I read some advice somewhere about Las Vegas: “let the tiger come to you” that is, of course, a reference to the hysterical film The Hangover. I think the same logic can be applied to the MMS conference … it would be really easy to look at all of the incredible content and opportunities to learn and become overwhelmed and end up frustrated. So I have a plan!
- Spend some quality time on the areas of System Center that are weaknesses (ConfigMgr I’m looking at you)
- Become at one with Microsoft’s virtualization strategy.
- Come away with useable Orchestrator skills
- Have some fun
I will admit that I have been a “monitoring guy” for a while now, regarding the “SMS guys” as periphery cowboys – the guys that push Office 2007 to every desktop on Monday morning at 10am. I once worked with a experienced SMS guy who never even knew that perfmon existed, let alone with it I could explain why his server was bogged down (in a about 5 seconds). It was an awkward marriage when Microsoft brought us together under the System Center umbrella. And now, it’s all one big casserole – System Center. As a consultant I need to be able to at least speak intelligently about Config Manager, even if I never deploy it. It’s time. I’m starting the week off in Jason Sandys’ CD-B207 Configuration Manager 2012: Getting Started on Monday afternoon. Along with all the hands-on labs I can squeeze in!
Does anybody out there think Microsoft isn’t serious about Virtualization? Anybody remember NetWare? I ain’t sayin, I’m jus sayin. 
So I’m on a plane right now without (free) access to my schedule, but I would guesstimate that a good 60% of the sessions I have on my calendar are Private Cloud or VMM related. This is the tech. focus area that I’m most excited about. I had a chance, as an employee of a Microsoft partner, to get some private cloud immersion training and I have to say I’m impressed. I’m hoping to be bringing Private Cloud Immersion workshops to a conference room near you!
SCORCH is probably next on my list after Private Cloud both in terms of interest and a desire/need to add that skill to my toolbox. My customers need it, and I need to bring the hot sauce! My very first session is an Instructor Led Lab, deploying and configuring Orchestrator. I plan on hitting every hands on lab – multiple times!
Believe me, I ‘m super stoked about all the OpsManager content of course – but that kinda goes without saying. 
Okay, so it’s Vegas. The goal here is not to have too MUCH fun, and the let the tiger come to me. Oh, and keep a steady supply of coffee.
