Combination of Both Worlds

I just recently came back to my blog and noticed that my last post stated that I was going back to Oracle. I did, but the fit with that employer was not the best and I moved on to another company at the beginning of 2016. I couldn't be happier with that move in 2016. I get to work with SQL Server and Oracle along with other software packages. Some items that I am working on or researching and would like to blog about in the future, Automic Scheduling software, SQL Server on Linux, Azure, Azure Analysis Services, Business Intelligence, Power BI, Oracle Data Guard, Oracle Cloud and other various items.

Going back to Oracle

I am thrilled to say that after 4 years of working with Microsoft SQL Server and the BI Tool Stack, I am going back to working with Oracle. I enjoyed working with Microsoft and getting to add another tool in my tool belt, but I am very excited about this new opportunity.

Hopefully this opportunity will lend itself to more blog posts.

Stay tuned for more details.

Being lucky enough to go from DBA to Microsoft Business Intelligence

So far in my career I have been lucky enough to work with some really hot products. I started out of school as an Oracle DBA, while also performing SAP Basis duties. I did this for about 3 years, when I decided it was time to try something new. What I didn't know at the time was that my Director did not want to lose me as a resource.

Our company was also starting to migrate our current Oracle and Cognos Data Warehouses to a Microsoft Data Warehouse. With my background as a DBA, they felt it was the next logical step in my career and they were right. I started in the group taking on SQL Server DBA tasks, while gaining the necessary skills with the Microsoft BI Stack. Looking back this was such an amazing opportunity. I was able to be an integral part of building the new warehouse from scratch. I had some brilliant co-workers, that were so willing to help me learn. I also had the opportunity to work with some really knowledgeable consultants from Pragmatic Works. A side effect to our company moving from the previous data warehouse to the new data warehouse was adopting Agile development. I had the opportunity to attend many BI related and Agile related trainings.

And now after leaving that company to join my current employer, I have continued to expand my BI skills. I am once again back to doing a lot of the SQL Server DBA tasks, but also learning more aspects of the process. I am still using Agile and the BI stack, but I've had the ability to bring my ideas to another warehouse conversion while also learning new approaches to migrations,  development and architecture.

My future goals are to become MCSE Certified and work towards an Architect position. At some point, I would also like to become a Microsoft MVP.