Tech Ed attracts thousands of developers, architect and managers every year. This time around, Microsoft has set up Virtual Tech Ed for those unable to make the trip to Orlando.
Every year around the mid-point, Microsoft developers are invited to make the trek to Orlando, Fla., home of Disney World and Universal Studios, to attend Tech Ed. This year, Tech Ed 2007 runs June 4-8. It features a total of 948 technical sessions across 17 tracks, where instructor led courses mingle with hands-on labs, technical breakouts, birds of a feather and interactive theater sessions. This year, Microsoft is offering a Virtual Tech Ed online to those who can't attend in person.
Once the event actually gets going, you'll be able to visit the Web site and download all kinds of content videotaped as it happens. Even in the days before the program starts, however, you can still find interesting topics and coverage there, and start digging into some interesting subject matter. Here's a sampling of what's currently available, which we'll follow with information about some of the live sessions that may soon become accessible virtually as well:
- ASP.NET AJAX Client Libraries (runs May 31 from 10-11 a.m.; should be available on demand thereafter) -- This covers calling Web services, object-oriented development techniques, creating controls and behaviors, along with development tips and tricks. Rob Baby, MSDN Developer Evangelist, does the presenting.
- Windows Vista Deployment Overview (available on demand) -- This discusses how to use a managed process when deploying Windows Vista, with descriptions of tools available to assist along the way, including the Windows Preinstallation Environment (aka Windows PE), using the Application Compatibility Toolkit, plus looks at various deployment management systems to help automate these processes. Chris Avis, TechNet Presenter, did the tapdancing for this session in March 2007.
- Introduction to Data Mining with SQL Server 2005 (available on demand) -- This covers tools and techniques used for data mining to help organizations make smart decisions about difficult business issues. It starts with the data mining process and then examines data mining tools included with SQL Server 2005, along with related rule and pattern discovery techniques. John Weston, Technet Presenter, delivered this session in December 2006.
Upcoming Webcasts from Tech Ed should include:
- A Lap Around Visual Studio Code Name "Orcas"
- Windows Vista Security for Developers
- The Next Release of Microsoft SQL Server: Overview
- A Lap Around SilverLight, which covers Visual Studio 6.0, Visual Studio 2005 Team System, Visual Studio 2005 and more
All the sessions above are scheduled for Monday, June 4. By the time you read this tip, many more should be posted on the virtual Tech Ed Web page. You'll also find Tech Ed virtual labs available for business intelligence, Vista deployment, SharePoint and Office System, lots of Security and Windows Client topics, and a great deal more. Twenty different Tech Ed podcasts on topics that range from business intelligence to Windows Server infrastructure are also available.
Even though the dance card for online access to Tech Ed materials through this virtual portal isn't yet complete, there are a lot of good reasons to go poking around therein already. We hope you'll dig in soon, and return as or after the event wraps up on June 8, to partake of the cornucopia of information available. Enjoy!
Ed Tittel is a writer and trainer whose interests include XML and development topics, along with IT Certification and information security. E-mail etittel@techtarget.com with comments, questions, or suggested topics or tools to review. Cool tools rule!
