Here's a new blog post on rolling your own CDM connector for #Synapse #Spark https://richardswinbank.net/synapse/com_microsoft_cdm_for_synapse_spark... making a virtue of necessity after discovering belatedly that the CDM connector for #Synapse #Spark isn't supported in v3.4 😕.

Looking at some #datafactory pipelines last week I discovered something unexpected - the pipeline activity log doesn't always tell you what really happened. If you're using non-deterministic functions in pipeline expressions, the result of your activity may be different from what's in the log. https://buff.ly/2Gge9rc #fabric #synapse #adf

Super-excited to announce that the second edition of my book "Azure DataFactory by Example" is now available! 🎉 You can find it at https://buff.ly/490TwYJ (US) or https://buff.ly/43IEmWA (UK) and probably some other places too 😊 #Azure #DataFactory

Time for more #PowerBI deployment! In this post, I accelerate creation of new reports by building their deployment pipelines automatically 🚀. Create your report, push it to Git, see it appear in Power BI 😀 https://richardswinbank.net/pbi/create_power_bi_deployment_pipelines_automatically

Super-excited to report that I've been awarded #Microsoft #DataPlatform #MVP for 2023/4 🎉. Working in this community with so many skilled, committed colleagues is a privilege I'm abundantly grateful for, and this is the icing on that large, delicious cake 😊🎂 #MVPBuzz

Communicating technical complexity to non-technical colleagues can be tough -- but it's essential if you want to explain why you're going to need 6 months to build a report 😂. Feel free to use my one-slide explainer if it helps! https://richardswinbank.net/blog/can_you_just

I can't find a comprehensive list of UK #Microsoft #DataPlatform user groups – so I created this one https://richardswinbank.net/microsoft_data_user_groups! Can #SQLFamily or others help me add missing groups (or find me a better list 😜)?

In my new blog post I look at how to deploy standalone/shared #PowerBI datasets through multiple environments, and how to bind thin reports to different source datasets automatically during deployment 😊 https://richardswinbank.net/pbi/working_with_multiple_power_bi_dataset_environments

This year's #DataRelay tour runs October 2nd-6th. Sign up for free to your nearest event at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/datarelay-6722297983 #Microsoft #DataPlatform

One of my favourite features of Azure #DevOps pipelines is reusability -- in this blog post I simplify #PowerBI report deployment using reusable YAML templates https://richardswinbank.net/pbi/publish_to_power_bi_environments_with_azure_devops_pipelines

Install-DbaMaintenanceSolution now supports auto-scheduling Ola Hallengren's agent jobs! Read more on @cl's blog #dbatools #sqlserver #powershell https://blog.netnerds.net/2023/05/install-dbamaintenancesolution-now-supports-auto-scheduling/

Tech speakers, it's 2023. Stop using moms as your example of a non-technical audience. It's wrong, its not funny, and whatever you were saying, now most of your audience is not thinking about it.

Just use the exec team as an example instead and get on with your life.

More #PowerBI & Azure #DevOps! In this post, I'm using Azure DevOps pipelines to deploy to multiple PowerBI environments -- automatically 😃 https://richardswinbank.net/pbi/publish_to_power_bi_environments_with_azure_devops_pipelines

Applications are open for the Pass-It-On Awards!

The program provides funding ($1,000) to women for computing-related projects that inspire and assist girls and women around the world.

I've been on the PIO awards committee since 2010, and it's among the most rewarding things I do. We've enabled women to create lasting change and to make the world better.

(In case it isn't obvious from the text, there's no cost for the application.)

https://anitab.org/awards-grants/pass-it-on-awards/