Event Agenda
Pre-Cons
Monday 9 November 2026
Professional Development
Professional Development
Room: 301 Ashnola
Adding PostgreSQL to Your SQL Server Skill Set
Grant Fritchey
Redgate
Pre-Cons
Adding PostgreSQL to Your SQL Server Skill Set
Grant Fritchey
Redgate
Pat Wright
Redgate
Session Goals: • Learn about the differences in language between SQL Server and PostgreSQL. • Understand what's different and unique in how PostgreSQL operates.
Session Prerequisites: • General understanding of SQL Server in order to understand the mapping.
Track: Professional Development
Level: Level 200
Theme: Cloud + Multi-DB
-
Monday -
9:00 AM-4:30 PM -
Room: 301 Ashnola
Database Management
Database Management
Room: 302 Beckler
Dev-Prod Demon Hunters: Finding the Real Cause of Production Slowness
Brent Ozar
Brent Ozar Unlimited
Pre-Cons
Dev-Prod Demon Hunters: Finding the Real Cause of Production Slowness
Brent Ozar
Brent Ozar Unlimited
Session Goals: • Discover what caused query plans to vary from production. • Learn how to quickly assess environment differences that would cause query plan changes. • Understand how to change dev to more closely match prod.
Session Prerequisites: • You should already be comfortable writing queries, reading execution plans, and using the First Responder Kit to gather data about your server's wait stats and health.
Track: Database Management
Level: Level 300
Theme: Cloud + Multi-DB
-
Monday
-
9:00 AM-4:30 PM
-
Room: 302 Beckler
Database Management
Database Management
Room: 305 Chehalis
Performance Troubleshooting Using Waits and Latches
Paul Randal
SQLskills
Pre-Cons
Performance Troubleshooting Using Waits and Latches
Paul Randal
SQLskills
Session Goals: • Clear understanding of what waits and latches are and how they can guide performance tuning. • Ability to run waits-related DMV scripts and know how to proceed with the results. • Understanding of common wait and latch types, what they mean, and how to react to them.
Session Prerequisites: • Familiarity with terms and concepts like transactions, locks, indexes, DMVs. Definitely not a 100-level, complete beginner workshop.
Track: Database Management
Level: Level 300
Theme: AI + Data
-
Monday
-
9:00 AM-4:30 PM
-
Room: 305 Chehalis
Analytics
Analytics
Room: 307 Methow
Building an AI-Enabled Fabric Practice
Ginger Grant
Desert Isle Group
Pre-Cons
Building an AI-Enabled Fabric Practice
Ginger Grant
Desert Isle Group
Session Goals: • Learn the tools, techniques and setup requirements to needed to create an AI environment for Fabric. • Understand the process to build repeatable AI processes to implement Fabric requirements. • Recognize how to implement testing and CI/CD elements to improve the quality of your Fabric output.
Session Prerequisites: • Some experience with Fabric is required.
Track: Analytics
Level: Level 200
Theme: AI + Data
-
Monday
-
9:00 AM-4:30 PM
-
Room: 307 Methow
Development
Development
Room: 401 Chelan
T-SQL That Doesn't Suck: Solving Performance and Concurrency Problems
Erik Darling
Darling Data
Pre-Cons
T-SQL That Doesn't Suck: Solving Performance and Concurrency Problems
Erik Darling
Darling Data
Session Goals: • Recognize and fix performance anti-patterns across joins, predicates, temp objects, CTEs, and window functions. • Understand and resolve concurrency issues including blocking, isolation levels, and lock-friendly DML. • Evaluate AI-generated T-SQL and learn to use AI tools without losing your edge.
Session Prerequisites: • You should be comfortable writing T-SQL: SELECT, JOIN, WHERE, GROUP BY, and basic stored procedures. • If you can read an execution plan without panicking, you're ready. • This session picks up where the fundamentals leave off.
Track: Development
Level: Level 300
Theme: AI + Data
-
Monday
-
9:00 AM-4:30 PM
-
Room: 401 Chelan
Architecture
Architecture
Room: 405 Kachess
Learning the Cloud: From Managing Resources to Designing Solutions
Joey D'Antoni
DCAC
Pre-Cons
Learning the Cloud: From Managing Resources to Designing Solutions
Joey D'Antoni
DCAC
Session Goals: • Evaluate and design Azure networking, security, and storage architectures beyond basic admin tasks. • Implement authentication and security strategies using Entra across your applications and data • Identify when and how to integrate AI services like OpenAI and AI Search into your solution architecture.
Session Prerequisites: • None.
Track: Architecture
Level: Level 200
Theme: Cloud + Multi-DB
-
Monday
-
9:00 AM-4:30 PM
-
Room: 405 Kachess
Professional Development
Professional Development
Room: Columbia A, 3rd Floor
First Timers Networking Event
TBD
Pre-Cons
First Timers Networking Event
Track: Professional Development
Level: Level 100
-
Monday
-
5:00 PM-5:30 PM
-
Room: Columbia A, 3rd Floor
Analytics
Analytics
Room: Columbia Ballroom, 3rd Floor
Community Kickoff & Power Hour
Ben Weissman
Solisyon
Pre-Cons
Community Kickoff & Power Hour
Ben Weissman
Solisyon
Kristyna Ferris
P3 Adaptive
Session Goals: Networking
Track: Analytics
Level: Level 100
Theme: AI + Data
-
Monday
-
5:00 PM-7:00 PM
-
Room: Columbia Ballroom, 3rd Floor
Sessions Day 1
Tuesday 10 November 2026
Professional Development
Professional Development
Room: Hyatt Regency Seattle (808 Howell Street)
Data Run
Edward Pollack
Transfinder
Sessions Day 1
Data Run
Edward Pollack
Transfinder
Track: Professional Development
Level: Level 100
-
Tuesday
-
6:00 AM-7:00 AM
-
Room: Hyatt Regency Seattle (808 Howell Street)
Architecture
Architecture
Room: Columbia Ballroom, 3rd Floor
Microsoft Keynote – AI Starts with Data: Building the Foundation for What's Next
Shireesh Thota
Microsoft
Sessions Day 1
Microsoft Keynote – AI Starts with Data: Building the Foundation for What's Next
Shireesh Thota
Microsoft
Track: Architecture
Level: Level 200
Theme: AI + Data
-
Tuesday
-
8:15 AM-9:30 AM
-
Room: Columbia Ballroom, 3rd Floor
Architecture
Architecture
Room: 301 Ashnola
Architecting Sovereign Hybrid Postgres via Kubernetes-Native Design
David Wagoner
EnterpriseDB
Sessions Day 1
Architecting Sovereign Hybrid Postgres via Kubernetes-Native Design
David Wagoner
EnterpriseDB
Session Goals: • Master sovereign architecture to eliminate vendor lock-in and ensure portability. • Implement the "DBA-as-an-Operator" model for automated resilience and Day 2 ops. • Design hybrid clusters via control plane isolation to achieve 99.999% availability.
Session Prerequisites: • Required: Understanding of Postgres administration and Kubernetes (pods, operators). • Recommended: Experience with enterprise or hybrid cloud to appreciate architectural trade-offs regarding sovereignty and resilience.
Track: Architecture
Level: Level 300
Theme: Cloud + Multi-DB
-
Tuesday
-
10:00 AM-11:15 AM
-
Room: 301 Ashnola
Architecture
Architecture
Room: 302 Beckler
SQL Server Isn’t Holding Back Your AI, But Your Process Might Be
Alexander Perry
WhereScape
Sessions Day 1
SQL Server Isn’t Holding Back Your AI, But Your Process Might Be
Alexander Perry
WhereScape
Session Goals: • Attendees will learn how to introduce AI into SQL Server data warehouse development while retaining metadata, governance and deterministic engineering controls. • They will leave with a practical architectural pattern for deciding what AI should assist with, what should remain automated and controlled and how technologies such as MCP could connect the two.
Session Prerequisites: • A basic understanding of SQL Server and common data warehouse concepts is recommended. • Familiarity with metadata-driven development, data modeling or AI agents is helpful but not required.
Track: Architecture
Level: Level 200
Theme: AI + Data
-
Tuesday
-
10:00 AM-11:15 AM
-
Room: 302 Beckler
Professional Development
Professional Development
Room: 303 Bogachiel
Preparing for the PostgreSQL Certification
Grant Fritchey
Redgate
Sessions Day 1
Preparing for the PostgreSQL Certification
Grant Fritchey
Redgate
Pat Wright
Redgate
Session Goals: • Learn about the Open Alliance for PostgreSQL Education and their new certification and it’s requirements. • Discover mechanisms and methodologies employed to help prepare for the certification test. • Explore the results of the tests and feedback for the tests themselves as well as your own preparations.
Session Prerequisites: None.
Track: Professional Development
Level: Level 200
Theme: Cloud + Multi-DB
-
Tuesday
-
10:00 AM-11:15 AM
-
Room: 303 Bogachiel
Database Management
Database Management
Room: 304 Calawah
The 2 A.M. Job Failure: Rethinking How DBAs Get Alerted
Rob Newman
JAMS Software
Sessions Day 1
The 2 A.M. Job Failure: Rethinking How DBAs Get Alerted
Rob Newman
JAMS Software
Track: Database Management
Level: Level 100
-
Tuesday
-
10:00 AM-10:30 AM
-
Room: 304 Calawah
Architecture
Architecture
Room: 305 Chehalis
How Should We Think About Performance
Xiaoyu Li
Microsoft
Sessions Day 1
How Should We Think About Performance
Xiaoyu Li
Microsoft
Session Goals: • Understand how compute, network, and storage individually and collectively shape your data workload performance • Learn to identify resource imbalances, trace performance symptoms to their root causes, and determine which tuning practices fit your workload. • Discover how Fabric Data Warehouse improves query and workload performance out of the box.
Session Prerequisites: • Attendees should have working familiarity with SQL and basic data warehousing concepts (tables, schemas, query execution) and distributed systems. • Prior exposure to Microsoft Fabric is helpful but not required.
Track: Architecture
Level: Level 300
Theme: AI + Data
-
Tuesday
-
10:00 AM-11:15 AM
-
Room: 305 Chehalis
Analytics
Analytics
Room: 306 Duwamish
Stop AI Hallucinations: Grounding Agents with Fabric Semantic Models
Sajitha Sritharan
Yazaki
Sessions Day 1
Stop AI Hallucinations: Grounding Agents with Fabric Semantic Models
Sajitha Sritharan
Yazaki
Session Goals: • Understand why AI hallucinations occur in enterprise data scenarios. • Learn how to ground AI agents using semantic models, ontologies, and guardrails in Microsoft Fabric. • Gain practical patterns to build trustworthy, auditable AI data agents.
Session Prerequisites: • Basic understanding of data platforms, analytics concepts (e.g., metrics, models). • Familiarity with AI/LLM concepts is helpful but not required.
Track: Analytics
Level: Level 300
Theme: AI + Data
-
Tuesday
-
10:00 AM-12:45 PM
-
Room: 306 Duwamish
Analytics
Analytics
Room: 307 Methow
Mastering Fabric Security: Safeguarding Your Analytics
Bradley Schacht
Microsoft
Sessions Day 1
Mastering Fabric Security: Safeguarding Your Analytics
Bradley Schacht
Microsoft
Session Goals: • Know all the options for securing a Fabric workspace and the items within it. • Know how each option works in isolation. • How they can work together to a multi-layered security approach.
Session Prerequisites: • A general understanding of Microsoft Fabric. • Know the basics of how data is stored in OneLake. • Basic knowledge of Azure networking is advised but not required.
Track: Analytics
Level: Level 200
Theme: Security
-
Tuesday
-
10:00 AM-11:15 AM
-
Room: 307 Methow
Database Management
Database Management
Room: 401 Chelan
Change Tracking in SQL Server 2025: Exploring Change Event Streaming vs CDC
Deborah Melkin
GLG
Sessions Day 1
Change Tracking in SQL Server 2025: Exploring Change Event Streaming vs CDC
Deborah Melkin
GLG
Session Goals: 1. Learn what Change Event Streaming is as it's a new feature of SQL Server 2025 2. Understand how Change Data Change & Change Event Streaming work 3. Understand the pros and cons of each and when to use them.
Session Prerequisites: No prior knowledge of CDC or CES is required
Track: Database Management
Level: Level 200
Theme: Cloud + Multi-DB
-
Tuesday
-
10:00 AM-11:15 AM
-
Room: 401 Chelan
Development
Development
Room: 402 Chiliwack
From Disarray to Hooray: SQL Server Functions That Simplify T-SQL
Peter Kruis
Kruis Database Consultancy
Sessions Day 1
From Disarray to Hooray: SQL Server Functions That Simplify T-SQL
Peter Kruis
Kruis Database Consultancy
Stephanie Reis
AAA Washington
Session Goals: • Discover lesser-known SQL Server functions you may not have encountered before. • Identify built-in SQL Server functions that replace common overengineered T-SQL patterns. • Apply practical function patterns to clean up data and reporting logic immediately.
Session Prerequisites: • A working knowledge of basic SQL (SELECT, JOINs, WHERE, GROUP BY). • Familiary with T-SQL syntax in SQL Server.
Track: Development
Level: Level 200
Theme: Cloud + Multi-DB
-
Tuesday
-
10:00 AM-11:15 AM
-
Room: 402 Chiliwack
Database Management
Database Management
Room: 405 Kachess
Defense in Depth: Securing Azure SQL Databases
Deepthi Goguri
DBA
Sessions Day 1
Defense in Depth: Securing Azure SQL Databases
Deepthi Goguri
DBA
Session Goals: • Understand how to implement a layered, defense-in-depth security strategy for Azure SQL Database. • Learn practical techniques to protect data, control access, and monitor activity effectively. • Gain hands-on knowledge to confidently secure Azure SQL databases against threats and ensure compliance.
Session Prerequisites: • SQL Server and Azure SQL knowledge.
Track: Database Management
Level: Level 200
Theme: Security
-
Tuesday
-
10:00 AM-11:15 AM
-
Room: 405 Kachess
Architecture
Architecture
Room: 304 Calawah
PostgreSQL on Azure: Choosing the Right Database for Your Workload
Ishan Sinha
Microsoft
Sessions Day 1
PostgreSQL on Azure: Choosing the Right Database for Your Workload
Ishan Sinha
Microsoft
Track: Architecture
Level: Level 200
Theme: Cloud + Multi-DB
-
Tuesday
-
10:45 AM-11:15 AM
-
Room: 304 Calawah
Database Management
Database Management
Room: 301 Ashnola
Hands-on Lab: Part 1 – Building a Goal-Oriented AI Agent for Soccer Fans with AlloyDB
Christoph Petersen
Sessions Day 1
Hands-on Lab: Part 1 – Building a Goal-Oriented AI Agent for Soccer Fans with AlloyDB
Christoph Petersen
Chris Madden
Google Cloud
Session Goals: • Learn three valuable topics for every database professional that needs to incorporate AI into their applications and into their career: – Hybrid search – Natural language to SQL – AI-assisted database operations.
Session Prerequisites: • Participants can follow the lab workbook even without much database or AI knowledge.
Track: Database Management
Level: Level 200
Theme: AI + Data
-
Tuesday
-
11:30 AM-12:45 PM
-
Room: 301 Ashnola
Database Management
Database Management
Room: 302 Beckler
Your MSSQL Environment Is Vulnerable and I Can Prove It
Fabiano Amorim
Pythian
Sessions Day 1
Your MSSQL Environment Is Vulnerable and I Can Prove It
Fabiano Amorim
Pythian
Session Goals: • Understand how MSSQL privilege escalation works across on-prem and cloud environments. • Identify default features and configurations that introduce security risk. • Apply practical techniques to detect, reduce attack surface, and prevent escalation.
Session Prerequisites: • Basic understanding of MSSQL is recommended. • Familiarity with concepts such as DB roles, permissions, triggers, jobs will help attendees follow the attack paths and defensive strategies, though key concepts will be explained during the session.
Track: Database Management
Level: Level 200
Theme: Security
-
Tuesday
-
11:30 AM-12:45 PM
-
Room: 302 Beckler
Professional Development
Professional Development
Room: 303 Bogachiel
Learning to Present and Becoming Good At It
James Serra
Microsoft
Sessions Day 1
Learning to Present and Becoming Good At It
James Serra
Microsoft
Session Goals: • Gain confidence to start presenting, even if you’re nervous or introverted. • Learn the key skills and steps to become an effective, engaging speaker. • Understand how presenting can accelerate your career and open new opportunities.
Session Prerequisites: • None.
Track: Professional Development
Level: Level 100
-
Tuesday
-
11:30 AM-12:45 PM
-
Room: 303 Bogachiel
Development
Development
Room: 305 Chehalis
A GIT Journey from Foundations to Automation for Data Professionals | From Zero to Heck Yeah! with Git and GitHub
Robert Volk
Rob Volk
Sessions Day 1
A GIT Journey from Foundations to Automation for Data Professionals | From Zero to Heck Yeah! with Git and GitHub
Robert Volk
Rob Volk
Session Goals: 1. Attendees will be introduced to basic source control concepts and techniques, 2. We will cover the practical use of Git and GitHub in several ways, including integration with tools like SSMS and VSCode, and the benefits each method offers, 3. This session will provide background for the additional Git Learning Pathway sessions
Session Prerequisites: Attendees do not need any prior knowledge of Git, GitHub, or source control concepts.
Track: Development
Level: Level 100
Theme: AI + Data
-
Tuesday
-
11:30 AM-12:45 PM
-
Room: 305 Chehalis
Development
Development
Room: 307 Methow
FinOps for Data: Reclaiming Control Through Cost Transparency
Ben DeBow
Fortified
Sessions Day 1
FinOps for Data: Reclaiming Control Through Cost Transparency
Ben DeBow
Fortified
Session Goals: • Translate technical data issues into clear financial impact with FinOps for Data. • Quantify costs of data designs, models, and code to influence stakeholders. • Build metrics and governance for cost transparency in data architecture.
Session Prerequisites: • Basic understanding of database administration or data engineering concepts. • Familiarity with SQL Server environments and common performance challenges. • Some exposure to cloud computing cost models (helpful but not required).
Track: Development
Level: Level 200
Theme: AI + Data
-
Tuesday
-
11:30 AM-12:45 PM
-
Room: 307 Methow
Analytics
Analytics
Room: 401 Chelan
The Visual Workout: 7 Practical Exercises for Stronger Reports
Katharina Covadonga Clören
Oraylis GmbH
Sessions Day 1
The Visual Workout: 7 Practical Exercises for Stronger Reports
Katharina Covadonga Clören
Oraylis GmbH
Session Goals: By the end of this session, you will be able to: • Apply a repeatable 7-step workflow for improving analytical reports. • Use templates such as a report design blueprint in real projects. • Select visuals based on analytical intent, not habit. • Reduce cognitive load and make reports easier to scan and understand. • Turn analytical findings into clear, actionable visual communication.
Session Prerequisites: • Experience creating reports in a reporting tool.
Track: Analytics
Level: Level 200
-
Tuesday
-
11:30 AM-12:45 PM
-
Room: 401 Chelan
Database Management
Database Management
Room: 402 Chiliwack
SQL Server Versioning Explained
Bob Ward
Microsoft
Sessions Day 1
SQL Server Versioning Explained
Bob Ward
Microsoft
Session Goals: • Understand how versioning works in SQL Server. • Learn how using various database options control versioning and affect performance. • Bust myths about how versioning can negatively affect your application.
Session Prerequisites: • Fundamental understanding of SQL Server.
Track: Database Management
Level: Level 300
Theme: Cloud + Multi-DB
-
Tuesday
-
11:30 AM-12:45 PM
-
Room: 402 Chiliwack
Architecture
Architecture
Room: 405 Kachess
Inside Lakebase: Postgres, Separation of Storage and Compute, and LTAP
Savannah Longoria
Databricks
Sessions Day 1
Inside Lakebase: Postgres, Separation of Storage and Compute, and LTAP
Savannah Longoria
Databricks
Session Goals: Attendees will leave understanding how Lakebase Postgres separates storage and compute to power instant branching and unified transactional and analytical access without traditional CDC pipelines.
Session Prerequisites: Basic familiarity with database systems and cloud architecture is helpful; no prior Lakebase or LTAP experience is required.
Track: Architecture
Level: Level 300
Theme: AI + Data
-
Tuesday
-
11:30 AM-12:45 PM
-
Room: 405 Kachess
Architecture
Architecture
Room: Columbia Ballroom, 3rd Floor
Redgate Luncheon – AI;BDR (AI; Because Didn't Read)
Kellyn Gorman
Redgate
Sessions Day 1
Redgate Luncheon – AI;BDR (AI; Because Didn't Read)
Kellyn Gorman
Redgate
Track: Architecture
Level: Level 300
Theme: AI + Data
-
Tuesday
-
12:45 PM-2:15 PM
-
Room: Columbia Ballroom, 3rd Floor
Database Management
Database Management
Room: 301 Ashnola
Hands-on Lab: Part 2 – Building a Goal-Oriented AI Agent for Soccer Fans with AlloyDB
Christoph Petersen
Sessions Day 1
Hands-on Lab: Part 2 – Building a Goal-Oriented AI Agent for Soccer Fans with AlloyDB
Christoph Petersen
Chris Madden
Google Cloud
Session Goals: • Learn three valuable topics for every database professional that needs to incorporate AI into their applications and into their career: – Hybrid search – Natural language to SQL – AI-assisted database operations.
Session Prerequisites: • Participants can follow the lab workbook even without much database or AI knowledge.
Track: Database Management
Level: Level 200
Theme: AI + Data
-
Tuesday
-
2:30 PM-3:45 PM
-
Room: 301 Ashnola
Development
Development
Room: 303 Bogachiel
Airflow & dbt: The Hipsters of Data Integration Meet Azure
Tomislav Hlupić
Solvership
Sessions Day 1
Airflow & dbt: The Hipsters of Data Integration Meet Azure
Tomislav Hlupić
Solvership
Session Goals: • Attendees will see where Airflow & dbt can be set up in Fabric. • How does dbt go versus more used approaches (Notebooks / Dataflows / SQL). • How can Airflow function in Fabric with the existing pipelines and notebooks.
Session Prerequisites: • Basic python knowledge just to understand the code.
Track: Development
Level: Level 200
Theme: Cloud + Multi-DB
-
Tuesday
-
2:30 PM-5:15 PM
-
Room: 303 Bogachiel
Architecture
Architecture
Room: 304 Calawah
AI in the Real World: Smarter SQL Server Performance Tuning with SQL Diagnostic Manager
Justin Wilkes
Idera
Sessions Day 1
AI in the Real World: Smarter SQL Server Performance Tuning with SQL Diagnostic Manager
Justin Wilkes
Idera
Session Goals: • Understand how AI can accelerate SQL Server query and index tuning. • See how SQL Diagnostic Manager identifies and prioritizes performance issues. • Understand how Idera supports broader SQL Server monitoring and administration.
Session Prerequisites: • Basic familiarity with SQL Server and database performance concepts.
Track: Architecture
Level: Level 200
Theme: AI + Data
-
Tuesday
-
2:30 PM-3:00 PM
-
Room: 304 Calawah
Development
Development
Room: 305 Chehalis
Git Good: GitHub and GitHub Actions for the Rest of Us
Joey D'Antoni
DCAC
Sessions Day 1
Git Good: GitHub and GitHub Actions for the Rest of Us
Joey D'Antoni
DCAC
Session Goals: • Understand how to use GitHub for source code management, including repositories, branches, and commits. • Build and configure GitHub Actions workflows to automate code, cloud, and database deployments. • Apply CI/CD best practices to improve build quality and ship software more reliably.
Session Prerequisites: • None.
Track: Development
Level: Level 200
Theme: AI + Data
-
Tuesday
-
2:30 PM-3:45 PM
-
Room: 305 Chehalis
Analytics
Analytics
Room: 307 Methow
The Fellowship of the Star Schema: Transforming OLTP Data for Power BI
Kristyna Ferris
P3 Adaptive
Sessions Day 1
The Fellowship of the Star Schema: Transforming OLTP Data for Power BI
Kristyna Ferris
P3 Adaptive
Session Goals: • Difference between OLAP and OLTP • How to create a star schema from scratch • What a slowly changing dimension is and when to use it
Session Prerequisites: • None! Come and learn!
Track: Analytics
Level: Level 100
Theme: AI + Data
-
Tuesday
-
2:30 PM-3:45 PM
-
Room: 307 Methow
Database Management
Database Management
Room: 401 Chelan
How to "Excel" as a Solo DBA
Jordan Brennan (Sassi)
The Boston Beer Company
Sessions Day 1
How to "Excel" as a Solo DBA
Jordan Brennan (Sassi)
The Boston Beer Company
Track: Database Management
Level: Level 200
-
Tuesday
-
2:30 PM-3:45 PM
-
Room: 401 Chelan
Database Management
Database Management
Room: 402 Chiliwack
Advanced Data Recovery Techniques
Paul Randal
SQLskills
Sessions Day 1
Advanced Data Recovery Techniques
Paul Randal
SQLskills
Session Goals: • Show how databases can be easily corrupted to allow DR testing. • Show how lack of backups doesn't always mean total data loss. • Show how deep the rabbit hole goes…
Session Prerequisites: • Familiarity with terms/concepts like DBCC CHECKDB, pages, records, locks, indexes. Although a 400-level session, it doesn't require that level of knowledge.
Track: Database Management
Level: Level 400
Theme: AI + Data
-
Tuesday
-
2:30 PM-3:45 PM
-
Room: 402 Chiliwack
Database Management
Database Management
Room: 405 Kachess
Pick Your Poison: Choosing the Right Edition of SQL Server
Kevin Feasel
Catallaxy Services, LLC
Sessions Day 1
Pick Your Poison: Choosing the Right Edition of SQL Server
Kevin Feasel
Catallaxy Services, LLC
Session Goals: • Learn what each edition of SQL Server includes and how they differ. • Learn how to move between editions of SQL Server, including on-premises and in Azure. • Understand when to choose which edition your own environment.
Session Prerequisites: • This session assumes some familiarity with SQL Server installation and features.
Track: Database Management
Level: Level 200
Theme: Security
-
Tuesday
-
2:30 PM-3:45 PM
-
Room: 405 Kachess
Architecture
Architecture
Room: 304 Calawah
Send In The Clones: Shrink the Agent, Not the Database
Stephen Nolan
DBGorilla
Sessions Day 1
Send In The Clones: Shrink the Agent, Not the Database
Stephen Nolan
DBGorilla
Session Goals: • Constrain the Agent: Restrict an agent to a single capability while keeping the database characteristics needed to test its changes. • Match What Matters: Identify which production characteristics an agent's test database must keep, and which it can safely generate. • Choose the Right Test Bed: Decide when a lightweight database is enough and when only a production-faithful clone gives the right answer.
Session Prerequisites: • A general idea of what a query plan is, and some experience making schema changes. No AI or ML background needed.
Track: Architecture
Level: Level 200
-
Tuesday
-
3:15 PM-3:45 PM
-
Room: 304 Calawah
Database Management
Database Management
Room: 301 Ashnola
Hands-on Lab: Part 3 – AlloyDB Agentic Operations: From Symptom to Fix
Christoph Petersen
Sessions Day 1
Hands-on Lab: Part 3 – AlloyDB Agentic Operations: From Symptom to Fix
Christoph Petersen
Chris Madden
Google Cloud
Track: Database Management
Level: Level 200
-
Tuesday
-
4:00 PM-5:15 PM
-
Room: 301 Ashnola
Development
Development
Room: 302 Beckler
Exploring SQL Server 2025's Practical Benefits for T-SQL Developers
Andy Yun
Everpure
Sessions Day 1
Exploring SQL Server 2025's Practical Benefits for T-SQL Developers
Andy Yun
Everpure
Session Goals: • Learn about the direct T-SQL enhancements that will directly impact a T-SQL developer, like RegEx and optimized sp_executesql. • Learn about the indirect enhancements in SQL Server 2025, that will improve one's T-SQL query performance, like optimized locking and IQP feedback enhancements.
Session Prerequisites: • Only general knowledge of SQL Server and T-SQL development.
Track: Development
Level: Level 200
Theme: AI + Data
-
Tuesday
-
4:00 PM-5:15 PM
-
Room: 302 Beckler
Architecture
Architecture
Room: 304 Calawah
How Agentic Memory Requirements Break Traditional Databases (And What to do About It)
Noah Sommerfeld
Databricks
Sessions Day 1
How Agentic Memory Requirements Break Traditional Databases (And What to do About It)
Noah Sommerfeld
Databricks
Session Goals: • Attendees will learn why memory is what makes agents genuinely useful, and how that reshapes the way we design and run the databases behind them. • They'll leave with a practical blueprint for building agents that remember, and a clear understanding of how Lakebase-style databases support those workloads.
Session Prerequisites: • A working knowledge of relational databases. Experience building AI agents is a bonus but not required.
Track: Architecture
Level: Level 200
Theme: AI + Data
-
Tuesday
-
4:00 PM-5:15 PM
-
Room: 304 Calawah
Analytics
Analytics
Room: 305 Chehalis
Creating Agentic Solutions with Fabric IQ
Ginger Grant
Desert Isle Group
Sessions Day 1
Creating Agentic Solutions with Fabric IQ
Ginger Grant
Desert Isle Group
Session Goals: • Configure Fabric IQ to query semantic models using natural language and return structured outputs. • Build Data Agents that execute tasks against OneLake data using defined prompts and workflows. • Orchestrate multi-step agent workflows that combine Fabric IQ insights with Data Agent execution.
Session Prerequisites: • Knowledge of Fabric is helpful.
Track: Analytics
Level: Level 200
Theme: AI + Data
-
Tuesday
-
4:00 PM-5:15 PM
-
Room: 305 Chehalis
Professional Development
Professional Development
Room: 306 Duwamish
Thriving in a Tough Job Market: Résumés, Interviews, and Career Strategy
Paresh Motiwala
Harris County, TX
Sessions Day 1
Thriving in a Tough Job Market: Résumés, Interviews, and Career Strategy
Paresh Motiwala
Harris County, TX
Session Goals: • Craft impact‑focused résumés that pass both human and ATS review. • Communicate value confidently and handle tough interview questions. • Use practical networking and job‑search strategies to stay competitive in a slow market.
Session Prerequisites: • No prior knowledge needed.
Track: Professional Development
Level: Level 100
-
Tuesday
-
4:00 PM-5:15 PM
-
Room: 306 Duwamish
Analytics
Analytics
Room: 307 Methow
Adapting for AI Readiness as a Data Professional | No Fluff, Just Facts: AI Essentials for Data Professionals
Deborah Melkin
GLG
Sessions Day 1
Adapting for AI Readiness as a Data Professional | No Fluff, Just Facts: AI Essentials for Data Professionals
Deborah Melkin
GLG
Session Goals: • Learn which AI tools are helpful. • Learn which AI-related technologies and concepts are important to understand. • Learn what the essential AI skills are to have as you move forward in your career.
Session Prerequisites: • Basic knowledge of SQL is preferred.
Track: Analytics
Level: Level 200
Theme: AI + Data
-
Tuesday
-
4:00 PM-5:15 PM
-
Room: 307 Methow
Database Management
Database Management
Room: 401 Chelan
Mom/Daughter Duo: DBA Teaches Data Engineer Security Secrets Worth Stealing
Allison Harris
NFP
Sessions Day 1
Mom/Daughter Duo: DBA Teaches Data Engineer Security Secrets Worth Stealing
Allison Harris
NFP
Sharon Reid
NISA
Session Goals: • Attendees will be able to reimagine security as a process to implement throughout the pipeline rather than a requirement at the end of the project. • Attendees will walk away with practical use cases for enacting security principles in multiple platforms.
Session Prerequisites: • You would need a basic understanding of databases and ETL processes.
Track: Database Management
Level: Level 200
Theme: Security
-
Tuesday
-
4:00 PM-5:15 PM
-
Room: 401 Chelan
Database Management
Database Management
Room: 405 Kachess
DeepSQL: How To Discover SQL Server Internals
Robert Volk
Rob Volk
Sessions Day 1
DeepSQL: How To Discover SQL Server Internals
Robert Volk
Rob Volk
Session Goals: Attendees will learn about: – SQL Server system databases and objects – Undocumented features and how to find them – How to explore internals and use SQL Server features in novel ways
Session Prerequisites: Attendees should have intermediate to advanced knowledge and experience with SQL Server, and be very curious to learn more about it. Understanding of pages, index structures, and how to use system functions and DMVs to query system status.
Track: Database Management
Level: Level 300
-
Tuesday
-
4:00 PM-5:15 PM
-
Room: 405 Kachess
Professional Development
Professional Development
Room: Columbia Ballroom, 3rd Floor
Exhibitor Reception
TBD
Sessions Day 1
Exhibitor Reception
Track: Professional Development
Level: Level 100
-
Tuesday
-
5:30 PM-7:00 PM
-
Room: Columbia Ballroom, 3rd Floor
Professional Development
Professional Development
Room: Microsoft Booth – Columbia Foyer, 3rd Floor
Book Signing at the Microsoft Booth
Bob Ward
Microsoft
Sessions Day 1
Book Signing at the Microsoft Booth
Bob Ward
Microsoft
Track: Professional Development
Level: Level 100
-
Tuesday
-
5:45 PM-6:45 PM
-
Room: Microsoft Booth – Columbia Foyer, 3rd Floor
Professional Development
Professional Development
Room: Columbia Ballroom, 3rd Floor
Games Night
Edward Pollack
Transfinder
Sessions Day 1
Games Night
Edward Pollack
Transfinder
Session Goals: An evening of relaxed, fun networking.
Track: Professional Development
Level: Level 100
-
Tuesday
-
7:00 PM-10:00 PM
-
Room: Columbia Ballroom, 3rd Floor
Sessions Day 2
Wednesday 11 November 2026
Professional Development
Professional Development
Room: Community Zone – Level 4 Foyer
Yoga With The Community
Katharina Covadonga Clören
Oraylis GmbH
Sessions Day 2
Yoga With The Community
Katharina Covadonga Clören
Oraylis GmbH
Track: Professional Development
Level: Level 100
-
Wednesday
-
6:30 AM-7:30 AM
-
Room: Community Zone – Level 4 Foyer
Professional Development
Professional Development
Room: Microsoft and AMD Breakfast, Columbia Ballroom
Breakfast with the Azure Data LT – AMA
TBD
Sessions Day 2
Breakfast with the Azure Data LT – AMA
Session Prerequisites: Doors at 6.45 AM. Please note, these sessions have limited spaces and admittance will be on a first come-first serve basis at the door. You must have favorited this session in the app for a place.
Track: Professional Development
Level: Level 100
-
Wednesday
-
7:00 AM-7:50 AM
-
Room: Microsoft and AMD Breakfast, Columbia Ballroom
Architecture
Architecture
Room: Columbia Ballroom, 3rd Floor
Redgate Keynote – Cleared for Takeoff: Database Estate Governance and Control Alongside AI
Steve Jones
Redgate
Sessions Day 2
Redgate Keynote – Cleared for Takeoff: Database Estate Governance and Control Alongside AI
Steve Jones
Redgate
Kellyn Gorman
Redgate
Tushita Gupta
Redgate
Chris Hawkins
Redgate
James Murtagh
Redgate
Shelby Vaught
Redgate
Tom Hodgson
Redgate
Track: Architecture
Level: Level 100
Theme: AI + Data
-
Wednesday
-
8:15 AM-9:30 AM
-
Room: Columbia Ballroom, 3rd Floor
Analytics
Analytics
Room: 301 Ashnola
AI-Assisted BI (AIBI): Using LLMs to Build and Maintain Semantic Models
Reid Havens
Analytic Endeavors
Sessions Day 2
AI-Assisted BI (AIBI): Using LLMs to Build and Maintain Semantic Models
Reid Havens
Analytic Endeavors
Session Goals: • Know where LLMs add real value in semantic model development and where they don't. • Practical prompting and validation patterns for DAX authoring and model refactoring. • A workflow for integrating LLMs into your existing BI development process.
Session Prerequisites: • Comfortable building semantic models in Power BI and writing DAX measures. • No prior experience with LLMs, Claude Code, or the MCP server is needed. • Familiarity with Fabric workspaces is helpful.
Track: Analytics
Level: Level 300
Theme: AI + Data
-
Wednesday
-
10:00 AM-11:15 AM
-
Room: 301 Ashnola
Development
Development
Room: 302 Beckler
Secure CI/CD for Power BI with GitHub
Akshata Revankar
Microsoft
Sessions Day 2
Secure CI/CD for Power BI with GitHub
Akshata Revankar
Microsoft
Session Goals: • Learn how to implement secure, automated CI/CD pipelines for Power BI using GitHub. • Understand versioning and deployment best practices that improve reliability and governance.
Session Prerequisites: • Familiarity with Power BI and basic DevOps concepts recommended. • Some exposure to GitHub helpful.
Track: Development
Level: Level 300
Theme: AI + Data
-
Wednesday
-
10:00 AM-11:15 AM
-
Room: 302 Beckler
Database Management
Database Management
Room: 303 Bogachiel
Bigger Estate, Same Team: Five Ways to Stay in Control and Make Your Impact Visible
Grant Fritchey
Redgate
Sessions Day 2
Bigger Estate, Same Team: Five Ways to Stay in Control and Make Your Impact Visible
Grant Fritchey
Redgate
Session Goals: • Learn how to handle common pressures in a growing estate: audit, cloud cost, migration planning, alert noise and query performance. • Use performance, cost and alert trends from Redgate Monitor to show the impact of your team's work. • See how AI supports diagnosing and fixing performance bottlenecks, whatever stage you're at in your AI adoption journey, with you in control of what it can see and do.
Session Prerequisites: None.
Track: Database Management
Level: Level 200
Theme: Cloud + Multi-DB
-
Wednesday
-
10:00 AM-11:15 AM
-
Room: 303 Bogachiel
Development
Development
Room: 305 Chehalis
A GIT Journey from Foundations to Automation for Data Professionals | From Commit to Pull Request: Practical GitHub Skills for the Modern Data Professional
Michael D'Spain
Walmart Vizio
Sessions Day 2
A GIT Journey from Foundations to Automation for Data Professionals | From Commit to Pull Request: Practical GitHub Skills for the Modern Data Professional
Michael D'Spain
Walmart Vizio
Session Goals: Participants will leave with the knowledge and confidence to use GitHub in VS Code like a modern development team, including branching, pull requests, merge conflict resolution, and AI-assisted troubleshooting.
Session Prerequisites: Basic git commands.
Track: Development
Level: Level 200
Theme: AI + Data
-
Wednesday
-
10:00 AM-11:15 AM
-
Room: 305 Chehalis
Architecture
Architecture
Room: 306 Duwamish
Architecting "Agent-Ready" Data Platforms for Multi-DB Environments
Chanpreet Singh
AWS
Sessions Day 2
Architecting "Agent-Ready" Data Platforms for Multi-DB Environments
Chanpreet Singh
AWS
Session Goals: • Build Agent-Ready Foundations: Move from RAG to Agentic Data Engineering for Multi-DB navigation. • Automate Observability: Master frameworks for monitoring AI batch inference and trust. • Enforce Security: Apply Policy-as-Code to secure AI in hybrid-cloud architectures.
Session Prerequisites: • Attendees should have a foundational understanding of relational databases (SQL Server or PostgreSQL) and basic CI/CD concepts. • Familiarity with core AI terms like RAG or Vector Search is helpful, but not required.
Track: Architecture
Level: Level 300
Theme: Cloud + Multi-DB
-
Wednesday
-
10:00 AM-12:45 PM
-
Room: 306 Duwamish
Analytics
Analytics
Room: 307 Methow
Adapting for AI Readiness as a Data Professional | AI in the SQL World: Tools We Have & Tips for Using Them
Taiob Ali
GMO LLC
Sessions Day 2
Adapting for AI Readiness as a Data Professional | AI in the SQL World: Tools We Have & Tips for Using Them
Taiob Ali
GMO LLC
Session Goals: • Learn about helpful ways to integrate AI into our daily workflows. • Learn about what coding assistants are and how they can helpful in data-related development. • Learn about implementing "AI search" in Azure SQL and SQL Server and what developers mean when they ask us to do that.
Session Prerequisites: • A basic knowledge of SQL is preferred.
Track: Analytics
Level: Level 200
Theme: AI + Data
-
Wednesday
-
10:00 AM-11:15 AM
-
Room: 307 Methow
Architecture
Architecture
Room: 401 Chelan
Modernize Without Moving (Yet): SQL with Azure Arc & Fabric Database Hub
Ben Weissman
Solisyon
Sessions Day 2
Modernize Without Moving (Yet): SQL with Azure Arc & Fabric Database Hub
Ben Weissman
Solisyon
Session Goals: • Understand how to enhance on-prem SQL Server functionality through Arc. • Build a central management pane for your entire SQL estate, no matter where it is. • Facilitate easy migrations.
Session Prerequisites: • Basic understanding of SQL Server and Azure terminology.
Track: Architecture
Level: Level 200
Theme: Cloud + Multi-DB
-
Wednesday
-
10:00 AM-11:15 AM
-
Room: 401 Chelan
Database Management
Database Management
Room: 402 Chiliwack
An Inside Look at How Microsoft Builds SQL Features
Bob Ward
Microsoft
Sessions Day 2
An Inside Look at How Microsoft Builds SQL Features
Bob Ward
Microsoft
Naveen Prakash
Mircrosoft
Travis Wright
Microsoft
Session Goals: • Learn internals of important features of SQL Server. • Learn how Microsoft uses AI to build features to apply to your own application and system. • Have fun watching SQL experts debug and build the product on stage!
Session Prerequisites: • A fundamental understanding of SQL Server.
Track: Database Management
Level: Level 400
Theme: AI + Data
-
Wednesday
-
10:00 AM-12:45 PM
-
Room: 402 Chiliwack
Database Management
Database Management
Room: 405 Kachess
Migrating Your SQL Server DBA Skills to PostgreSQL
Dave Bland
Lexia Learning
Sessions Day 2
Migrating Your SQL Server DBA Skills to PostgreSQL
Dave Bland
Lexia Learning
Session Goals: • The attendee will be able to state some common PostgreSQL terms and how they related to tasks in SQL Server. • The attendee will be able to list common tools used to manage a PostgreSQL database. • The attendee will be able to state the role of the vacuuming process in a PostgreSQL system.
Session Prerequisites: • Some basic SQL Server DBA skills would be helpful.
Track: Database Management
Level: Level 200
Theme: Cloud + Multi-DB
-
Wednesday
-
10:00 AM-11:15 AM
-
Room: 405 Kachess
Database Management
Database Management
Room: 301 Ashnola
SQL Server 2025 Vectors: Under the Hood and Into Production
Anthony Nocentino
Everpure
Sessions Day 2
SQL Server 2025 Vectors: Under the Hood and Into Production
Anthony Nocentino
Everpure
Session Goals: • Describe vector data type internals: storage, indexing, and query execution. • Evaluate vector index performance and limitations at scale. • Apply application architecture patterns to build a working application using SQL Server 2025's vector search capabilities.
Session Prerequisites: • Core database engine concepts like data types, indexes and reading query plans.
Track: Database Management
Level: Level 300
Theme: AI + Data
-
Wednesday
-
11:30 AM-12:45 PM
-
Room: 301 Ashnola
Database Management
Database Management
Room: 302 Beckler
PostgreSQL Storage Internals: From MVCC to TOAST and Beyond
Adam Machanic
Stealth Startup
Sessions Day 2
PostgreSQL Storage Internals: From MVCC to TOAST and Beyond
Adam Machanic
Stealth Startup
Session Goals: • Understand the PostgreSQL storage system. • Understand how to make informed design decisions based on storage system tradeoffs.
Session Prerequisites: • Some knowledge of how database systems work (either SQL Server or Postgres). • Basic SQL.
Track: Database Management
Level: Level 300
Theme: Cloud + Multi-DB
-
Wednesday
-
11:30 AM-12:45 PM
-
Room: 302 Beckler
Database Management
Database Management
Room: 303 Bogachiel
Who's Really Logged In? Practical Governance for AI in Your Database Estate
Kellyn Gorman
Redgate
Sessions Day 2
Who's Really Logged In? Practical Governance for AI in Your Database Estate
Kellyn Gorman
Redgate
John Martin
Redgate
Session Goals: • Know the risks. Understand how sensible shortcuts quietly give AI agents more access than anyone intended. • Leave with five practical principles. Apply them to your own estate straight away, whatever tools you use. • Know how to answer “what did the agent do?” Learn what to put in place now so you're not caught out after an incident.
Session Prerequisites: • Working knowledge of SQL Server administration: logins, users, roles and permissions. • Comfortable reading basic T-SQL queries. • Familiarity with the database settings DBAs typically manage. CIS Benchmarks® experience is helpful but not required. • No experience with AI agents or Redgate Monitor needed.
Track: Database Management
Level: Level 200
Theme: AI + Data
-
Wednesday
-
11:30 AM-12:45 PM
-
Room: 303 Bogachiel
Architecture
Architecture
Room: 304 Calawah
Shattering Records: Architecting a 1,000,000 IOPS SQL Server
Christoph Petersen
Sessions Day 2
Shattering Records: Architecting a 1,000,000 IOPS SQL Server
Christoph Petersen
Chris Madden
Google Cloud
Session Goals: • Performance: Aligning VM specifications with next-gen block storage to eliminate I/O bottlenecks. • Continuity: Evaluate HA/DR patterns that maintain performance parity during failover. • Cost: Balance resource elasticity and SQL Server core licensing to maximize price-performance.
Session Prerequisites: • Designed for DBAs and architects who need to push SQL Server to its physical limits. • This session provides the technical blueprint for building one of the fastest database environments possible today.
Track: Architecture
Level: Level 300
Theme: Cloud + Multi-DB
-
Wednesday
-
11:30 AM-12:45 PM
-
Room: 304 Calawah
Analytics
Analytics
Room: 305 Chehalis
I Let an LLM Build My Semantic Model (Here's What Happened)
Reid Havens
Analytic Endeavors
Sessions Day 2
I Let an LLM Build My Semantic Model (Here's What Happened)
Reid Havens
Analytic Endeavors
Session Goals: • See a real LLM-driven semantic model development workflow using Tabular Editor CLI. • Know what LLMs handle well in model development and where they need human oversight. • A practical setup for integrating LLMs into your own development process.
Session Prerequisites: • Experience building semantic models and writing DAX in Power BI. • No experience with LLMs, Claude Code, or Tabular Editor CLI required.
Track: Analytics
Level: Level 200
Theme: AI + Data
-
Wednesday
-
11:30 AM-11:40 AM
-
Room: 305 Chehalis
Analytics
Analytics
Room: 307 Methow
Adapting for AI Readiness as a Data Professional | Keeping Up Without Falling Down: AI's Future for Data Professionals
Matt Gordon
Lean TECHniques
Sessions Day 2
Adapting for AI Readiness as a Data Professional | Keeping Up Without Falling Down: AI's Future for Data Professionals
Matt Gordon
Lean TECHniques
Session Goals: • Learn what to learn and what skills to develop to keep up with the AI-driven evolution of our jobs as data professionals. • Learn how to apply that knowledge and those newfound skills to your work now. • Learn how to take care of ourselves in an increasingly turbulent technology landscape.
Session Prerequisites: • A basic knowledge of SQL is preferred.
Track: Analytics
Level: Level 200
Theme: AI + Data
-
Wednesday
-
11:30 AM-12:45 PM
-
Room: 307 Methow
Database Management
Database Management
Room: 401 Chelan
Read Committed Is Cruel by Default
Erik Darling
Darling Data
Sessions Day 2
Read Committed Is Cruel by Default
Erik Darling
Darling Data
Session Goals: • Spot the blocking, deadlocks, and outright wrong query results that locking Read Committed produces by default, and why reaching for NOLOCK makes all of it worse. • Understand how Read Committed Snapshot Isolation and Snapshot Isolation fix that with row versioning, and what they cost you (the version store, update conflicts, and the few things they don't fix). • Leave able to choose row versioning for the bulk of a workload and handle the exceptions with targeted locking hints, instead of living with whatever the installer left on.
Session Prerequisites: • Comfortable reading and writing everyday T-SQL, plus a general sense of what a transaction is. • No prior knowledge of isolation levels, locking internals, or row versioning is needed; the session builds all of it up.
Track: Database Management
Level: Level 300
-
Wednesday
-
11:30 AM-12:45 PM
-
Room: 401 Chelan
Architecture
Architecture
Room: 405 Kachess
Governing AI Agents: Designing Skills for Control and Trust
Tyler Garner
X-Energy
Sessions Day 2
Governing AI Agents: Designing Skills for Control and Trust
Tyler Garner
X-Energy
Session Goals: • Understand how to design skills as governed interfaces for AI agents. • Learn to implement policy-driven access, observability, and auditability. • Apply patterns to transform experimental agents into controlled, production-ready systems.
Session Prerequisites: • Familiarity with SQL, basic API concepts, and general understanding of AI/LLM use cases. • No prior experience building AI agents is required, but attendees should be comfortable with architectural concepts and data system design patterns.
Track: Architecture
Level: Level 300
Theme: Security
-
Wednesday
-
11:30 AM-12:45 PM
-
Room: 405 Kachess
Architecture
Architecture
Room: 305 Chehalis
GenAI for Schema Conversion: What It Actually Gets Right (and Wrong)
Marcelo Fernandes
AWS
Sessions Day 2
GenAI for Schema Conversion: What It Actually Gets Right (and Wrong)
Marcelo Fernandes
AWS
Session Goals: • Understand where generative AI reliably accelerates schema conversion and where it introduces subtle errors. • Learn practical strategies for validating and testing AI-generated database code. • Build realistic expectations for incorporating GenAI into your database migration workflow.
Session Prerequisites: • Experience with MSSQL and T-SQL. • Basic understanding of database migration concepts and schema conversion challenges. • Familiarity with stored procedures, functions, and database code objects. • No prior experience with generative AI tools required.
Track: Architecture
Level: Level 100
Theme: AI + Data
-
Wednesday
-
11:40 AM-11:50 AM
-
Room: 305 Chehalis
Database Management
Database Management
Room: 305 Chehalis
Synchronous Availability Groups Don’t Always Mean Zero Data Loss
Theodoros Katsimanis
KaizenGaming.com
Sessions Day 2
Synchronous Availability Groups Don’t Always Mean Zero Data Loss
Theodoros Katsimanis
KaizenGaming.com
Session Goals: • Understand why synchronous commit does not always guarantee zero data loss. • Identify two configuration settings that allow committed data to be lost during failover. • Configure Availability Groups correctly when zero data loss is a strict requirement.
Session Prerequisites: • Basic understanding of SQL Server and Availability Groups is required. • Familiarity with transaction logs, commit behavior, and high availability concepts is helpful. • Some experience with production systems will make the session easier to follow.
Track: Database Management
Level: Level 300
Theme: Security
-
Wednesday
-
11:50 AM-12:00 PM
-
Room: 305 Chehalis
Database Management
Database Management
Room: 305 Chehalis
DIY Log Shipping for RDS
Matthew Gantz
Versant
Sessions Day 2
DIY Log Shipping for RDS
Matthew Gantz
Versant
Session Goals: • Be able to setup a log shipping solution from on-prem to AWS. • Be able to reverse the log shipping to rollback to on-prem.
Session Prerequisites: • Some background knowledge of log shipping is helpful but not strictly required.
Track: Database Management
Level: Level 200
Theme: Cloud + Multi-DB
-
Wednesday
-
12:00 PM-12:10 PM
-
Room: 305 Chehalis
Development
Development
Room: 305 Chehalis
Native Regex on the Microsoft Data Platform
Edward Pollack
Transfinder
Sessions Day 2
Native Regex on the Microsoft Data Platform
Edward Pollack
Transfinder
Session Goals: • Learn about the many new Regex functions in T-SQL. • Understand how these new functions can simplify code and improve preformance. • Learn how to use these as strict upgrades to existing functions.
Session Prerequisites: • None.
Track: Development
Level: Level 100
-
Wednesday
-
12:10 PM-12:20 PM
-
Room: 305 Chehalis
Professional Development
Professional Development
Room: 305 Chehalis
7 Simple Strategies to Combat Imposter Syndrome
Amy Abel
Straight Path
Sessions Day 2
7 Simple Strategies to Combat Imposter Syndrome
Amy Abel
Straight Path
Session Goals: • Identify signs of imposter syndrome to recognize when self-doubt is clouding your judgment. • Understand how feelings of fraudulence can negatively impact your career growth and daily decision making. • Apply practical strategies and personal techniques to overcome the inner critic.
Session Prerequisites: • None.
Track: Professional Development
Level: Level 100
-
Wednesday
-
12:20 PM-12:30 PM
-
Room: 305 Chehalis
Professional Development
Professional Development
Room: Columbia Ballroom, 3rd Floor
WIT Luncheon: What Do You Do When You Hear The Word "No"?
Ginger Grant
Desert Isle Group
Sessions Day 2
WIT Luncheon: What Do You Do When You Hear The Word "No"?
Ginger Grant
Desert Isle Group
Session Goals: • Don’t give others the power to control your destiny. • Attendees should know the word no is a choice not an absolute. • Have the agency to determine what to do when you hear the word no, not meekly do what others feel you should.
Track: Professional Development
Level: Level 100
-
Wednesday
-
12:45 PM-2:00 PM
-
Room: Columbia Ballroom, 3rd Floor
Professional Development
Professional Development
Room: Columbia Foyer, 3rd Floor
Exhibitor Raffles
TBD
Sessions Day 2
Exhibitor Raffles
Track: Professional Development
Level: Level 100
-
Wednesday
-
1:45 PM-2:15 PM
-
Room: Columbia Foyer, 3rd Floor
Architecture
Architecture
Room: 301 Ashnola
Empowering Lakehouse Solutions with Fabric Warehouse
Christian Henrik Reich
Microsoft
Sessions Day 2
Empowering Lakehouse Solutions with Fabric Warehouse
Christian Henrik Reich
Microsoft
Session Goals: • Understand where Fabric Warehouse fits in a Lakehouse architecture. • Learn how it interoperates with Spark and Lakehouses. • Leave with practical guidance on performance, workload placement, and effective use in real Fabric solutions.
Session Prerequisites: • Basic familiarity with data warehousing, SQL, and modern analytics architectures is helpful. • Some knowledge of Microsoft Fabric or Lakehouse concepts will make the session easier to follow. • Deep Fabric Warehouse experience is not required.
Track: Architecture
Level: Level 300
Theme: AI + Data
-
Wednesday
-
2:15 PM-3:30 PM
-
Room: 301 Ashnola
Architecture
Architecture
Room: 302 Beckler
Choosing the Right Data Store: An Overview of Azure Data Platform Choices
Denny Cherry
Denny Cherry & Associates Consulting
Sessions Day 2
Choosing the Right Data Store: An Overview of Azure Data Platform Choices
Denny Cherry
Denny Cherry & Associates Consulting
Session Goals: • How to select the correct database platform for your database. • Differences between the different Azure offerings.
Session Prerequisites: • None.
Track: Architecture
Level: Level 200
Theme: AI + Data
-
Wednesday
-
2:15 PM-3:30 PM
-
Room: 302 Beckler
Database Management
Database Management
Room: 303 Bogachiel
Who Reviewed That Migration? Database Change Control in the Age of AI
Rene Garza
Redgate
Sessions Day 2
Who Reviewed That Migration? Database Change Control in the Age of AI
Rene Garza
Redgate
Session Prerequisites: None.
Track: Database Management
Level: Level 100
Theme: AI + Data
-
Wednesday
-
2:15 PM-3:30 PM
-
Room: 303 Bogachiel
Professional Development
Professional Development
Room: 304 Calawah
The Recovering Shy Person's Guide to Putting Yourself Forward
Lenore Flower
Data Plumber, LLC
Sessions Day 2
The Recovering Shy Person's Guide to Putting Yourself Forward
Lenore Flower
Data Plumber, LLC
Session Goals: • Identify barriers "different" professionals face — neurodivergence, underrepresentation, and patterns that hold you back. • Apply strategies for finding your voice as a speaker, blogger, or advocate. • Define one concrete next step toward visibility you can act on today.
Session Prerequisites: • No prior knowledge required.
Track: Professional Development
Level: Level 100
-
Wednesday
-
2:15 PM-3:30 PM
-
Room: 304 Calawah
Database Management
Database Management
Room: 305 Chehalis
What’s New in Microsoft SQL in 2026 | Data Exposed Live
Anna Hoffman
Microsoft
Sessions Day 2
What’s New in Microsoft SQL in 2026 | Data Exposed Live
Anna Hoffman
Microsoft
Track: Database Management
Level: Level 100
-
Wednesday
-
2:15 PM-3:30 PM
-
Room: 305 Chehalis
Analytics
Analytics
Room: 306 Duwamish
Observability for Microsoft Fabric: What's Happening in Your Platform
Jonathan Stewart
SoundBI
Sessions Day 2
Observability for Microsoft Fabric: What's Happening in Your Platform
Jonathan Stewart
SoundBI
Session Goals: • Build a capacity monitoring practice using the Capacity Metrics App semantic model. • Implement automated pipeline and notebook failure detection across workspaces. • Connect capacity, pipeline, model health, and freshness signals into a unified platform health view.
Session Prerequisites: • Working knowledge of Microsoft Fabric administration or data engineering. • Familiarity with Fabric workspaces, pipelines, and semantic models. • Experience with capacity management or platform monitoring is helpful but not required.
Track: Analytics
Level: Level 300
Theme: AI + Data
-
Wednesday
-
2:15 PM-3:30 PM
-
Room: 306 Duwamish
Database Management
Database Management
Room: 307 Methow
Turbocharge Your AI Agent with SQL Server and Google Cloud
Tim Chapman
Sessions Day 2
Turbocharge Your AI Agent with SQL Server and Google Cloud
Tim Chapman
Itay Maoz
Session Goals: • Learn how a modern AI agent is built with SQL Server and AI technologies from Google Cloud including Gemini, MCP servers, and the Agent Development Framework.
Session Prerequisites: None.
Track: Database Management
Level: Level 200
Theme: AI + Data
-
Wednesday
-
2:15 PM-3:30 PM
-
Room: 307 Methow
Database Management
Database Management
Room: 401 Chelan
PostgreSQL Indexes for the SQL Server DBA
Rick Lowe
Data FLowe Solutions LLC
Sessions Day 2
PostgreSQL Indexes for the SQL Server DBA
Rick Lowe
Data FLowe Solutions LLC
Session Goals: How clustered indexes are different between the platforms Why vacuuming is critical for pg High level understanding of pg index types
Session Prerequisites: Some familiarity with PostreSQL is assumed, and a firm understanding of SQL Server indexing will be helpful in following the comparisons.
Track: Database Management
Level: Level 300
-
Wednesday
-
2:15 PM-3:30 PM
-
Room: 401 Chelan
Database Management
Database Management
Room: 402 Chiliwack
Always On Availability Groups and Failover Clustering Internals
Edwin M Sarmiento
15C
Sessions Day 2
Always On Availability Groups and Failover Clustering Internals
Edwin M Sarmiento
15C
Session Goals: • Learn the interaction between SQL Server and the Windows Server Failover Cluster to achieve high availability. • Avoid performing administrative tasks that jeopardizes availability of SQL Server databases. • How to use the cluster error log with SQL Server logs to troubleshoot availability issues.
Session Prerequisites: • Attendees should have experience deploying SQL Server Always On Availability Groups on Windows Server Failover Clusters.
Track: Database Management
Level: Level 400
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Wednesday
-
2:15 PM-3:30 PM
-
Room: 402 Chiliwack
Database Management
Database Management
Room: 405 Kachess
Inside Real SQL Server Breaches: Privilege Escalations and How to Stop It
Andreas Wolter
Sarpedon Quality Lab LLC
Sessions Day 2
Inside Real SQL Server Breaches: Privilege Escalations and How to Stop It
Andreas Wolter
Sarpedon Quality Lab LLC
Fabiano Amorim
Pythian
Session Goals: • How privilege escalation paths in SQL Server actually work in practice. • Why common security configurations and assumptions fail. • How to detect suspicious behavior using auditing, T-SQL, and native tooling. • What concrete steps you can take to harden your environment.
Session Prerequisites: • Basic understanding on SQL Server security features.
Track: Database Management
Level: Level 300
Theme: Security
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Wednesday
-
2:15 PM-3:30 PM
-
Room: 405 Kachess
Architecture
Architecture
Room: 301 Ashnola
The Architecture Gap: Why Your AI Strategy Is Slower Than You Think
Kevin Wilkie
Sherpa of Data
Sessions Day 2
The Architecture Gap: Why Your AI Strategy Is Slower Than You Think
Kevin Wilkie
Sherpa of Data
Session Goals: • Evaluate if your current data architecture can support AI workloads. • Identify architectural anti-patterns (such as lift-and-shift) that can increase cost and complexity. • Apply hybrid architecture strategies to better align platforms with AI use cases and business outcomes.
Session Prerequisites: • Attendees should have intermediate familiarity with data platforms, including data warehousing and ETL/ELT processes. • Experience with platforms such as SQL Server, Snowflake, and Microsoft Fabric is helpful, but not required.
Track: Architecture
Level: Level 200
Theme: AI + Data
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Wednesday
-
3:45 PM-5:00 PM
-
Room: 301 Ashnola
Database Management
Database Management
Room: 302 Beckler
SQL Server Always On Deployments: What Works, What Breaks, and What to Do
Marcelo Adade
DBBITS
Sessions Day 2
SQL Server Always On Deployments: What Works, What Breaks, and What to Do
Marcelo Adade
DBBITS
Session Goals: • Plan reliable Always On AG and FCI deployments. • Identify and prevent common configuration and operational failures. • Troubleshoot real-world Always On issues more effectively.
Session Prerequisites: • Some knowledge and experience related to HADR and Always On AGs and FCIs in SQL Server.
Track: Database Management
Level: Level 300
Theme: Cloud + Multi-DB
-
Wednesday
-
3:45 PM-5:00 PM
-
Room: 302 Beckler
Analytics
Analytics
Room: 303 Bogachiel
Building Secure Text-to-SQL Chatbots with PostgreSQL RLS
Durga Prasad
Amazon
Sessions Day 2
Building Secure Text-to-SQL Chatbots with PostgreSQL RLS
Durga Prasad
Amazon
InduTeja Aligeti
AWS (Amazon Web Services)
Session Goals: • Architect a Text-to-SQL pipeline with role-based schema pruning and column-level access control. • Implement AST-based SQL validation to catch unauthorized queries before execution. • Configure PostgreSQL RLS policies that automatically enforce row-level security in chatbot responses.
Session Prerequisites: • Attendees should have experience with SQL databases and basic understanding of API development.
Track: Analytics
Level: Level 300
Theme: Security
-
Wednesday
-
3:45 PM-5:00 PM
-
Room: 303 Bogachiel
Development
Development
Room: 304 Calawah
A GIT Journey from Foundations to Automation for Data Professionals | The Automation Engine for Modern DBAs and DBREs Using GitHub
Amy Abel
Straight Path
Sessions Day 2
A GIT Journey from Foundations to Automation for Data Professionals | The Automation Engine for Modern DBAs and DBREs Using GitHub
Amy Abel
Straight Path
Session Goals: • Understanding the Git ecosystem, the difference between Git and GitHub. • Using branching and merging as a safety net for isolating change. • Leveraging GitHub Actions, Webhooks, Issue Templates, and automation.
Session Prerequisites: • Basic Tech Skills Familiarity with files, folders, and the command line. • DevOps Curiosity A desire to automate manual database deployments. • No Prior Git Experience Required We start with fundamentals then advance to automation.
Track: Development
Level: Level 200
Theme: Cloud + Multi-DB
-
Wednesday
-
3:45 PM-5:00 PM
-
Room: 304 Calawah
Development
Development
Room: 305 Chehalis
Azure PowerShell for DBAs: Stop Clicking, Start Scripting
Mikey Bronowski
DataPopkorn.com
Sessions Day 2
Azure PowerShell for DBAs: Stop Clicking, Start Scripting
Mikey Bronowski
DataPopkorn.com
Session Goals: • Automate common Azure SQL management tasks using PowerShell. • Reduce time spent on repetitive portal work with practical, reusable scripts. • Build a foundation for scripting in Azure without needing to be a developer.
Session Prerequisites: • Basic PowerShell and SQL knowledge.
Track: Development
Level: Level 100
Theme: Cloud + Multi-DB
-
Wednesday
-
3:45 PM-5:00 PM
-
Room: 305 Chehalis
Analytics
Analytics
Room: 306 Duwamish
Eventhouse: The Hidden Power Behind Fabric Real-Time Intelligence
Frank Geisler
GDS Business Intelligence GmbH
Sessions Day 2
Eventhouse: The Hidden Power Behind Fabric Real-Time Intelligence
Frank Geisler
GDS Business Intelligence GmbH
Session Goals: • Understand the internal architecture of Eventhouse. • Optimize ingestion and query performance for real-time workloads. • Design scalable and cost-efficient Eventhouse solutions.
Session Prerequisites: • Solid Microsoft Fabric experience. • KQL (Kusto Query Language). • Data architecture knowledge.
Track: Analytics
Level: Level 300
Theme: AI + Data
-
Wednesday
-
3:45 PM-5:00 PM
-
Room: 306 Duwamish
Professional Development
Professional Development
Room: 307 Methow
Leadership Essentials for Data Teams
Aaron Cutshall
SQLRV, LLC
Sessions Day 2
Leadership Essentials for Data Teams
Aaron Cutshall
SQLRV, LLC
Session Goals: • Understand fundamental leadership principles. • Encourage growth amidst personality conflicts. • Build & enforce standards with incomplete or missing requirements.
Session Prerequisites: • None.
Track: Professional Development
Level: Level 100
-
Wednesday
-
3:45 PM-5:00 PM
-
Room: 307 Methow
Database Management
Database Management
Room: 401 Chelan
Ensuring Data Integrity: Validation Strategies for PostgreSQL Migrations
Vanshika Nigam
Amazon Web Services
Sessions Day 2
Ensuring Data Integrity: Validation Strategies for PostgreSQL Migrations
Vanshika Nigam
Amazon Web Services
Amit Arora
Amazon Web Services
Session Goals: Attendees will leave equipped with a comprehensive validation toolkit and decision framework for selecting the right approach based on their specific migration scenario, source database platform, and data complexity requirements.
Session Prerequisites: Basic understanding of databases, cloud and migrations
Track: Database Management
Level: Level 200
Theme: AI + Data
-
Wednesday
-
3:45 PM-5:00 PM
-
Room: 401 Chelan
Database Management
Database Management
Room: 402 Chiliwack
Pokemon, Choose Your Index: You Can't Have Them All
Brent Ozar
Brent Ozar Unlimited
Sessions Day 2
Pokemon, Choose Your Index: You Can't Have Them All
Brent Ozar
Brent Ozar Unlimited
Session Goals: • Understand how index column order affects query processing. • Learn why you shouldn't start indexes with non-selective columns. • Discover how to craft indexes that are useful for all kinds of queries.
Session Prerequisites: • You should be comfortable reading T-SQL queries.
Track: Database Management
Level: Level 300
Theme: AI + Data
-
Wednesday
-
3:45 PM-5:00 PM
-
Room: 402 Chiliwack
Database Management
Database Management
Room: 405 Kachess
AI-Powered SQL Dev with VS Code and Copilot
Anupama Natarajan
Pearl Innovations Limited
Sessions Day 2
AI-Powered SQL Dev with VS Code and Copilot
Anupama Natarajan
Pearl Innovations Limited
Bhaskar Natarajan
Pearl Innovations Ltd.
Session Goals: • Set up modern SQL development workflow in VS Code. • Use Copilot for query generation and optimization. • Implement Git-based database DevOps.
Session Prerequisites: • Basic SQL development experience. • Familiarity with Git/version control. • Optional: Exposure to DevOps practices.
Track: Database Management
Level: Level 300
Theme: AI + Data
-
Wednesday
-
3:45 PM-5:00 PM
-
Room: 405 Kachess