MMS2009 – Few Thoughts and Highlights

As always, MMS 2009 is not only a technical conference with lots of good content and “what’s new”  on the Microsoft system management tools sets but also a place to catch up with old friends, rekindle some relationships, and make new ones.   The business networking that goes on is – I think – highly underestimated.      Thank you all (you know who you are) for making it a very successful and fruitful conference once again! –

But before I go to far from this blog’s  topic, a couple of things that caught my attention:

• The acknowledgement (finally) by Microsoft that management needs to be based on  a user-centric (vs Device-centric) model —   We have been supporting the notion that regardless of the device, applications and data need to follow the users, and stop the device dependency model — We’ve engaged in many good conversations over the years on this topic with clients, vendors and colleagues.   This is a paradigm shift is not an overnight change for organizations.  It is truly uplifting to see Microsoft  actually lining up their management tools towards this goal –   (Take a look at MMS2009 Day 2 Keynote  – fast forward to minute 21 or 22)
  • [ Side note: A few years back Microsoft’s Ray Ozzie spoke at an event  and he said something like:   “… the definition of the desktop has changed.   To a user, their desktop is wherever he gets his data and applications, regardless of the device he uses..”    It has taken a few years, but we are getting there.  ]
• Everything is moving to the Cloud – Announcement of System Center Online! –  (again we are finally glad to see it our of  in the open !)  Hear hear! — This tool ROCKS!!!!!   
  • Management of client devices over the Internet
  • Application Delivery / Patch Management from the we
  • [ Side note: System Center futures:For those of you that remember SoftGrids’ ZeroTouch application  – Its alive!  It  resurfaced! and it looks far better) ]
• Kudos to Danny Kim and his team at FullArmor  for the work they have been doing with the Windows Azure platform.  Ahead of its time, and where we are heading for sure.    Their sample case study and work with the Education Ministry in Ethiopia was an eye opener for many of us at his presentation.    What a great use of technology ! I wish I can point every one to their recorded presentation. Unfortunately it is not available —   He mentioned in his presentation that they have build the “iTunes of Applications”  —

 Other items included:

• Major improvements to MDT  coming up – MDT 2010  in beta now.   Must get up to speed on this.
  [ Side note:   MDT2010 is dropping support for SMS 2003 ]
• MED-V 1.0  released (I think) as part of MDOP : Currently positioned as a point solution to solve application compatibility issues moving forward.   In my opinion, this purchased, has not yet fully come out of its shell and v1.0 is really a slim view of its true potential —   Great first step, but expect much more in the future.
  [ Side note:  Host can only be 32-bit (Vista or XP)  64bit is planned.]
• Many improvements to MAP Toolkit, especially around virtualizaiton.
• Windows 7 is solid and it rocks! — (This will make it really hard to sell Vista until released. )

So many others topics to cover, but it is getting long. — – More soon.