Certification Prep – The 20 Minute Workout

VMware vSphere Design 101 with VCDX Scott Lowe Tuesday, August 7, 2012 12:00 – 1:00 PM CDT What is vSphere design? What does it entail and why is a proper design so important? If you're new to VMware vSphere design, then this is the perfect opportunity to get started with the basics with one of the top VMware experts in the field, VCDX and VMware vSphere Design co-author, Scott Lowe. In this live webinar Scott will provide you with an overview of the VMware vSphere design process and the complex decisions it involves. Scott will also help you get started with mastering design concepts by presenting a list of design resources for virtualization professionals. This free webinar will cover: - What is design and why you need it - VMware vSphere design basics - Common design misconceptions - Is the VCAP-DCD certification right for you - BONUS - Webinar attendees will get a chance to win Scott Lowe's Designing VMware Infrastructure Video Training!

Originally posted by Kari Rippetoe via LinkedIn: TechMentor at Microsoft HQ is just under a month away, and if you didn't know already, there will only be one this year - so this is an event you definitely don't want to miss! I have some good news and some bad news: The bad news is the Early Bird registration deadline was yesterday (July 25th), which would have saved you $200. The good news, however, is we're giving you, our LinkedIn group members, a special discount worth $300! Just register for the Best Value Package with code TMRTU: http://bit.ly/TMRD2012 So if you still need a reason to register for TechMentor (as if spending a week at Microsoft HQ wasn't enough), this is one worth $300!

Windows 8 for Clients, Servers and Tablets Tuesday, July 31, 2012 12:00 - 1:00 PM CDT Talk of Windows 8 is virtually everywhere and the hype will only gain momentum as the release inches closer. By now, you've probably read about some of the hot desktop features in Windows 8; maybe you've even heard about some of the new server capabilities. What you may not know is that Microsoft is all in for making Windows 8 a true competitor to iOS and Android. Windows 8 is designed to unify the computing experience, whether you're using it on a client, a server or tablet. During this live webinar, author and educator John O'Neill Sr. will examine a number of the new features and capabilities of this next generation OS that are sure to have you anxious to get it rolled out on your PC's, servers, and tablets! This free webinar will cover: - An introduction to some of the most exciting features in Windows 8 - The Metro interface and its "Charms"

The New MCSE: How to Successfully Build Your Microsoft Certified Career Thursday, July 26, 2012 12:00 - 1:00 PM CDT Microsoft has completely revamped their certification program, bringing back the MCSA, MCSE and MCSD certifications. But the MCSE is not what it used to be and the reinvented certification program has spawned a number of questions and concerns from IT professionals looking to get certified. This free webinar will help answer: - What do you need to know about the new lineup of Microsoft certifications? - What should you do if you're in the process of getting MCITP certified? - Which direction should you be taking now that the MCSE is back? - How do you build your IT career around the new certs? In this career focused webinar, Microsoft MVP Ed Liberman will break down the new certification program from Microsoft, walking you through the different certification paths and the details on how to obtain the various new MCSA, MCSE and MCSD cert

According to an article written by Ed Oswald of PCWorld Windows 8 is on track for an October release . You can review the details from both articles via the above links. Having just gotten back from TechEd a couple of weeks ago and getting some decent time on Windows 8 touch systems (and Server 2012 builds) I am really looking forward to this release. To me this is much more of a game changer than even Windows 7 was and Windows 7 was quite a shift. In my opinion, Windows 8 is on par with the evolutionary changes we saw that were brought about by the release of Windows XP. Whether corporations and enterprise environments see it the same way it is too early to tell from from the geek standpoint that is where I am.