Welcome

Passionately curious about Data, Databases and Systems Complexity. Data is ubiquitous, the database universe is dichotomous (structured and unstructured), expanding and complex. Find my Database Research at SQLToolkit.co.uk . Microsoft Data Platform MVP

"The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing" Einstein



Thursday 24 December 2020

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas and a safe Christmas to all. I look forward to seeing you after Christmas at Data Toboggan. Please submit your sessions or register to attend




Christmas 2020 Data Pictures: Data Paths

 A picture tells a 1000 words. Just a bit of fun collating some ideas about a dath paths and roles in the new world.


Wednesday 23 December 2020

Christmas 2020 Data Pictures: Data Artifacts

A picture tells a 1000 words. Just a bit of fun collating some ideas about data artifacts.


Monday 21 December 2020

Data Toboggan is live

Data Toboggan is a new community conference specializing in Azure Synapse Analytics. The conference will run 30 Jan 2021. It is a free community event. Something to brighten the new year with. 

The tagline is The slope that enables predictive analytics

It is about  the slope to predictive analytics. The accelerated  journey you can take. A metaphor.

The amazing logo was created by Nightingale HQ. 

The call for Speakers is open https://sessionize.com/data-toboggan


I hope you can submit a session and / or attend the event. We actively encourage new speakers and diversity and inclusion. We look forward to seeing you there.

Christmas 2020 Data Pictures: Exploratory Data Analysis

A picture tells a 1000 words. Just a bit of fun collating some ideas about a exploratory data analysis (EDA). The term first promoted by John Tukey in his seminal work in 1977. I followed these approaches in my PhD.





Saturday 19 December 2020

PASS cease operations

I read some sad news. PASS have been an amazing organization for helping me grow my data platform expertise, learn and network in the database world. The summit events will always be something to remember. They have just always been there. It is sad to have another casualty of COVID-19. 



PASS could not have anticipated the impact COVID-19 would have on the world, and on our organization. We are all reeling from what this year has been and done, and it is with heavy hearts that we must share yet one more bit of bad news from the annus horribilis that was 2020.


We are saddened to tell you that, due to the impact of COVID-19, PASS is ceasing all regular operations, effective January 15, 2021.


With the registration shortfall from PASS Virtual Summit, a lack of cashflow, and considering future obligations that PASS has on the books (i.e. 5 years’ worth of convention center and hotel agreements), PASS has no choice but to cease its operations and pursue dissolution. During our December 3rd, 2020 Board meeting, the PASS Board unanimously approved taking next steps in this unfortunate, but necessary, direction.


PASS has engaged experienced insolvency counsel and other professionals. All steps that PASS takes now are under the advice of our independent legal counsel as a part of the insolvency process. This includes communications, debt repayment, asset disbursement, conducting Board business, and all other actions.


We encourage you to take full advantage of any access that you have to PASS content between now and January 15, 2021. After that point, PASS servers will cease to function and members will no longer be able to access any PASS resources. So, in the meantime, you can watch sessions on our website, and download session recordings that you’ve purchased or that you have access to as a PASS Pro member. Please take full advantage of this exclusive content while you can.


Thank you for your support and engagement over the years. We wish you all the best.


The PASS Board

Out of ashes rises something new that shines brightly in the sky. A beacon of hope and new beginnings. Time to create a new free community conference and #sqlfamily home that utilizes technology, not just  Teams and virtual conferencing but create a virtual world with 3d imaginary of yourself for full interaction with ones peers. There needs to be a central hub as it is so important to be a part of the community to share, grow and innovate. That is what makes the #sqlfamily such a strong community.

Christmas 2020 Data Pictures: Data Acquisition Strategy

A picture tells a 1000 words. Just a bit of fun collating some ideas about a data acquisition strategy.



Friday 11 December 2020

Christmas 2020 Data Pictures: Data Strategy

A picture tells a 1000 words. Just a bit of fun collating some key points about data strategy.

Wednesday 9 December 2020

Christmas 2020 Data pictures: Data Governance

  A picture tells a 1000 words. Just a bit of fun collating some key points about Data Governance.























Tuesday 8 December 2020

Christmas 2020 Data pictures: Data Quality

  A picture tells a 1000 words. Just a bit of fun collating some key points about Data Quality. 







Sunday 6 December 2020

Christmas 2020 Data pictures: Data Ethics

A picture tells a 1000 words. Just a bit of fun collating some key points about data ethics. The only problem is there is so much to include that one picture does include so much. 



Saturday 5 December 2020

Data Toboggan

I would like to run a virtual conference at the end of January beginning of February called Data Toboggan. The slope that enables predictive analytics. 

I would like these session types 

  • 4 ice sessions that may be short sessions for new speakers \ diversity enabled
  • snow transformative innovation sessions
  • toboggan regular session 

I think what it needs is 

  • a logo
  • website
  • sessionize for call for submissions 
  • the sessionize schedules published to the website to show local times zones and agenda
  • meetup for attendees booking
  • MSTeams for the conference sessions

I was hoping a few people would be interested and willing to help join together to bring this event to life. 



Thursday 3 December 2020

Shape Your Future with Azure Data and Analytics

The Shape Your Future with Azure Data and Analytics digital event on 3rd December 2002 shared how a unified, end-to-end platform for data and analytics builds business agility and resilience. There is an imperative for digital transformation to take place. The speed of that transformation will define an organisations future. It is that tech intensity that Satya Nadella keeps mentioning.





The ability to empower people intelligently, virtually optimise operations and transform products is the future he sees. It is this analytical power that will turn an organisation from being reactive into being proactive. This predictive power will transform organizations. Data is your most strategic asset and it should be listed as its own line as a business asset.











It was announced that Azure Synaspe became generally available.

A tool that I wasn't aware of was Azure Synapse link. Azure Synapse Link enables no complex Extract Transform and Load of data to get to the analytics.

Digital transformation is never done. It is lots of little races to improve things. Once the data foundation is built there is freedom which enables flexibility to reimage the process then automate it. Data is going to define the century in the environment and health care resilience. The ability to test hypothesis's in parallel and experiment every day transforms the efficiency and effectiveness of the world.

The many speakers talked about the core capabilities of Analytics and AI and Data Governance. Microsoft announced Azure Purview, a unified data governance platform. It will change the way businesses grow and enable predictive power. Data governance is key to gaining control over the data. Reimagine data governance as the heart of every successful data project.  Data governance reimagined with a business glossary, a trusted data dictionary and no more building manual ontologies with automated classification. As well as a linage function you can look downstream to see where all the data is being used. It see this as being amazingly helpful in supporting business. It is a data map across your data estate that will register, scan and auto classify data. A business glossary helps drive meaning. Azure Purview changes the game in governance and was a missing piece. 












Wednesday 2 December 2020

Christmas 2020 Data pictures: Data Value

 A picture tells a 1000 words. Just a bit of fun collating some key points about the value of data.


Tuesday 1 December 2020

Christmas 2020 Data pictures: Data Catalogue

 A picture tells a 1000 words. Just a bit of fun collating some key points about Data Catalogues.