It took a minute as my Southern friends like to say, but both the main and precon schedules have been finalized for the PNW Day of Data 2026.
I’m excited to advertise that we have three precons for our event on Nov 6th (Friday) at the same location, our friends at WSUV (Washington State University – Vancouver).
From Jerry Nixon at Microsoft – SQL AI App in a Day – Build AI‑Powered Applications Using the SQL Language You Know and Trust
AI‑powered applications start with trusted data — and SQL remains the most trusted way to work with it.
SQL AI App in a Day is a hands‑on workshop for SQL developers, data professionals, and DBAs who want to build AI‑powered applications using T‑SQL and the SQL Server engine. You’ll extend the skills you already have to enable intelligent retrieval and grounded generative AI — without moving your data or compromising security.
From Kevin Feasel – AI at the Gates: The DBA’s Guide to Surviving in an LLM World – You don’t need a PhD in data science to make generative AI useful in your database work. But you do need a plan, and that’s what this session delivers. This full-day training is designed specifically for database administrators and developers who want to move beyond the hype and learn how to put generative AI to work in their daily roles.
We begin with a practical foundation in how generative AI works using terms data professionals already understand. Then, we lay out the case in favor of using generative AI solutions in your job. From there, we survey the current tooling landscape, from built-in Copilot features in SQL Server Management Studio and VS Code to standalone AI assistants, with an honest look at what works, what doesn’t, and what’s coming next.
From Tomislav Hlupic – Enterprise Data Engineering in Fabric: From Medallion to metadata-driven automation – Design it – build it – run it! Welcome to a full-day journey through enterprise data engineering in Microsoft Fabric—where architecture meets real implementation.
This workshop will take you beyond isolated features and into the real-world design of an enterprise-grade data platform that Microsoft Fabric has evolved into. Throughout the workshop, we won’t focus on individual tools, but on building a cohesive architecture by connecting ingestion, transformation, orchestration, and monitoring into a unified analytics solution.
The workshop starts with conceptual basics – introducing the Medallion architecture and its implementation in Fabric, from bronze to silver to curated gold warehouse models. During this part of the workshop, we will define which artifacts belong to each part of the architecture, ensuring not only an understanding of how things work – but also why they are designed this way in an enterprise environment.
You’ll be able to register for any of these three excellent sessions through our Day of Data page very soon.
In addition, after much debate, we are changing from the SQL Train to the Data Bus! I know, I like the train as well, but the bus is much cheaper and gives us much more flexibility, including the ability to drop the riders directly at the Hyatt Regency in Seattle! We may also stop for an ice cream break after a hard day of sitting on a bus…
Here’s our Day of Data page –
