Sunday, March 18, 2012

IT Pro Appreciation Day - Carolina IT Professionals Group Hold Benefit for the Homeless

Some people are just designed from the start to help others. My friend Dave Sanders is one of those folks. Along with a host of Usual Suspects in the world of giving unto others, he is putting together an Amazing all-day training for I.T. pros - for only $10 per person!

The event is March 23rd in Charlotte, NC. It's literally all day: 8:00 AM - 6:30 PM.

Educational programs will be presented by an amazing collection of Microsoft MVPs and others.

Topics include Hyper-V, Business Intelligence, Microsoft Backup Technologies, Lync, Microsoft Deployment Tools, Cloud Computing for IT Professionals, and more!

If you're anywhere near Charlotte, check it out. If nothing else, give them your $10 and feel good about that.

Here's the note from Dave:

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Meeting Name: IT Pro Appreciation Day
Meeting Date: Friday, March 23 2012
Meeting Time: 8:00am - 6:30pm
Registration Link: CLICK HERE TO REGISTER - http://www.carolinait.org/MeetingRSVPPublic.aspx?mid=147

I'd like to share with you the reasons why I started CITPG over 12 years ago and why I have dedicated my life to it ever since.

Most of us live in nice homes, have good jobs and give little thought to the world around us. We are comfortable and safe for the most part having what we need when we need it.

There are those around us, much closer than you think who don't.

Over 3000 men women and children in the Charlotte area don't know where there next meal may come from today. They have no home, no job and for some, seemingly no future. "Oh" you may say, "There are agencies to help them, shelters etc., they'll be ok."

Maybe not.

What if you found yourself in that position? Many of them were once like us, with homes, jobs etc. In many cases circumstances have occurred that have placed them in this fearful situation in spite of their best efforts.

It is for these people, their children and to give hope that..I founded and have dedicated my life to CITPG.

We have made a difference and we continue to do so but it is small and could be so much more.

I put forward the idea of the March 23rd IT PRO Appreciation Day with the hope that we could make a significant impact on many lives through the participation of you and your peers, the companies you work for, the church you attend and your friends. I am still hopeful but the numbers are not there yet. We need MANY more to register, come to the event and bring their $10.

ALL proceeds go to help the homeless and the children..

I am appealing to you, please, register for the event, encourage 10 people around you to do so and to come to the event and bring their $10.

For a fee of only $10, you get an entire day of the very best training and presentations given by the very best presenters. We even supply your lunch and give you a chance to win big screen  TVs, Xboxes, Kindle Fires and other wonderful gifts.

I am only asking that you participate and help me to fill the venue with people this Friday.
In spite of providing the links to the presentation, bios and attendee material to you in an email, few of you have downloaded them. In an effort to show you how profound and impacting the presentations are, I am listing the presentations and bios of the presenters here:

Presentation Overviews

Hyper-V for Small Business
Presented by Amy Babinchak (7 time Microsoft MVP)
As a small business specialist, I was not convinced to use Hyper-V for our clients until recently. Now we’re using Hyper-V to bring the promise of cloud technology to our clients. I’ll share some of my case studies. But before you deploy your first Hyper-V box you need to understand how different the parent operates from the children. I’ll cover memory, disk utilization, raid controllers, partitioning, NICS and host configuration to optimize performance.

Business Intelligence: What can SharePoint 2010 do for your organization?
Presented by Charles Traywick (Principle – Infotronics)
Often mislabeled and misunderstood, SharePoint is arguably one of the most successful server level software products in recent decades.  Now in its fourth major release, SharePoint 2010 offers significant features for business intelligence, collaboration and centralization of work processes (portal) and hosting of standard applications.
This session will provide an overview of the integration of business intelligence features and how to use them to make analysis easier and more fluid for decision makers.  Will we explore how to connect to back end databases and expose the “intelligence” buried in standard transactional data and show how easy it is to make this data accessible for users.
What’s New in SharePoint 2010?
New features like: Ease Of Use; Wiki pages; Digital Libraries; Centralized Metadata ; Extended Enterprise Features (Visio Services, Access Services, Excel Services, Word Conversion Services); PowerShell Integration; SharePoint Workspace; Business Intelligence; Scalability; Better Visual Studio 2010 Integration; Business  Connectivity Services; Silverlight;  Granular Control of Services and a host of other new features make this the easiest and most powerful SharePoint yet.

Microsoft Backup Technologies
Presented by Grey Lancaster (13 time Microsoft MVP)
Discussion/demo DPM, Server 08 R2, and a focus on client backup in the Colorado products.  (Small Business Server 2011 Essentials, Windows Storage Server 2011 Essentials, Windows Home Server 2011)

Understanding Lync: A Primer
Presented by Cliff Galiher (3 time Microsoft MVP)
Microsoft Lync has recently been in the spotlight with its inclusion in Office 365. But for many IT professionals, there is a lot of confusion, misunderstanding, and unanswered questions about Lync and how it can fit in a business environment. This session is going to take a look at Microsoft Lync, answer some of those questions, and look at how it can fit into a business, as both a service offering or as an on-premise solution. We will dive into the possibilities this product unlocks and help showcase some of the power features that differentiates Lync from other “unified communications” solutions.

Leave with the knowledge of another powerful tool that IT professionals can use to empower businesses to communicate in exciting new and powerful ways.

Microsoft Deployment Tools
Presented by Rhonda Layfield (5 time Microsoft MVP)
If you haven’t rolled out Windows 7 yet – it’s time! Microsoft offers a few options for their FREE deployment tools – but which one is right for you? The Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2012 (MDT) is about to ship and it’s full of new features. In this session you’ll learn everything MDT 2012 can do for you including XP migrations, network deployments, multiple deployment shares, deploying from a USB stick, customizing and automating it all. But wait is MDT 2012 the right tool for you? Maybe Windows Deployment Service (WDS) meets your needs. Rhonda will show you how to configure and set up WDS. ConfigMgr may not be free but version 2012 is the best yet – check it out here. Best of all this session will show you the pros and cons of each tool so you can make the best choice for your environment. Get ready for tons of demos and real world scenarios.

What’s in Cloud Computing for IT Professionals
Presented by Yung Chou (Microsoft Senior IT Pro Evangelist)
Recently cloud computing has been emerging as a promising delivery vehicle for IT services. Among IT professionals, there is however much confusion on what it is and how it works. This session is to bring clarity by presenting a concise and easy-to-understand view of cloud computing. We will step through business scenarios and operations, while cloud computing can make a noticeable difference and help IT better delivers services. Come confused and leave with a clear vision of what’s in it for IT professionals and how IT professionals can take a productive path, play an enabling role in cloud computing era.

Hyper-V, A Key Enabling Technology of Private Cloud
Presented by Yung Chou (Microsoft Senior IT Pro Evangelist)
This is an exciting opportunity to learn Hyper-V, gain technical depth and insights of Microsoft virtualization, and realize how it is relevant to cloud computing in a relative short period of time. We will start with the essentials and advance to real-world topics on architecture, networking, and Hyper-V manager. Attendees will learn the key processes and operations to deliver services in a cloud environment.

Becoming the Next Private Cloud Expert in Your Organization
Presented by Yung Chou (Microsoft Senior IT Pro Evangelist)
While enterprise IT organizations are transitioning into cloud computing, private cloud has been perplexing IT professionals. The confusions between virtualization and private cloud, the complexities of transforming a traditional infrastructure-centric deployment model into a cloud-enable environment, the ambiguities and uncertainties among IT’s roles and responsibilities in cloud computing are all discouraging IT professionals from playing an active role and contributing to cloud computing initiatives. This presentation is to offer clarity by demonstrating a private cloud deployment process in an enterprise environment. Attendees can gain technical insights, connect with individual’s background and experiences, and get started in becoming the next private cloud expert in your organization.

Windows Multipoint Server 2011
Presented by Kevin Royalty (7 time Microsoft MVP)
Come see the latest hidden gem from Microsoft – Windows Multipoint Server 2011!  Originally designed for the education market, this solution is now available for the SMB market as well.  Come see how easy it is to set up, deploy and manage this solution for your clients.

Why IT Pro’s must learn Windows PowerShell Now
Presented by Ed (The Scripting Guy) Wilson (Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT)(MCSE)(CISSP)
“IT Pro’s don’t script.” I have heard this mantra for more than a decade – ever since I wrote my best selling Windows Scripting Self-Paced Learning Guide for Microsoft Press. But Windows PowerShell is more than just new scripting language – in fact, some PowerShell MVP’s have stated that Windows PowerShell is not a scripting language at all. Also, and more to the point, Windows PowerShell is not even all that new, with Windows 8, Windows PowerShell enters the 3rd version – it is therefore established technology. Simply put, Windows PowerShell is the future automation story in the Microsoft world, but it is also the present, and the IT Pro who learns how to use this tool will immediately become a more productive, and consequently more valuable employee.  In this session I will discuss the extent to which Windows PowerShell permeates the Microsoft eco system, and offer real world scenarios that illustrate both the power, and the simplicity of this management tool.

Keynote Address – A Celebration of Communities, IT professionals, and Windows
Join Scott Davidson, General Manager of Microsoft Developer and Platform Evangelism, US East Region for a celebration of communities, IT professionals, and Windows. Let's rejoin our friends, renew our partnership, and together re-imagine Windows again while welcoming the era of cloud computing and the arrival of the “consumerization” of IT.

Speaker BiographiesAmy Babinchak - 9 Time Microsoft MVP Awardee
Amy owns Harbor Computer Services, a consulting firm specializing in providing IT services to small businesses. She is also Managing Partner of Third Tier, which provides advanced support services to other consultants and vendors.  She has written articles, contributed to the SBS Unleashed books, is the technical editor for others, has been a speaker to many user groups, and conferences. Amy founded the EBS Users group in 2009. Also organizes and speaks in two webinars a month held by Third Tier.  She can be founded on her blogs at smalltechnotes.blogspot.com and www.thirdtier.net/blog, various Yahoo SBS mailing lists, 50 LinkedIn groups as well as @thirdtier, @harborcomputer and @ababinchak on twitter

Cliff Galiher - 3 Time Microsoft MVP Awardee
Nestled in the north Rockies, Cliff has passed up big city life to help small businesses in western Montana. He has carved out a reputation for helping the local business community and non-profit sector stay competitive in today's more connected world using technology while working within the smaller budget that these local organizations have. He is also a member of Third Tier, an advanced support company dedicated to helping IT Professionals on complicated support service calls.
He takes pride in always walking the balance of providing the best technology at a great value to a business, improving their infrastructure, and loves that he can have his outdoors and tech-geek too.

Rhonda Layfield -  5 Time Microsoft MVP Awardee
For over 30 years, Rhonda has helped people securely deploy, protect, and streamline their IT resources.  She began her career in the US Navy where she spent 7 years as a communications specialist with a top secret clearance. Now she is a five time Setup and Deployment MVP and enjoys training and consulting for small, medium and large sized customers showing how to quickly and inexpensively  roll out 50, 500 or even 50,000 Windows 7 desktops.  Rhonda travels the globe sharing her real-world knowledge at Microsoft conferences such as Tech Ed US, Tech Ed Europe, Dubai, Slovenia, Belgium, Holland, Australia and New Zealand.

Kevin Royalty – 8 Time Microsoft MVP Awardee
Since 1986, Kevin has been satisfying the needs of clients as an IT professional.  He is a Computer Science graduate, Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer, and is certified by Microsoft for support of their Small Business Server products. Kevin is the Managing Partner of Total Care Computer Consulting, a leading Cincinnati-based consulting firm that serves the IT needs of small and medium businesses in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. Since 1986, he’s held programming and network engineering positions in large companies including but not limited to Chiquita Brands, Computer Sciences Corp, Kroger, Anthem, Nationwide, and Great American Insurance.  He currently serves as President of the International Association of Microsoft Channel Partners – Cincinnati Chapter (www.iamcp-us.org), President Emeritus of Cincinnati Network Professional Association (www.cinpa.org); President of the Cincinnati Small Business Server Users Group; Member Emeritus of Microsoft’s Small Business Specialist Advisory Board; Board Member Emeritus of the Information Technology Advisory Team for the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and CincyTechUSA. Eight year member of Business Network International.

Andy Goodman  - 9 time Microsoft MVP Awardee
Andy has been involved with the computer industry since the mid 1970's. He recently took a position with SBSmigration.com to help build and manage their partner program. He still owns and operates DownHome Computers a small computer consulting shop in Winston Salem, NC, USA focused on Small Business IT solutions and of course SBS. He is an MS System Builder and an Intel IPD and the first SBSC in NC. He has been involved with SBS since the early days of 4.0 in 1997. Along with running the SBS Forum on SBS for MCP Magazine & Redmond Magazine he leads the Triad SBS Group (www.tSBSg.org). In his spare time he writes “how-to” articles on SBS for a number of e-zines as well as his own site www.SBS-Rocks.com. He also works as an advisor to ISVs helping them tune their products, services and programs to the SMB Market space. Last but not least he has been instrumental in bringing SMBTN (www.smbtn.org) to the east coast. Andy's blog can be reached at blog.sbs-rocks.com

Dave Sanders – 9 Time Microsoft MVP Awardee
With a passion for service, Dave began his career as a teacher working with economically disadvantaged young adults in the Federal Job Corps. He also volunteered as a Big Brother with the United Way.
In the IT field, Dave worked for Microsoft supporting Windows NT as a Mentor. In the user group community, Dave built and has served as President of one of the largest and most active groups in the US (Carolina IT Pro Group) for over 10 years. He also founded and built Culminis to a membership base of more than three million. Dave has worked as a Developer, DBA, Network Admin and IT Project Manager during his career and was recognized as one of the top 14 IT world-wide community leaders receiving an outstanding achievement award from Mr. Bill Gates, personally. He was featured in Redmond magazine for work in IT communities and honored by the University of Virginia in 2008 for his contributions to the IT community and the university. An author in his spare time, his latest novel, SPIRIT WIND is available on Amazon and in major bookstores.

Chuck Traywick - principal at Infotronics
Chuck Traywick is the founder and principal at Infotronics.   Chuck has been working in various capacities in the technology industry for a number of years.  He is a frequent speaker at industry events and often teaches seminars at Microsoft and other venues on SharePoint, Business Intelligence and associated topics.  As the principal at Infotronics he supports development, consulting and installation services for a variety of clients throughout the Carolinas on these and other platforms.

Ed (The Scripting Guy) Wilson – Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT)(MCSE)(CISSP)
Ed is the Microsoft Scripting Guy and a well-known scripting expert. He writes the daily “Hey Scripting Guy!” BLOG. He has also spoken multiple times at TechEd as well as at the Microsoft internal Tech Ready and Geek Ready conferences. He is a Microsoft-certified trainer who has delivered a popular Windows PowerShell workshop to Microsoft Premier Customers worldwide. He has written 9 books including 6 on Windows scripting that were published by Microsoft Press. He has also contributed to nearly a dozen other books. His Windows PowerShell 2.0 Best Practices book for Microsoft Press is currently a best seller. Ed holds more than 20 industry certifications, including Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) and Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP). Prior to coming to work for Microsoft, he was a senior consultant for a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner where he specialized in Active Directory design and Exchange implementation. In his spare time, he enjoys woodworking, underwater photography, and scuba diving.

Yung Chou – Sr. IT Pro Evangelist in Microsoft US Developer and Platform Evangelism team
Within Microsoft he has had opportunities serving customers in the areas of support account management, technical support, technical sales, and evangelism. Prior to Microsoft, he had established capacities in system programming, application development, consulting services, and IT management. His recent technical focuses have been in virtualization and cloud computing with strong interests in private cloud with service-based deployment and emerging enterprise computing architecture. He is a frequent speaker in Microsoft conferences, road shows, and TechNet events.

Scott Davidson – General Manager, US DPE - East Region
Scott Davidson is a seasoned IT veteran who brings extensive experience in the delivery of large scale development and infrastructure projects.  Scott brings more than 20 years of experience in the technology industry having served successfully in corporate IT for a Fortune 500 transportation company, as a sales and services leader in the technology reseller channel, and across several roles spanning Sales, Services, Evangelism and Marketing within Microsoft.
Scott joined Microsoft 12 years ago and has held a variety of positions across Enterprise Sales & Marketing, Microsoft Consulting Services, and the Small Mid-Market Solutions & Partner organization before becoming the leader for the US Developer and Platform Evangelism team in East Region. In his current role he is responsible for helping to lead Microsoft’s Developer Tools sales efforts in the US, driving Microsoft’s engagement with key technical audiences such as IT Professionals, Developers and Students along with working to build a strong ecosystem of ISVs that support our strategic priorities related to Cloud Computing, Windows Phone and the Microsoft Client platform.
Originally from Chicago, IL, Scott graduated from Towson State University in Maryland with a BS in Psychology. He is an avid supporter of the Arts and enjoys classical ballet when he is not at home spending time with his wife Amy and their eight children. All enjoy cooking together, singing together and spending time with a good book.

I challenge you to find ANYWHERE the amount and quality of the presentations and training we are making available to you for just $10.

Please, help me to make this event a success and through that success, lift up those people who are not as fortunate as you and I.

Thank you.

Sincerely,
David Sanders, MVP 
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:-)

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