Today was our marathon day of classes: we covered performance tuning concepts with Kevin Kline, bad habits to avoid in SQL Server with Aaron Bertrand, and Brent Ozar provided a very well-received session covering analysis of your SQL Server Plan Cache.

The day started early for me as they always tend to on the SQL Cruises.  I knew that I’d be able to hit the back deck of the ship where we’ve been holding Office Hours and find Brent though.  He takes “early-riser” to a new level.  We had a great conversation about the future of SQL Cruise, the current class of Cruisers, the state of SQL Server, coffee, and technology.  I’ve not had the opportunity to pull Brent aside to talk much on this SQL Cruise and it was a nice hour or so having this discussion and watching the sun crest over the Caribbean Sea to our Southeast.

I excused myself so Brent could finish up his prep-work for the Plan Cache BI presentation and joined him and the Cruisers for the presentation.  Brent was nervous about this presentation since he doesn’t typically do demos and this was a new presentation for him.  He did a great job and the comments I’ve since heard from the Cruisers place this one near the top of the heap for this SQL Cruise.

After a break for a group lunch we collected back in the conference room and dove into Aaron Bertrand’s session on Bad T/SQL Habits to Kick.  I really enjoyed this session because it highlights many of the things I have done in the past or sometimes still find myself doing ashamedly.  There were definitely many points made that I still see in my day-to-day administration work when I review ISV code and architecture!  I was surprised a bit at the unwillingness of the Cruisers to admit they still do some of these things themselves.  Either that, or it’s because we simply have an amazing group on board this time around!  (We Do!)

Kevin wrapped up the day with his performance tuning presentation.  Usually a full-day precon, he dove into one of the modules for us in great depth and it dovetailed nicely into all the presentations we’ve had to date on this SQL Cruise.  Kevin was definitely a hit with all the Cruisers and I look forward to him hopefully presenting for us again on a future SQL Cruise!

After class we were able to enjoy the waning sunlight and take in a bit of Office Hours time before heading back inside to group up for various dinner arrangements.  Many of us met again for the 7-pm The Second City show.  For those of you not familiar with The Second City it is the improvisational comedic guild that gave rise to such talents as John Belushi, Gilda Radner, Steven Colbert, Rick Moranis, and Eugene Levy.  They take suggestions from the audience and incorporate it into their show.

Thanks to Yours Truly they gave the audience insight into a day in the life of a group of Database Administrators.  (A nice call back for me because I recall getting a different troupe to do likewise on our very first SQL Cruise.)

Oh, and don’t worry folks… it seems as though from the performers and audience alike NO ONE KNOWS WHAT WE DO.  Unless it involves jiggling wires to make things go faster – and we all know that’s the job for a Server Engineer.