Bob Ward

Principal Architect, Microsoft Azure Data

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Bob Ward is a Principal Architect for the Microsoft Azure Data team, which owns the development for Microsoft SQL ground to cloud to fabric. Bob has worked for Microsoft for 32 years on every version of SQL Server shipped from OS/2 1.1 to SQL Server 2025 including Azure SQL and SQL database in Fabric. Bob is a well-known speaker on SQL Server, Azure SQL, AI, and Microsoft Fabric often presenting talks on new releases, internals, and specialized topics at events such as SQLBits, Microsoft Build, Microsoft Ignite, PASS Summit, Fabric Community Conference, SQLCon, and VS Live. You can follow him at @bobwardms or linkedin.com/in/bobwardms. Bob is the author of the books Pro SQL Server on Linux, SQL Server 2019 Revealed, Azure SQL Revealed, SQL Server 2022 Revealed, Azure SQL Revealed 2nd Edition, and SQL Server 2025 Unveiled available from Apress Media.

• CORENOTE: The Roadmap for Microsoft SQL: Ground to Cloud to Fabric
• An inside look at how Microsoft builds SQL features
• SQL vs. Fabric? Why Not Both! A Practical and Entertaining Guide for All
• SQL Server 2025 is the AI-ready Enterprise Database