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I'm really excited to be heading up to Redmond from Feb 15th to Feb 19th to participate in the Microsoft MVP 2010 Summit. I was first awarded in June of 2004 as a Windows Server - Networking MVP and was in that awardee category until it was eliminated in 2008. I was moved to the Enterprise Security category and continue to focus on networking and was re-awarded in that category in June of 2009.

I don't know if I ever expected to be a 6 year running Microsoft MVP awardee but it has been a wonderful experience and I am really looking forward to seeing a bunch of my fellow MVP's up in Redmond to hear about all the interesting things Microsoft is doing and to exchange ideas and information. I've managed to make it up every year I've been awarded so while not a veteran (compared to some MVP's out there) I am certainly no stranger to the whole extravaganza.

I owe a few shout outs to some Microsoft folks: Emily Freet, Connie Rennie, Jake Grey, Chris Avis, Stephen Rose, Joey Snow, Beth Massi, Chris Avis, Mike Wolfe, Joe Davies, Chris Henley, Sean Siler, Abolade Gbadegesin, Eddie Malik, Kevin Engman, Loretta Duncan-Brantley, Devrim Iyigun, Jeff Sigman, and many more (I hate knowing I forgot someone!)

And to non-Microsoft or former Microsoft, or Microsoft MVP folks: Kathy Jacobs, Steve Riley (ex-Microsoft, now Amazon cloud stud),Bill Pytlovany, Betsy Weber(the most awesome third party MVP supporter - love Techsmith!), Jennelle Crothers and of course PacITPros (and again, forgetting someone, I will correct the list as they come to me!)
- Ed

Labels: Microsoft MVP

Well, I am happy to report that I still have my Microsoft MVP status. Many thanks to my MVP Lead Jake Grey and all the other wonderful Microsoft MVP staff who make the whole program possible. I deeply appreciate the award and recognition that Microsoft has shown to me.
I am hoping to hear that some of my other colleagues might be getting some good news and that others will be returning too.
- Ed

Labels: Microsoft MVP

I attended Microsoft TechEd for the first time ever this year. It was down in Los Angeles and while there I was interviewed by the Microsoft MVP Team. Here is the video. They also have video interviews with Daniel Nerenberg, a bunch of the video's will be released shortly and the list of them can be found here.
Many thanks to Emily Freet and to my MVP Lead Jake Grey for having me stick around to do that.
- Ed

Labels: Microsoft MVP

This was my first time attending TechEd and I had a wonderful time catching up with Stephen Rose, Joe Davies, Emily Freet, Jake Gray, Devrim Iyigun and lots of others with Microsoft. It was also nice seeing Betsy Weber with TechSmith, she is always entertaining. Got introduced to and a chance to chat with Rhonda Layfield (thanks Stephen!) regarding IPv6.
I also meet several other Microsoft MVP's at the event working the Springboard booth who are also STEP members. It was nice hearing about all the different things folks are working on.
I have to say I was surprised about how much interest Microsoft is getting in DirectAccess. I have some opinions on deployment guidance I would give to folks looking to implement DA and I shared those with the DA folks at TechEd. Let's just say I am not a fan of ISATAP and I am pushing for small Native IPv6 deployments with NAT-PT devices as the way to start. Guess I will find out shortly if my ideas are sticking at all!
- Ed

Labels: Microsoft MVP, TechEd

Tomorrow evening PacITPros will be hosting their regular monthly meeting however this one is very special.

Quick quote from the announcement:
"The Windows Server product and planning groups are joining us on May 5th to meet face-to-face with PacITPros members and capture valuable feedback related to your future IT business priorities. Your input will help establish the foundational feedback that will drive planning activities for Windows Server going forward."

The best part is all you have to do is RSVP on http://www.pacitpros.org and you can participate. So if you are in the San Francisco Bay Area you really should sign up to attend, this is a very rare and unique opportunity. We've even had internal Microsoft employees sign up to be able to give their feedback to this group.
- Ed

Labels: Microsoft MVP, Microsoft Windows Server, PacITPros

I wasn't sure if I was going to attend the Microsoft MVP Summit this year. After the MVP program decided to remove the Windows Server - Networking category I didn't think I had much reason to attend and honestly was expecting to not be renewed because of the category going away.
I am now very happy I changed my mind and I attended. It seems that my new category of Enterprise Security felt that it was important to add networking sessions back to the mix.
A ton of folks from the MS Networking Team showed up! From Sandeep Singhal, Sean Siler, Dave Thaler, Ravi Rao, Tyler Barton, Devrim Asli Iyigun, Mahesh Prakriya, to Joseph Davies - thanks to you all for taking the time and effort to listen to my feedback and opinion about networking and what Microsoft is doing right and wrong.
So, without violating my NDA what was I most excited about from the event? Honestly, it is things that were already on my radar (NDA or not) - specifically Direct Access, Branch Cache and IPv6. I think any Enterprise that is running AD and has a large mobile workforce will adopt Direct Access just to make remote support of that mobile workforce easier, there is literally nothing the end user has to do at all (well, you have to turn the computer on and have some sort of Internet connection) to make it work and the initial scaling numbers I have heard put it on par with a typical traditional VPN deployment. Just as many Enterprises have adopted rpc over http/s for Outlook to Exchange the next natural step is to adopt a paradigm that allows ALL corporate applications the same flexibility and access that Outlook and Exchange currently have today - that solution is Direct Access.
Microsoft is pushing more advanced services into both Windows Server 2008R2 and Windows 7 - Branch Cache is one of these services and one that makes a lot of sense for folks to use (big and small IT shops will win with this one - and it is free to turn it on - how cool is that). It does not replace WAN accelerations devices (though with the changes in Windows Vista / Windows 7 / Server 2008 networking you could argue you might not need the acceleration part) but specifically targets the caching of file content. Given the cost point and relative easy of deployment I think it will have a good adoption rate.
Finally, IPv6 - there are several solutions in both Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008R2 that just won't work without IPv6. There is no getting around it and you need to start learning it - period. In Windows 7 there is HomeGroup and for Windows Server 2008R2 if you want Direct Access you will need to get up to speed on IPv6. There are more subtle IPv6 items but those two alone should make folks stand up and notice.
- Ed

Labels: Branch Cache, Direct Access, IPv6, Microsoft DirectAccess, Microsoft MVP, Microsoft Windows 7

I am finally getting around to posting about a cool new tool in Windows 7, it's called Problem Step Recorder. Just pull up a command window and type psr or execute it from the run option on the start menu.
It will not replace a remote desktop solution for help desk support people but I can see this as being very useful for remote works who can't get a system working properly or can't describe what the problem is accurately - which is about 70% of the problem in most cases.
I am also completely set to head up to Redmond for the Microsoft MVP Summit. Looking forward to hearing all about Direct Access, changes in the Advanced Firewall in Windows 7 and other cool networking changes.
- Ed

Labels: Microsoft MVP, Microsoft Windows 7

I finally got around to booking the Summit, Hotel and Airfare. I am trying to get into the sessions for Networking items but I am not holding my breath at all. I might have to find them while I am actually there. Looking forward to March 1-4 to enjoy some quality Microsoft technical time.
- Ed

Labels: Microsoft MVP

I got the official word this morning and I have been renewed for another year. To be honest, I was very surprised about this since my original MVP category of Windows Server - Networking was eliminated and I was moved to Identity and Access - Enterprise Security. I haven't changed my focus at all even though I have been put in a new category and felt it hurt my chances of becoming an MVP again. Apparently Microsoft felt differently, which I am grateful for. Looking forward to another year of MVP news and happenings. - Ed

Labels: Microsoft MVP

It is that time again, the Microsoft MVP Summit is next week and I am flying up tomorrow to catch up with it (late as usual) and then hopefully hear and learn about all the new and interesting stuff that Microsoft is up to. As is typical for all MVP's, seems that most of the content is covered under NDA but anything that isn't I will try and make a comment about. Seems that Server 2008, Security (Forefront), and System Center will be talked a lot about.
I got very mixed feedback on the new Hyper-V product at the Server 2008 launch event. Most folks who are working with other hypervisors really felt that Hyper-V was behind the curve and it isn't really officially out yet. I don't know how much market share Microsoft can gain in that market but I guess they should have something to reduce the de-coupling of the OS to the hardware, something Microsoft considers pretty important. They definitely want a piece of Microsoft software controlling the hardware and any other OS that wants to use the hardware should have to go through that MS software. I really believe that is for licensing reasons as technically I can't see that it would make that much of a difference.
- Ed

Labels: Microsoft MVP