The rumors were swirling for a while, we were all expecting it, and finally the news was dropped on us 3 weeks ago. With Satya Nadella’s arrival, Microsoft took on the entirely new approach with regards to technologies, competition, partnerships, and the wave of changes has finally reached the conference coordinators. By now, everyone is aware that Convergence is no more. Quoting comic book writer Kelly Sue DeConnick “For hard resets, conventions and conferences can be inspiring”. For the North American Dynamics AX community, this year the inspiration will come in the form of:
Microsoft Dynamics Technical Conference Seattle, WA February 23-25
Who should attend: Solution Architects, Software Developers
This gathering of the best and the brightest is the main remaining event exclusively designed for Dynamics AX Solutions Architects and Developers. While some AX 2012 sessions have been scheduled, the highlight of this conference is the new Dynamics AX (formerly known as Rainier, AX 2016?, AX 7 – take your pick). Taking place immediately prior to the impending release of the new cloud Dynamics AX, the timing of this convention is impeccable. Surprisingly, the attendees will even find some functional tracks. From the session content point of view, this is the closest replacement of the hard code, in-depth classes led by Microsoft instructors highlighting Convergence in the years past. An additional event dedicated to Dynamics AX security and permissions is planned for those who will stay for the weekend after the conference.
US Industry Summit Rancho Palos Verdes, CA February 29 – March 2
Who should attend: Partner Managers, Sales and Marketing Staff
This is a Microsoft partner centric event dedicated to sales and marketing as well as product executives focusing on Microsoft’s vision for new and existing products. The summit will feature industry experts, customer stories, and competitive research.
Microsoft Build San Francisco, CA March 30 – April 1
Who should attend: Software Developers, Hard-Core Technology Enthusiasts
Build 2016 has already sold out for this year, however you can still join the sessions streamed live online. This is truly a Developer’s paradise – an event focused on enabling Programmers to collaborate and create. Even though it is directly mentioned with Dynamics products, no specific AX content is expected.
Microsoft Envision New Orleans, LA April 4-6
Who should attend: CEOs, CFO, CIOs, Department Managers, Project Managers, Technology Strategists
Built as a direct replacement for Microsoft Convergence, Envision will focus on C level executives, department managers and functional leaders. With Satya Nadella as a keynote speaker, Microsoft is trying to kick start the new conference with a splash. The announcement is so fresh and so recent that very little is known thus far about the format, educational content, and other particulars of Envision. As a long time sponsor and exhibitor at Convergence, Ellipse Solutions is eagerly awaiting the new event hoping to dispel the confusion in the coming weeks for the customers and prospects. It is obvious though that this will be one event emphasizing strategic direction with full attention to “One Microsoft” stack of products, and Dynamics AX being just one of the spokes on a wheel.
Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference Toronto, Canada July 10-14
Who should attend: Partner Management This Conference in Toronto will gather Microsoft partners of all technological paths for networking and education. This is the place for Microsoft to kick off the new 2017 fiscal year, meet Partner of the Year award winners, and gather the strategic direction for the year. However, this event is mostly about networking, networking, and networking.
Microsoft Ignite Atlanta, GA September 26-30
Who should attend: IT Professionals focusing on Microsoft Technologies Microsoft Ignite is a gathering of IT professionals, a networking event for true geeks. While it has always been the place for IT folks to discover new technologies and focus on innovations, with the disappearance of Convergence, some Dynamics AX technical content can be found among the Ignite sessions. This year it will be mostly related to deployment options and Azure. For whatever reason, Dynamics AX Retail will take center stage for a pre-day dedicated training. As expected, all of the related technologies, such as SQL Server, PowerBI, Office 365, System Center and SharePoint will be prominently featured.
AXUG Summit Tampa, FL October 11-14
Who should attend: Anybody related to Dynamics AX
The AXUG Summit has quickly become the leading event for Dynamics AX professionals focusing on and driven by the user community. The 2015 event showed the increased influence and participation by Microsoft staff, including the highest level of product management. At the moment, this is the only remaining frontier for Business Analysts and Functional Users to mingle and learn. The quality level of educational sessions has grown dramatically over the years and this is the place to be for Dynamics AX users and Microsoft Partner functional consultants.
