Written: 09/10/2022 | Updated: N/A
Ignite is here! And hands up I only got back from a two-week vacation in the US yesterday, and it was one where I finally managed to disconnect, get off grid and focus on family, health and pretty much everything but IT – including going through a Cat 4 Hurricane Ian. It was wild. However, the flip side of all this is that I am very much coming into this one hot with a ton of backlog, so this preview will probably be a bit shorter than usual, and it’ll all be on the fly.
Today, I managed to get a first look at the schedule. And as usual, I always look for the underlying theme of the conference. Build this year was all about the developer opportunity. Inspire was all about digital perseverance and this idea of pushing through when conditions get tough. Ignite? This can be found in the description of Satya’s keynote – ‘how Microsoft is helping customers do more with less’. That’s it. I’ve taken that verbatim. And consequently, we see this theme of ‘doing more with less’ surfaced throughout the titles of the lead sessions, similar if not the same words used at Inspire: agility, efficiency, innovation, optimise, automation, re-energise, modernise. This is because Ignite is now, to all extents, Inspire Part Two. On the one hand, it’s pretty well known that Ignite isn’t the same vehicle as what it used to be years ago: hard boiled technical, mainly level 300 – 400 sessions deep diving into really granular material. That isn’t bashing Microsoft, that’s just the rub of Microsoft evolving it and broadening its accessibility and appeal to new audiences. The pandemic, formatting and sustainability can all be factored into that too. On the other hand, we cannot escape the realities of what many of us are going through post pandemic. These are deeply uncertain times, economically and politically, where both businesses and individuals are under a lot of pressure to do more with less. Less money. Less time. Less resource. And that’s the point. IT Pro’s as much as sellers need to be onboard commercially. They need to know that businesses are going to be even more cost-conscious moving forward, and businesses will rely on them to make fiscally sensible and prudent decisions. But from my experience, having worked in cloud for a long time now, cloud businesses (not all but in my experience but many) typically do well during recessions or periods where the economy is struggling. This could be attributed to the fact that cloud is opex and during these periods we see high levels of digital transformation. Yet during these periods we also typically see high levels of innovation, and businesses are more open to doing things different in order to both survive and thrive. This year’s Ignite doesn’t threaten to disappoint. We will hear more on Metaverse and Microsoft’s plans on that. We will hear more about AI infused security, and hyperautomation, and industry clouds built for verticals, and the employee experience with Viva. There are so many opportunities ahead despite these uncertainties – and the idea of doing more with less may be key to opening the door to getting hands on and embracing these latest technologies.
Microsoft Ignite is a two-day event carrying over into a third for repeats of the second day. It is a hybrid event based on feedback from Microsoft Build and is expected to be the template for the bigger events moving forward. A digital core will be supplemented by a small in person event (circa 5,000) in Redmond at Microsoft HQ, with several regional spotlights including the UK. Of 854 sessions at the time of writing (measured by all sessions listed) 38% (327) cover Azure which is far higher than any other solution area and is reflective of how Microsoft is going hard against AWS this fiscal. Security (140 | 16.3%) has displaced Modern Work (137 | 16.0%) for second place which makes sense given global events, but also Security’s position as one of the highest growth areas in Microsoft this past fiscal. In terms of Business Apps Ignite has only 37 sessions (4%) – small, but unsurprising given Biz Apps just had their own dedicated conference out in Orlando at the back end of September. The same number (37) is devoted to industry clouds. This time around we see a large upsurge in the number of vendor related sessions, which almost rivals Inspire. As is traditional there are many sessions for Microsoft MVP’s which feature prominently in the Connection Zone.
It’s going to be a good one with lots of different formats and experiences. So, I hope to see you there! If you haven’t already, register here.
MY SCHEDULE
This will be either the fifth or sixth time I have participated at Ignite, (first time was in person back in 2019 at the OCCC but my memory is getting hazy). Given annual leave at the backend of September/beginning of October, I decided to leave it lighter this time around, but I am still speaking or moderating in multiple sessions, and I’ll probably get roped into more before the event. NOTE: all times are in British Summer Time (BST)
| Title | Session | Day/Time |
| Field Workers of Tomorrow: The opportunity in the Metaverse (Mod) | GBCHI703H | Thu 16.00 |
| Configure Microsoft Teams meetings and calls for inclusion (Mod) | GBCLL700 | Thu 14.30 |
| Enter The Mesh (Speaker) | GBCTT705H | Thu 11:30 |
| Data protection & privacy: building a privacy-resilient workplace (Mod) | GBCTT709H | Thu 13:00 |
This is my full watching schedule. Following previous events, I’ve haven’t gone too gung-ho, and as you may notice I typically focus on the keynotes and breakouts of what I am interested in since as an MVP I do roundtables throughout the year and already have those opportunities. NOTE: all times are in British Summer Time (BST) and some session titles may be abridged here
TEAMS SESSIONS AT IGNITE 2022
Like Inspire, I won’t be attending every single Teams and Teams-related session – but here’s 10 which I am calling out for the general Teams enthusiast. Now, as we have seen in the past there will be two keynotes for Teams. One will be the de facto Teams keynote which is Microsoft Teams: Supercharge the who, where, and how of work with Nicole Herskowitz. This will be the one focused purely on Teams, the latest innovations and the one which may pull out stats such as the MAU. The second will be Re-energize your workforce in the office, at home, and everywhere in between hosted by Jared Spatero who returns (very much welcome) and whose plenum session for Modern Work will big Teams up in the context of a broader look at Microsoft 365. If you are time limited or only want to dip your toe in the water, then these will be the two – and in the schedule they are practically back-to-back. For the workloads this year the usual suspects crop up but all with a twist – Apps, now focusing on Collaborative Apps (BRK32), Calling (CDB12) with a linked session on the native contact centre (BRK33), Meetings – now more slanted towards MTR’s and Devices (OD15). You also have Frontline/Firstline (OD21) and Security (BRK219H). The big question this time around is where Mesh is going to surface. Will it be Nicole’s session, or Jared’s, or will it be the into focus session with Jeff and Karuana who have both touched on Metaverse at previous events. Maybe it’s all three? Finally, join the tips and tricks session if you want some fun. I know all the speakers there and it should be entertaining. NOTE: all times are in British Summer Time (BST) and some session titles may be abridged here
WHAT ELSE WOULD I RECOMMEND?
It’s becoming habitual but every conference I attend I am always on the lookout for sessions where I can indulge in something different. So here are my 3 recommendations this time around. First up is the session Building 25+ years of SysInternals: Exploring ZoomIt simply because it is Mark Russinovich and Scott Hanselman speaking together. That’ll be big-time entertainment, and whilst I’ll be watching on catch up the first session will generate huge numbers. Second up is the one on Ransomware – Stories from DART: Taking the ware out of ransomware and the opportunity to listen to the DART team. DART stands for Microsoft Detection and Response Team who deal with things day in day out. As one of favourite people in Microsoft – Ann Johnson – once said on Twitter talk to the team not the title. The third and last is a personal one. I am simply a big fan of trainable classifiers for detecting sensitive information when it’s difficult to do so with patterns. I know. I bet you didn’t know that about me! NOTE: all times are in British Summer Time (BST)
| Title | Session | Day/Time |
| Building 25+ years of SysInternals: Exploring ZoomIt | BRK200H | Wed 20:00 |
| Stories from DART: Taking the ware out of ransomware | BRK212H | Wed 22:00 |
| Get started with discovering, protecting, and governing sensitive data | OD33 | Anytime |
FOR MCT’S
For MCT’s there are no sessions in terms of certifications or interaction with worldwide learning: and if that turns out to be the case – since sessions can always be added last minute, or I may just not be seeing it on a search of the site – then that’s disappointing given the number of MCT’s who will be in attendance. So, on the face of it no sessions, nor exam crams. However, there are:
- A connect and learn area
- A number of live learn sessions
- Technical Skilling Labs if you attend in person
And we still have the Skills Challange – although rules apply, and the free exam only pertains to specific exams and certifications
I’M FEELING…
- Going in hot. Not that I have a choice at this point
- Dedicated sessions on SharePoint and OneDrive. Good to see them return
- Justin Althoff’s session on industrial metaverse which will be wild
- Russinovich vs Hanselman
- Lots of my friends participating this year. See you at the weekend 🙂
I’M NOT FEELING…
- No Stream. They deserve a showcase for a job well done the past six months
- Roadmap sessions like OneDrive being roundtables which have limits, and are already full
- Certificate of attendance. Again. BS.
- Nothing of value for MCT’s
- Less than 10% of sessions on the agenda are now level 300+. I think Ignite is increasingly in jeopardy of losing its core audience, which is ultimately bad given that if Inspire and Ignite become too similar then the next question will be – why are we doing the same event twice a year? Business Apps broke ranks with the gig in Orlando which, by all accounts, was amazing. There is Airlift. It’ll be interesting to see if, long term, Ignite survives given Microsoft’s sustainability commitments.
MY TOP TIPS IF YOU ARE ATTENDING VIRTUALLY
I’ve done loads of them now. Here’s some recommendations for a great virtual conference
- There are a lot of sessions, and it isn’t going to be possible to view them all during the conference. There will be conflicts. Use the backpack in order to go back and watch sessions you missed
- Most sessions have repeats so look at all times as one could be better suited for your schedule
- Sessions which are prerecorded and on demand can be watched anytime. Prioritise live
- Take regular breaks. You would take regular breaks at an in person conference. Stay hydrated and well fed and get away from the screen and stretch your legs
- Get provisions in terms of eating, drinking and anything else so you are well prepared logistically
- Ultimately, most things will be recorded so if you miss something you can catch up. Don’t underprioritise family/friends
- Try and mix it up! There is a wide range of formats including Breakouts and Table Talks. It could be more enjoyable to get involved in different sessions as opposed to just breakouts
- Try to book a least a few sessions in both days, whilst you don’t want to take the spontaneity out of the event, having a few booked in will at least give you some structure throughout
- If anything is RSVP – book early to avoid disappointment
- If a session is good, call out the session and the speaker on social and give them a boost
- Keep the conversations positive! We are all here to have a great time and be together
- Do technical checks early on the day to ensure you are good to go for the keynote
- Stay in touch with colleagues and friends in Teams and even watch sessions together, now we are in person there may be an opportunity for a watch party
- If you need proof that you attended the event – because some employers will want this – you can download a copy of your sessions from the scheduler
MY TOP TIPS IF YOU ARE ATTENDING IN PERSON
- Comfortable shoes. Even in localized events you do a lot of walking
- A rucksack, such as Wegner, with multiple slots for laptop, cables, etc
- A portable charger. Charging points are more common these days but are not guaranteed
- If you are speaking, interface cables for HDMI
- A map of the venue including marking of exits, toilets, eating points, swag points (if that is your thing) pickup and drop off locations, and designated smoking/vaping areas. Logistics and keeping yourself topped up is important given long days
- Bottled water and packed lunch if you have allergies or have specific dietary requirements. The venue may provide this but isn’t guaranteed and may be limited. My wife is vegetarian, and we’ve come across all sorts of issues over the years, particularly limited menus for dietary requirements
- An app to keep in touch with friends, colleagues and family, such as Teams or Signal
- The OneDrive App with Lens to screenshot during sessions
- Transport app such as Uber or Lyft if you are using public transport
- Arrive early to register and avoid queues
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