22-25 April 2026 
Simon Whiteley
CTO for Advancing Analytics Ltd, Microsoft Data Platform MVP and Databricks MVP. Simon is a seasoned solution architect & technical lead with well over a decade of Microsoft Analytics experience, who spends an inordinate amount of time running the Advancing Spark YouTube series. A deep techie with a focus on emerging cloud technologies and applying "big data" thinking to traditional analytics problems, Simon also has a passion for bringing it back to the high level and making sense of the bigger picture. When not tinkering with tech, Simon is a death-dodging London cyclist, a sampler of craft beers, an avid chef and a generally nerdy person.
Simon Whiteley's Training Days
Lakehouse in a daySQLBits 2023
In this training session you will build a full fletched green field Lakehouse architecture based on best practices! You will be guided by experts in the field to learn about the key components & how to build it in the most dynamic & performant way!
A Data Engineer's Guide to Azure SynapseSQLBits 2022
Azure Synapse Analytics has been steadily maturing and growing since it's release, but it's still hard to know where to start! This introductory training session will give you a grounding in all of the Synapse engines so you'll know your Spark Pool from your SQL Pools and be ready to hit the ground running!
Azure Databricks: Engineering Vs Data ScienceSQLBits 2019
Azure DataBricks can be used for both engineering and for data science. This session is led by two Microsoft MVPs, facing off. Engineer vs Scientist. The session is half how to build data pipelines and half how to do machine learning at scale.
A Data Engineer’s Guide to Azure SQL Data WarehouseSQLBits 2018
Azure SQL Data Warehouse provides a blazing fast, petabyte-scale SQL system. This all-day pre-con helps you, the data engineer, make the most of all this power by learning directly from the Microsoft Product group and industry leading consultants.
Simon Whiteley's Sessions
Behind the Hype - Architecture Trends in DataSQLBits 2023
In this session, seasoned data engineer and youtube grumbler Simon Whiteley takes us on a journey through the current industry trends and buzzwords, carving through the hype to get at the underlying ideals.
Bringing Data Lakes to your PurviewSQLBits 2022
A short, fast dive into the specific elements of Azure Purview that work well with Data Lakes, and how you implement them yourselves
Lessons in Lakehouse AutomationSQLBits 2022
A session following the evolution of lakehouse architectures alongside the new techniques for code automation & metadata management they unlock
Value-Driven Analytics DevelopmentSQLBits 2020
Ever spent an age releasing a data model, only to find no-one uses it? There's a better way of working, driven by both technology & agile working practices, let me tell you about Value Driven Development & DataOps
Databricks, Delta Lake and YouSQLBits 2020
Databricks, Lakes & Parquet are a match made in heaven, but explode with extra power when using Delta Lake. This session will dive into the details of how Databricks Delta works and how to make the most of it.
The Azure Spark Showdown - Databricks VS Synapse AnalyticsSQLBits 2020
Azure now has two slick, platform-as-a-service spark offerings, but which one should you choose? A separate specialist tools or a one-size-fits-all solution? Join Simon as he compares and contrasts the spark offerings.
Python Pipeline Primer: Data Engineering with DataBricksSQLBits 2019
Azure DataBricks is a PaaS offering of Apache Spark, which allows for blazing fast data processing! How can data engineers harness the in-memory processing power? Azure DataBricks can be your data ingestion, transformation and curation tool of choice
Cloud Processing: PaaS SSIS & Advanced Patterns with ADFV2SQLBits 2018
Many existing Data Factories include large numbers of workarounds due to limitations with the service. Now that ADF V2 is available, we can restructure our Data Factories to be lean, efficient data pipelines, and this session will show you how.
Azure SQL DataWarehouse: 0-100 (DWUs)SQLBits 2017
Azure SQLDW - WHAT, WHERE, WHEN and HOW to use it.
Warehouse of the Future: Lakes Vs MartsSQLBits 2016
Data Warehouses are changing. This session will run through the architecture of the modern warehouse, from structured/unstructured Azure Data Lakes to platform as a service Azure Data Warehouse and bringing the two together.
Building an Azure Delta Lakehouse in 50 minutesSQLBits 2022
Enough talk, it's time the show. This is an entirely practical, demo-driven session, taking data from source, through cleaning and into an analytics-ready model. All in a Lake. In 50 minutes.
Building The Next Delta LakehouseSQLBits 2022
Data Lakes have matured massively in the past few years, with Delta being one of the primary drivers. We'll run through Delta, Lakehouses and the Databricks features that enable it.
Bringing Data Lakes to your PurviewSQLBits 2022
A short, fast dive into the specific elements of Azure Purview that work well with Data Lakes, and how you implement them yourselves
Value-Driven Analytics DevelopmentSQLBits 2020
Ever spent an age releasing a data model, only to find no-one uses it? There's a better way of working, driven by both technology & agile working practices, let me tell you about Value Driven Development & DataOps
Databricks, Delta Lake and YouSQLBits 2020
Databricks, Lakes & Parquet are a match made in heaven, but explode with extra power when using Delta Lake. This session will dive into the details of how Databricks Delta works and how to make the most of it.
The Azure Spark Showdown - Databricks VS Synapse AnalyticsSQLBits 2020
Azure now has two slick, platform-as-a-service spark offerings, but which one should you choose? A separate specialist tools or a one-size-fits-all solution? Join Simon as he compares and contrasts the spark offerings.
Python Pipeline Primer: Data Engineering with DataBricksSQLBits 2019
Azure DataBricks is a PaaS offering of Apache Spark, which allows for blazing fast data processing! How can data engineers harness the in-memory processing power? Azure DataBricks can be your data ingestion, transformation and curation tool of choice
Cloud Processing: PaaS SSIS & Advanced Patterns with ADFV2SQLBits 2018
Many existing Data Factories include large numbers of workarounds due to limitations with the service. Now that ADF V2 is available, we can restructure our Data Factories to be lean, efficient data pipelines, and this session will show you how.
Azure SQL DataWarehouse: 0-100 (DWUs)SQLBits 2017
Azure SQLDW - WHAT, WHERE, WHEN and HOW to use it.
Warehouse of the Future: Lakes Vs MartsSQLBits 2016
Data Warehouses are changing. This session will run through the architecture of the modern warehouse, from structured/unstructured Azure Data Lakes to platform as a service Azure Data Warehouse and bringing the two together.