SQLPeople

1. Everyone’s an accidental DBA (or database professional) – what’s your story? How’d you become a SQLPerson?

By accident, quite frankly! Seriously though, I was a hardware/network admin at a manufacturing plant where they had a time and attendance application that was running rather poorly. After having read the manufacturer’s specifications for the product, I quickly determined that my predecessors had grossly under-built the machine. It was SQL2000 and had only 1Gb of RAM. The data disks were filling up as well (undersized), forcing a manual shrink about twice a week. Since they had recently parted ways with the lady that tended this machine (her only job), and it ‘appeared’ to be a hardware problem, it fell squarely in my lap. Before I agreed to have my way with the machine, or to make any promises as to future performance joy with it, I managed to secure a paltry budget for upgrading RAM and disks, as well as a ‘what happens if I get stuck’ promise of help from the application’s vendor.

After Googling how to move data files and how SQL used RAM, I was in the green. Performance was better than on day One and I was a hero. In fact, they liked my efforts so much, they foisted a (similar) SPC gauging system on me to improve. Similar in its deficits to the system mentioned above, this one used Access 97 as a database. After more researching, procuring an actual server for the task, and learning how to get data out of Access and into SQL, I was, again, golden.

One may notice from my tone (“foisted”, “fell squarely”, etc.) that I seemed none too happy about working with SQL. I was not. Keep in mind that I was hardware and network, not database. I came from the UNIX world, so servers and connections were my bag. Infrastructure, man, that’s where it’s at. Data and applications were not necessarily my cup ‘o tea. I often remarked about how vast UNIX was, that one could study his entire career and not know it all. But as time went on, the allure of SQL kept drawing me in and it was not very long before I realized that SQL has this same ‘bigness’ about it. And it’s a good thing, too, because since UNIX has faded away (mostly), SQL is, I believe, just now reaching a good stride. I feel that I am on the leading edge of a huge wave, and that wave is going to take me places that I never even dreamt of.

2. What’s your favorite part of your current gig?

I am not in my happy place…yet, but I can tell you, there is never a shortage of work. Working here makes me think of a mission to Africa. Everywhere you look, there is something that can be done to make life better. It is not always appreciated, or even noticed, but at the end of the day, you know you did it, you know you made a difference.

3. Complete this sentence: “If I could do anything else, I would…”

Play and write music, without a doubt. If I could make a living I would do it in an instant. I am in awe of those that have had the courage to devote their lives to it. I remember the day my cousin said to me, ” this is what I am going to do for the rest of my life.” He has seen some hard times because of it, but if there is a map of your life with a big red X on it where you are supposed to be standing, then man he nailed the bull’s eye. That takes guts.

4. Complete this sentence: “When I’m not working I enjoy…”

Time with my wife, horses and other animals, and with my parents. Yes, I am fortunate enough to still have both of them, and they are still married…to each other. This is why I probably have not gone any farther in my career than I have; my area is rather underprivileged. I could have moved to a big city with more opportunity, but my family is here. This is where I belong. I enjoy the country, family, animals, farm life, and I eschew traffic.

5. Complete this sentence: “I think the coolest thing in technology today is…”

This time we live in…right now…is the best time for technology, because it moves so fast. That is the coolest thing to me. I am not ‘old’, but just in my lifetime I have witnessed 45′s and LP’s, reel to reel tape, 8-track tape, cassette tape, CD’s, DVD’s and now Blu-Ray. Punch cards, punch tape, mag tape, mag drums, 51/4″ floppies, 3 1/2″ floppies, Zip tapes, USB drives, SAN and NAS. Oh, and SSD’s. What’s next? I don’t know, but I am sure it will be cool as heck.

6. Complete this sentence: “I look forward to the day when I can use technology to…”

…control my technology. I know, this sounds weak, but think about it. If you are any kind of gadget guru, you must be thinking that there is a better way to control all of your technology than by using multiple devices and multiple platforms. I long for the day that all the major manufactures see the merit in standardizing and making things cross-platform. You all know what I am talking about here. Take for example the Apple/Microsoft rift, or the Android/iOS chasm. If I owned a Zune and wanted to use iTunes, it should not be a problem. That may be a bad example (before anyone hammers me on interoperability of iTunes), but you get my point. We…us…we create this technology. We should learn to make it work -for- us…in all senses of the concept. We have (collectively) done great things, but we can do better.

7. Share something different about yourself. (Remember, it’s a family blog!)

Most people are not sure how to take my personality. I am jovial, sometimes too much so, but deadly serious when the conditions call for it. I am usually calm under pressure and handle emergencies quite well, probably resultant from my many days as an IT-EMT of sorts. I am resourceful, tenacious, ingenious, a regular MacGyver at times. I can be brutally honest, and this is where I lose people. Most are not able to handle too much honesty. I did not completely inherit my Father’s complete lack of tact, but my word filter is sometimes switched ‘off’.

My take on it is like this: if I am doing something wrong or I look stupid, I would want somebody to tell me. I am just returning the favor I remember North Carolina Senator Jesse Helms. You might not like what he said or what he believed in, but you always knew where you stood with him. That’s how I was raised, that’s who I am.

Originally published January 16th, 2012.