Tech-Ed Berlin 2010 – The Last Day – Day Five

Took the Herring Express to the Berliner Messe. I use the phrase Herring Express because the U-Bahn was loaded with Tech-Ed attendees PLUS all of their luggage. It looked a bit like the Japanese subway:

So I was happy to arrive at Messe Süd and drop off my luggage :). Even though there was only half a day to spent at Tech-Ed, there were three interesting sessions I attended:

Session 1:
Everything about Security and Compliance on BPOS and Office 365:

Moving to the Cloud isn’t only about technology. Other issues must be addressed properly as well in order to make it a success. Since regulations can be very complex Microsoft seeks for standardization in order to reduce the complexity. In order to achieve that Microsoft has launched the Online Risk Management Program which breaks everything down into these three silo’s:

Every silo was explained in more detail. A very interesting session it was.

Session 2:
This one was about going out and do some shopping :). Bought some gifts for my family back home. While I was waiting for the S-Bahn for bringing me to Charlottenburg (a huge shopping area in Berlin) I noticed this sign on the platform:

I bought what I needed and was back in time for lunch:

On my way back I saw the Germans preparing themselves for the closing of the conference:

What struck me most during my stay in Berlin is that the German people are really polite. No matter how crowded the trains are, they make way when people are getting out. When I did some shopping, the people staffing the stores were really helpful and friendly. Thank you Berlin!

Session 3:
Hmm. After all the sessions of the last days I got the ‘session-blues’ and skipped the LAST session of Tech-Ed 2010. Instead I visited the Expo and had met some fellow SCOM MVPs there. Talked with some sales representatives from different companies and that was the end of Tech-Ed 2010.

Total Recap:
The Cloud has landed! That’s all I can say. I won’t repeat myself here. Read my previous postings about Tech-Ed 2010. It is evident that Microsoft puts a lot of effort into it. The future will tell to what degree today’s customers base of Microsoft will adapt it.

It is good to see that the SC Suite is growing and getting more and more the enablers for the automated datacenters and the move towards the Cloud. SCOM vNext, SCCM vNext, SCVMM vNext and SCSM vNext, all planned for next year to go RTM. That’s what I call an ambitious agenda! And believe me when I am telling you that the change won’t be just the name of the products. No way! The real changes will be found under the hood,all targeted to deliver what the customers ask for and the future requires. Just wait and see.

It was good to have met some old friends and to make new ones as well. Good to have met many of the fellow MPVs and others like Justin Incarnato, Ryan O’Hara, Jason Buffington, David Mills, Peirong Liu, Rehan Jaddi, Vladimir Joanovic, Alex Fedotyev, Prabu Ambravaneswaran, Kevin Beares, Eric Battalio, William Jansen and Matthew White (to name just a few).

A week well spent. A good Tech-Ed it was.

Nothing to complain? Hmm. Not really no. Just some side-notes.

Would like to see that the goodies bag returns next year. The pouch they gave this year was a bit amusing. However, when I could choose between a Monday at Tech-Ed with some good sessions or a goodies bag ‘Old-Tech-Ed Style’, I would opt for the first one!

But I must say, ALL sessions I attended were of a high level. The speakers knew what they were talking about and gave some good demonstrations as well.