Acknowledgments

Writing does not always come easy, but being able to share ideas about data is important to me. It is a way we can all grow in our careers and see the opportunities out there. The user group community is definitely a place for that. I am thankful for others with this attitude who teach to others what they know. It doesn’t take away from their position, but adds to it. The user community is more than just a team; it’s a place that offers the excitement of learning and watching others grow and learn as well. It just makes my job more fun.

So thanks to the IOUG community, where I have learned from a great group of people. Hopefully, I have been passing on some knowledge along the way, too.

Thanks to Carrie Steyer for her thoughts on the direction for this book. She is using data for remarkable things, including helping to save lives and growing her group at Slalom Chicago.

Thanks to the co-authors, Chris Lawless and Bobby Curtis, for sharing their knowledge about the tools and diving into the best practices, tips, and tricks that make it easier for the rest of us. I also appreciate the contributing authors, Ash Mohiuddin and Ian Abramson, for adding valuable insight and information to the chapters of this book.

Thanks to Holger Friedrich, our technical editor, for validating the material and keeping us on track with what was being communicated.

I appreciate Oracle Press and their excitement about this book. It should be a very valuable tool for those who use it for their data integration efforts. Thank you for the opportunity to write and work with the professionals there.

I also would like to thank my girls, Amanda and Emily, for allowing me to spend some weekend nights writing, as well as for the questions they have started asking—which makes me think even more about the importance of data.

Putting a book together is definitely a group effort, and I appreciate everyone who has helped and contributed. And thanks to you, the reader—be a part of the user communities and keep on learning!

Michelle Malcher