Pre-Conference Seminars (1 day)

These Pre-Conference Seminars (1 day) have been carefully chosen to address the most relevant needs that IT professionals face today.

Tuesday 8th September: 9am – 5pm

Title 
  A Day of Deployment Best Practices » SOLD OUT!!    
 

Microsoft Deployment unifies the tools and processes required for desktop and server deployment into a common deployment console and collection of guidance. The fourth generation deployment accelerator adds integration with recently released Microsoft deployment technologies to create a single path for image creation and automated installation. Microsoft Deployment’s tools and end-to-end guidance reduce deployment time, standardize desktop and server images, limit service disruptions, reduce post-deployment help desk costs, and improve security and ongoing configuration management.

The next version of the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit, MDT 2010, which is due to be released after the Windows 7 release, will offer:

  • Support for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2.
  • Deployment Workbench and script architecture improvements.
  • Documentation improvements.

This one-day session invites you to learn Deployment Best Practices in relation to your business. Take a look at what the new Deployment Toolkit has to offer as well as learn about current deployment best practices and techniques for current Windows technologies. We’ll also explore Windows 7 deployment using Configuration Manager 2007 R2, image creation, re-imaging XP machines and considerations of both local and virtual applications during deployment.

  
  Building an End-to-End Microsoft Business Intelligence Solution with Microsoft SQL Server 2008 and Microsoft Office Performance Point Server 2007 »    
 

This comprehensive one-day seminar introduces the capabilities and features of the Microsoft Business Intelligence (BI) and performance management platforms. Delivering the right information, in the right format, at the right time to all users in the organisation – that is Microsoft's BI strategy and vision for enterprise information management.

Microsoft integrated BI and performance management tools enable IT professionals to create effective solutions that business users use every day to find meaningful patterns in the vast sea of data they collect, and to use that insight to respond quickly to changing business conditions. This seminar delivers information that will help you design and develop such solutions. It’s also an excellent springboard to prepare for and launch your week at Tech·Ed, because it introduces fundamental topics that will be covered more deeply in breakout sessions during the week.

Topics include:
  • Office PerformancePoint Server planning.
  • Data warehouse design and ETL implementation.
  • Reporting.
  • UDM design.
  • UDM reporting using Reporting Services and Excel.
  • Data mining.
  • Office PerformancePoint Server monitoring and analysis through KPIs and scorecards.

At the completion of this seminar attendees will be able to position different types of BI solutions, from enterprise data warehousing to data marts, to real-time operational reporting and analytics, and to performance management. This seminar is intended for IT professionals with an interest in BI and performance management, and is equally suitable for non-IT professionals interested in understanding and evaluating Microsoft offerings. There are no specific prerequisites, apart from a general understanding of database technology. Attendees have the opportunity to see comprehensive demonstrations that build to deliver a complete, integrated BI and performance management solution.

    
  Rich Branding with SharePoint and Silverlight »    
 

In one day you will move from a vanilla design to cookies and cream.

In this one-day seminar you will learn more on how Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 can be used as a platform for building Internet and intranet applications. We will use SharePoint Designer to design our own brand, create a custom Master Page complete with CSS, images and navigation, and even sprinkle in some Silverlight. We will also create custom page layouts for page design and style some web parts to provide a complete branding solution.

What if you want to drive your own company look and feel instead of the 'out of box' standard?

  
  SharePoint Workflow in a Day »    
 

SharePoint Workflows are a powerful addition to the platform. From the out-of-the-box workflows, which ship with Windows SharePoint Services and Microsoft Office SharePoint Server, to SharePoint Designer workflows, to Microsoft Visual Studio developed workflows, there is an array of options for adding workflow to your SharePoint solutions.

In this one-day session we walk you through a "ground up" understanding of Workflow. Starting with out-of-the-box workflows, we show you how they're used, and their limitations. We show you how users can create their own workflows with SharePoint Designer and why you need to be careful about when you let them do that. From there we develop our own workflows in Visual Studio, including the creation of tasks, the addition of association and instantiation forms, a task edit form, and even how to develop your own custom activity.

In this jam-packed session you get everything you need to move from novice to expert in SharePoint workflow – all in one day.

    
  System Center Operations Manager and why you should install today! »    
 

This one-day session invites you to explore the new features of System Center Operations Manager 2007 R2 and why you should be deploying today!

System Center Operations Manager 2007 R2 introduces new and enhanced capabilities including:

  • Extending its monitoring capabilities to Unix and Linux servers and workloads.
  • The ability to report on service levels across IT availability and performance.
  • Enhanced system and web monitoring capabilities
  • And much more.

System Center Operations Manager 2007 R2 has the unique ability to enable organisations to reduce the cost of data center management across server operating systems and hypervisors.

By extending the value that customers already see in monitoring their Windows Server infrastructure to Unix and Linux, Operations Manager 2007 R2 empowers data centers to deliver the levels of service agreed with their internal or external customers across all IT services that are hosted on heterogeneous platforms within the data center. At the same time data center owners are able to accurately monitor and report on their availability and performance metrics through enhanced service level monitoring. At the same time, their IT operations staff will can get improved access to the key functionality they need to maintain, enhance and assure services to end users.

  
  Architecting and Developing for the Microsoft Cloud Platform »    
 

During this full-day workshop, we will discuss approaches to delivering the best raw performance from Windows Azure applications, and how to achieve linear scale-out through the use of additional instances. 

We will also discuss cloud data management approaches using Windows Azure and SQL Azure’s partitioning capabilities.  Lastly, we will examine patterns for deploying Windows Azure cloud applications reliably and with minimal or no impact on the end user experience, and the security environment within which Windows Azure operates.

    
  NEW! What's Hot with Windows 7 »    
 

Scheduled by popular demand! Don’t miss this opportunity to explore our new client operating system Windows 7 during this 1-day seminar style demo dive.

We are excited to announce that the final Windows 7 code has been signed off and released to market. Start planning for your Windows 7 deployment today.

During this seminar we will explore and demonstrate some of the new capabilities Windows 7 has to offer, including:

  • Streamlined Management - Some of the powerful new features of Windows 7 and how it helps IT professionals more effectively manage desktop PCs.
  • Application Compatibility - The numerous tools Microsoft have developed to help customers and software developers assess application compatibility.
  • Deployment – Updated deployment toolkit, considerations and best practices.
  • Better Together – How and Why Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7 work better together in the workplace.
  • Security – Deep dive into the Windows 7 security

Seats are limited, register now!

  

Pre-Conference Technical Labs (2 days)

These Pre-Conference Labs (2 days) have been carefully chosen to address the most relevant needs that IT professionals face today.

Monday 7th September: 11am – 7pm, Tuesday 8th September: 9am – 5pm.

Title 
  Windows 7: An In-Depth look at the Next Windows » SOLD OUT!!    
 

This fast-paced, hands-on training provides you with technical insights on Windows 7. With strong backward compatibility, richer deployment tools and easier automation (including nearly 600 new PowerShell cmdlets) than in any previous Windows platform, there's a lot to like in the next Windows.

  • The workshop starts with a very quick overview of Windows 7, then gets down and dirty with the Window 7 deployment tools that make getting the new OS out to desktops and servers faster and easier.
  • Once we've got Windows 7 up and running, we'll briefly run through the changes to the UI and desktop layout, so you'll know what your users will need to know to use Windows 7, and how you can control the desktop.
  • We will look at the storage changes, including Windows 7's native support for booting a system from a VHD file, and the new UI for organizing your data called "libraries."
  • Next, you'll learn how networking changes in Windows 7, including simplified wireless networking, wireless "wake on LAN" support, better integration for mobile broadband, and a useful branch office file and Web caching technology called "BranchCache."
  • Last, we'll dive into the security changes in Win 7, including "AppLocker," (which restricts users' access to applications), BitLocker for removable devices, a seamless VPN ("DirectAccess"), and simplified object access logging.

After this two-day training module you will not only understand the changes and modifications in the new O/S, you’ll also be prepared to start planning your deployment – and be able to hit the ground running at RTM! This session is now full.

  
  Microsoft Exchange 14: Behind the Scenes » SOLD OUT!! (workshops still available)    
 

The Microsoft Exchange 2010 Ignite workshop is a training workshop for Microsoft UC partners who are proactively looking to stay ahead of the market so they are ready to deliver and deploy the latest Microsoft’s unified communications technologies. Registration and further information can be found here.

At a time when your organisation requires its communication tools to be adaptable and cost effective, Microsoft Exchange Server 14 helps you achieve new levels of reliability and performance by delivering features that simplify your administration, protect your communications, and delight your users by meeting their demands for greater business mobility.

Microsoft Exchange, the cornerstone of Microsoft’s unified communication solution, has long been the choice of organisations like yours for enabling rich and productive collaboration among its users. With the latest release of Exchange, you are assured of the widest range of deployment options, the richest user experience, and integrated information leakage protection and compliance capabilities which combine to form the best messaging and collaboration solution available.

This two-day workshop will cover a wide variety of topics and Hands-on Labs, ranging from architecture, setup, deployment, tools, migration, security, transport, unified messaging, governance, archiving, and storage to high availability.

    
  The Microsoft Virtualisation Story - from the Data Centre to the Desktop » SOLD OUT!!    
 

Virtualisation is on everyone’s mind and with good reason. It's a critical, sea-changing concept with wide-reaching implications. The idea that you can make pools of dynamic resources with unlimited capacity available to users anywhere at any time is extraordinary.

Because it is so vital, Microsoft is committed to driving the adoption of virtualisation. However, in contrast to the conventional wisdom of today, we don't view virtualisation as an isolated, tactical tool. Rather, since virtualisation can have a profound impact on your entire operations, from the data centre to the desktop, we believe it should be embraced as part of an enterprise-wide infrastructure strategy.

  • At Microsoft, virtualisation is a means of enabling our long-standing vision of Dynamic IT, where people and computers get the resources they need the moment they need them.
  • Microsoft is the only company that provides an end-to-end suite of virtualisation products and technologies – all tied together by a centralised, policy-based management system.

This two-day session is designed to give attendees hands-on experience with the very latest in Virtualisation Technologies, including Windows Server 2008 R2 and System Centre Virtual Machine Manager 2008 R2.

Technologies Covered in this workshop include:
  • Windows Server 2008 R2 and Microsoft Hypervisor v2 (Hyper-V).
  • System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 R2.
  • Failover Clustering and Live Migration of Virtual Machines.
  • Performance and Resource Optimisation with System Center Operations Manager.
  • Virtual Machine Backup and Restore with System Center Data Protection Manager.
  • Microsoft Application Virtualisation (formerly known as Microsoft SoftGrid).
  • Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualisation (formerly known as Kidaro – new to the Microsoft Product Family and part of the Microsoft Desktop Optimisation Pack).
This course is intended for Technical Decision Makers and IT Professionals. Students should have:
  • Basic knowledge of database connectivity.
  • Knowledge of Windows Operating Systems.
  • Strong Network Administration skills including Active Directory. Management/Maintenance.
  
  Developers Paradise with Dublin & .Net Services » SOLD OUT!!    
 

Are you ready to move up the developer eco-system??? Be clever and find out what your new Application Hosting environment has to offer!

You don't need to be a Rocket Scientist to fully harness the new Windows Application Server Platform (aka Dublin). You can get on with building your App without spending time deciding which End Point Address looks better on your CV.

Dublin *IS* that happy place where you can rapidly deploy and execute your Windows Workflows using advancements in .NET/WCF/WF 4.0, while providing an Enterprise management and monitoring environment. Combine this with .NET Services – the very fabric of Microsoft's Cloud Computing – and you have some amazing functionality at your fingertips, where it can make you look like a star. Specifically, we'll be looking at the .NET Service Bus and SQL Services, which enable your applications to be accessed over the net while executed locally.

During the two days of this Workshop you will:
  • Be hands-on developing.
  • Be introduced to Dublin and the .NET Services Platform, and learn how to harness to all of its power. (Warning - you may be glowing when you finish).
  • Be able to expose your famous works using the Service Bus.

This is just the beginning! You will be developing... you will be 'phoning a friend' to call your application from another city (maybe)... and you will walk out saying "Why didn't I find out about this stuff sooner?"

    
  Dive into Windows Server 2008 & Windows Server 2008 R2 » SOLD OUT!!    
 

This intense workshop is all about rolling up your sleeves and discovering how things work inside Windows Server 2008 R2.

As part of this hands-on training, you’ll see the most compelling features of Windows Server in action. In addition to showing functional configuration, we peel back the covers to look at the workings, and discuss the real value to you and your organisation.

Topics cover a wide range of Windows Server technologies including BranchCache, DirectAccess, Remote Desktop Services, Virtual Desktop Infrastructure, PowerShell, Active Directory and many more.

This training consists of 8 modules, each with a corresponding Hands-on Lab. These are:
  • What’s new in Active Directory
  • Windows Server 2008 R2 Management Technologies
  • Implementing ASP.NET on ServerCore
  • Implementing Virtual Desktop Infrastructure
  • Implementing Centralized Publishing with Remote Desktop Services
  • Implementing High Availability and Cluster Shared Volumes
  • Implementing DirectAccess
  • Implementing Live Migration and Cluster Shared Volumes