Blue Elephant Pack
For some time now, we have been organising the Blue Elephant Pack, named after the logo of Postgres. A unique format: an introductory masterclass for experienced DBAs, led by the best trainers in the Netherlands. A concept created by Pieter Groenendijk, in which participants spend 8 evenings together over the course of a quarter, working through real-world cases and receiving mentor support throughout.
The evening of 5 February was centred around the certificate ceremony for cohort 3, under the theme of OptimaData’s 10th anniversary, in collaboration with our partner EDB.
Expertise Hub
During the opening of the evening, Edco Wallet also presented a visual overview of OptimaData’s position in the Netherlands regarding PostgreSQL and the concept of the Expertise Hub.
Certificate ceremony
We were able to congratulate 8 participants on obtaining their certificate. Over 8 evenings across a single quarter, guided by the Netherlands’ finest PostgreSQL trainers, they were introduced to PostgreSQL, solved hands-on challenges, and worked through current real-world use cases.
Together we pushed boundaries, discovered new insights, and laid a solid foundation for the future. This group of experts is now ready to enter the PostgreSQL world with renewed knowledge and valuable connections that will inspire them for years to come.
On behalf of OptimaData, we thank all participants and trainers who made this programme a success. And that we have once again (in partnership with the PostgreSQL Usergroup NL) been able to deliver 8 database experts to the global PostgreSQL community. The future of PostgreSQL is in good hands!
A word of thanks to the trainers
Now for the third time, trainers Jeroen Evers and Ellert van Koperen have guided a group of experienced DBAs through the remarkable world of PostgreSQL with energy, passion, and craftsmanship. They sometimes joke that “we are training our own competition”. There is some truth to that yet given the continued growth of PostgreSQL in the Netherlands (and Europe), there is more than enough work for strong PostgreSQL professionals. And for strengthening the community to ensure the continuity of sufficient recognised and proven PostgreSQL expertise, this initiative is extremely valuable.
Jeroen and Ellert truly make the difference in this masterclass, or as they themselves call it, “introduction”. Thanks to the unique format, they follow participants for an entire quarter, offering tips and guidance along the way. You can see the knowledge being applied in practice immediately, and it sticks far better as a result.
Time to connect
After the more formal part of the evening, we enjoyed a beautiful buffet with plenty of time for networking, catching up, and sharing stories.
International speakers
We were delighted to have Boriss Mejias and Kevin Li give a talk on specific topics within or around PostgreSQL.
Kevin took us into the world of Postgres and AI, how the EDB framework has integrated AI as a tool, and how PostgreSQL handles vector databases. A timely and fascinating topic that we will be hearing much more about in the near future.
Boriss presented an excellent case study on the possibilities, options, and considerations around replication, and how best to apply it in different scenarios.
All in all, an exceptionally engaging evening. We are proud of what we have built here, and of the role we play as an Expertise Hub in the Netherlands.