http://www.windowsitpro.com/authors/author/author/5086182/rss/5086182en-USSun, 27 May 2012 06:04:32 GMTSun, 27 May 2012 06:04:32 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/article/sql-server/training-sql-server-newbies-avoid-basic-database-mistakes-143183
By Brian Moran
SQL Server professionals still forget to put indexes on tables and still forget to test their backups. Do other professions do a better job of training newbies so that certain basic mistakes tend to be avoided as each new generation of workers come through the ranks?]]>Brian MoranWed, 23 May 2012 20:00:00 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/article/sql-server/training-sql-server-newbies-avoid-basic-database-mistakes-143183http://www.windowsitpro.com/article/storage-management/big-data-storage-cost-142921
By Brian Moran
DBAs and software architects may want to consider whether businesses are storing more data than actual business needs dictate. ]]>Brian MoranWed, 25 Apr 2012 09:46:25 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/article/storage-management/big-data-storage-cost-142921http://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/leap-think-54/sql-server/coach-142980
By Brian Moran
Coaching as a profession has been gaining more traction in recent years but professional coaching in the business space is still a concept that is a bit nebulous and poorly understood. Would you be surprised that some of the top business executives in the world consistently say ‘everyone needs a coach?’]]>Brian MoranThu, 12 Apr 2012 14:48:00 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/leap-think-54/sql-server/coach-142980http://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/leap-think-54/sql-server/sense-negotiate-counter-offer-current-employer-142971
By Brian Moran
Conventional wisdom says that using an offer from a new job to negotiate a counter offer with your current employee is a dangerous task. Most advice I see on the topic suggests that you avoid this technique all together. I disagree. Here’s my thinking.]]>Brian MoranTue, 10 Apr 2012 15:34:00 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/leap-think-54/sql-server/sense-negotiate-counter-offer-current-employer-142971http://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/leap-think-54/sql-server/youre-pro-outgrow-current-job-company-142970
By Brian Moran
Have you ever been told ‘this is the most you can make here unless you start to manage people’? What would it look like if IT professionals had a middle ground option that didn’t force them to up and quit their current W2 job but allowed them to continue refining their craft and skills while being paid fairly at the end of the year? I call it permanent part time. It’s a career management concept for service professionals that I’ve been talking about for close to a decade and it’s especially well-suited for IT professionals. ]]>Brian MoranThu, 05 Apr 2012 15:00:00 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/leap-think-54/sql-server/youre-pro-outgrow-current-job-company-142970http://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/leap-think-54/sql-server/treating-team-fair-142968
By Brian Moran
Treating everyone the same is rarely fair or what’s best for them. This is a topic that new leaders, and sometimes very mature leaders, often struggle with. I speak from experience. I still struggle with this topic from time to time. Earlier in my leadership I typically tried much to hard to be ‘fair’ which led to situations where I was trying to treat everyone on team in the same way. Eventually I learned that treating everyone the same isn’t actually fair and it’s rarely what is best for the person you’re trying to be fair to in the first place. ]]>Brian MoranTue, 03 Apr 2012 14:29:00 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/leap-think-54/sql-server/treating-team-fair-142968http://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/leap-think-54/sql-server/dba-mba-142854
By Brian Moran
A recent US News and World Report headline caught my eye. The title was “8 Ideal Jobs for M.B.A. Grads”. I was curious and read it. The top job shocked me. The report says that the #1 ideal job for a recent MBA grad is DBA. The second and third most ideal jobs shocked me as well. #2 was ‘web developer’ and #3 was ‘computer systems analyst’. Those rankings shocked me as well and made me consider the following three questions. First, is being a DBA really and truly the #1 ideal job for an MBA? Second, is getting an MBA truly beneficial to a DBA who wants to hone their craft and stay in the profession? And third, what is the relative value of getting an MBA for a technology person in general from a career path perspective. These are complicated topics, and I can’t address them in full in a single blog post. But, I’ll share some perhaps contrarian thoughts and promise to revisit this topic again soon.]]>Brian MoranWed, 28 Mar 2012 16:18:00 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/leap-think-54/sql-server/dba-mba-142854http://www.windowsitpro.com/article/commentary/shorter-sql-server-conference-sessions-142641
By Brian Moran
Microsoft SQL Server conference sessions and webinars should arguably be limited to 30 minutes for optimal online viewing.]]>Brian MoranThu, 22 Mar 2012 09:39:22 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/article/commentary/shorter-sql-server-conference-sessions-142641http://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/leap-think-54/sql-server/tax-expert-rely-cpa-maximize-deductions-tax-breaks-142745
By Brian Moran
I’ve been in business for myself for more than a decade and have used a CPA to assist me with my taxes for much of that time. However, over the years I’ve come to realize two important facts about doing my taxes. First, I will never know as much about accounting and taxes as a good CPA. Second, my CPA will never know as much about my life and business as I do, and knowing those facts is important to ensure I can save the most money on taxes while legally and safely taking advantage of as many tax breaks and deductions as I can. A little time and research on your part can easily save you hundreds or perhaps thousands of dollars per year if you are small technology consultant. And remember to focus on deductions you can legally take, not just filling out tax forms. ]]>Brian MoranWed, 21 Mar 2012 12:37:00 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/leap-think-54/sql-server/tax-expert-rely-cpa-maximize-deductions-tax-breaks-142745http://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/leap-think-54/sql-server/team-solutions-dont-simply-solve-problems-142722
By Brian Moran
What happens if you are a manager or leader when someone on your team comes to you seeking a solution a problem? Do you solve it or help them to come up with a solution. Consistently solving problems for members of your team does not develop their leadership skills and creates a cycle of upward delegation that makes it hard for you to be effective as a leader. ]]>Brian MoranMon, 19 Mar 2012 13:41:00 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/leap-think-54/sql-server/team-solutions-dont-simply-solve-problems-142722http://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/leap-think-54/sql-server/full-time-independent-consultant-assistant-bookkeeper-142714
By Brian Moran
I’ve been an independent consultant (IC) in one way or another for more than a decade. I’ve been fortunate to have had a fabulous assistant and book keeper from day one. I’m married to her. Recently, I’ve come to believe that every full time IC can benefit from a good assistant and bookkeeper and you should hire one very early in the formative stages of your business, even while you think you might be able to get by without one. In fact, I think that many times someone who might otherwise success as an IC (which is pretty popular in the technology space) ends up failing for lack of a good assistant and bookkeeper. Having this help is a business necessity if you want to be as successful as you can be. Here are some reasons I’ve come to believe this is true.]]>Brian MoranWed, 14 Mar 2012 16:57:00 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/leap-think-54/sql-server/full-time-independent-consultant-assistant-bookkeeper-142714http://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/leap-think-54/sql-server/tips-for-setting-your-rates-as-an-independent-it-consultant-141429
By Brian Moran
Are you an entrepreneur who sells your time as a service provider in some capacity? Maybe a billable consultant in the IT space? Here is some simple rate setting advice that I’ve learned over the years. ]]>Brian MoranMon, 12 Mar 2012 10:35:00 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/leap-think-54/sql-server/tips-for-setting-your-rates-as-an-independent-it-consultant-141429http://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/leap-think-54/sql-server/invest-time-work-important-urgent-142528
By Brian Moran
Successful people spend lots of time doing #2. No; not that kind. Yes; I did just make a potty joke in my blog on professional development. My 8 year old son will be so proud of me.  But, it’s true. In many ways the key to professional success involves investing much more time doing #2 as described by Stephen Covey in “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”. ]]>Brian MoranFri, 09 Mar 2012 15:49:19 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/leap-think-54/sql-server/invest-time-work-important-urgent-142528http://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/leap-think-54/sql-server/compass-guiding-career-life-142371
By Brian Moran
We only have one compass and that’s the fact we all too often lose sight of. Too often we claim that we’ve set long term goals for our professional and business lives that are mutually incompatible. Too often we try to set compass direction for our professional lives while ignoring the fact that our personal lives may be impacting the direction as well.]]>Brian MoranTue, 06 Mar 2012 16:08:00 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/leap-think-54/sql-server/compass-guiding-career-life-142371http://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/leap-think-54/sql-server/entity-type-choose-small-business-142307
By Brian Moran
I’ve coached dozens of people through starting small businesses over the past decade. Everyone eventually has to decide ‘what entity should I pick? I’m not a CPA nor did I sleep in a Holiday Inn Express last night. So, please, run anything I say by your accountant. But the truth is that most people choose their first entity without understanding all of the options out there. Worse. They often make the wrong choice. ]]>Brian MoranThu, 01 Mar 2012 17:11:00 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/leap-think-54/sql-server/entity-type-choose-small-business-142307http://www.windowsitpro.com/article/sql-server/troubleshooting-sql-server-performance-problems-internal-external-resources-142441
By Brian Moran
SQL Server performance problem troubleshooting often isn’t anyone’s core job. SQL Server Pro expert Brian Moran discusses options for handling performance tuning management in organizations.]]>Brian MoranThu, 01 Mar 2012 09:00:00 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/article/sql-server/troubleshooting-sql-server-performance-problems-internal-external-resources-142441http://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/leap-think-54/sql-server/data-scientist-data-job-future-142270
By Brian Moran
I’m fascinated and incredibly excited about the concept of data science and the so called scientists who do this job. I had never heard the term Data Scientist until last December when I ran across it in a blog by @BuckWoody. (http://sqlblog.com/blogs/buck_woody/archive/2011/11/15/the-data-scientist.aspx). Since then it’s been popping up in conversations I have with people everywhere like a bizarre game of whack a mole. ]]>Brian MoranTue, 14 Feb 2012 15:31:27 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/leap-think-54/sql-server/data-scientist-data-job-future-142270http://www.windowsitpro.com/article/sql-server/apples-ibooks-2-revolutionize-sql-server-book-training-market-142041
By Brian Moran
Brian Moran highlights the SQL Server 2012 Virtual Launch Event and explores how Apple’s iBooks 2 electronic textbook publishing platform will change the way SQL Server professionals read SQL Server books and attend conferences.]]>Brian MoranThu, 26 Jan 2012 13:13:09 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/article/sql-server/apples-ibooks-2-revolutionize-sql-server-book-training-market-142041http://www.windowsitpro.com/article/sql-server/sql-server-community-giving-141701
By Brian Moran
The SQL Server community is known for banding together to help those in need, whether they have a SQL Server-related question or a charity they want to support. Here’s two acts of giving that have inspired Brian Moran.]]>Brian MoranThu, 22 Dec 2011 10:48:24 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/article/sql-server/sql-server-community-giving-141701http://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/leap-think-54/sql-server/original-leap-ideas-wisdom-character-integrity-141428
By Brian Moran
I read a lot. Ideas make me think. Considering and dissecting ideas from other people shape the way I think. The process refines my ideas and makes me a better person in countless ways. But the process of integrating ideas from other people into my own idea taxonomy has caused me to struggle when writing my L.E.A.P. blog. ]]>Brian MoranMon, 28 Nov 2011 10:35:14 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/leap-think-54/sql-server/original-leap-ideas-wisdom-character-integrity-141428