More than just Technology

Bring out your dead

eileenrum — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Billy Hollis inspired me ... what can I say? Now that I'm managing a team at Microsoft blogging has fallen low on my list :-( That's just wrong. The good news is that my team has built a new blog. I'll be posting to it very, very soon. I'll announce here and get cracking by end of the month.

The only thing possibly stopping me will be my knee replacement surgery at the end of July. I am dreading it but know I have to do it to alleviate pain and get back to a full life. Stay tuned. I promise I'll be back!

TechEd US 2008

eileenrum — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 05:45:00 GMT

You already know TechEd is coming in June. And you also know we'll have a PDC this year. Tough choices when you have a limited budget. I'm going to make my pitch for TechEd now as we have a great line up of sessions and speakers in the SOA track. Long description of the SOA track is below*. Take a look at our lineup below for the Dev week. Hope to see you in Orlando! http://www.microsoft.com/events/teched2008/default.mspx

Pict Date

Timeslot

Code

Title

Session Type

Speaker(s)

6/3/2008	16:45 - 18:00	SOA01-TLC	Introduction to Workflow (WF)	TLC	Ron Jacobs
6/3/2008	13:15 - 14:30	SOA02-TLC	Microsoft Windows Communication Foundation Syndication, AJAX and REST Services in Web 2.0 with the Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5	TLC	Justin Smith
6/3/2008	10:30 - 11:45	SOA03-TLC	Real World Business Activity Monitoring	TLC	Jesus Rodriguez; Joseph Klug
6/5/2008	10:15 - 11:30	SOA04-TLC	Delivering Enterprise Solutions Using Microsoft BizTalk Adapters for Host Systems	TLC	Nidal Saleh; Steve Smaller
6/4/2008	14:45 - 16:00	SOA05-TLC	Avoid a Failed SOA: Business and Autonomous Components to the Rescue	TLC	Udi Dahan
6/5/2008	16:30 - 17:45	SOA06-TLC	Publishing and Extending Business Rules in Mainframe (CICS and IMS) and AS/400 Programs Using Microsoft Host Integration Server	TLC	Andrew McLaren; Steve Smaller
6/4/2008	12:00 - 12:45	SOA07-TLC	Automated Remote Microsoft BizTalk Server Deployments with Microsoft Visual Studio Team Foundation Server	TLC	Scott Colestock
6/6/2008	14:45 - 16:00	SOA08-TLC	Developing Service Oriented Workflows	TLC	Brian Noyes
6/4/2008	08:30 - 09:45	SOA09-TLC	Building Line-of-Business Adapters Based on Windows Communication Foundation Using the WCF LOB Adapter SDK	TLC	Mahadevan Venkatachalam
6/5/2008	13:00 - 14:15	SOA10-TLC	More Windows Workflow Foundation Hosting Options than You Thought	TLC	Philip Wolfe
6/6/2008	10:15 - 11:30	SOA11-TLC	Creating a RESTful Microsoft BizTalk Server	TLC	Jon Flanders
6/3/2008	10:30 - 11:45	SOA201	Microsoft and Mainframes, Taming the Beast, Empowering Developers, Solving Mysteries	BRK	Bash Badawi
6/3/2008	15:00 - 16:15	SOA202	Microsoft BizTalk RFID in Real World Deployments: Connecting Movements in the Physical World to Enterprise Applications	BRK	Sudhir Hasbe
6/3/2008	13:15 - 14:30	SOA203	Microsoft Strategy and Vision for SOA	BRK	Alisa Bourgoin; Oliver Sharp
6/4/2008	13:00 - 14:15	SOA204	Using Windows CardSpace for Safe and Convenient Sign-up and Sign-in to Your Web Application	BRK	Nigel Watling
6/3/2008	15:00 - 16:15	SOA205	Extending the Application Platform with Cloud Services	BRK	Michael Abbott; Tarri Edmonson
6/3/2008	10:30 - 11:45	SOA206	Messaging, Identity, and Workflow in the Cloud	BRK	Justin Smith
6/4/2008	10:15 - 11:30	SOA207	Platforms for SOA and Business Process Management: Comparing .NET and Java	BRK	David Chappell
6/4/2008	08:30 - 09:45	SOA208	Introduction to the Microsoft Next Generation Server and Developer Framework for Claims-Based Identity and Access	BRK	Stuart Kwan
6/5/2008	13:00 - 14:15	SOA209	The Road to â€œOsloâ€: The Microsoft Services and Modeling Platform	BRK	David Chappell
6/4/2008	13:00 - 14:15	SOA301	AJAX-Enable Your Windows Communication Foundation Services	BRK	Aaron Skonnard
6/4/2008	16:30 - 17:45	SOA302	Framework and Microsoft BizTalk Best Practices with an Eye Toward "Oslo"	BRK	Jon Flanders
6/6/2008	08:30 - 09:45	SOA303	Technical Drilldown into Microsoft ESB Guidance	BRK	Brian Loesgen
6/4/2008	16:30 - 17:45	SOA304	Integrating Business Applications with Windows Communication Foundation	BRK	Jesus Rodriguez; Joseph Klug
6/6/2008	13:00 - 14:15	SOA305	Getting Workflows Running and Talking in Your Applications	BRK	Brian Noyes
6/6/2008	08:30 - 09:45	SOA306	Providing Load Balancing, Application-Level Failover, and Centralized Configuration Management with Windows Communication Foundation Services and Microsoft .NET Applications	BRK	Gregory Leake
6/6/2008	10:15 - 11:30	SOA307	Windows Communication Foundation Adapters in Microsoft BizTalk Server 2006 R2	BRK	Aaron Skonnard
6/3/2008	16:45 - 18:00	SOA308	What's New with Windows CardSpace in the Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5	BRK	Scott Golightly
6/4/2008	14:45 - 16:00	SOA309	Durable Windows Communication Foundation Services	BRK	Juval Lowy
6/5/2008	10:15 - 11:30	SOA310	Interoperability Scenarios with Microsoft .NET and J2EE	BRK	Gregory Leake
6/5/2008	08:30 - 09:45	SOA311	Building Human Workflows with Windows Workflow Foundation State Machines	BRK	Keith Pijanowski
6/6/2008	16:30 - 17:45	SOA312	Building Secure Web Services Using Windows Communication Foundation	BRK	Vittorio Bertocci
6/5/2008	16:30 - 17:45	SOA313	Building RESTful Services Using Windows Communication Foundation 3.5	BRK	Jon Flanders
6/4/2008	08:30 - 09:45	SOA314	Microsoft BizTalk in the Supply Chain: Providing Supply Chain Visibility with EDI and Business Activity Monitoring	BRK	Chris Kabat; Elizabeth Graham
6/5/2008	14:45 - 16:00	SOA315	Productive Windows Communication Foundation	BRK	Juval Lowy
6/6/2008	14:45 - 16:00	SOA401	What Is the Context of This Conversation? Enabling Long Running Conversations in Workflow Services	BRK	Matthew Winkler
6/5/2008	14:45 - 16:00	SOA402	Degrees of Freedom Port Binding in Microsoft BizTalk Server	BRK	Matt Milner
6/5/2008	10:15 - 11:30	SOA403	Building Federated Solutions on the Internet Service Bus	BRK	Clemens Vasters

*Not final until it is published on the TechEd website but this is close to what you'll find in the SOA track on dev week.

SOA and Business Processes

Service orientation is a methodology for encapsulating, developing, maintaining, and deploying standalone and connected applications. Each resource, whether an application, a sub system, device, or even an individual class can be exposed as a service and composed into new dynamic applications, all based on industry standards. Complementing the methodology is an impressive array of Microsoft technologies covered in this track, from the well established Microsoft® BizTalk® Server, Windows® Communication Foundation, and Windows Workflow Foundation to the emerging technologies of Windows Cardspace™ for identity management and BizTalk Services for peer connections. In the SOA and Business Processes track, learn about the relevant enhancements in the .NET Framework 3.5, BizTalk Server 2006 R2 and essentials best practices, all from the top speakers and experts in our industry, sharing their perspectives, real-life experience, and the road ahead.

My Last Lecture

eileenrum — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 04:53:00 GMT

Wow I read this today in Parade Magazine then went online to watch the lecture. Carnegie Mellon Computer Science Professor Randy Pausch gave a talk that is truly his last lecture. You see he's dying of cancer. His simple but amazingly impactful words are worth a read or listen to. Take the time - you can't help but be impressed by this incredible man who gives us the lessons he hopes to leave behind.

http://www.parade.com/articles/editions/2008/edition_04-06-2008/1My_Last_Lecture

WF & WCF Content Coming Your Way

eileenrum — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 20:55:45 GMT

I am embarking on a huge content update to our MSDN Dev Centers for Windows Workflow Foundation and Windows Communication Foundation. All the updates are things you have been asking for. Here are just a few of the articles I'm looking to have written.

Migrating from ASMX/WSE to WCF
How to videos
Selecting WF model
Interop with WS/WSE

Are you an MVP or other technology expert who can help me with some of this work? You get a byline on MSDN and lots of exposure within Microsoft along with the satisfaction of knowing you are leading your peers with information on WF/WCF. Love to hear from you if you are the right person to write content on WF/WCF. Have a great weekend!

Technorati tags: WF, WCF, ASMX, WSE, Interop, MVP, Windows Communication Foundation, Windows Workflow Foundation

Can you trust benchmark data from Microsoft?

eileenrum — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 04:03:51 GMT

I know you can because I know Greg Leake, the Microsoft guy who put this new benchmark data together. You will find some really useful information comparing .NET 3.5/Windows Server 2008 to IBM WebSphere 6.1/Red Hat Linux Web Service performance here http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/netframework/cc302396.aspx.

If you want the short story here it is.

Microsoft Windows Server 2008 offers a complete Application Server Role featuring .NET Framework 3.5, Internet Information Services 7.0, MSMQ message queuing, and a comprehensive feature set for building high-performance, server-based applications using Visual Studio 2008. Windows Server 2008 with .NET Framework 3.5 offers compelling performance and scalability for both intranet based enterprise applications, and Internet-based applications. As documented in this paper, Windows Server 2008 and .NET outperform IBM WebSphere 6.1 on Red Hat Linux by wide margins for key application server workloads. For more information, visit http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/en/us/default.aspx.

Greg will have a lot more where this came from in the coming weeks. Greg is also going to take his work on the road, sharing with customers, press, partners, etc. Look for him soon in a City near you.

Technorati tags: Greg Leake, benchmark, Microsoft, .NET 3.5, Windows Server 2008, IBM WebSphere 6.1, Red Hat Linux Web Service

You can never read enough good books

eileenrum — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 06:36:51 GMT

If you are a pro, novice or someone who just wants to know more about WCF, you should check this out - Essential Windows Communication Foundation (WCF): For .NET Framework 3.5 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0321440064/. Microsoft's Steve Resnick, Richard Crane and Chris Bowen, of the Microsoft Technology Center in Boston, wrote this gem. Congrats to my colleagues and best wishes for success with your book! Now who's going to write the next WCF book?!

Technorati tags: WCF, Windows Communication Foundation, .NET Framework 3.5, Amazon, Resnick, Crane, Bowen, Microsoft Technology Center

Some posts are worth waiting for

eileenrum — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 03:28:30 GMT

Long story short, Juval Lowy wrote a paper for Microsoft, Writing Smart Clients by Using Windows Communication Foundation, last year. Unfortunately, we didn't get around to posting it until now (and before having to ask him to update for 3.5). So take a minute and check it out. http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc294424.aspx

MSDN Code Gallery is Live

eileenrum — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 07:01:30 GMT

Check out this great new tool ... The MSDN Code Gallery is designed to be a place for Microsoft employees and community members to share code samples/snippets, sample applications, and other resources. I like it. http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/

Technorati tags: MSDN Code Gallery, Microsoft

NuCon 08

eileenrum — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 06:38:11 GMT

Neudesic is coming to town that is if you are in Chicago, New York or Denver. The conference focus is on Microsoft technology for information workers, business decision makers, technology decision makers, developers and technology infrastructure professionals. The conference is designed to give attendees a look at the roadmap for Microsoft's stack over the coming years. Here are a couple places for more information.

http://www.nucon08.com/index.htm

http://www.nucon08.com/newyork.htm

Now the EU is after .NET ... what's next?

eileenrum — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 19:56:07 GMT

I don't know why but I thought we were wrapping up all the European Union (EU) disputes, but now they are opening new inquiries. According to today's New York Times, the current complaints are focused on interoperability issues ... The NYT doesn't mention .NET but the Financial Times does saying the inquiry states "Microsoft is using its ".Net" technology - under development since the start of this decade - to create the tight linkages in the software used to write applications that run over the Internet". It is hard to know what exactly we are doing wrong here, but as you can imagine a number of competitors are the ones pushing the inquiries, claiming again they have been edged out. Sigh ...

SOA: The State of the Market

eileenrum — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 19:41:48 GMT

Ian Finley from ARM Research has written a report on the state of the SOA market. It is worth a read and something to share with customers. You can find it here. There is great support for the Microsoft platform as we come out at the top in terms of commitment to SOA, spending, etc. Predictions for 2008 are nice to see. The report is balanced and a good read for the CIO crowd. (BTW, the picture is Lake Coeur d'Alene on a beautiful summer day last year ...)

Technorati tags: SOA, Coeur d'Alene, Microsoft platform, CIO, ARM Research

It's official I have a New Job at Microsoft

eileenrum — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 05:04:10 GMT

Sorry I have not posted in so long. I have been transitioning to a new role in my organization - Connected Systems Division Marketing. I now drive product marketing for the .NET Framework components - WCF and WF. I'm pretty excited to take on this challenging new role. I'll be responsible for driving these two technologies in the market place. Speaking of all the work I have to do, I am seeking product managers. Check out the jobs on ms.com job site.

WF Product Manager Job - http://members.microsoft.com/careers/search/details.aspx?JobID=A5A74BAC-F9CF-4D5D-AEA3-9E0559A0D9FD&start=301&interval=50&SortCol=JobTitle&SortOrder=ASC

WCF Product Manager Job - http://members.microsoft.com/careers/search/details.aspx?JobID=8EA0B5E2-8501-40FE-ADA7-2635B4D0C4C1&start=301&interval=50&SortCol=JobTitle&SortOrder=ASC

I'll also still reach out to the community as I have been doing for many of my Microsoft career years (I just got my award for 10 years at Microsoft!). I'll replace myself with someone else who can focus full-time on engaging influencers and community members.

Would love to have your feedback on WF and/or WCF ... what do you think of the technologies? How can we improve them? Do you need resources we aren't providing to enable you to be successful with the technology? Send it all my way. And Happy New Year a little late!

What are people saying about BizTalk, .NET Framework and other related technologies?

eileenrum — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 02:51:18 GMT

This week we quietly launched BizTalkBlogs.com. BizTalks Blogs is a blog aggregator bringing the most recent blog posts (from the most influential internal & external bloggers) about BizTalk and CSD technologies to one place. I hope you find the site useful. I also hope you have a fabulous holiday season and New Year!

Technorati tags: BizTalk, Blogs

Technical Communities - Connecting with Microsoft ... Finally ...

eileenrum — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 19:54:56 GMT

I have been waiting a long time to see Microsoft set something like this up. We finally have an automated way for User Groups to connect to us to get content. This may seem simple and you may think what took us so long and why was it so hard. It would take too long to answer. Bottom line is the new community site - http://www.heroescommunitylaunch.com/. There is a student version coming and localization in other languages (no details yet). If you are a part of INETA, Culminis or SQL Pass you should already have an invite to this site. If not you’ll have it soon. This is the place to get content for your User Group for the upcoming Visual Studio 2008 launch (and more). http://www.heroescommunitylaunch.com/

Technorati tags: INETA, Culminis, SQL Pass, Visual Studio 2008, community, Microsoft

Visual Studio 2008 Tip of the Day Sidebar gadget

eileenrum — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 23:31:22 GMT

The Visual Studio 2008 Tip of the Day Sidebar gadget is available for download:

http://gallery.live.com/LiveItemDetail.aspx?li=9ececfa9-f0cc-4274-b321-2ec49ce2e8ff