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 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

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 Ry Walker, Founder and CEO of CoreDB, which is currently in private beta. CoreDB "provides provides a fully-managed, secure, scalable Postgres cluster with access to an ecosystem of extensions, expanding the capabilities of a database." Ry is a long-time coder, founder investor and champion of open source. He enjoys nature, science, art, tennis, platform tennis, golf, basketball, fishing and indie game development.

Read what he has to say about Postgres and why to attend his keynote session "The Growing Postgres Ecosystem" on Thursday, April 20th:

 

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

I've been a user since the beginning, recently started CoreDB which will provide a managed Postgres SaaS.

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

Learn about exciting Postgres extensions and what CoreDB is planning to contribute to the ecosystem

What is your favorite aspect of Postgres Conference?

I'm a first timer :)

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

Blog about your journey.

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

The Hobbit :)

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

The rise of open source and open core companies is exciting!

 

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

Debra Cerda     April 12, 2023     speaker spotlight postgres

 

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     speaker spotlight postgres
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Are you interested in learning about the latest developments and best practices in PostgreSQL? 

Then you won’t want to miss next week’s Postgres Conference Silicon Valley 2023! This annual conference brings together experts and enthusiasts from around the world to share their knowledge and experiences with the PostgreSQL community.

This year's conference will be held in San Jose April 20 and 21, 2023, at the San Jose Hilton, and promises to be another exciting and informative event. Attendees can expect a wide range of presentations, mini-tutorials, and networking opportunities, covering Postgres and open source related topics such as high availability, migration, security, machine learning, AI and much more.

Whether you're a seasoned PostgreSQL developer, a database administrator, or just curious about this powerful open-source database system, Postgres Conference Silicon Valley is the perfect place to learn and connect with like-minded individuals.

So why should you attend? For starters, you'll get to hear from some of the brightest minds in the PostgreSQL community. You'll learn about the latest trends and technologies, and gain valuable insights from real-world use cases and case studies. Check out our full program.

In addition, you'll have the opportunity to network with other PostgreSQL professionals and enthusiasts, and build relationships that can benefit you and your organization long after the conference is over. 

Be sure to stop by the exhibit area and chat with our incredible sponsors and partners, including our Conference sponsors CoreDB and Amazon Web Services (AWS) as well as our Cloud sponsor Google Cloud and Distributed SQL Summit (DSS) sponsor YugabyteDB. Our Conference Partners for this year include Airbyte, Command Prompt, Inc., DBeaver, Fujitsu, Neon, Nutanix, Percona, pgEdge and Community Partner OnGres.

Postgres Conference Silicon Valley is also a great chance to explore the local area, with plenty of opportunities for sightseeing, dining, and entertainment. A Welcome Reception will be hosted by YugabyteDB on Thursday evening for all registered attendees. 

So if you're looking to expand your knowledge of PostgreSQL, connect with other experts and enthusiasts, and have some fun along the way, be sure to register for Postgres Conference Silicon Valley today. We can't wait to see you there!

 

Debra Cerda     April 10, 2023

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     seattle postgres open source 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

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.

Chandra Pathivada is is a Senior Database Specialist Solutions Architect with Amazon Web Services. He works with the AWS RDS team, focusing on Open Source database engines like RDS PostgreSQL, Aurora PostgreSQL, and Babelfish for Aurora PostgreSQL.

Chandra will present “Why PostgreSQL Isn't Utilizing Indexes: Diagnosing and Solving Performance Issues" and "Behind the Scenes: Demystifying Transaction Isolation in App Development". Read what Chandra 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?
This talk dives into the core concepts, shedding light on the real-world implications of different isolation levels on performance and integrity. Through interactive examples and case studies, attendees will learn how to navigate common pitfalls and optimize application performance, balancing concurrency with isolation effectively. Gain the knowledge and best practices necessary to implement error-free database-backed applications, making it an invaluable opportunity for anyone looking to enhance their expertise in database management and application development.

What is your favorite aspect of Postgres Conference?
Engage with the PostgreSQL community. This conference offers a rich tapestry of learning, sharing, and networking. It's where boundaries of knowledge expand through collaboration and where every attendee, regardless of expertise, finds value and inspiration.

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?
Start with fundamentals through hands-on practice, engage with the community through forums and meetups, and contribute to projects. Expand your knowledge through tutorials and start building your own projects. Have a mentor and network with professionals specializing in areas of interest.

How do you see the use of open source technologies evolving over the next five years?
In the next five years, open-source technologies are set to play a pivotal role in innovation, with a growing preference among developers and organizations to initiate their projects or migrate from commercial to open-source solutions. The community-driven nature of these technologies will fuel the addition of new features, enhancing their value and appeal.

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

Debra Cerda     May 07, 2024     speaker spotlight

 

As part of the countdown to PostgresConf US 2018, learn more about the engaging content and our speakers for this year in our Speaker Spotlight Series.

Hubert Zhang will co-present with Jack Wu at PostgresConf US 2018 on "Customize and Secure the Runtime and Dependencies of Your Procedural Languages using PL/Container." Hubert is a staff software engineer at Pivotal. He received his Master Degree at Peking University, with a major in artificial intelligence. He is most interested in database systems and distributed computing platform.

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've been working on Postgres based MPP database Greenplum and HAWQ since 2014. I contributed on PLContainer in Greenplum, data locality, and Ranger module of HAWQ (a SQL-On-Hadoop system).

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

Vectorize execution for OLAP queries.

Who should attend your talk at PostgresConf US 2018? What would you like for them to take away from your session?

Data scientists and anyone who want to use Python and R in database to do data analysis and machine learning. You'll learn how to use PLContainer as well as how to build a customized docker image to setup your specialized Python or R environment.

Check out the full schedule for PostgresConf US 2018, and buy your tickets soon!