IT/Dev Connections 2014 Welcomes Microsoft Corporate VP Keynoter, Brad Anderson!

I realize it might seem that it's hard to escape Brad Anderson these days. Brad has a tendency to show up at all the really cool conferences and events, bringing his savvy headlining ability to kick off many shows like TechEd, MMS, WPC, Oracle OpenWorld, and others.

Well, I'm happy today to announce that Brad Anderson, Corporate VP for Enterprise and Client Mobility at Microsoft, will be the keynote speaker for IT/Dev Connections 2014!

So, for those that missed TechEd 2014 North America, can't attend TechEd Europe, or are contemplating what today's TechEd 2015 news really means, IT/Dev Connections will give you the best of both worlds this year. We'll be giving you a "right-sized," highly technical event, but with a little Microsoft roadmap and direction seasoned in.

Brad will be bringing a unique view on Microsoft's roadmap this year, with a keen eye on how it truly affects the IT Pro. Not just a glamourous keynote kickoff speech, Brad has promised to show exactly what Microsoft is doing to make the lives of IT Pros better through technologies designed to enrich the IT life.

With today's announcement that Microsoft will be merging all its IT Pro related conferences into a single, as yet unnamed, conference in the Spring each year, IT/Dev Connections gives you an opportunity to hear what's new at Microsoft for the second half of the year, but still receive a high level of technical knowledge and learning. For Microsoft to be successful with its new event, they will need to push out and support community led events like IT/Dev Connections. And, thanks to Brad, that's already happening. The timing of today's announcements are not coincidental.

Here's the full information on what you can expect from Brad in September.

Title: Advancing Your Career Through a Mobile and Cloud Mindset

Abstract: Microsoft has a mobile-first, cloud-first strategy for the future of IT, and, in this keynote, Brad Anderson, Corporate Vice President of Enterprise Client & Mobility at Microsoft, will discuss how, these two things are now inseparably connected. Devices need cloud services in order to be fully functional, and a cloud with no connecting devices is just “latent potential.”

This keynote will explore the impact of mobility + cloud on the IT industry, and Brad will demonstrate how Microsoft’s hybrid cloud strategy acknowledges that amidst all of the change in the IT profession, the role of the cloud will be constant – and growing. With this hybrid future in mind, he will discuss Microsoft’s long-term support and investments in Windows Server as well as hybrid cloud scenarios that make Azure an extension of your datacenter. He will also discuss the work his team is doing to enable Enterprise Mobility Management in the Enterprise Mobility Suite and how this work becomes an extension your existing SCCM and AD deployments. 

Brad is the first to admit that industry-wide changes like these can be difficult to navigate, but he believes Microsoft’s hybrid cloud approach is the bridge that allows IT Pros to leverage their existing skills (and the existing investments of enterprises) and dramatically extend them with cloud-based tools and functionality.

Brad has been responsible for and defined the strategy for the last few releases of Windows Server, System Center, System Center Configuration Manager, Microsoft Intune, Remote Desktop Services and Azure RemoteApp.  In this keynote Brad will cover the key trends that have impacted the strategy and how the capabilities Microsoft is delivering enable you to advance your careers and help your organizations differentiate themselves. 

Check out why Brad believes the future is bright for IT!

Register for IT/Dev Connections today (while there's still room!):  IT/Dev Connections 2014

IT/Dev Connections is a week-long event, held at the Aria Resort in Las Vegas, from September 15 through the 19. The event provides deep technical training in over 200 sessions (no 101 sessions!). What you learn during the week is exactly what you need for your job today and with Brad's help, you'll now also be able to take roadmap information back to work with you, too, to help with your planning for the next year.

I hope to see you there!

P.S. Mary Jo Foley will be on-hand at IT/Dev Connections and we've given her special access to Brad for an interview. I bet one of her very first questions will be about the merging of the Microsoft conferences.