SQLPeople

At a previous job I was web developer working using SQL Server as a backend. Over time I moved from just writing queries to database design, and creating ETL processes to move data from the data warehouse (Oracle) over to SQL Server, to taking on admin duties as well. I’ve been heavily involved with SQL Server ever since.

Like many in the IT field I started out in the technical support role as my first real IT job. The application I was supporting made heavy use of the database and I learned how to troubleshoot everything from the database. From there I became an application admin for said application which included managing the databases and finally became a regular DBA shortly after that.

The other guy was sick one day and… I’m kidding! I’ve showed interest in databases even when I was in school. I had great mentors along the way. After I graduated, I had a friend who was well positioned as a SQL Server professional. I took his lead and here I am. Now if I look back, I must say, I don’t know anything else.

I was working at an outsourcing company in Buffalo, NY doing technical support for WordPerfect when two different positions became available. One was a WordPerfect trainer, one was Informix tech support. I applied for the trainer position, but somehow things got mixed up and I was called in to interview for the Informix job. I didn’t even know what Informix was, what Unix was. My manager assured me that I wanted this job, if at all possible. So I interviewed, and I got the job!

I worked on MS Access databases until they were out grown. One sip of the REAL SQL KoolAid and I was hooked…

I accidentally started using databases back in 1982. It was a product called T.I.M, and it was written in ROM-BASIC for the IBM-PC. I first learned how to use SQL Server (6.5) as a trainer at a Microsoft Certified Training Center for three years. I then leveraged my training experience to get my first ful-time job as a SQL Server DBA.

While working L2 support on an Electronic Health Record I started digging into the SQL code to save the development team we escalated to some time. I got to the point where I was sending them recommended code fixes instead of asking for help. From there I took on several other roles and ended up just doing team and project management so I switched to another team to prep servers for an upgrade.