Final findings on Microsoft Ignite 2016 (Event) recap

Back from Atlanta again, downloading sessions and slides all night. A good script to do this can be found here: Ignite 2016 Slidedeck and Video downloader. At the moment I downloaded around 85GB of content so far, and it's not done yet :-)

As mentioned last year also, I don't like the idea of one big event with focus on several products. This because of networking and community, which is hard between 23.000 attendees. And because of in-depth knowledge and deep-dive sessions, most of community members going to IT/Dev Connections and Midwest Management Summit (MMS). That's not funny if you ask me. Hope that Microsoft wil consider a specific device management event in future again.

Overall the event was better then last year, where Microsoft did a first try to bring several events together. Therefore focus on Azure/Cloud, Server/Client, System Center/Intune, SQL/Visual Studio, Exchange/ Office 365 and SharePoint could all be found on one event. This year improvement was found on transfer shuttles, food (especially lunch), communication (security people) and Wi-Fi connection. Just picking up a name badge on airport is very pleasant, no need to wait on the event for this. No overbooked sessions this year for me also.

Improvements are still possible on food (more snacks between sessions), technical level on breakouts (more in-depth knowledge and demo's, offering level 300 and 400 sessions), sockets in sessions to load devices, and multiple lunch locations (not having to walk 20 minutes to pick up a lunchbox). As a device management focused person myself, I surely missed content on it. There were many sessions for sure, but still having the idea it wasn't enough to fill-up my schedule. No MMS replacement, if that is possible?

Big question is what Microsoft is doing next year. Microsoft Ignite will be back in Orlando, on September 2017, with the same capacity I guess. Not sure if I will attend again, or choosing Nordic Infrastructure Conference, IT/Dev Connections or Midwest Management Summit instead. Like to have more networking and community, more in-depth knowledge and deep-dive sessions, more overall tech-feast feeling. When attended Microsoft Ignite yourself, please use comments to describe "your feeling on the event". Thanks!

More blogposts on Microsoft Ignite:
My findings on Microsoft Ignite 2016 day 4 (Session and Expo) recap
My findings on Microsoft Ignite 2016 day 3 (Session) recap
My findings on Microsoft Ignite 2016 day 2 (Session) recap
My findings on Microsoft Ignite 2016 day 1 (Keynote and Event) recap
My scheduled sessions and product focus on Microsoft Ignite 2016