Plan For This Week’s MVP Conference

I’m heading up to Redmond tomorrow for the annual Microsoft MVP conference and looking forward to seeing old friends and new technologies.

What do I expect to see and hear this week?

• A clearer, more cohesive strategy (or plan) for the key components of Microsoft’s application platform.  Seems we’re hitting (or already hit) a key point where a diverse set of technologies (WCF/App Fabric/Azure/BizTalk/WF) have to start showing more deep linkages and differentiation.
• See what’s coming in the vNext version of BizTalk Server and be able to offer feedback as to what the priorities should be.  BizTalk MVPs have a few forums for this during the week, including Executive Roundtables where anything goes. Any last minute feature requests from readers always welcome.
• Find out what’s new in BizTalk patterns and performance improvements.
• Learn a bit more about AppFabric Caching (“Velocity”)
• See StreamInsight in action from people who actually know what they’re doing

Should be a fun week.  The Connected Systems and BizTalk MVPs are really an excellent bunch who know their technology and keep their egos in check (unlike those high and mighty SharePoint bastards!).  I’m dreading the “Ballmer Q&A session” where we can count on some clown upping the ante on “gifts” by offering their kidneys or shaving Ballmer’s face into their back hair.  Good times.

I’ll happily be a messenger for any questions/comments/concerns you have and make sure the right folks hear them (if they haven’t already!).