Cisco UC 7 update

OK, it is very clear now that the UC plan for Cisco is to move all services to Web 2.0 and give customers the choice of either running the solution in house, in the cloud or a combo.
That being said, I don't think it is all baked out yet (they have purchased Jabber but where that is going to fit in with WebEx ? MeetingPlace I am unclear) but I did get the message loud and clear on one thing... the Apple iPhone will be THE platform of future development. I think the iPhone and Windows Mobile will get a lot of attention. I am not very clear how much attention BlackBerry will get, which is odd given its install base. I don't know if Cisco thinks there isn't enough Web 2.0 support on the RIM side or what but I sure didn't get the impression that they were going to make the next "wow" application on the RIM handhelds.
As soon as I hear a clearer roadmap I will post it up. Heck, if anyone knows for sure and has links to back it up please tell me! - Ed

Cisco UC changes - Web 2.0, Apple iPhone

Cisco just finished up their UC Partner VT in San Jose and Web 2.0 services are a huge part of what they are up to with the UC product family. It also seems that Cisco is turning into an everything but Microsoft sort of play. All the product families are on Linux, heavy development on Apple integration and support within the whole Cisco product families plus moving to more "open" standards in regards to directory structures. Its been in the works for awhile but it pretty much officially here now. Cisco is head to head with Microsoft in the UC space and wants to build a large ecosystem around their product families without any MS products in the picture. Never mind the partner part of the "partner / compete" motto.
It also seems with the Web 2.0 push that development on the iPhone as the mobile platform of choice is Cisco's game plan. With the release of the Cisco VPN client on the iPhone plus the fact Apple licensed ActiveSync from Microsoft it really does seem that you will see Cisco use it as the mobile interface to their product family. They are having Cisco employees switching over from the Nokia dual mode handsets to the 3G iPhone... that should tell you something. I wonder what will happen to Blackberry in all this. I might have to move to the iPhone just to start showing off some of the new offering that Cisco will have in the UC space.
- Ed

DRJ Fall World Conference in San Diego

I am attending the Disaster Recovery Journal semi-annual conference in San Diego this week. It is definitely a different sort of conference then what I am typically used to attending from the tech side of the fence. There seems to be a high number of folks who are much more concerned about business process but know very little about how IT functions and works and even fewer who really grasp how technology is being utilized in IT shops today.
Granted, there are a lot of folks USING technology in their planning and such but the granular understanding of what is happening under the hood seems to be a bit light. Perhaps my opinion will change over the week but that is my initial impression so far.
That being said, these folks know and worry about way more things then ever typically make it onto the books for IT folks. I think IT shops could learn a lot more about what drives a businesses needs for this sort of planning and then incorporate that into their design architectures. Also, they could do better in outreach and educations as there seems to be a lot of frustration on the part of folks building these plan of not understanding what IT Pros are saying or referencing.
More later.
- Ed

MVP status

I got the official word this morning and I have been renewed for another year. To be honest, I was very surprised about this since my original MVP category of Windows Server - Networking was eliminated and I was moved to Identity and Access - Enterprise Security. I haven't changed my focus at all even though I have been put in a new category and felt it hurt my chances of becoming an MVP again. Apparently Microsoft felt differently, which I am grateful for. Looking forward to another year of MVP news and happenings. - Ed

Cisco Networkers this week

Even though it technically started on June 22 things don't really start until today if you look at the schedule. I've attended Networkers in the past and it is a good conference but I am going to hold out until next year when it is here in the San Francisco Bay Area.
For those that follow conferences it looks like Microsoft's TechEd will be in Los Angeles next year. Both conferences were in Florida this year which is a real long flight from the Northwest or even California. I guess all the west coast folks get to be lazy next year if they want to attend. - Ed