Sleeping While the Wind Blows: Lessons from Real-Life Disasters for IT Professionals

What do man-made and natural disasters have to do with our roles in the IT world? The answer might surprise you! Most accidents and disasters are not caused by one action, but rather a series of small factors that snowball into a situation that can have devastating consequences. It's the same in our work environments: complacency and failure to create or follow established guidelines can lead to heartbreaking scenarios in our professional lives.

In this session, we will discuss real-life disasters, what the underlying causes were and how these lessons can have an impact on how we approach our day jobs. We'll explore the similarities between the situations these individuals faced and the tension filled circumstances that we find ourselves in at work. We'll discuss some of the most common 'disaster-causing' attitudes and behaviors, show real world examples of how they caused tragedy and likewise discover some mitigating attitudes and how they can be implemented in our work environments.

Adrian Porter is the Sr. Manager, Operations at 1-800 CONTACTS. He has been working with SQL Server since 1999 when he was thrust into the exciting world of Database Administration as an 'Accidental DBA'. He quickly developed a love for the intricacies and untapped value of databases and how they are truly the foundation upon which all organizations reside. He is a graduate of Brigham Young University and resides in Salt Lake City with his wife and three children.