IT Brief New Zealand - Technology news for CIOs & IT decision-makers
Story image
First year in cloud for Tech.Ed
Wed, 24th Aug 2011
FYI, this story is more than a year old

Much of the talk around Tech.Ed has been the evolution of cloud computing from a buzzword to an industry standard.

Nothing symbolises this transition better than the fact this is the first year the event has been fully hosted in the cloud.

Scott Wylie, event organiser and director of Microsoft NZ's developer - platform group, says it was about time Tech.Ed moved into the cloud.

"In the past we've had this stonking great server,” Wylie told TechDay.

"It's great to be hosted in the cloud this year.

Wylie says Tech.Ed New Zealand is something of an anomaly worldwide, as only 10 such events are held around the world.

"There used to be more, but they've mostly dropped off or become one-day events,” Wylie says.

"Tech.Ed in New Zealand is kind of an industry institution, it's the most-attended Tech.Ed around the world per capita, with just under 2000 paid attendees.

As well as organising the event, Wylie is responsible for evaluating feedback afterwards, and presenting a case to hold the event again the following year.

"One of the things we do at Microsoft is constantly question what we do.

This also leads to a great deal of fine tuning, such as the move to the cloud.

"We've also dropped the number of exhibitors in The Hub from around 25 to 9, giving them more room and creating a space for people to meet and interact.

This is the sixteenth Tech.Ed conference to be held in New Zealand.

Image: Intergen's Chris Auld and Jim Hunter assist Microsoft's Norm Judah with his keynote presentation.