The OUG Norway 2014 Varseminar concluded this past April 5th as the crowd of 350 motivated Oracle professionals disembarked from the MS Color Magic. The two-day cruise between Oslo, Norway and Kiel, Germany offered me a chance to regain my “sea legs,” reconnect with my European colleagues, and transfer additional knowledge on the state of Oracle 12c “across the pond.”
This was my second time at OUGN in two years, and this year’s speakers were all excellent, including a unique keynote from Kellyn Pot’Vin and Tim Gorman on how IT professionals often make the wrong assumptions as we chase “tinsel monkeys” down rabbit holes when we’re trying to solve performance problems. I thoroughly enjoyed rendering my two presentations on Oracle 12c Database’s ILM features. Eight separate tracks made for more intimate venues for each presentation, but everyone who participated was enthusiastic about finding out how to best leverage these new capabilities.
Between our flights home, my colleague and friend Luis Campos and I also explored Oslo’s residential district and visited Frogner Park, a huge open space that’s home to some of the most unique sculpture gardens in the midst of one of the most beautiful capitals in Europe. The brisk April air barely penetrated my new Oracle ACE Director windbreaker – which needed a good break-in anyway. No wonder Norwegians always seem so happy!
