Gearing up for Microsft Ignite 2018!

Let's start off on the right foot.....
1. I have never tried blogging before so excuse any blogging cultural norms I may violate.
2. This is my very first post, so if even one person reads it, I rate that a success.
3. Here goes nothing.....

So here I am gearing up for Microsoft Ignite 2018.  I have attended this conference in the past, along with a list of others.  My top three (not in any order), VMWorld, MS Ignite, and Cisco Live!  As a general rule, I try to alternate between VMWorld and MS Ignite and then throw Cisco Live! In every 4 or 5 years.  I base this on my own value that I take away from these events, others may have much different methods to their madness, and that’s o.k. too. 

            As usual, I see a lot of people getting excited about the upcoming event.  I have seen many blogs with people offering first time advice, so I am not going to beat that dead horse.  If you are interested in that type of information, then cruise on over to one of those sites.  I am linking in a couple of them here, but there are many of them out there and they all offer some basic conference survival advice that is worth a few minutes if you are new to conferencing.  There are also some good posts out there from previous years, and the advice is still valid.

Jonathan McKinney's blog posting -  http://blog.ucomsgeek.com/2018/08

Jeremy Miller's blog posting - https://tinyurl.com/ybklqfex

           My advice for anyone, new hat or old hat, if you're not on Twitter, get on Twitter and start following the conversations, you will learn a lot.  Look for @MS_Ignite and #MSIgnite.

This year another good conversation group can be found on Microsoft's Kaizala app.  It has a good group called "Ignite 2018 parties".   To get in the group, from Twitter search for a reference to it and you will find a link which will join you to the group.  I did find out that the 3rd party Twitter app I generally use did not link back to join the group correctly and I had to do it in the standard Twitter app.

Now some fun stuff, here are the social events/parties that I know of so far (if you know of others, please send them on over and I will get them added to my modest list:

Sunday

The Krewe - https://tinyurl.com/y969ztco

Kaizala Party Squad #KPS Meetup - Download the Kaizala app and join the group

Monday

Syncopath Party - http://www.skysync.com/syncopath-party/

Tuesday

#AvePointRED Party (2/3 down the page link)- https://www.avepoint.com/ignite/2018/

World Wide Technology Event - (Private) Customers Only
Norwegian Evening Event - https://tinyurl.com/yb49bmyh
K2 Party -  https://tinyurl.com/ycqxzh5t
LogicMonitor -  https://msignitetopgolf2018.splashthat.com/LP
Omada Ignite Party -  https://tinyurl.com/y8gb52yw
Ixia Reception - https://tinyurl.com/y9k3la75
Yammer Party - No RSVP req. 6pm @ Itta Bena (9101 International Dr., #2210) 
Nutanix Customer Event -(Private) Contact your sales rep

Wednesday

>_scheduledMaintenance - http://schedulemymaintenance.com/

Adaptiva - https://www2.adaptiva.com/ignite-party-2018

1E Party (Must get wristband at the booth) - https://www.1e.com/ignite/#oneEparty

CDW Customer Event - (Private) Contact your sales rep 
Dell/EMC - (Private) Contact your sales rep
Quest/MetaLogix MetaFest - https://tinyurl.com/y8bbs4ol

Thursday

Microsoft Ignite Attendee Event

The above list will be edited as I become aware of more.

So that's really it for my first blog post, send me a message if you want.  Else look for me at Microsoft Ignite 2018.