Debra Cerda Blog Posts

As part of the countdown to PostgresConf Silicon Valley 2023, learn more about the engaging content and our speakers for this year in our Speaker Spotlight Series.

Meet Dave Stokes, Technology Evangelist for Percona. Dave Stokes is the author of MySQL & JSON - A Practical Programming Guide. He resides in Texas with the mandated pickup truck, hound dog, and guitars.

Read what Dave has to say about Postgres and why to attend his sessions which include "MERGE() - A Quick Introduction" and "PostgreSQL High Availability: The Considerations and the Candidates."

 

Why Postgres? Tell us about your involvement with the greater Postgres community. (How long have you been involved? How have you contributed? How else would you want to contribute?)

I have been mainly involved in the MySQL Community for a long time but am now exploring PostgreSQL. I have started a series on PostgreSQL for MySQL DBAs that is very popular

What new features of PostgreSQL 15 are you most excited about?

Merge()!

What features do you believe should be developed/improved and released in the next major upgrade?

JSON_TABLE()!! Please, please, pretty please!!

Why should attendees come to your talk at Postgres Conference Silicon Valley 2023? What would you like for them to take away from your session?

From the Merge() talk, I hope they will go away understanding how transaction log processing works. For the HA talk, I do not expect them to walk away as they will be so filled with brain energy that they sort of levitate away!

What is your favorite aspect of Postgres Conference?

The people.

What advice would you have for a Computer Science graduate or entry level developer who are interested in learning and engaging with Postgres and other open source technologies?

Open source !- free. It provides a flexibility to innovate.

What's your top suggested readings for 2023?

Anything by Tim Dorsey.

What do you believe are the major achievements of open source and Postgres over the last decade?

Open-source software has proven that good code comes from more than just semi-benevolent corporations. And PostgreSQL has proven the power of the mailing list!

Check out the full schedule for Postgres Conference Silicon Valley 2023, and buy your tickets soon!

Debra Cerda     April 17, 2023

As part of the countdown to PostgresConf Silicon Valley 2023, learn more about the engaging content and our speakers for this year in our Speaker Spotlight Series.

Meet Tatiana Krupenya, CEO of DBeaver. DBeaver provides a GUI interface that "connects to all data sources and stores, enables special extensions for big data databases, and includes supplemental features like a data viewer, an editor, mock data generator, metadata browsing and visual query builders, enabling users to dynamically access all of their databases while working within one environment."

Tatiana will present "Let robots help with queries" at this year's conference. Read more about Tatiana below:

 

Why Postgres? Tell us about your involvement with the greater Postgres community. 

DBeaver is one of the most popular UI tools for Postgres administration and data management. We support not only PostgreSQL itself but all popular forks and Postgres-based data sources, like Greenplum, Yugabyte, Redshift and others.

Why should attendees come to your talk at Postgres Conference Silicon Valley 2023? What would you like for them to take away from your session?

We have gotten used to thinking that working with databases is for database administrators and developers. However, thanks to modern technologies, people from other professional areas can also do this. It's data engineers, data architects, financial analysts, machine learning specialists, and others. The only thing that we need is to provide them with a safe and convenient infrastructure. In my talk, I would like to show how OpenAI can help with that.

What is your favorite aspect of Postgres Conference?

The best thing is the atmosphere. You can meet interesting people, learn about cutting-edge technologies, find new partners, and all of these in a friendly and positive environment.

Check out the full schedule for Postgres Conference Silicon Valley 2023. Walk-up registration is still available. Learn more here!

Debra Cerda     April 20, 2023     speaker spotlight

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As part of the countdown to Postgres Conference 2024 learn more about the engaging content and our speakers for this year in our Speaker Spotlight Series.

NEXTGRES founder Jonah Harris is a developer with expertise in database internals, high-performance systems, and near-real-time machine learning optimizations. Recognized for contributions to Oracle Database and PostgreSQL, with leadership roles at MariaDB, The Meet Group, and EnterpriseDB.

Jonah Harris will present The Future of MySQL is Postgres.  Read what Jonah has to say about Postgres and why to attend their session:

Why should attendees come to your talk at Postgres Conference 2024?  What would you like for them to take away from your session?

Attendees will leave this session understanding how PostgreSQL offers superior performance, reliability, and a richer set of features for modern application development over MySQL, and how this extension simplifies and accelerates the migration process, ensuring transparent compatibility. 

What is your favorite aspect of Postgres Conference?

My favorite aspect of Postgres conferences is the collaborative spirit, where developers, administrators, and enthusiasts come together to share their knowledge and solve real-world challenges.

What advice would you have for a Computer Science graduate or entry level developer who are interested in learning and engaging with Postgres and other open source technologies?

I advise diving into hands-on projects and contributing to the OSS communities with an open mind; this offers invaluable experience and broad networking opportunities within open source communities, specifically PostgreSQL.

How do you see the use of open source technologies evolving over the next five years?

I see open source technologies becoming even more integral to innovation, driving collaboration and accessibility in emerging fields as well as traditional industries.

What considerations should be taken for the adoption and use of Postgres and related open source technologies? 

I always consider matching a technology's strengths to a project's needs. Whether it's Postgres or another OSS technology, evaluate it for its full capabilities and best fit first. Once those capabilities and fit are evaluated, assess the organization's ability to manage it.

Check out the full schedule for PostgresConf US 2024. Learn more about our conference here and buy your tickets soon!

 

As part of the countdown to PostgresConf Silicon Valley 2023, learn more about the engaging content and our speakers for this year in our Speaker Spotlight Series.

Bryn Llewellyn is a Technical Product Manager at Yugabyte, Inc., which offers an open source, cloud native distributed SQL database that looks like PostgreSQL to the developer. Bryn’s speciality is SQL and stored procedures in the context of distributed SQL.

Bryn has worked in the software field for more than forty years. He started working with SQL when he joined Oracle UK in 1990. He relocated to Oracle HQ (Redwood Shores, CA) in 1996 and his last role, before leaving, was as the Product Manager for PL/SQL. He left Oracle in April 2019 to join YugaByte, Inc.

Bryn started off doing image analysis and pattern recognition at Oxford University (programming in FORTRAN) and then worked in Oslo, first at the Norwegian Computing Center and then in a startup. In Norway, Bryn programmed in Simula—recognized as the first object-oriented programming language and as the inspiration for C++.

Bryn will be presenting a mini-tutorial on Friday, April 21st at 9:30am Pacific Time on "How to configure a PostgreSQL cluster for multitenancy." Read what he has to say about Postgres and why to attend his session:

 

Why Postgres? Tell us about your involvement with the greater Postgres community.

I work for Yugabyte, Inc. (Learn more about Bryn's background). YugabyteDB uses the PostgreSQL query processing code “as is” on top of its own open source Spanner-like distributed storage system. I started at Yugabyte four years ago. And that’s when I first started to learn and to use PostgreSQL. My job is to document YugabyteDB’s SQL and PL/pgSQL functionality. This, by construction, has the same syntax and semantics as does vanilla PostgreSQL. I therefore ask lots of questions on the “pgsql-general” mailing list and, very occasionally, discover bugs in vanilla PostgreSQL.

What new features of PostgreSQL 15 are you most excited about?

Actually it’s a feature that’s new in Version 14: the new syntax for “language sql” functions that lets you define the body without making it a text literal so that it’s parsed at “create” time—allowing proper dependency tracking (and other benefits).

What features do you believe should be developed/improved and released in the next major upgrade?

I would dearly like to see new functionality for "language plpgsql" subprograms that’s comparable to PL/SQL’s “package” construct (in Oracle Database).

Why should attendees come to your talk at PostgresConf US 2023?  What would you like for them to take away from your session?

I describe a practical solution to a genuine problem. And I make all the code easily available for download from the GitHub repo.

What is your favorite aspect of Postgres Conference?

Meeting real PostgreSQL practitioners and talking with them about their real-world use cases.

What advice would you have for a Computer Science graduate or entry level developer who are interested in learning and engaging with Postgres?

Get a job where you use the technology on a daily basis.

 What's your top suggested readings for 2023?  Books, blogs -- from fiction to non-fiction to technical, anything you enjoy?

Our Yugabyte blog!

What do you believe are the major achievements of open source and Postgres over the last decade?

How YugabyteDB has made the familiar PostgreSQL functionality available as an open source, cloud native, massively scalable and fault tolerant, distributed SQL database system. (Of course, I would say this!) 

Anything else to add?

I’m excited to be attending (again), and speaking (again) at the Postgres Conference Silicon Valley.

 

Check out the full schedule for Postgres Conference Silicon Valley 2023, and buy your tickets soon!

Debra Cerda     April 11, 2023     postgres speaker spotlight

As part of the countdown to Postgres Conference 2024, learn more about the engaging content and our speakers for this year in our Speaker Spotlight Series.

Dave Stokes is author of "MySQL & JSON - A Practical Programming Guide," and serves as a Technology Evangelist for Percona, advocating for MySQL innovation and best practices.

Dave will present “MERGE() - A Quick Introduction”. Read what Dave has to say about Postgres and why to attend their session:

Why should attendees come to your talk at Postgres Conference 2024? What would you like for them to take away from your session?
I like to show attendees new facets on old tools and help beginners master the very steep learning curves of today's world.

What is your favorite aspect of Postgres Conference?
The hallway track.

What advice would you have for a Computer Science graduate or entry level developer who is interested in learning and engaging with Postgres and other open source technologies?
You learn by breaking and repairing. After awhile you can learn to minimize the breakage but never the repairing.
And when you go to a show like Postgres Conference 2024 and have an open slot in the schedule, go attend a session on a subject you know absolutely nothing about. You will either learn that you do not like the subject and have only spent an hour of your life on something that does not interest you, or you will find another rabbit hole to explore.

How do you see the use of open source technologies evolving over the next five years?
PostgreSQL will be the dominant database. Sadly license changes may push us back to a pre-open source era when you had minimal or no choices in software.
What considerations should be taken for the adoption and use of Postgres and related open source technologies?
It needs to be more robust. Better replication that is easier to set up, no XID wrap-around, and easy upgrades.

Additional comments?
This is a great show - make the most of your opportunities.

Check out the full schedule for PostgresConf US 2024. Learn more about our conference here and buy your tickets soon!

Debra Cerda     April 17, 2024     speaker spotlight

  

As part of the countdown to Postgres Conference 2024, learn more about the engaging content and our speakers for this year in our Speaker Spotlight Series.

Manish Shah is founder and CEO of Datasparc, and brings expertise in product development, database security, and scalable cloud systems. His thought leadership and patent ownership in sensitive data discovery and protection underscore his ability to influence and innovate in the field.

Manish will present "Zero Trust database access with DBHawk". Read what Manish has to say about Postgres and why to attend his session:

Why should attendees come to your talk at Postgres Conference 2024? What would you like for them to take away from your session?

Join the session exploring critical database security and access challenges. Manish will dissect current issues and provide solutions for achieving precise zero-trust database access.


What is your favorite aspect of Postgres Conference?
Meeting face-to-face Postgres users.

What advice would you have for a Computer Science graduate or entry level developer who are interested in learning and engaging with Postgres and other open source technologies?
Learn SQL and other programming language. Install Postgres and start playing with it.

How do you see the use of open source technologies evolving over the next five years?
Businesses are recognizing the value of open source software, and its adoption in the enterprise is expected to grow.

What considerations should be taken for the adoption and use of Postgres and related open source technologies?
Strong security and reliable support are crucial for wider adoption of Postgres. After all, data is an organization's most valuable asset.

Check out the full schedule for PostgresConf US 2024. Learn more about our conference here and buy your tickets soon!

 

 

Debra Cerda     April 17, 2024     speaker spotlight

 

Pavan Deolasse is a PostgreSQL consultant for 2ndQuadrant, one of our Platinum Sponsors for PostgresConf US 2018. Learn more about Pavan in this Community Profile:

Pavan Deolasee is a contributor to the development of PostgreSQL and related technologies. He holds a Masters of Technology in Computer Science from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, and has several publications to his credit.

Pavan was introduced to PostgreSQL in the year 2006 when he started working for a PostgreSQL company. Hacking PostgreSQL was a completely new experience, but by accepting help from the community -- especially Simon Riggs, his mentor -- he began working through the code and was soon working on a very important project (Heap-Only-Tuple aka HOT). It was a very complicated piece of work, yet one of the landmark features in PostgreSQL and to this day remains one of his most important contributions to the project. Pavan has since contributed several patches to PostgreSQL. 

HOT was committed to PostgreSQL in 2008 and Pavan has continued to stay fully engaged with the project. In 2009/2010, alongside other colleagues, Pavan started work on Postgres-XC, a distributed, shared-nothing, clustering solution based on PostgreSQL. He was involved in designing the high-level architecture of the solution, and later wrote many important pieces of the code such as the GTM, the GTM Proxy, the 2PC transaction controller at the coordinator, changes required to guarantee global consistency of the data, and many distributed planner and executor pieces.

When Postgres-XL, a fork of Postgres-XC, was released to the public in 2014, Pavan once again became involved with the project and has been leading the development of Postgres-XL ever since. 

Pavan joined 2ndQuadrant not long after in April 2015, and once again started working with long time colleagues and friends; he and 2ndQuadrant have continued to actively work on the development of Postgres-XL. The focus area of development has been stability and performance of the product while keeping the fork as close to open source PostgreSQL as possible. The most recent release (Postgres-XL 10) supports intra-datanode query parallelism, thus taking distributed query processing to the next level.

In 2013, Pavan and two of his colleagues started the India PostgreSQL User Group. They started conducting small meet-ups, in order to promote the technology in India and bring the local community together. These small gatherings have now expanded with a membership of over 600 members, and into a full scale conference: PGConf India, Asia's largest PostgreSQL conference with more than 250 people in attendance each day in 2018. 

As part of the 2ndQuadrant team of PostgreSQL developers, Pavan continues to work on many interesting new features. He is an active part of the production support team and also has the opportunity to investigate interesting customer problems, often leading to important and critical bug fixes to the open source project.

Pavan had this to say about his involvement with the project:

“I love PostgreSQL and the PostgreSQL community, so you will continue to see me around.”

 

Call for Speakers: Join Us at Postgres Conference Seattle 2024!

We are excited to announce that the Postgres Conference Seattle 2024 is accepting speaker submissions! This is your chance to share your knowledge, insights, and experiences with the global PostgreSQL community in one of the world’s most innovative tech hubs. Whether you're a seasoned PostgreSQL expert or have unique insights on emerging trends, this is the perfect stage to amplify your voice and make an impact.

Why Speak at Postgres Conference: Seattle

As the largest PostgreSQL gathering in the U.S., Postgres Conference: Seattle 2024 brings together users, developers, DBAs, and thought leaders from diverse industries including FinTech, HealthTech, EdTech, and more! Here’s why you should consider submitting a proposal:

  1. Expand Your Reach: Presenting at the conference will allow you to connect with hundreds of like-minded professionals, influencers, and companies shaping the future of data management.
  2. Share Your Expertise: Whether you're a PostgreSQL guru or a curious learner with unique insights, your contribution can help others grow in their own Postgres journey.
  3. Professional Recognition: Gain visibility and recognition within the Postgres community and broader tech industry. Being a speaker enhances your profile and can open doors for future collaborations, partnerships, or even job opportunities.
  4. Contribute to the PostgreSQL Ecosystem: PostgreSQL continues to evolve rapidly. By sharing your experiences, you contribute to the collective growth and innovation of this incredible open-source database system.

Tracks for Every Interest

We’re looking for speakers across various areas of expertise. If you work in development, operations, or the essential aspects of PostgreSQL usage, we want to hear from you! Here’s a quick overview of our three main tracks:

Development (Dev) Track

Do you have cutting-edge insights on PostgreSQL development? This track is for talks focused on building, optimizing, and scaling applications using PostgreSQL. Some of the topics you could cover include:

  • Query optimization and performance tuning
  • Building and deploying PostgreSQL-based applications
  • Best practices in database schema design
  • Case studies of innovative solutions using PostgreSQL

Whether you're diving into PL/pgSQL, extending Postgres with custom functions, or exploring advanced indexing techniques, this is the perfect platform to share your expertise with fellow developers.

Operations (Ops) Track

If you’re working behind the scenes, ensuring that PostgreSQL environments are secure, scalable, and high-performing, the Ops track is for you. This track seeks submissions from database administrators, SREs, DevOps engineers, and anyone involved in the operational side of PostgreSQL, such as:

  • Scaling PostgreSQL for high-traffic applications
  • Backup and recovery strategies
  • Monitoring and observability tools
  • Managing multi-region or cloud-based Postgres instances

Share your experience on how to keep PostgreSQL running smoothly, even under the most demanding conditions.

Essentials Track

The Essentials track is perfect for those who want to speak about the core foundational aspects of PostgreSQL. It’s an ideal opportunity to present content geared toward people who are new to PostgreSQL or seeking to deepen their understanding of its key concepts. Suggested topics might include:

  • Introduction to PostgreSQL for beginners
  • SQL best practices and optimization
  • Setting up a robust PostgreSQL environment
  • Security fundamentals for database management

This track encourages first-time speakers and practitioners who want to help others navigate the essentials of working with PostgreSQL.

How to Submit Your Proposal

Submitting a proposal is easy! Simply prepare an abstract that describes your talk, its relevance to the conference tracks, and what attendees will take away from it. We encourage submissions from individuals of all backgrounds and levels of experience. Diversity of thought and experience enriches the conversation, and we welcome fresh perspectives.

Create a user account and submit your abstract, title, and description for review consideration.

Take this opportunity to shine as a thought leader in the Postgres world. Share your journey, inspire innovation, and connect with a vibrant community that’s as passionate about Postgres as you are. Submit your proposal today and join us in Seattle for an unforgettable experience!

Important Dates:

Submission Deadline: Monday, September 30th, midnight Pacific Time/ 3 am ET

Event Dates: November 6 - 7, 2024

Ready to Submit?

To submit your proposal and find more details, head to our submission page. Questions can be directed to organizers@postgresconf.org. We look forward to seeing you in Seattle!

We can’t wait to hear from you. Let’s shape the future of Postgres together!

Debra Cerda     September 26, 2024     postgres open source seattle conference

We are pleased to announce a partnership between Redgate and PgCentral Foundation, Inc., to return Postgres Conference to Seattle! We’ll be joining forces in their brand-new venue -- the Summit at the Seattle Convention Centre (SCC) -- during this year’s PASS Data Community Summit (PASS Summit).

The PASS Summit team has been working to create a more collaborative environment between professional data communities. The new venue for 2024 allows the perfect opportunity to host our People, Postgres, Data community for the Postgres Conference: Seattle 2024 on November 6 and 7.

About PASS Summit

The PASS Summit has earned its reputation as the premier event for data security and database professionals. Since Redgate took ownership in 2021, the event has continued to offer unmatched learning opportunities, covering a wide range of data platforms including SQL Server, PostgreSQL, AWS, Google Cloud, and more. This year’s summit will take place in Seattle, from November 4-8, 2024, welcoming thousands of attendees eager to sharpen their skills and stay on the cutting edge of data management.

PASS Summit is not just about lectures and sessions –  it offers hands-on learning experiences, a vibrant community space, and networking opportunities with industry leaders. The event is known for its comprehensive sessions, keynotes by industry experts, and access to the latest tools and technologies that empower organizations to manage their data effectively. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned professional, there’s something for everyone.

For more details about the summit, visit the official website: PASS Data Community Summit 2024

Highlights from Postgres Conference Seattle 2024

Alongside PASS Summit, Postgres Conference: Seattle 2024 will also be taking place, making Seattle the hub of data learning in early November. Postgres Conference is the leading event dedicated to Postgres, an open-source database that has become essential for many modern organizations. This year’s event is powered by the joint efforts of Redgate and Command Prompt, Inc., and is priced at an affordable $599 through November 3rd.*

PostgresConf Seattle attendees will get exclusive access to certain elements of the PASS Data Community Summit, such as:

- PASS Summit Keynotes: Hear from influential figures shaping the future of data.

- PASS Ecosystem Sessions: Deep dives into data platforms and security.

- Community Zone: A space to collaborate with other professionals and expand your network.

- Exhibit Hall and Exhibitor Reception: Discover the latest tools and technologies from industry-leading vendors.

- Lunches, Refreshment Breaks, and Community Events: Plenty of opportunities to refuel and connect with peers.

 

This integration gives PostgreSQL enthusiasts a chance to engage in the broader data conversation while still enjoying tailored Postgres content.

Check out the event page here for more information on Postgres Conference Seattle 2024.

* Note: Postgres Conference: Seattle 2024 online registration closes November 3rd.  On-site registration will require the purchase of a PASS24 1-Day or 3-Day ticket, so don't delay!

Debra Cerda     October 11, 2024

We are thrilled to invite you to partner with us for Postgres Conference 2025, taking place in sunny Orlando, Florida, from March 18th to 21st! 

For 2025, we have expanded our conference offerings to provide even greater value to our attendees and partners. We’ve added an extra day dedicated to Professional Training, introduced a Professional Development track, and are excited to offer a unique Wellness Sponsorship that supports attendee well-being. 

Why Sponsor Postgres Conference 2025? Our conference is renowned for its diverse programming, including Talks, Keynotes, Conference Keynotes, Half Day and Full Day Trainings, Tutorials, and Presentations. Each session fits into one of five specialized tracks: Dev, Ops, Essentials, Professional Development, and Cloud. This variety creates extensive opportunities for you to engage directly with your target audience, whether they're developers, operators, or leaders focused on professional growth.

A partnership with Postgres Conference 2025 offers:

  • Increased visibility within the PostgreSQL community
  • Direct networking with key decision-makers and influencers
  • Opportunities to showcase your brand through custom sponsorship packages

Whether you are interested in a general sponsorship or would like to discuss custom opportunities tailored to your brand, we would love to connect. Explore the best options for you on our Sponsorships page

If you would like to schedule a call or need further information, please don’t hesitate to reach out to 2025-sponsors@postgresconf.org. We look forward to discussing how we can make your sponsorship experience at Postgres Conference 2025 truly impactful.

Sincerely,

Postgres Conference 2025 Sponsorship Team

 

Debra Cerda     November 21, 2024