The forecast for 2010 is looking very cloudy, with every technology company delivering some type of cloud offering, and analysts estimating that almost everyone will try some form of cloud computing. But from a practical stand point, how should organizations leverage cloud computing effectively? Is it to simply host existing and legacy assets somewhere else, or to create next-generation applications that enable differentiated capabilities? In addition, what role does SOA play in the age of cloud computing? And does this impact the way we manage and interact with data?

Facilitated by Microsoft, the premise of this half-day event is to provide an open forum where architects can meet to discuss technologies and insights with peers. This forum will provide first-hand experiences and best practices intended to help the community to collectively discover and generate knowledge. Please join us for this opportunity to learn, share and network with your peers and other thought leaders.

Event Summary

• Provide a clear and profound understanding of Microsoft’s cloud strategy and roadmap, and latest updates on the Windows Azure Platform
• Discuss the state of SOA, and its relevance in the age of cloud computing
• Review case studies and models of cloud usage, and examine approaches to build next-generation capabilities leveraging the cloud
• Explore trade-offs, best practices, and guidance on today’s myriad of data storage options
• Explain the differences and patterns of using various data interaction frameworks

Who Should Attend

Technology and business stakeholders, including CTOs, CIOs, VPs, Directors, Program and Product Managers, Architects, Lead Engineers, and IT Managers

When & Where

12/01/09: Irvine, CA

12/02/09: Los Angeles, CA

12/03/09: Phoenix, AZ

12/08/09: Mountain View, CA

12/09/09: San Francisco, CA

12/10/09: Seattle, WA

12/15/09: Denver, CO

Agenda

12:45PM: Introduction and Announcements

01:00PM: Windows Azure Platform – Overview of the Microsoft Cloud

01:30PM: SOA and Cloud Computing

02:00PM: Architecting Solutions Leveraging the Cloud

02:30PM: Making Sense of the Expanding Range of Data Storage Solutions

03:15PM: Best Practices with Data Interaction Frameworks

04:00PM: Groupthink

How to Attend

This is a FREE event; only an online registration is required. Please follow the links on the event page at http://blogs.msdn.com/sac/pages/council-2009q4.aspx

November 24, 2009 at 11:00am – 12:30pm PST
An Architect’s perspective on Silverlight 3
Tim Heuer
Many .NET developers are becoming more and more interested in the Rich Internet Application development space, and in particular Silverlight.  In this session we will step back from a detailed implementation technology and take a higher level look at Silverlight from the architect’s perspective.  We will discuss the types of applications where Silverlight makes sense and some scenarios where Silverlight may not be the appropriate technology.  We will also delve into some of the architectural decisions that the architect must consider when writing applications for this platform and where some of the tradeoffs may lie.

Link to Register:  http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1032432980&Culture=en-US

November 25, 2009, 11:00am – 12:30pm PST
Cloud-computing architecture – designing multi-tenant applications on Windows Azure
Joseph Hofstader
Cloud computing is one of the hottest topics in information technology today.  With all the confusion surrounding acronyms ending in ‘aas’ like Platform as a Service (PaaS), Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS) it can be intimidating for even seasoned IT professionals.  This presentation will briefly discuss the different types of cloud platforms and then address one of the key business scenarios for the cloud: Software as a Service.
Software as a Service is a business model for making applications available over the Internet.  One of the key tenets of SaaS is multi-tenancy, or software designed to be used by multiple parties.  Designing SaaS applications touches on many of the technologies that comprise the Azure platform: Processing, Storage, Workflow, Database and most importantly security.   This presentation will discuss how each of technologies can be utilized to define a flexible architecture for multi-tenant solutions.

Link to Register: http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1032432981&Culture=en-US

For session recordings and content from the November 2009 series, please visit http://blogs.msdn.com/sac/pages/cafe-2009-11.aspx.

For information on other events part of the Architect Cafe series, please visit http://blogs.msdn.com/sac/pages/architect-cafe.aspx.

Rob Bagby has started a new series (blog posts and screencasts) on Patterns-Based Development with Silverlight.  The series illustrates various design patterns while building a sample application (see screenshot below).  The patterns covered include the Repository, the Pipeline, the Service Agent and Model View ViewModel.

This week our team hosted the silicon valley stop (at our Mountain View campus) in David Chappell’s world-wide tour to talk about the impact of cloud computing, and latest developments on the Windows Azure Platform.

David Chappell’s talk looked at the Windows Azure platform and what it means for enterprises. The topics he covered include:

• An overview of the Windows Azure platform: Technology and business model
• The cloud platform context: Google, Amazon, Salesforce.com, and more
• Using the Windows Azure platform: Application scenarios

He also provided a foundation for thinking about the Windows Azure platform, and then offered guidance on how to make good decisions for using it.

CEO of CSRware.com also showcased their “On-Demand Performance Management solution” for Sustainability and Green IT initiatives. Their current cloud initiative utilized Windows Azure, SQL Azure and hybrid (Software+Services) app dev pattern, for capturing tens of thousands of data points from their customer data center and aggregating them into a single data point to an on-premise SaaS offering.

A copy of the CSRware.com slide deck can be downloaded here:

David Chou also presented some additional views on how to architect applications using the Windows Azure Platform:

Thanks to everyone who attended the event, and please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or would like to discuss further.

October 27, 2009 at 11:00am – 12:30pm PST
An Architect’s perspective on Silverlight 3
Tim Heuer
Many .NET developers are becoming more and more interested in the Rich Internet Application development space, and in particular Silverlight.  In this session we will step back from a detailed implementation technology and take a higher level look at Silverlight from the architect’s perspective.  We will discuss the types of applications where Silverlight makes sense and some scenarios where Silverlight may not be the appropriate technology.  We will also delve into some of the architectural decisions that the architect must consider when writing applications for this platform and where some of the tradeoffs may lie.
Event ID:  1032427862
Link to Register:  An Architect’s perspective on Silverlight 3

October 28, 2009 at 11:00am – 12:30pm PST
Deploying Windows 7 from an Infrastructure Architect’s Perspective
Doug Klokow
We’ll discuss 5 key areas centered on deploying Windows 7:  Developing business justification – Evaluate the capabilities provided by Windows 7 and develop a plan for how to realize business value from these solutions; Where are you today – Explore the differences of preparing for Windows 7 based on your current desktop operating system; Application readiness – Explore the tools and resources available to gain insight into your readiness to deploy Windows 7, Internet Explorer 8, and/or Office 2007/2010; Deployment readiness – Explore the tools and resources available to create a design and deployment solution for your enterprise; Training your employees – Discuss available resources for training your IT Staff and End Users.
Event ID:  1032427863
Link to Register:  Deploying Windows 7 from an Infrastructure Architect’s Perspective

For up-to-date details and registration of the October 2009 series, please visit http://blogs.msdn.com/sac/pages/cafe-2009-10.aspx.

For information on other events part of the Architect Cafe series, please visit http://blogs.msdn.com/sac/pages/architect-cafe.aspx.

I had the opportunity to speak at the CloudCamp Los Angeles event last week. It had a turnout of more than 200 people (223 registered attendees on eventbrite). We also had nice support from the local Microsoft team, including Daniel Egan, Woody Pewitt, Lynn Langit, and Jason Campbell. Many of our friends also turned up, such as David Pullman from Neudesic.

View the full article on David Chou’s blog at http://blogs.msdn.com/dachou/archive/2009/10/04/cloudcamp-los-angeles.aspx

Celebrating the 70th Anniversary of The Wizard of Oz, and the re-release by Warner Brothers of an HD version of the movie, Netflix has launched a website to stream the movie for FREE to anyone in America on October 3rd.

Netflix also hosted a free, live concert and outdoor movie screening on Tuesday, September 29th, in New York City’s Central Park at Rumsey Playfield.  The concert featured songs from “The Wizard of Oz” performed by Jennifer Hudson, Julianne Hough and Guestlove.

View the full article on John Stame’s blog at http://jcstame.wordpress.com/2009/10/01/netflix-uses-silverlight-smooth-streaming-to-stream-the-wizard-of-oz-to-america/

OK, you’re all aware of BizSpark and how it helps development focused startups to get easy access to Microsoft tools. Well, now we’ve launched WebsiteSpark for Web Developers and Designers! Similar to BizSpark, the idea is to make access to the Microsoft Web Platform as simple as possible (in Microsoft terms), enable training and support and help nurture smaller development/design shops.

Read the full post on Dan Willis’ blog at http://blogs.msdn.com/danlistens/archive/2009/09/24/microsoft-websitespark-launches.aspx

With the release of Internet Explorer 8 (IE8), there is some new functionality that enables a developer to extend the browser pretty easily.  One of my particular favorites is the ability to create accelerators.  Accelerators allow a user to invoke a service from another site based on the text selected in the current page.  Some examples of accelerators that are available by default include:

• Take what ever text is selected and search on Bing
• Select an address and see the map inline with Bing Maps
• Select text in a foreign language and translate it on the fly (below is an on the fly translation from the Al Jazeera site)

Read the full post on Joe Shirey’s blog at http://www.joeshirey.com/2009/09/04/WritingASimpleInternetExplorerAccelerator.aspx

I interviewed Ward Bell recently and we discussed using Silverlight for building Rich Internet Applications (RIA’s) for UFC Gyms and New Evolution Fitness.

Read the full post on John Stame’s blog at http://jcstame.wordpress.com/2009/09/02/arcast-interview-with-ward-bell-on-silverlight-for-ria-at-ufc-gyms/

Yesterday, Microsoft announced the first community technology preview of SQL Azure Database, a cloud-based relational database service built on Microsoft SQL Server technologies. With SQL Azure Database, you can easily provision and deploy relational database solutions to the cloud, and take advantage of globally distributed data centers that provides enterprise-class availability, scalability, and security with the benefits of built-in data protection, self-healing and disaster recovery.

Read the full post on Raj Ramabadran’s blog at http://rajramabadran.wordpress.com/2009/08/20/microsoft-sql-azure-ctp-available/

DAY 1 – September 28, 2009 at Noon PST
From the Trenches: Using Architectural Skills to Increase Solution Adoption Success Rates
Jim Wilt
Products, Solution Frameworks, and Development Tools are too often touted by vendors and development teams as solutions to customer business problems. Why do development teams, customers, and users seek products to fill this gap? When solutions fail is it too easy to blame a given platform than for those really responsible to take responsibility? It more often has to do with one's level of problem solving skills, planning, and ability to align technology with business strategy. This session introduces proven field architectural practices in leadership, communication, and some strategy tools that will assist stakeholders in becoming owners of their solutions--taking responsibility for their outcomes. This results in greater customer satisfaction, as the focus is all about enabling problem solvers (not expecting products) to deliver successful solutions.

REGISTER HERE | Add to Outlook Calendar

DAY 2 – September 29, 2009 at Noon PST
Software as a Service in the Cloud
Michael Stiefel
Architecting and building a Software as a Service application requires solving a series of problems that are independent of a particular software platform. First, a SaaS architecture follows directly from the fundamental principles of the business model. Second, a series of difficult technical problems must be solved in addition to providing the business functionality. These include certificate security, low-IT-capable clients, business continuity when connectivity is lost, provisioning of services, scalability as the number of clients increase, database design for clients, how to use virtualization, and how to integrate and release service functionality over several different client applications. Third, you have to effectively use the platform technology such as WCF and ASP.NET. If you approach building a SaaS application on these three levels, you can then leverage your work into new platforms such as Windows Azure.

REGISTER HERE | Add to Outlook Calendar

SPEAKER BIOS
Jim Wilt - Chief Software Architect for Metrics Reporting Inc.

Michael Stiefel - Principal of Reliable Software, Inc.
Michael is a consultant on software architecture and development, and the alignment of information technology with business goals.  He is also a Microsoft Solutions Architect MVP.  Education: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, with a Interdisciplinary Ph.D degree in Nuclear Engineering, Political Science, and History of Technology; M.S. in Nuclear Engineering; and B.S. in Electrical Engineering. He is an active member of the IEEE Consultants Network.

For up-to-date details and registration of the September 2009 series, please visit http://blogs.msdn.com/sac/pages/cafe-2009-09.aspx.

For information on other events part of the Architect Cafe series, please visit http://blogs.msdn.com/sac/pages/architect-cafe.aspx.

The FREE Silverlight 3 Firestarter sessions in Redmond, WA and available as online webcasts on Thursday September 17th include a keynote from Scott Guthrie and presentations from Tim Heuer, Brad Abrams, Karl Shifflett and other Microsoft community leaders. You'll learn what's new and noteworthy in the latest releases of Silverlight and Expression 3. We'll also give you a rundown on .NET RIA services, toolkit, and more.

AGENDA:

LIVE EVENT (Redmond, WA) | REGISTER >>
LIVE WEBCAST | REGISTER >>

For more information or to register, visit:www.msdnevents.com/firestarter
OR CALL 1-877-MSEVENT

Adverse times are also best times for innovation! Choosing the right battles to fight, and reinventing ourselves with less resources are par for the course today.  However, not all innovation needs to be revolutionary or transformative. In fact, in the current economic crisis, opportunities for innovation can be found in aspects of our core competencies, and implemented as incremental and iterative changes.

For this series of Architect Council live webcasts on August 24 and 25, 2009, we will discuss two of the many ways architects can innovate by recognizing the impact to architects, and learning how to effectively leverage cloud computing beyond just another place to host existing assets.

Role of the Architect in Turbulent Times – August 24, 2009
Miha Kralj – Architect, Microsoft

A Closer Look at an Internet Service Bus – August 25, 2009
Clemens Vasters – Principal Technical Lead .NET Services, Microsoft

For more details and registration, please visit http://blogs.msdn.com/sac/pages/council-2009-08.aspx

For other events in the Architect Cafe series, please visit http://blogs.msdn.com/sac/pages/architect-cafe.aspx

Although it’s a “bit” dated (in Internet terms), on 30 – 31 March 2009, at Weston Manor, Oxford UK a group of senior IT architects from across the industry met to consider the coming ‘Cloud’. What it is, what it means for business and the software profession and what has Microsoft been up to in the cloud. I found the interviews particularly lucid and easy to follow. Thanks to Bob Familiar for hosting the content!

Read the full post on Dan Willis’ blog at http://blogs.msdn.com/danlistens/archive/2009/07/20/cutting-through-the-fog-of-the-cloud.aspx