December 2008 Architect Events

The emerging technology macro-trend today is the convergence of the Web and physical worlds, often referred to as the disappearing boundaries between the on-line and off-line worlds. This trend underscores a shift from using web browsers on personal computers as the only way to connect on-line, to a model of personal computing where seamless, consistent, yet focused experiences are delivered via a variety of connected devices. Join us for three ArcReady sessions designed to demystify how the Software Plus Services (S+S) vision effectively supports this view of the future and how Microsoft intends to implement this vision, how the Windows Live Platform enriches online experiences, and how Microsoft Office can serve as a composite application platform bringing together online experiences. Microsoft architects and key partners delivering these sessions will give you the knowledge you need to make informed decisions. ArcReady – reinforcing the foundation of solution architecture.

ArcReady - “Software Plus Services” (S+S) Distilled

Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA), Web 2.0, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), User Experience (UX), etc.; are some of the most prominent trends driving many fundamental changes today, and have helped shape a new era in technology. Today’s environment is marked by the commoditization and consumerization of technology, ubiquitous internet connectivity, new and highly scalable monetization methods, collective edge intelligence, design-driven product development, etc. Microsoft’s unifying response to this new environment is the “Software plus Services” (S+S) strategy. So what does S+S entail? Why is it important? How is it relevant? This session explores the various trends at the architectural level, their influences and impacts, and how the S+S strategy applies towards the future. We will also discuss how S+S is driving the innovation efforts across the broad Microsoft platform, and opportunities for .NET developers to deliver more value to customers.

ArcReady - Windows Live Platform Overview

The Web has evolved and user expectations right along with it. Where once users looked at the Web as a way to get information they now look at it as a way manage their productivity, consume media and entertainment and interact with others. Users expect great experiences on the Web that let them bring their personal context (relationships, interactions, memories, locations) with them wherever they go. Services from the Windows Live Platform allows developers to provide users great experiences around personal relationships, peer interaction, sharing memories and experiences, where memories are made/where their lives happen, etc. This session provides a comprehensive look at the Windows Live collection of services, capabilities, software, and APIs, etc., as well as examples of how the various services can be incorporated into current service offerings.

ArcReady - Office as a Platform

Organizations are adopting service orientation as a design principle to drive enterprise agility and business innovation. With service-oriented architecture (SOA), they can efficiently respond to business changes and evolve their IT systems rapidly. Composite applications are an effective vehicle to deliver business value through service orientation and are a great way to aggregate the consumable services to support cross-functional processes. Theoretically, composite applications allow for these services or components to be mixed and matched like blocks, allowing developers to customize applications to evolving enterprise needs relatively easily. With the release of 2007 Microsoft Office System clients, servers, and tools, Microsoft delivers a development platform that can be used to create collaborative, role-based, easy-to-use solutions and composite applications that extend the traditional business applications and enterprise systems. This session provides a comprehensive overview of the 2007 Microsoft Office System as an application platform. From the perspectives of capabilities that can be leveraged, such as collaboration, productivity, content management, business intelligence, enterprise search, etc.; and the extensibility and programmability built into the development platform. We will also discuss some examples of service-oriented business applications (or composite applications) leveraging Office as the application platform.