An Introduction of Upcoming TechNet Live Event Content

The TechNet live events of this quarter are just about to start. For IT Pro track, a team of IT Evangelists will be making a contact and delivering content to various IT Pro communities in cities throughout the U.S. starting late January:

• Session 1: Where the Web meets local software: Cloud computing with Software-plus-Services
• Session 2: Master your environment with System Center Configuration Manager 2007
• Session 3: Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 – A Technical Overview

These terms: Cloud Computing, Software as a Service (SaaS), Software-plus-Services (S+S), Microsoft Online Services, Microsoft Azure Service platform, Microsoft Business Productivity Office Suite (BPOS) can be sometimes confusing. Exactly what is Cloud Computing? Is apps accessible through clouds Cloud Computing? What do SaaS and S+S really mean to IT Pros? Session 1 will bring clarity to you in a 30-minute discussion on how these concepts complement one another, and demo how the architectural components integrate and work together to give a user an integrated experience on "connect, communicate, and collaborate with anywhere access."

Recently virtualization has been coming with a big wave and bringing IT with much momentum and excitements. Some virtualization solutions provide not only the ability to run applications, but also with deployment mechanisms. And as an IT Pro, one must recognize it is so critical now to have a system management solution in place. And any IT infrastructure projects going forward should include considerations on how to manage and integrate newly introduced resources, physical and virtualized, with existing ones in a transparent and systematic way. System management is an area that IT Pros must keep their skill up to date and not to overlook.

Session 2 offers an operational aspect on System Center Configuration Manager 2007 on deploying and managing resources as well as Network Access Protection (NAP). In 90 minutes, the scenario-based demos will give you a realistic view with insights of enterprise configuration management. Get your pen and a notebook ready, there is so much included in this session.

With the employment of virtualization, deploying and managing virtual machines is a topic with much visibility. To increase ROI and reduce TCO of a virtualization solution, in addition to virtualizing resources, the management of a virtualization solutions (such as requesting, configuring, deploying, patching, and revoking virtual machines) must be implemented with minimal impact upon and maximal integration with and applicability to IT resources already put in place. This is also why Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM) 2008 has become such an essential component to realize the benefits of a virtualization solution. Session 3 is 90 minutes packed with demos of SCVMM 2008 and walks through various scenarios on managing Microsoft and non-Microsoft virtual machines with a consistent user experience and your already developed Windows skills.

Notice the slide decks are soon to be released, then they can be downloaded from TechNet Event resource page.

So are you ready to be a rock, and not to roll? Come, join us.