2012 Was A Great Year, 2013 Looks Great

Well the end of 2012 is approaching fast and we’re about to dim the lights a bit for the festivities. 2012 was a great and action packed year.

Being awarded with the MVP title turned out to be an awesome experience. The MVP summit, the frequent interactions with colleagues and Microsoft employees, … I learnt so much form that and them that I feel privileged to be part of that ecosystem. It makes me feel I stand on the shoulders of giants. We teamed up informally and delivered some top notch sessions on Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V, learning again form each other and the questions and feedback of our audience. I met a lot of people and “networked” all over the planet.

Locally I Belgium my involvement in MEET offered me to some new opportunities like public speaking and introduced me to some great an knowledgeable experts while helping put and sharing knowledge. Thanks Arlindo!

Then there was my team, that bunch of great, smart, hardworking people who make a big difference in job appreciation. This year has had its challenges, but they’re a real crew alright. They were also there at crunch time, standing tall and saving a business. Twice for good measure.

We deployed a new storage infrastructure (DELL, Compellent), rolled out Windows Server 2012, transitioned our clusters, got  backup hardware in place etc. All this as part of an ever to deliver more value at less cost. We still have a lot to do. Not just operational but also optimizing ROI, TCO and seeing where we can replace products and software that fails to deliver value for money. Trust me, telling me that your solution is best of breed, industry leader doesn’t cut it. In this economy even less so, you deliver value and keep delivering value or the bell tolls for thee. 2013 is shaping up to be yet another a busy and interesting year.

It looks like we’ll learn a lot, work a lot, an have fun doing so. I feel truly fortunate to be able to have a good, interesting job that I enjoy.  So let’s go for another great year in 2013 . I whish you all the very best for 2013!

What New Years Gift For IT Professionals? The Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V Installation And Configuration Guide!

Aidan Finn, Damian Flynn, Patrick Lownds and Michel Luescher wrote a reference work about Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V.

I kindly suggest that you add this to your professional library as soon as possible. Unless you’re part of our IT Pro team, who’ll find a couple of copies on their desk as soon as Amazon can deliver them, you’ll need to ask Santa Claus to bring you one. If Santa Claus doesn’t like you, buy it yourself. For the help you’ll get out of this it’s a steal. You see, I know the authors and a reviser (Hans Vredevoort). And I assure you, reading what these guys have to tell on this subject is truly standing on the shoulders of giants .  Reading this book allows you to tap into their collective brainpower and knowledge on this subject, which is extensive. These guys are part of the Hyper-V community and they live in this stuff!

So if you want to learn about Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V fast and effectively grab this book (pre order it here on Amazon). It’s full of guidance, explanations, examples and scripts to get you going in the right direction from the moment you start working with Hyper-V. This is a career boosting (and protecting) guide for all of us to leverage.

Thank you guys!

TechDays 2013 Belgium

 

In case you haven’t heard already, the Belgian edition of Microsoft TechDays 2013 has been announced.

TechDays has established itself as a quality local event that delivers some great content. Speakers include top international but also some impressive local talent like Kurt Roggen, Michael Van Horenbeeck, Kim Oppalfens … So basically things are looking very promising both in quality and delivery of the content. The good news is there is still time to register at the early bird rate. So don’t delay and register. You’re boss will be happy with your extra knowledge & value in these tough times, especially at reduced rates.

New Microsoft Extended Experts Team (MEET) Web Site

I’d like to inform you all that there is a brand new site for the Microsoft Extended Experts Team (MEET) in Belgium. They did a great job here. Click on the link below to visit the site.

If you need expert advice on Microsoft Technologies this is a good place to find the right people. The members are skilled and very knowledgeable experts who gladly contribute to the community. This means they also have access to an extensive network of very smart & experienced colleagues and they can get you into touch with them if need be. They come from all sectors and walks of life and as such provide for a excellent mix of backgrounds and points of view.

Their community work (blogs, presentations, user groups, .etc.) provides for a significant resource of readily available, real world in expertise and insights in how to leverage Microsoft technologies. You can follow their related tweets via the #meetbe hash tag.

I’m proud to be part of MEET, as I can help out and by doing so learn a lot myself. I’ve experienced  that there is truly a tremendous amount of skills accumulated in that group. So, for my closing word’s I’d like to say …

Carsten Rachfahl Interviews Me On Windows Server 2012 Storage Improvements

Carsten Rachfahl, a German Hyper-V Expert, friend and fellow MVP, interviewed me after the joint MVP effort at TEC 2012 in Barcelona. The subject was storage in Windows Server 2012. We found a great setting in the garden and got into quite a nice discussion on the subject.

It’s no surprise to anyone I guess that I’m very enthusiastic about what Microsoft is doing with storage on all levels in Windows Server 2012 and is trying to achieve for us, the customers from both a cost and performance and reliability perspective. It was a lot of fun to do and I see blinking lights in our eyes at many moments during this interview. Yes, working is important for many reasons, but when you can enjoy your work and have fun whilst doing it, life is pretty good . So enjoy, we certainly did.

Quest Technical Experts Conference 2012 Europe Podcast

As the readers of my blog know I was in Barcelona this week to attend the Technical Experts Conference Europe 2012 organized by Quest (now a part of DELL).  Together with my fellow MVPs, friends and colleagues  Aidan Finn (@joe_elway), Carsten Rachfahl (@hypervserver) and Hans Vredevoort (@hvredevoort) we presented 8 sessions at the Virtualization Track and did a Hyper-V Experts panel to share what we have learned and help answer questions attendees on the new capabilities of Hyper-V in Windows Sever 2012. It was both fun and interesting to do. We learned some more from each other and also from the questions of an alert audience whom we enjoyed presenting to.

Mattias Sundling, a Technical evangelist at Quest and the owner of the Virtualization Track at TEC 2012 Europe did an audio podcast all 4 of us MVPs in the “Virtual Machine” expertise presenting in that track . You can find that podcast here on the vKernel/DELL web site http://www.vkernel.com/podreader/items/tec-europe-2012-mvps-with-mattias-sundling or on YouTube by clicking on the screenshot below. Enjoy.

I’m Presenting at the Technical Experts Conference 2012 Europe

I’ll be speaking at the Technical Experts Conference 2012 Europe in Barcelona on Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V and it’s storage and network related improvements and promising new features. Some of you might know that I’m a Microsoft MVP in the Virtual Machine Expertise (i.e. Hyper-V), but these sessions are not marketing or vapor ware. Being an MVP is about sharing knowledge and experiences with you. I’m are early adopter in production from the day the RTM bits became available and we’re already reaping the benefits of those features, so it’s more than just lab work and theory.

I won’t be there alone, as my friends, colleagues and fellow MVPs Aidan Finn (@joe_elway), Carsten Rachfahl (@hypervserver) and Hans Vredevoort (@hvredevoort) will be there as well to present and share their knowledge, which is extensive, I assure you. It’s great to have the chance to come together again and talk about our technology passions.

You can find an overview of the session agenda here

So I hope you can join us for an interesting conference and interactive event where we can discuss your challenges and ways to address them. Trust me when I say that talking to other customers and technologist is a great way to learn, understand the needs and find opportunities. We learn a lot from presenting and talking to you. I’ve attended a lot of conferences in my career now and I still find them valuable. The return on investment for my employers has been great. Motivated and skilled employees can save a business 10 fold the cost spent to keep them that way.

Haven’t heard of TEC  before?

Neither did I before a couple of years, but by good fortune I had the opportunity to attend as a delegate and found it very worth while in both content and networking opportunities. As it turns out The Experts Conference Europe 2012 (TEC) has been running for over a decade now and it delivers level 400 sessions on core Microsoft technologies. It focuses on Active Directory and Identity, Exchange, Virtualization and User Workspace Management.

TEC Europe is held at the Hotel Rey Carlos in Barcelona from 22-24 October 2012. Quest , as an alliance partner of Microsoft, welcomes program management, product management, development staff from Redmond and a number of field team members to the event every year to support the training requirements of its users. This means two things: It’s a valuable event and, I admit, I’m honored to be invited to speak at this event.

Budgets are tight

A great tip. Quest is offering a discount rate of 850 Euro to delegates who register by 21 September! You can get a discount code for registration by sending an email to TEC2012@quest.com

Overview Community Speaking Engagements

Below you’ll find a short overview of my speaking engagements in coming months. I encourage everyone to attend the smaller and often les expensive or even free events as they provide a fast way to get up to speed with new technologies. Everyone is welcome and we’re all there to learn. The sessions I’ll be presenting are on are about Windows Server 2012 & Hyper-V, but that should not be a surprise.

TechNet BeLux – The Belgian Windows Server 2012 Launch Event – Antwerp, October 3rd 2012

On October 3rd I’ll be presenting a session at the Windows Server 2012 Launch Event in the Windows Server 2012 Track. That session is called “Hyper-V over SMB: Remote File Storage Support in Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V”.You can register here for this event which is free and open to all.

 

Presenting at the Technical Experts Conference 2012 Europe – Barcelona, October 22nd-24th 2012

I’ll be speaking at the Technical Experts Conference 2012 Europe in Barcelona on Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V and it’s storage related improvements and great new features. Being an MVP is about sharing knowledge and experiences with you so I’ll join up again I won’t be there alone, as my friends, colleagues and fellow MVPs Aidan Finn (@joe_elway), Carsten Rachfahl (@hypervserver) and Hans Vredevoort (@hvredevoort) will be there as well to present and share their knowledge, which I extensive, I assure you. It’s great to have the chance to come together and talk about our technology passions.

 

Experts2Experts Virtualization Conference (E2EVC) – Hamburg, November 2nd-4th 2012

In joining up with my fellow MVPs Alex Jushin (@e2evc), Aidan Finn (@joe_elway), Carsten Rachfahl (@hypervserver) and Hans Vredevoort (@hvredevoort) to present a master class on Sunday November 4th. Unfortunately this event has already sold out. Click on the link in the title to find out more about E2EVC. It’s a great way to meet up with fellow technologists and learn from each other. Ronnie, Jeff, Florian, Udo … it will be good to see you there! I’m looking forward to it  

 

Dell Storage Forum Paris 2012 – Paris, November 14th 2012

On November the 14th I’ll be in Paris, joining the DELL “Fluid Forward Think Tank” at Dell Storage Forum Paris 2012 for an open conversation on our wishes, needs, ideas on the future of storage & technology in our businesses. That might make for an interesting discussion with others from the industry and it provides for a real good way learn from other people their experiences and challenges.

The Belgian Windows Server 2012 Launch Event

Join Microsoft, Mike Resseler (@MikeResseler) Paul Loonen (@ploonen), Ruben Nauwelaars (@rnauwelaers) and myself  (@workinghardinit) at the  Windows Server 2012 Launch Event to celebrate the arrival of Windows Server 2012 with Microsoft gurus and local experts from the community.

It’s a great opportunity to learn more about the amazing new capabilities in the areas of Virtualization, Storage, Networking, Management and more. If you jump over to the Azure track you also discover how Windows Azure can extend your on premises infrastructure by deploying Virtual Machines in the cloud effectively extending your Private Cloud to a Hybrid one.

A reliable source at Microsoft Belgium told us that all attendees will receive a 16GB memory stick with Windows Server 2012 and Azure resources on it so you can start your lab as soon as you get home .

I’d register as soon as possible as seats are limited and assigned on a fist come, first served, basis.

Windows Server 2012 Is Launched

It’s 17:00 hours here in Belgium (GMT+1, summer time) and Windows Server 2012 has been officially launched today world wide! The world wide launch event can be followed on line here so join in.

This is huge. Anyone who has been watching the virtualization & private cloud area of endeavor knows what this release means. I’m an early adopter and spent the day bringing another 2 Hyper-V cluster on line for our transition to Windows Server 2012 (UEFI boot).

We are running it it production with great success.

This version is a game changer and it means a lot to us all en our customers. This is a very capable Operating System that puts to rest any doubts whether Windows will work in any environment imaginable. Sure, the competition will mark it as insignificant but that’s FUD. From this year on with Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V the tables have turned. As of this year vLimited is stopped in it’s tracks, this is the year where they will loose ground and Hyper-V will lead. If nothing else customers tied in to them will benefit from this competition, but I hope they do more than just that

Get ready for your future and invest in skills and knowledge. Start your learning journey here with events the Belgian community is contributing towards.It’s impressive what the community does to share knowledge and I’m proud to be part of that. I’m also honored to have had to opportunity to talk to so many Microsoft employees at many occasions, including the MVP Summit.