An event truly fitting an “open world” — I will be speaking at Oracle Open World.
How does a wild-mannered MySQL DBA like me get to speak at an Oracle conference? Well, after I received the MySQL Community Award two years in a row, Dan Norris contacted me, and encouraged me to submit a proposal with him on how to contribute to the community.
Oracle has a formal program for recognizing community members at two levels: the Oracle ACE Director, and the Oracle ACE. An Oracle ACE Director is expected to make a 12-month commitment to working with the community, while an Oracle ACE is bestowed upon folks to recognize their volunteer efforts in the past. More information about the program can be found on the Oracle ACE Program FAQ.
Dan Norris is himself an Oracle ACE Director, and I think it is a good sign that he reached out to the MySQL community to help the Oracle community. As database administrators and developers, I think we all have much to learn from each other, and I hope this cross-pollination will continue.
If anyone attending Oracle OpenWorld, (or who happens to be in San Francisco from Sunday, September 21st through Thursday, September 26th) wants to meet me or have dinner with me, drop me a line!