---
title: The Coeo Blog | Simon Osborne
description: Simon is a Solution Architect at Coeo.
---

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# The Coeo Blog

## Simon Osborne

![](https://blog.coeo.com/hubfs/SimonOsCircle.jpg)

Simon is a Solution Architect at Coeo.

### Recent Posts

## [Data Strategy in Finance and Insurance](https://blog.coeo.com/data-strategy-in-finance-and-insurance)

In today’s data-rich landscape, private equity firms, financiers and insurers who already collect vast quantities of information can use it to gain a competitive advantage.

[![Simon Osborne](https://blog.coeo.com/hubfs/SimonOsCircle.jpg)](https://blog.coeo.com/data-strategy-in-finance-and-insurance)

[Simon Osborne](https://blog.coeo.com/author/simon-osborne) | April 16 , 2020 

<https://blog.coeo.com/data-strategy-in-finance-and-insurance>

## [How Coeo sped up lead processing with PowerApps](https://blog.coeo.com/powerapps-lead-processing)

The Coeo team decided to transform the way we process marketing leads from industry events by turning a paper-based process into a PowerApp. [Big Data LDN](https://bigdataldn.com/) 2019 was the perfect place to test our new system.

[![Simon Osborne](https://blog.coeo.com/hubfs/SimonOsCircle.jpg)](https://blog.coeo.com/powerapps-lead-processing)

[Simon Osborne](https://blog.coeo.com/author/simon-osborne) | December 10 , 2019 

<https://blog.coeo.com/powerapps-lead-processing>

## [Laying the groundwork for data-driven retail](https://blog.coeo.com/laying-the-groundwork-for-data-focus-in-retail)

The Coeo team have worked with organisations from across the retail sector and we've seen that increasing numbers of companies are looking to learn more from their customer data.

[![Simon Osborne](https://blog.coeo.com/hubfs/SimonOsCircle.jpg)](https://blog.coeo.com/laying-the-groundwork-for-data-focus-in-retail)

[Simon Osborne](https://blog.coeo.com/author/simon-osborne) | November 26 , 2019 

<https://blog.coeo.com/laying-the-groundwork-for-data-focus-in-retail>

## [Optimising retail IT spending](https://blog.coeo.com/optimising-retail-it-spending)

It's no secret that the past few years have been challenging for UK retailers. According to [Deloitte](https://www2.deloitte.com/uk/en/pages/consumer-business/articles/retail-trends.html), 2018 saw a 36% increase in net store closures compared to 2017 - 7,500 in total. With pressure increasing and costs rising, we expect budget holders in areas like IT will start to see a squeeze on..

[![Simon Osborne](https://blog.coeo.com/hubfs/SimonOsCircle.jpg)](https://blog.coeo.com/optimising-retail-it-spending)

[Simon Osborne](https://blog.coeo.com/author/simon-osborne) | July 17 , 2019 

<https://blog.coeo.com/optimising-retail-it-spending>

## [The Need to Continually Improve](https://blog.coeo.com/simonosborne/2016/09/06/the-need-to-continually-improve)

At Coeo personal development is huge part of our ethos. Since I joined the company a little over 3 years ago now I have studied for, and passed 7 MCP exams, and these haven’t just been in SQL Server. We’re constantly encouraged to explore other areas that complement the work we do. In the last 3..

[![Simon Osborne](https://blog.coeo.com/hubfs/SimonOsCircle.jpg)](https://blog.coeo.com/simonosborne/2016/09/06/the-need-to-continually-improve)

[Simon Osborne](https://blog.coeo.com/author/simon-osborne) | September 06 , 2016 

<https://blog.coeo.com/simonosborne/2016/09/06/the-need-to-continually-improve>

## [Stretch Database - SQL Bits XV Q&A](https://blog.coeo.com/simonosborne/2016/05/08/stretch-database-sql-bits-xv-qa)

When I was at SQL Bits this week someone was asking me about SQL Server 2016’s new stretch database features. The attendee in question was asking about backing up and restoring the production database for development purposes. In their case the development team like to work with up-to-date..

[![Simon Osborne](https://blog.coeo.com/hubfs/SimonOsCircle.jpg)](https://blog.coeo.com/simonosborne/2016/05/08/stretch-database-sql-bits-xv-qa)

[Simon Osborne](https://blog.coeo.com/author/simon-osborne) | May 08 , 2016 

<https://blog.coeo.com/simonosborne/2016/05/08/stretch-database-sql-bits-xv-qa>

## [Restoring 1000's of SQL Server Databases Using PowerShell](https://blog.coeo.com/simonosborne/2015/10/20/restoring-1000s-of-sql-server-databases-using-powershell)

Recently I have been working with a client who has a production SQL Server instance that has ~2.5k databases on it. They are in the process of moving to a new SQL Server cluster and are reviewing their other non-production environments too.

[![Simon Osborne](https://blog.coeo.com/hubfs/SimonOsCircle.jpg)](https://blog.coeo.com/simonosborne/2015/10/20/restoring-1000s-of-sql-server-databases-using-powershell)

[Simon Osborne](https://blog.coeo.com/author/simon-osborne) | October 20 , 2015 

<https://blog.coeo.com/simonosborne/2015/10/20/restoring-1000s-of-sql-server-databases-using-powershell>

## [Choosing the right tool for the job](https://blog.coeo.com/simonosborne/2015/10/07/choosing-the-right-tool-for-the-job)

I was working with a client recently when an architect expressed disdain for a particular part of the SQL Server stack. In this particular case the architect had then chosen to roll-their-own solution which they felt was better. My intention is not to comment on their particular solution but it did..

[![Simon Osborne](https://blog.coeo.com/hubfs/SimonOsCircle.jpg)](https://blog.coeo.com/simonosborne/2015/10/07/choosing-the-right-tool-for-the-job)

[Simon Osborne](https://blog.coeo.com/author/simon-osborne) | October 07 , 2015 

<https://blog.coeo.com/simonosborne/2015/10/07/choosing-the-right-tool-for-the-job>

## [SQL Server Data Files in Azure – Part 1 – Creating a database](https://blog.coeo.com/simonosborne/2015/10/01/sql-server-data-files-in-azure-part-1-creating-a-database)

One of the interesting new features of SQL Server 2014 was being able to place SQL Server database files directly in Azure blob containers. The purpose of this post is to walk you through setting up a database with its data and log files in Azure. In a later post I plan to test the performance of a..

[![Simon Osborne](https://blog.coeo.com/hubfs/SimonOsCircle.jpg)](https://blog.coeo.com/simonosborne/2015/10/01/sql-server-data-files-in-azure-part-1-creating-a-database)

[Simon Osborne](https://blog.coeo.com/author/simon-osborne) | October 01 , 2015 

<https://blog.coeo.com/simonosborne/2015/10/01/sql-server-data-files-in-azure-part-1-creating-a-database>

## [The curious case of the slowly starting cluster](https://blog.coeo.com/simonosborne/2015/07/16/the-curious-case-of-the-slowly-starting-cluster)

I came across an interesting case today that I thought it was worth doing a quick blog post about. I was working with a customer who was migrating onto their newly built SQL Server 2014 clustered instance. Part of the pre-migration testing was to fail the SQL Server service between the two nodes to..

[![Simon Osborne](https://blog.coeo.com/hubfs/SimonOsCircle.jpg)](https://blog.coeo.com/simonosborne/2015/07/16/the-curious-case-of-the-slowly-starting-cluster)

[Simon Osborne](https://blog.coeo.com/author/simon-osborne) | July 16 , 2015 

<https://blog.coeo.com/simonosborne/2015/07/16/the-curious-case-of-the-slowly-starting-cluster>

[Load more](https://blog.coeo.com/author/simon-osborne/page/2)

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