Redgate Software takes over from PASS and commits to the future of the Summit, SQLSaturday and the community
Redgate Software confirmed today that it has acquired the assets of the Professional Association for SQL Server (PASS), which ended operations on January 15, and will revive the Summit, continue SQLSaturdays, and make available the library of content and training sessions.
Redgate Software confirmed today that it has acquired the assets of the Professional Association for SQL Server (PASS), which ended operations on January 15, and will revive the Summit, continue SQLSaturdays, and make available the library of content and training sessions.
For 21 years, PASS represented a global community of over 300,000 professionals who use the Microsoft data platform, through a rolling program of international conferences, online learning, regional events, and local group meetups. It also facilitated SQLSaturdays which enable data professionals to learn and network through close to 120 free and high quality, one-day training events each year in cities across the world.
With Covid-19 causing the cancellation of in-person events, however, PASS went into liquidation at the end of 2020, causing concern among SQL Server professionals who had relied on the opportunities it offered to learn alongside and network with their peers.
As a long-standing Global Alliance Partner and a major supporter of PASS, Redgate has stepped in to continue to make those opportunities available.
For Simon Galbraith, the Co-Founder and CEO of Redgate, the decision was easy. “Redgate started at about the same time as PASS and we’ve been on a journey together for two decades. We’ve sponsored PASS conferences, Redgate experts have spoken many times at those conferences, and we’ve been big supporters of SQLSaturdays. PASS was a great organization that gave its members access to a wealth of technical content, and we want to serve the community in the same way.”
Redgate is now drawing up plans for running a replacement for the Summit as a virtual event in 2021. With SQLSaturdays at the heart of the SQL Server community, these will be brought back so that data professionals from LA to London can continue to learn at local events. Redgate also now has the extensive library of over 3,000 presentations and training videos which was previously available through PASS, and is working out the best way to curate them and make them available.
The move builds on Redgate’s history of supporting the SQL Server community through websites such as SQLServerCentral.com and Simple Talk, and, most recently, the Community Circle initiative. Introduced by Redgate when the pandemic started last year, the Community Circle provides a huge range of free online learning content, support and advice to help IT professionals develop their skills and stay connected with one another.
As Simon Galbraith concludes, the acquisition of the assets of PASS will build on that. “I’m really excited about Redgate taking this on because we’ve got the resources to do more, expand the community more vigorously outside of the USA, and do bigger and better things in the future.”
Existing PASS members, and others who want to follow future developments, can sign up to hear about the progress with Redgate by visiting www.red-gate.com/PASS.