From today, we’re accepting nominations for the 2011
Exceptional DBA Awards. DBAs make a vital contribution to the running of the
companies they work for, and the Exceptional DBA Awards aim to acknowledge this
and make this contribution more widely known. Check out our new website for all
the info: www.exceptionaldba.com
Being an exceptional DBA doesn’t mean you have to sleep at
the office, or know everything there is to know about SQL Server; who ever
could? It means that you make an effort to make your servers secure and reliable,
and to make your users’ lives easier. Maybe you’ve helped a junior colleague
learn something new about server backups? Or cancelled your coffee break to get
a database back online? Or contributed to a forum post on performance
monitoring? All of these actions show that you might be an exceptional DBA.
So have a think about the tasks you do every day that
already make you exceptional – and then get started on your entry! You just
need to answer a few questions on our website about your experience as a DBA,
some of your biggest achievements, and any other activities you participate in
within the SQL Server community.
Anyone who is currently working as a SQL Server database
administrator can enter, or be nominated by someone else. We’ve got four
fantastic judges for the Awards, who you’ll be familiar with already: Brent
Ozar, Brad McGehee, Rodney Landrum and Steve Jones. They’ll pick five
finalists, and then we’ll ask the SQL Server community to vote for their
winner.
Not only could you win the respect and recognition of peers
and colleagues, but the prizes also include full conference registration for
the 2011 PASS
Summit in Seattle (where the awards ceremony will take place), four nights'
hotel accommodation, and $300 towards travel expenses. The winner will get a copy
of Red Gate’s SQL
DBA Bundle – and they’ll also be featured here, on Simple-Talk.
So what are you waiting for? Chances are you’ve already made
a small effort for someone today that means you might be an exceptional DBA.
Visit the website now, and start writing your entry – or nominate your
favourite DBA to enter: www.exceptionaldba.com
