started the Data Clinic with just their laptops and few whiteboards in a spare room
- 10 years ago, the Data Clinic became a force of its own when Mark Souza and the SQLCAT team joined forces with CSS to provide free one-on-one sessions with Microsoft experts, something few other events in the world provide.
And of course, there are the amazing SQL Saturday events. I’ve had first-hand experience with these over the years and the amount of learning that occurs during a one-day session is phenomenal. We encourage everyone to sign up for these events and leverage the knowledge and insights from our industry experts. Thank you to the community organizers and local PASS chapters for creating this invaluable avenue of learning for both new and seasoned data professionals.
Get prepared for the biggest and best experience yet
2019 marks a big year for data at Microsoft. We have a fantastic booth experience with five solution areas and combined Data Clinic that provides coverage across the entire Azure Data landscape. Come check out the great sessions by our own seasoned SQL pros Bob Ward, Connor Cunningham, Sanjay Mishra, and Slava Oks.
This year the team has also put together an unplugged session with key engineering leaders joined by some of the MVPs. You will hear us talk about the inner workings of the engineering team and how we collaborate with MVP’s and our SQL Community.
Additionally, Gayle Sheppard, Corporate Vice President of Azure Data, will be involved in the Women in Technology events across the Summit, attending the day one keynote luncheon, and hosting a Women in Technology (WIT) focus group where she shares her professional perspective on the industry and imparts valuable insights into the data business.
Microsoft certification boot camps
We’ve partnered with PASS to bring you exclusive training, free practice tests, and discounted certifications. All attendees of each boot camp will receive a free Microsoft Official Practice Test.
Join me LIVE at the keynote!
I can’t wait to share some monumental announcements in my action-packed keynote tomorrow where I will take you along the journey of SQL Edge to Cloud.
Join me at the Microsoft Azure Keynote tomorrow at 8:00 AM PST or live stream.
Learn about Microsoft’s presence at PASS Summit today.
