Dan McClain Voted the Exceptional DBA of 2008

Richard Ding

Ken Kaufman

Cristian Lefter

Dan McClain

Jerry Sommerville

Richard Ding

Richard Ding is currently working as a Principal Database Administrator at American Student Assistance, Boston. He has 9+ years of SQL Server administration and development experiences. His interests cover a wide range of SQL Server topics including but not limited to database security, performance, availability, replication, data warehouse, and business intelligence.

Richard has published articles for Microsoft SQL Magazine, SQL Server Standard, and SQL Server Professional. He currently serves as a freelancer at SearchSQLServer.com. Richard is also a member of various online SQL Server forums including Microsoft SQL Server newsgroup, SQLServerCentral.com, and SQLteam.com. Richard graduated from a medical school and holds a PhD in molecular biology.

Why Richard thinks he should win

Not many DBAs have taken their career as seriously as I have. Being persistently diligent, quickly learning, fast multi-tasking, and totally responsible, I have always won colleagues' and peers' praise. If you screen DBAs by asking tough technical questions, half of them will be out. Out of the remaining half, probably only 30% have good verbal communication and written skills. An even smaller portion of this group of DBAs are diplomatic, being patient enough to listen and acting well rounded. The survivors based on this tough criteria will be tested on their capability to document and publish SQL Server related stuff. My publications include:

• Ding, R. Automate SQL error log reporting. SQL Server Magazine, 2008 (Accepted).

• Ding, R. Find size of SQL Server tables and other objects with stored procedure. SearchSQLServer.com (Newsletter) April 9, 2008.

• Ding, R. Calculate SQL Server database sizes with stored procedure. SearchSQLServer.com (Newsletter) May 13, 2008.

Why a peer thinks Richard should win

Richard is an extraordinary DBA, and I have worked with quite a few DBAs, and even been one myself. His technical knowledge is huge; he explains things well, and he never compromises on the integrity and quality of the data, nor the optimal operation of the DBMS.
Patrice Gunderson, Data Architect, American Student Assistance

What do the judges say?

Richard seems to be passionate about his work and keen to look at new features and tools. He is very active in the SQL Server community and keen to pass on knowledge and advice. Nigel Rivett

Richard has highlighted most of the challenges DBAs face and demonstrates how he has managed to achieve a valued stance in an organization when it is easy to be labeled 'difficult' to work with or non trusting. DBAs do not like to provide access to their SQL servers for a number of good reasons. Business does not always understand or abide by those reasons. Richard discusses security, high availability, understanding coding best practices (his rewriting of the query that would have otherwise updated 3 million rows at a go), and the use of third party tools that add benefit to any organization, especially one with 20 to 50 TB of data like Richard's. High marks all around. Rodney Landrum

Richard appears to be very articulate, detailed, and has a wide range of experience. He is also a contributor to the SQL Server community, which is important. Brad McGehee

Ken Kaufman

I started my career as an office manager.  After I had a business need for a database I taught myself MS Access and had my first application three months later.  A year following I’d written my first extended store procedure in C++.  My following technical experiences included owning my own consulting company, teaching the MCDBA classes at the local college, working as a Data Analyst at the largest casino in the Pacific Northwest, and the SR DBA at a large online advertising house tracking click.  I joined Zillow in July of 2006, and six weeks later was promoted to the Lead DBA position. 

As a DBA my technical focus is on performance. I’ve been able to thrive in this area due to my knowledge of SQL Servers internals. Zillow is a highly technical shop, and when there is an issue, a high level explanation never suffices; you're required to give low level details often describing the movement of data pages through from disk to the CPU. As I continue to grow my career I've been branching out with Mysql and custom data structures, but not forgetting about my core skill which is SQL Server.

Why Ken thinks he should win

A DBA can go only so far based on pure technology, and standard practices. To manage a successful data enterprise it requires a deep understanding of the application and the business needs. A prime example is denormalizing data. As DBAs we are taught that we need to maintain highly normalized databases, but many read intensive applications thrive through the use of denormalization. I'm flexible enough to recommend this when needed and stray from the standards, if it means a better user experience. Balancing the business needs (User Experience) with database best practices has separated me from many of colleagues.

Why a peer thinks Ken should win

This is another fine example of what seems to be a consistent theme for Ken. Ken consistently produces high quality deliverables, on time, under budget, and with a better performance profile than before he touched it regardless of the environment or circumstances. Understaffed, under pressure, and over utilized – always exceptional results. It goes without saying around Zillow that Ken is one our top performers and is personally responsible for an untold number of performance and architectural improvements to our infrastructure. Ken's passion and skill around SQL Server performance is only matched by his positive, service oriented profile which affects his team and peers in a way that regularly elevates their own performance. Ken's combination of technical talent, mentorship and drive for quality is a tremendous asset to Zillow and he deserves recognition. Chris Staats, Director IT/Operations, Zillow Inc.

What do the judges say?

Ken seems to have a good understanding of the challenges involved and a realistic attitude to the job. He has an understanding of SQL and so does not need to rely on tools and so will have more knowledge of the database engine. I am impressed with some of his articles. Nigel Rivett

Ken appears to be very knowledgeable, dedicated, and serious about his role as a DBA. Brad McGehee

Cristian Lefter

Cristian Lefter is a SQL Server consultant. He has been involved in every area related to SQL Server from application development, content delivery, content development, certification items development, and consulting.

Why Cristian thinks he should win

My life has changed since the first time I opened Enterprise Manager (at that point) and then Query Analyzer. What does SQL Server mean to me? I won friends, I enjoy working with great people, and I had the pleasure to meet the SQL Server development team. In addition, I am a president of a PASS chapter, I talk, I teach, I write, I tech review, I give feedback, and I support and organize events on SQL Server.

It is my job, my hobby, my passion, and my second language. I will continue on the SQL path no matter if I will win this or any other contest. I knew that from the first e-mail I received saying "Thank you, you've saved my day."

Why a peer thinks Cristian should win

If I have a database problem and Cristian Lefter cannot help me then either it can't be done or it's a bug. Sebastian Vijeu, Microsoft Romania

What do the judges say?

Cristian is an MVP and author so can be considered an expert in the field, recognized for his community involvement with SQL Server. Taking a query from 14 minutes to 2 milliseconds, something DBAs do often for developers, is impressive and shows a high level understanding of the core of any good DBA, T-SQL skill. Rodney Landrum

He's a SQL Server MVP, what else can I say! Brad McGehee

Dan McClain

Dan McClain is currently the Technical team lead for the SQL Server DBA team at Anheuser-Busch, Inc. in Saint Louis, Missouri. He spends his day overseeing the health and troubleshooting performance issues of over 4000 databases on 300+ SQL Servers. He has been working in IT for over 25 years and with databases for over 12. He annually attends SQL PASS and is a member of the local SQL Users Group. He is also an article contributor to SQLteam.com.

Dan loves what he does and it shows in the time he spends sharpening his skills during working and non-working hours: he calls it 'playing'. He has developed many useful tools that his group uses on a daily basis, making them a more respondent and efficient team. His mentoring style is one that allows team members to think things through on their own, and then he asks logic questions that hopefully brings them to the best solutions. There are several DBAs in the St Louis area whose careers have been enriched because of Dan's skills and mentoring.

Why Dan thinks he should win

First I thank my co-worker Jeff for nominating me, and say how much of an honor it is for my team and me to be named as one of the finalists for the Exceptional DBA Award.  As far as why I should win, for one, the free trip to SQL PASS to mingle with my peers again would be great.  Also, I have always tried to be a team player and enjoy mentoring fellow DBA's.  Bottom line, as a DBA, we are often overlooked when it comes to accolades for our work.  It would be great to win and receive recognition for my years of devotion and hard work with SQL Server.  This DBA's for you!

Why a peer things Dan should win

Whether it is guiding a junior DBA through the pitfalls of database consolidation, or assisting project managers by patiently pointing out potential bottlenecks during the design phase of a project, Dan is there to help. He is available 24/7/365, and when the on-call DBA can't solve a problem, they call Dan. His expertise is the bedrock and foundation upon which we have built an outstanding support structure to service our SQL Server environment at Anheuser-Busch. Simply put, Dan McClain is the Exceptional DBA. Winning this contest will provide recognition of his service, and be a testament to his abilities.
Jeff Bennett, Anheuser-Busch, Inc.

What do the judges say?

Dan seems to get on well with users, is well respected, has experience of running a large distributed environment, and seems well in control of all aspects of the environment. Nigel Rivett

Dan, by far, exemplifies an exceptional DBA from the nomination details. Of all of the nominees, I am most impressed with Dan’s leadership, communication, and passion for learning and adhering to standards and best practices, while instructing others that can learn from his experience. Rodney Landrum

Dan's co-worker invested a lot of time extolling his work, where he appears to manage a huge number of SQL Server instances with lots of diligence. He has also contributed to SQLTeam.com, which indicates he is interested in supporting the community. Brad McGehee

Jerry Sommerville

Jerry Sommerville has more than 25 years IT experience as Programmer, DBA, Systems Analyst, Project Manager, and Program Manager and has worked in Product Development, Product Management, Database Administration, SAN Administration, UNIX Administration, and as an IT consultant servicing many Fortune 500 companies.

Jerry has successfully completed 54 ERP system implementations acting as either DBA, Programmer or Project Manager for companies such as Alcoa, Medex, Tencor, Wiltron, Johnson Controls, Avery Dennison, C.R. Bard, Lipton, Rockwell International, Valmont Electric, and Crown Equipment Corporation. Jerry is currently working as a Senior DBA managing over 200 databases based on Oracle, SQL Server, and Progress database technologies located in the United States, Mexico, and China.

Why Jerry thinks he should win

I have never really been one to toot my own horn, and I find it kind of weird doing it here for the Exceptional DBA Awards, but I have to say that I think this award program is a really good thing. Recognition for DBAs, like most IT positions, really are unrecognized in many organizations. For years I have worked in organizations where the level of recognition has been everything from Entrepreneurial Awards to no recognition at all.

I feel fortunate that I work for people who appreciate dedication and skills and they have recognized me for those aspects of my work here at Crown. For me, this is really more about tooting the horn for all DBAs out there so that we can all get a little more recognition and a pat on the head from time-to-time.

Why a peer things Jerry should win

Jerry Sommerville is a valuable, experienced, and highly knowledgeable IT professional. His efforts at SIG contributed greatly to the company's success. He has exceptional technical and project management skills with the uncommon ability to see both the big picture and to dive into the details when needed. Whether pressing into new technologies supporting an ERP provider's R&D effort, managing a large project team of both business and technical consultants on a key account, or working as an individual contributor in the depths of database analysis or software development, Jerry can be counted on to deliver results. I would gladly welcome an opportunity to work with Jerry again.
Phil Coy, Sr. VP, Consulting Services, Strategic Information Group

What do the judges say?

Jerry shows good communication skills. He has reviewed v2008 and has an idea of how it could help his installations. He has worked with many databases for a considerable period of time. Nigel Rivett

Jerry struck me as an overworked DBA, managing 800+ databases on 61 servers 24 hours a day presumably by himself or with little help. What makes him exceptional is that he understands how to efficiently manage this environment with standardization, monitoring, and documentation.  I really like his comment 'my future replacement'. (Ed - Jerry mentioned documentation and training for his future replacement in his competition entry). Many of the exceptional people I know in this business have made similar remarks. It is always about hiring your replacement; someone you think is good enough to fill your shoes. It is the people who are afraid someone will find out they do not possess the appropriate skills who are in fear of their jobs and keep information tucked away for themselves and would not dare hire or recommend someone brighter than they. Rodney Landrum