What a DBA wants for Christmas

In the first few years of ITBookworm.com, we made sure to make up holiday lists of the most awesome gadgets and software that we’d reviewed that year. In recent years, we’ve focused more and more on MidnightDBA, and now on MidnightSQL consulting, leaving us a lot less time for reviewing and listing.

But I really like lists. So I shall make you one.

And yes, DBAs want more time, more training, more tech, more hardware, and better processes. I’m going to do my best not to make this a cliche’d list. So here, according to the blogs I’ve written in 2013, is what I (and DBAs like me) want for Christmas.

Fuzzy, Warm Gifts

• More talks with smart, fun people. Like the talks we’ve had at conferences past…
• How about a free ebook of DBA advice? DBA Jumpstart answers, “if you could give a DBA on piece of advice, what would it be?”
• To be better understood. In this case, for the folk I work with to understand the very basics of clustering, and why RAID by itself isn’t a good enough backup/DR solution.
• Upgrade. It’s 2013, and you should really GET OFF OF SQL SERVER 2000.

Straight-up Technology

• Basic freedoms online, like privacy. Remember CISPA? And how CISPA/SOPA/PIPA kept cropping up? And…oh heck, just follow EFF.org, would you?
• Moar Powershell! For example, for installing .NET! And for finding files!  And us, on the Powerscripting podcast! Powershell for everyone!!
• More cool SQL things, like 2012’s FileTable.
• And the MidnightSQL server evaluation script. That one’s not really for me, it’s for you. You’re welcome.

Stuff you want to spend your money on

• Like Tribal SQL, a new book by new voices in SQL Server.
• Like Pragmatic Works’ DTS xChange.
• Like Redgate’s SQL Data Compare.
• And like a week on a (#SQLCruise) boat. We went this year, and it was simplhy fantastic.

And, what? What else does a DBA want for Christmas?

Happy (holly)days,
Jen McCown
www.MidnightDBA.com/Jen