Pass Summit 2017

Today starts the Pass Summit 2017 taking place in Seattle.
After a small fly over the Ocean, more than 10 hours… yesterday, and a nice jet lag which avoid me to sleep later than 4AM this morning, I arrived to the Convention Center in Seattle where the Pass takes place.

I start this first day by the session of Itzik Ben-Gan: T-SQL Tips and Tricks.
As part of the session, Itzik spoke about batch processing (start with 2012) which boost the execution of T_SQL script compare to Row execution mode.
The problem is that Batch mode is just available with columnstore indexes. So if you don’t have a columnstore index in your table you cannot benefit of this feature.
To cheat this drawback Itzik showed us the possibility to create a filter columnstore index (filter CI start with 2016) which will return no row but will enable the possibility to use batch processing.
Well done!

After a quick lunch, I continue this first day by the Session of Drew Furgiuele:

After having explained why to use PowerShell (automation, bridge between tools…) and how to install the SQLSERVER module (Install-Module SQLSERVER or Save-Module SQLServer), Drew shown how to use this module.
The first interesting point is how to browse SQL Server once the module has been installed.
For that just execute the PS script:

cd SQLSERVER:\

And after connection to your SQL Server instance with cd sql\<servername>\default for a SQL Server default instance or \<instancename> for a named instance it’s possible to browse your complete instance as you can do via SQL Server Management Studio with commands like:

$dbs = Get-Item
$dbs = Get-Item ¦ where-object {$_.name -eq AdventureWorks2104}

Easy for a fist step with PowerShell.
Of course Drew showed us really more with PowerShell scripts copying tables from an instance to an other one, managing backups identically in your whole environment or executing a Point in time restore.
Well done Drew.

The last session of the day as 2 parts and is driven by Glenn Berry about Migration to SQL Server 2017.
Glenn explained that there is plenty Reasons to upgrade to SQL Server 2017: great new features, features available with Standard Edition (start with 2016 SP1)…
But he also pointed that there is also big performance differences between Standard and Enterprise Edition with examples using columnstore indexes or when running a dbcc checkdb.
So it’s not just new features that are available with Enterprise Edition, it could also provide great performance gain which is often forgotten.
There is also limitation for memories, sockets and physical cores usage with Standard Edition, don’t build a Virtual Machine for a Standard Edition with too many memories or sockets/cores because it will not be able to use them 😉 You can learn more on Glenn Berry’s blog.

This first day was very great with lot’s of interesting sessions.
It’s time now to visit a little bit Seattle and waiting tomorrow for the second day with some other great sessions and speakers!