I normally do not single out my Global ISVs and blog about them and their solutions on top of Microsoft Platform or about their conferences and events, All of my and Microsoft Global ISVs are important to me and Microsoft. They all add ton of value to our platform and bring Enterprise solutions to our mutual customers.

In this blog, I am going to sligjhtly deviate from my natural behavioral patterns and talk about a conference that took place recently and cover a few exciting things in and around that event.

Last month April 22-27 2007, one of my and Microsoft's Global ISVs, CA (formerly Computer Associates), held their largest Conferences called, "CA World 2007" in Las Vegas, Nevada. "CA World" boasts over 7,000 attendees spanning across CxOs, IT-Pros, Architects, Developers and Analysts. And, of course there's tons of Press folks "drinking IT through the fire-hose". It was a very important event to CA and all of their partners and customers. It was a very important event for us, Microsoft.

Microsoft had a HUGE presence in "CA World 2007" - a much bigger presence than the last year's "CA World". We had a large booth with theatre style floor and staging; where we delivered content on our latest technologies and platforms. Such as Exchange Server 2007, Windows Vista, upcoming Windows Server codenamed "Longhorn", and many more. And covered extensively on how CA are building solutions on top of our platforms to bringing strong robust Enterprise IT solutions to our mutual customers.

There were many highlights of this event. Let me start talking about them a bit and describe how partners such as CA are very important to Microsoft and why we love our partners.

As with any Microsoft (developer focused) conferences such as PDC, TechEd, etc., "CA World 2007" had a few pre-conference sessions. And, of couse Microsoft had a few speakers representing a couple of these pre-con sessions. These sessions included, "Windows-PowerShell" and "Web Application Development on Windows Platform and Technologies". Both of these events were very well received with great post-sessions survey results. Each of these sessions was 3.5 hrs long - not as long as Microsoft Pre-Con sessions (which usually last all day and they close the doors and you can't really leave - just kidding).

One of the other highlights of the "CA World 2007" was all the action at the Microsoft booth. We had Microsoft speakers speak on our latest platforms and technologies covering the latest-and-greatest stuff so the customers could get it all in one-single half-hour slots per technology. And, this was the best part, we handed out FREE Full version of Microsoft-Office 2007 to those who attended any of these sessions. This was an awesome experience, as we got to give away our coolest and latest Office product to our customers - just for sitting in on these sessions and listening to the latest technology dump. It was a lot of fun. We had a HUGE turn out - they came in to both listen in and get their free copy of Office 2007. While a session would go on, the next line of of audience would form. It was simply packed up. I was very impressed by the amount of interest our customers have to want to use our latest products. OK, how much did it cost to give away these free Microsoft-Office 2007 full version DVDs ? - without giving away the real figure - I will say this, "A LOT!". It was well worth it to get our latest products out to our customers free of cost to them - thanks to our Business Development Group Manager, this was a grand success and was a very customer impactful event. He knows how to find the funds for the right reason.

I am saving this for the last - this was one of the best highlights of "CA World 2007". Over the last 4 years or so, Microsoft has been working heavily on a new model of Infrastructure Maturity model under the Microsoft brand name titled, "Dynamic Systems Initiative - DSI". This area is now evolved and matured enough to talk about to our customers. One of the events of "CA World 2007" was a very closed door event titled, "Business Management Symposium - BMS". This one day long event is specifically designed for customers' CxO level audience and was limited only to a total of 250 of them. In addition to the CxO level audience, there were 200 more Analysts and Press staff in the room. The BMS event was a very important corner-stone of the "CA World 2007" event. The event kicked off with a speech by John Swainson, CEO and President of CA. Toward the end of his speech, he introduced our Microsoft Division's, General Manager, Eddie Amos. Eddie's Keynote session was titled, "Microsoft Platform and Technology and Futures Roadmap". The essence of Eddie's keynote was about giving the audience the "state-of-the-union-address" of Microsoft Platforms and Technologies and how those technologies help our customers in strengthening their Enterprise IT world; and, how our platforms and our partners' solutons help our customers in increasing the ROI with lowered TCO. Eddie in his keynote, covered many areas. One of the areas he presented was around, "Microsoft Promises to our Customers". About 18months ago, Microsoft made a few promises to our customers - a set of promises that would deliver solutions which will help them cutting down costs of owning their Enterpise IT. He spoke about where Microsoft is today on delivering those promises. It was great to deliver that update to these audience. In additon to "where we're today with those promises", Eddie also spoke about, "Where Microsoft is going in the next 12-18 months" and "how Microsoft and partners' solutions will help further our customers Enterprise IT". He spoke about our DSI; covering the threee pillars of DSI - Virtualized Infrastructure, Design for Operations, and, Knowledge-driven Management - the three pillars of DSI. He thereafter, talked about the Microsoft Infrastructure Optimization (IO) Model. If you have been catching up on the latest Microsoft Vision during the last year or so, you would very well recognize the "IO Model". IO model is a roadmap of how our customers' Enterprise IT is maturing and evolving as THEIR demands are maturing and evolving - "Dynamic" in nature. The IO model prescribes a 4 level maturity model. Basic, Standardized, Rationalized, and, Dynamic. Basic being the first level and Dynamic being the most "matured" level of their IT environment. So, as a company begins its IT journey, they start out in the Basic level, equip their IT with the required tools, solutions. And, as they start growing and evolving and servicing their customers, their requirements change and with the change, comes the need to evolve their IT enviroment and thus start to "mature" into the next levels of the IO Model. The idea is, that as they evolve, their IT becomes that much more "Dynamic" in nature, being in a position to respond to and deliver to their customers' demands and needs. Eddie's keynote delivered that key message and helped the audience understand how our platforms, technologies and our vision can help solve their IT demands and needs that are of "Dynamic" in nature. Eddie talked about how our partners and Microsoft work hand-in-hand to deliver valuable and tangible solutions to our customers. And, how they can benefit from the joint solutions. It was as full rounded keynote and I along with a couple of Microsoft staff, thoroughly enjoyed it.

Our customers, partners and the event audience as a whole enjoyed the "CA World 2007" event and it was a very successful event for all of us.

I am waiting on a few pictures and videos from "CA World 2007" - I  will update this entry with those once they become available to me.

ciao

Nagi