About

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I help enterprises modernize mission-critical data platforms, moving from legacy architectures to modern, cloud-based systems that perform predictably at scale.

I’m a Senior Principal Field Solution Architect at Pure Storage, a Microsoft Data Platform MVP, and a Pluralsight author. I’ve spent more than 25 years in IT at the intersection of databases, storage, Linux, Kubernetes, and high-performance infrastructure.

My current work centers on running stateful workloads (SQL Server, PostgreSQL, and MongoDB) on modern platforms like Kubernetes and Pure Storage FlashArray, with an emphasis on performance, availability, and operational simplicity. In 2026 I open-sourced the SQL Server on Kubernetes Operator, which automates lifecycle management and Always On Availability Groups for SQL Server on Kubernetes. I write regularly on SQL Server 2025 features including vector search, S3 object integration, and native REST, as well as T-SQL Snapshot Backup and storage-aware database design.

What drives my approach is a systems-level perspective. I don’t stop at the query or the tool. I look at how the entire stack behaves under real conditions, from storage I/O to query execution to workload patterns. That’s usually where the real answer lives.

Current Focus

  • Large-scale data platform modernization
  • Performance and cost optimization in cloud data platforms
  • Migrating legacy database workloads to modern analytics architectures
  • Building data platforms that support AI and advanced analytics at scale

Books

Pluralsight

I’ve authored over two dozen courses on SQL Server, Kubernetes, Linux, and the Microsoft data platform, including SQL Server on Kubernetes and Azure Arc-enabled Data Services Revealed.

Background

I hold a Master’s degree in Computer Science. My published research covers high-performance, low-latency data access algorithms, GPU memory optimization using Morton order indexing, and dependency-aware live virtual machine migration. Before joining Pure Storage, I ran an independent SQL Server consulting practice and worked across the full data center stack: networks, storage, virtualization, and databases. That breadth is why storage performance and database internals still feel like the same problem to me.

Speaking

I’m a regular speaker at PASS Data Community Summit, SQLBits, Pure//Accelerate, and SQL Saturdays worldwide. I try to make sessions the kind you leave with something you can actually use on Monday. Slides and demos from past talks are on GitHub.

Connect

If you want to talk SQL Server, Kubernetes, or storage performance, reach out — I’d love to hear what you’re working on.